War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 523 In order to regain the homeland
On the battlefield full of artillery fire, the tragic battle of tanks kicked off with the first rays of the sun.Relying on its numerical superiority, the Fifth Tank Army abandoned the coordination of infantry and started a rapid attack, and within a short period of time, it pushed back the oncoming German army by nearly a kilometer.

The corresponding German army, after a brief panic, also began to carry out a Jedi counterattack with the cover of rivers and villages and towns.And not long after, the German 8th Air Force also joined the battlefield with a roar!

These roaring fighter jets and dive bombers brought huge casualties to the attacking Soviet tanks, and at the same time gave the compressed German tanks a chance to breathe, even with the assistance of the bombs dropped by those dive bombers Start pushing the front in the direction of the Soviet army!
On this repeatedly seen-sawing battlefield, the wreckage of the tanks on both sides that were discarded yesterday turned out to be a relatively safe place. Not only did the tanks of both sides not approach the ruins of the tanks because of their scruples, but even the dive bombers roaring above their heads seemed to be in a relatively safe place. They are unwilling to waste shells in these places.

On the contrary, the stretcher soldiers and medical soldiers on both sides of the Soviet Union and Germany regarded these wreckages as treasures to temporarily avoid the flames of war.

Beside the smelly mud pond, the T-34, which was squeezed between the wreckage of two German tanks, was not idle. Roman was using the German tank tracks that he could find around him to thicken the frontal armor, obviously preparing to use this tank as a Fixed artillery used.

But Vajim was lying on the back of the T-34 and seriously repairing the engine, obviously wanting it to run again. Not only that, he even found a small bottle of paint, and put the phrase on the turret that symbolizes going home. The slogan was repainted.

Only Wei Ran was lying on the roof of the wrecked No. [-] assault gun, holding up his binoculars and observing the surrounding situation vigilantly.

Amidst the rumbling gunfire and the clashing sound of steel, Wei Ran could clearly see in the field of vision of the telescope that at this time, not far from the direction where their tank artillery was facing, several wounded were hiding Behind the No. 4 tank that Roman personally destroyed was receiving treatment from medical soldiers.

With a distance of less than a hundred meters, he could clearly see the blood spreading from the wounded.He could even recognize that the stretcher soldier who had just carried a wounded here was precisely the Commissar Trosa!

However, before he told the two busy partners about this discovery, a Leopard tank rushed towards the Soviet army's position in the distance!Looking at the direction of his car, he might soon pass through the empty field between them and the wounded!

"Roman!"

Wei Ran yelled at the top of his voice, and immediately afterward, Roman and Vajim immediately dropped the work they were busy with, and got into the tank turret in three steps at a time!
"boom!"

Almost at the same time that the Leopard tank smashed shells around the wreckage of the No. 4 tank at close range, Roman, who had just jumped into the turret, looked at the scope and stomped on the firing pedal, firing the barrel. The long-awaited armor-piercing bullet!
I don't know if it is luck or misfortune, although this hasty shell missed the side armor of the Panther, but it was lucky to hit the drive wheel on the right rear side of it!

Even Wei Ran, who was outside the tank, could see more clearly. The shell just now not only broke one of Leopard's legs, but even its engine was shrouded in bright flames!
"Armor-piercing shells!"

Roman yelled again, and then watched helplessly that the Panther in the scope began to turn the turret, followed by turning the heavy body with the help of the only remaining intact track, trying to align the heavy frontal armor with the guard. Ran et al.

The turret on its side turned fast and the body turned slowly, but the situation on Roman's side was even more difficult. Not only was the turret rotating by hand slower, but there was even no way to turn the body at all.

At this time, the two sides are competing, and it seems that only the speed of loading and aiming is left.But obviously, once the Leopard turns its head around before the engine shuts off, it will be their death!

Roman could see this situation clearly, and Wei Ran, who was standing guard outside the tank, could see it even more clearly!

