War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1290 The Price of Victory

Under the dim sky, after Wei Ran emptied the last bullet in the magazine, he hurriedly removed the magazine, hid behind the wreckage of the tank, grabbed a few thick bullets from the bag, and fired One high-speed armor-piercing round and two high-explosive rounds were pressed inside.

At the same time, political commissar Vinia also stopped firing after the No. 2 tank on the high ground made no movement, and instead controlled the turret of the No. 2 tank to start turning. At the same time, Wei Ran and others also saw The observation window on the side of the No. [-] tank's turret was pushed open by a hand from the inside, and a bright square box flashlight was stuck in the gap - that was the light representing the retreat order!
"Da da da da!"

Just as the turret was aimed at the convoy coming from Bryansk, the machine gun on the No. 2 tank began to fire. The flashlight stuck in the gap of the turret's observation window also flickered to attract everyone's attention. force.

But at this time, whether it was Wei Ran who was fully loaded with bullets and continued to fire, or David and Fras who were manipulating the heavy machine gun, and even Alyosha and Father Dofero who picked up the submachine gun again.

They all seemed to have not seen the light. They used all the weapons at hand to shoot at the truck convoy that stopped far away and enemies kept jumping out of the carriages, trying to save Winnie in the tank. Commissar Asia creates a window of escape.

But what responded to them was the machine gun that started firing at the convoy after the No. [-] tank's parallel machine gun stopped firing.

This firepower, which was far more ferocious than heavy machine guns and anti-tank guns, immediately suppressed the infantrymen who came in trucks and could not lift their heads. Even many of those trucks were destroyed one after another because they had no time to avoid, and they turned into out-of-control flies. Got off the road.

However, at this moment, when Weiran had just emptied a 10-round anti-tank gun magazine and was about to continue loading bullets into it, the No. 4 tank driving up the high ground moved again!
Amidst the unignorable roar of the engine, the thick-skinned No. 4 tank slowly retreated from the high ground it had just reached in the diffuse blue smoke, and then began to slowly turn the tank body, trying to turn the seemingly impossible The rotating turret is aimed at the No. 2 tank that poses the greatest threat to it!
"Crack!"

Weiran loaded the magazine that had just been loaded with three high-speed armor-piercing rounds and one high-explosive round into the anti-tank gun as quickly as possible. After releasing the bolt and loading the ammunition, he aimed at the outside of the rear engine of the No. 4 tank. The 20 mm thick armor pulled the trigger!

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

"boom!"

After three consecutive high-speed armor-piercing rounds and one high-explosive round, the No. [-] tank stopped again. Flames erupted from its engine grille, but its turret began to move at an extremely slow speed!

Pushing the time forward for more than ten seconds, when Wei Ran hurriedly fired the first round of high-speed armor-piercing bullets, Father Dofero, who was about to shout at the animals and pull the heavy machine gun back at any time, also noticed the restarted vehicle. Panzer IV.

The old man glanced in the direction of Vinia, then at David and Fras, who were manipulating heavy machine guns and firing not far ahead. Without hesitation, he pulled out a sharp knife from his boot and cut it. The rope used to pull the artillery on a mule flexibly turned over and climbed onto the animal's back. He took out two Molotov cocktails from the canvas bag hanging around the animal's neck and lit them. Then he used the tip of the knife to stab the mule's buttocks. I clicked it unclearly.

Stimulated by the pain, this honest and hard-working mule subconsciously started running. At the same time, it allowed Father Doferro, who was carrying it, to hold the bridle to help it control the direction, and ran straight towards the No. [-] car. tank!

When he ran out from the edge of the wreckage of the BT7 tank on a mule, Wei Ran had just fired the last high-explosive bomb, and then he saw the old man riding the mule charging forward like a fearless cavalryman. He aimed at the No. [-] tank and hit the tank's already smoking engine grille and the connection between the turret and the chassis with great accuracy.

When the steaming flames enveloped the tank, Father Dofero also controlled the mule and ran past the side of the lying tank.

