Chapter 353 Reconnaissance
Katukov received an order at this time, an order from Rokossovsky, commander of the 16th Army.
"The 2nd Guards Tank Brigade was ambushed by the enemy, immediately reinforce them!" Rokossovsky said.
"But, Comrade Rokossovsky!" Katukov replied: "We are still an hour away from Tver!"
"Speed up!" said Rokossovsky, "They are surrounded by enemies!"
"We are already at the fastest speed!" Katukov replied: "Unless...we let the M3 medium tanks break away from the formation and rush for reinforcements!"
The cross-country speed of the M3 medium tank can barely reach 20 kilometers per hour, so that it can reach Tver in half an hour.
The problem is that if the M3 medium tank rushes to Tver alone, it may not play a big role.
On the one hand, the combat effectiveness of the M3 medium tank is not strong enough and its defense is not good enough. Its huge body will be an obvious target for the enemy.
On the other hand, if the 1st Guards Tank Brigade loses the cooperation of the M3 medium tanks, it may cause problems.
As I said before, the M3 medium tank is the spear of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade. Although its 75MM artillery has a narrow field of fire, it can penetrate the armor of German tanks at a long distance... This will force the Germans to seek close combat and even use it This provides cover for "Matilda".
Otherwise, if there is no M3 medium tank, the clumsy "Matilda" tank can easily be surrounded by the enemy and then go around and attack its weak parts of the armor.
At that time, I am afraid that even the bazooka will not be able to save the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, and the entire unit will be in danger of being passively beaten.
Rokossovsky also understood this truth, so he thought for a while and replied: "Forget it, you continue to march, and prepare for battle... The enemy is likely to turn to you!"
"Yes, Comrade Rokossovsky!"
Katukov is very satisfied with this. In fact, even if Rokossovsky ordered the M3 medium tank to speed up reinforcements, he would not agree.
This is not to say that Katukov has selfish intentions, but that at any time, he should rescue friendly troops under the condition of ensuring his own safety... Otherwise, it is either a trap for the enemy or the loss outweighs the gain.
This is the situation at this time, because of the speed of the "Matilda", the 1st Guards Tank Brigade can only say that it is helpless.
"Ready for battle!"
"Ready for battle!"
…
The order was conveyed in a single voice.
Katukov also sent a message to Shulka through Fedosiev... This is the advantage of British and American tanks. They are equipped with a complete set of communication systems and are compatible with each other.
Thus, Katukov could easily send messages and even issue orders to a certain battalion or company through the tank... This has become a command system in a sense.
Of course, this doesn't quite work in wartime.
"Comrade Captain!" Fedosiev waved the signal flag on the turret towards Shulka in front to attract Shulka's attention.
Shulka stopped and waited for a while, and Fedosiev jumped down after the tank followed, and said, "Comrade Katukov let me tell you, you guessed it, the Germans are indeed prepared. But soon Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to prepare, the 2nd Guards Tank Brigade was surrounded by the enemy!"
Actually, this doesn’t need to be said at all, Shulka can see it from the fighter planes of both the enemy and us fighting in the air.
The Luftwaffe had air superiority again at this stage, but they did not attack the 1st Guards Tank Brigade... Maybe this slow-moving tank was not taken into account by them.
The fact is true.
The pilot had already seen the 1st Guards Tank Brigade in the air.
Of course, they didn't know that it was the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, which had repeatedly made military exploits on the battlefield. They also habitually thought that it would not be the 1st Guards Tank Brigade... In their eyes, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade was "" T34 units", of course, a tank unit without T34 cannot be a "T34 unit".
"We found an armored unit!" Colonel Charles, who was flying a fighter jet to compete with the Soviets for air supremacy, reported to his superiors: "They are heading towards Tver at a speed of about 10 kilometers per hour!"
"What? 10 kilometers per hour?" Kubil couldn't believe it when he heard the news, and he asked, "You read that right!"
"No, I read it right!" Colonel Charles replied: "It is indeed 10 kilometers per hour... Wait, I see it clearly. Those are British tanks. I recognize them!"
Colonel Charles is part of the German 10th Air Force, which fought in Africa, that is, covering Rommel's armored forces against the British army... of course, only a small part of this mission is carried out, most of the fighters are bombing island of malta.
Colonel Charles had the good fortune to fight in Africa, so he was well aware of the tanks the British used.
"Are you sure?" Lieutenant General Kubil asked.
He dare not believe it, because it is directly related to the progress of the next battle.
"I'm sure!" Colonel Charles replied: "It's the British 'Matilda' tank, and the American 'General Grant', etc., and finally there is the 'Valentine' tank."
Charles reported the models of these tanks to Kubiler in detail. Among them, the nickname of the M3 medium tank "General Grant" was not even known to the Soviet army... This nickname was given to the American tank by the British. Of course, such a formal occasion of the Soviet army would not be named after it by a nickname.
"Damn the British and Americans!" Kubiler couldn't help cursing after hearing this.
The reason why he scolded this is because he knew that the British and Americans provided these tanks for the Russian army.
However, his eyes lit up quickly, and he immediately pulled out a document from the pile of documents... It was a document about the data of British and American tanks.
Rommel's army fought against these tanks on the African battlefield, so of course the data performance and advantages and disadvantages of these enemy equipment will be shared among the army.
As a commander, Kubil certainly knows this, and he needs this document at this time just to confirm it.
Then, he understood why the marching speed of this armored force was so slow.
"It was Matilda who slowed them down!" Lieutenant General Kubile said to the adjutant.
"Should the air force stop them?" the adjutant asked.
"No!" Lieutenant General Kubil shook his head and said, "Let the Air Force concentrate its firepower against the T34, it is our opponent! As for those 'Matilda' and 'General Grant'... let our tanks Go deal with them!"
As he said that, Lieutenant General Kubiler called von Funke: "We are lucky, major general, there is an armored unit waiting for you behind, an armored unit composed of British and American tanks !"
(end of this chapter)
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