But he did not stop, but ran straight towards the No. 2 tank at the fork in the road that was still firing!
Seeing this, Wei Ran didn't bother to press the bullet again, waved his hand and put away the anti-tank gun, and ran directly from the depression to the No. [-] tank!
"Cover dad and the political commissar!"

Wei Ran shouted at the top of his lungs as he passed the anti-tank gun.After being reminded, David and Fras, who had been stunned just now, immediately turned their guns and pointed them at all visible enemies on the road!

During this long sprint of [-] meters, Wei Ran almost exhausted all his strength, and then he jumped on the tank without even caring about the steaming flames.

"Da da da!"

Almost as soon as he opened the hatch on the top of the turret and threw an F1 grenade that he had been holding in his hand, the tank's parallel machine gun also started firing, and amidst the intensive gunfire, the Weifan also jumped. After getting off the tank, he ran desperately onto the high ground that had just been crushed.

"boom!"

Just when he looked in the direction of the fork in the road, the grenade he threw into the tank finally exploded, and a nearly perfect ring of smoke was squeezed out of the turret hatch that was reopened by the shock wave.

But Wei Ran had no intention of observing this beautiful scenery. At this time, he had already taken out the anti-tank gun again, and at the same time pressed the three high-explosive rounds left in his pocket and the four high-speed armor-piercing rounds he had just carried into the magazine. While glancing at Yeremei.

But at this time, Yeremei had been crushed by the track of the No. [-] tank into minced meat that could not be separated from the soil. Even the barrel of the anti-tank gun had happened as seen in later generations. bent.

"Crack!"

Wei Ran loaded the magazine with the last few bullets on the anti-tank gun again, and while taking aim, he looked in the direction of the fork in the road.

At this time, Father Dofero had already jumped off the mule, holding a submachine gun and hiding next to another tank to shoot at fish that slipped through the net. From time to time, he would also use a German wooden handle grenade in his hand to violently He knocked on the No. [-] tank where Vinia was hiding, as if urging him to get out of it quickly.

Come back soon
Wei Ran gritted his teeth but did not dare to fire easily. There were only the last 7 bullets left in his anti-tank gun. This was their last heavyweight weapon besides the heavy machine gun.

Fortunately, after replenishing the last truck with a round of shells, Vinia finally pushed open the hatch cover above his head and emerged from inside.

However, before he could crawl out, Wei Ran used the high-power scope on the anti-tank gun to clearly see that his body tilted, and then he was grabbed by the arm and pulled out by Father Dofilo!

As the No. 2 tank's turret stopped firing, several German soldiers hiding on the other side of the roadbed also emerged and tried to throw the grenades in their hands over one after another.

"boom!"

Wei Ran fired the first high-explosive bomb, easily tearing open the upper body of a German soldier who appeared, and at the same time, the grenade in his hand fell on his side.

Before this grenade exploded, let alone the grenades thrown around the tank, Father Dofero had already dragged Commissar Vinia and rolled down the road.

Seeing this, Wei Ran secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He aimed at a machine gun that had just been set up and pulled the trigger, firing a second high-explosive round.

"boom!"

Amidst the deafening gunshots, hot bullet casings flew out of the chamber and hit Yeremey's broken body not far away, but Wei Ran felt a heat on his right shoulder, followed by a sharp pain.

Without looking at the position of the gun at all, Wei Ran aimed at another machine gun that had just been set up and was firing at the heavy machine gun position. He pressed the fingers of his right hand with his left hand and pulled the trigger that was as stiff as a dead man's finger!

"boom!"

When the last high-explosive round was fired, Wei Ran immediately turned his head and hid in the trench, then stretched out his left hand to put away the anti-tank gun.

Looking at the gunshot wound on his right shoulder, Wei Ran looked at Yeremei's broken body next to him. The only thing he could do was to take off the Soviet cloak and cover it with him, and then took it out again. Engineer shovels planted a German-produced jumping mine in this position.

After waiting for a moment, he picked up the backpack left here by political commissar Vinya and rushed out of the trench. He crawled close to the traffic trench and quickly passed through the minefield. He hid behind a pine tree and looked out.

At this time, the sky was getting darker and darker, and he even saw many different car lights in three directions of this Y-shaped fork in the road!
But he also saw that the seemingly crazy mule was dragging a rope and running back desperately.

At the other end of the rope it was dragging, which was originally intended to pull the heavy machine gun back, was connected to Father Doferro's belt!
This desperate old guy, while he was being dragged by the mule, he was still holding Commissar Vinia tightly with both hands!
Seeing that the mule had crossed the depression, Fras immediately controlled the heavy machine gun and hit the mule with a bullet in the chest with a knife stuck in its butt.

Before the mule fell to the ground, he immediately moved the heavy machine gun that had just been replaced with a new magazine and began to suppress the area along the highway.His deputy shooters David and Alyosha also ran over immediately. One of them carried Commissar Vinia, and the other carried the old man with a German steel helmet on his head and his body covered with reeds and dead branches. Dad, risking his life, he ran across the barbed wire fence and passed through the safe passage created by Weiran.While they were running back, Wei Ran had also run over, and while passing by them, he ran out and hid behind the machine gun shield.

"Fras, hit the truck we ambushed first! The truck that tows the artillery!" Wei Ran shouted at the top of his lungs against Flas's ear, "Hit its cargo compartment! Quick!"

Hearing this, although Fras didn't know why he did this, he immediately turned his gun and aimed at the two trucks that collided with each other, covering their cargo compartments illuminated by tarpaulins with fire snakes.

In the intensive firepower, rounds of 12.7 mm caliber heavy machine gun bullets hit the tarpaulins of the two trucks. After passing through easily, they easily tore open the tarpaulins on the carriages. The wooden box containing the shells hit the artillery shells that were supposed to be supplied to the front line!
"boom!"

Almost when Fras was about to give up on this meaningless target that would only waste bullets, the truck shrouded in barrage finally exploded, tearing apart the truck into pieces, exploding shell casings, and even wooden boxes and iron. Nails, wooden boards, and other things that had no right to violate the laws of physics were all scattered under the push of the shock wave.

"boom!"

Driven by this shock wave, the ammunition on another truck next to it also exploded.

Seeing this, Wei Ran grinned, knowing that he had made the right bet, and allowed David and Alyosha who ran back to help Fras drag away the heavy machine gun that had no bullets, while he himself accurately He found the landmine planted yesterday, opened the lunch box and kettle cup that were fastened to it, pulled out the safety pin, and ran to the other end of the barbed wire fence.

"How are dad and the political commissar doing?"

Wei Ran asked loudly as he followed the three people dragging the machine gun while covering the wound on his right shoulder.

"Dad has a lot of wounds on his body!" David explained in a panic, "The political commissar seems to have been shot in the stomach!"

Hearing this, Wei Ran's heart trembled, and he silently followed them to the pit dug in advance and pushed the heavy machine gun in.

"wait for me!"

Alyosha shouted before Vlas and David were about to lift a cloak and cover the heavy machine gun with dead branches and leaves prepared in advance. He hurriedly took out a cartridge case from his pocket and pulled out the bullet on it. Then he pulled the barrel of the anti-tank gun lying beside the pit, dipped his cuff in blood-red paint, and drew four extra stars on it while shaking.

While he was busy, Wei Ran also squatted beside Vinia and Father Dofero. The conditions of these two people were not good. Political Commissar Vinia was shot in the abdomen near the navel. The bullet It came out from the ribs on the right side.

Father Dofilo's hands, arms, and even his neck were covered with scratches. More importantly, there was a piece of grenade fragment embedded in the back of his thigh that no one else had discovered before!At this time, the blood flowing out from here had wet the boss's pants.

"Okay, I'm fine!"

As Alyosha said, he put the anti-tank gun with the stars painted on it into the pit. Fras and David, who were waiting next to him, immediately lifted their cloaks and pushed all the dead branches and leaves on them into the pit. .

There was no time to cover up too much. Wei Ran pulled out two boxes of S-shaped mines that he had prepared in advance from the roots of the trees. He placed three of them in the shallow pits dug in advance and directed Alyosha and the others to carefully pull them out. After the safety needle, he gently covered the pressure-sensing fuse with fallen leaves.

After laying out the final means of killing the enemy, David carried Father Doferro on his back, while Fras carried Commissar Vinia onto the back of the last mule.

There was no discussion at all, and the group of people got into the shadow of the damp and cold forest trees amidst the sound of machine gun fire again outside the forest.

Less than 2 minutes later, there was an explosion from the direction behind him. Alyosha, who was walking at the front with the charge, also asked blankly after the explosion, "Where are we going?"

"Victor, you come to direct everyone."

Fras, who took turns carrying his father on his back with David, said, "You are the oldest here, so you can take over the command."

"Stop first"

Wei Ran, who was walking at the end, stopped and gave his order, "First stop the bleeding on dad's thigh. Also stop the bleeding on my arm. Just tie it up with a rope. Also, make a stretcher for dad." ."

"Where is the political commissar? What should he do?" David asked subconsciously.

"The bullet hit him in the abdominal cavity and there was nothing we could do unless a doctor was near us."

Wei Ran sat down on the ground as he spoke, resisting the dizziness caused by blood loss, and opened the mine box he had been carrying with one hand, "Bury one of the mines where we just passed by, Fras ,You do it."

"it is good"

As he spoke, Fras handed the leggings he had just received to David, and then he took out the engineering shovel from his bag, dug a shallow hole where they passed by, and buried one of the landmines in it. According to the rules soon Qianwei Ran taught him the steps to carefully remove the safety needle, and then gently covered it with a handful of fallen leaves.

While he was busy, David and Alyosha also used leggings to help Father Doferro temporarily tie up the wound on his thigh that still had shrapnel, and then helped Wei Ran tie up the shoulder where he was shot. A few.

Immediately afterwards, they chopped a few more wooden sticks, used the oil-stained cloak to make a simple stretcher, and put Father Doferro on it.

After such a while of busy work, Vinia, who was lying on the horse, coughed violently. The person who followed him also regained consciousness and said feebly, "Let me, let me get down."

Hearing this, David and Fras immediately helped him down and let him lean against the trunk of a pine tree.

"Bao" Political Commissar Weniya said while looking at Wei Ran not far away.

Hearing this, Alyosha immediately took off the bag hanging on the mule, opened it and handed it to the other party.

"You guys have to survive."

Vinia put her hand on his backpack and said with her last strength, "We. We will win. In the bag, wait until the war is over and then help me send it out. You. Live."

"Vinya? Vinia?"

Wei Ran stretched out his left hand, helped the other person close his eyes, sighed and said, "He died, let's keep going."

Wiping the tears from his face, young Alyosha stubbornly hung Commissar Vinya's bag on the mule again, and put his body on it.

Seeing this, Wei Ran didn't say anything. He just pressed his hand on the wound and continued to follow silently. He listened carefully to the dense machine gun fire and the occasional explosions outside the forest. From time to time, he looked up and looked up at the night sky above his head, which gradually became clearer. of stars.

To be fair, this guerrilla group with only a few people and only two anti-tank guns, a few bullets, and a heavy machine gun achieved impeccable results.

Not to mention the three tanks at the handlebar intersection that were attacked and unable to fight back, the half-track armored vehicle, a Panzer III tank and a Panzer IV tank that were destroyed behind them are enough to explain everything.What's more, two trucks of ammunition to be sent to the front line and several other trucks with unknown contents were spared?
But all this victory was achieved with the fighting and sacrifice of young Sasha and Yeremey, as well as the political commissar lying on the mule, like moths to a flame, and even...
Wei Ran couldn't help but glance at Dofero who was lying on a simple stretcher. He might even have to catch this old man who should have spent the rest of his life in peace.

Fumbling around, he took out half a pack of mud-stained cigarettes from his pocket. Wei Ran took one out, lit one, and took a puff. However, he only felt extremely irritated. The price of victory was too heavy.

(End of this chapter)