So this is the assist in destroying a Leopard mentioned in the return mission?
Wei Ran hesitated for less than a second, immediately jumped off the wreckage of the assault gun, and rushed towards the Leopard with his submachine gun in his hand!

At this time, the two hostile tanks also completed loading and aiming successively!
"boom!"

Amidst the dull roar, the shell fired by the Panther hit the front of the T-34 tank.

Fortunately, not only was there no one in the driver's cab at this time, but Roman had hung several layers of tracks as additional armor not long ago. No actual damage was done.

Grinning his teeth and putting his eyes on the scope, Roman immediately shouted and directed Vajim to continue turning the turret with gestures after seeing Wei Ran flying towards the Leopard, aiming at the target. The heading machine gun on the front side of the Leopard!

"boom!"

The moment Roman stepped on the pedal, the second armor-piercing projectile quickly flew a distance of less than [-] meters and smashed hard on the shield of the heading machine gun.

"Armor-piercing bombs! Speed ​​up!" Roman shouted and urged.

Almost at the same time that Vajim stuffed the armor-piercing bullet into the barrel, the Panther fired another shell.

However, I don't know if it was out of retaliation for the shell just suffered, or because of the impact of the burning engine, what was hit by this shell was also the gun shield of the heading machine gun!
It's just that, although the gun didn't smash into the inside of the tank through the weak opening due to the angle of incidence, the flying machine gun fragments enveloped Roman and Vajim!

Vajim, who was shaking the turret to turn, trembled, looked down at the two-centimeter-long wound on the right hip bone, and then touched his lower back. Before he could see the blood on his hand, he made a plop. Sitting on the floor!
On the other hand, Roman, his chest was already stained red with blood, and even his neck was studded with a fragment of a machine gun!
With a "plop", Roman slid down from the hanging seat, and stretched out his hand to the fire pedal while making the syllable "ho ho".

Seeing this, Vajim also crawled over, and pressed Roman's hand with his blood-stained hand, and the two pressed down the fire pedal together.

"boom!"

After the last shell flew a short distance of more than a hundred meters, it slammed into the front of the turret of the Leopard tank!

On the battlefield outside the tank, Wei Ran was only 40 meters away from the stalled Leopard.

At this moment, he could already clearly see the thick smoke coming out of the opened hatch and the German tank soldiers fleeing in the thick smoke!Seeing this, Wei Ran immediately stopped in his tracks, raised the Bobosha in his hand and began to shoot!

Almost at the same time that he suppressed the newly emerging German tank soldiers back into the tank, a figure dyed golden by the morning glow jumped onto the burning Leopard tank, stepped on the flames from the engine grill, and threw a grenade into the tank. It had just been pushed out of the shell loading port.

"boom!"

The hatch that was closed by the figure who jumped out of the tank was lifted again because of the explosion of the grenade. Immediately afterwards, the tank that was already on fire also exploded!

After a while, Wei Ran got up again and trotted towards the bombed Leopard tank.

With just one glance, he saw Commissar Trosha smirking on the other side of the wreckage of the No. [-] tank, and beside him, there were several broken corpses.

"Commissar Trosha, are you okay?" Wei Ran asked in a loud voice.

"it's okay no problem!"

Trosha stood up unsteadily, "You are still alive, were you the one who fired the shell just now?"

"It's us." After Wei Ran glanced, "I'm going to see Roman and the others first."

Trosha glanced at the wounded around him, bent down to pick up his own gun and said, "I'll go with you."

"You found us last night?" Wei Ran asked while running back.

"I guess you should survive"

Trosha responded, "I often meet such tank soldiers. They will not give up their tanks easily. Some even deliberately pretend to be destroyed and ambush them to carry out secret ambush missions. Which one do you belong to?"

"The former"

Wei Ran shook his head, "We were busy last night, but until the battle started this morning, the engine couldn't be started."

Hearing this, Trosha looked up at the fighter jets whizzing by, hesitated for a moment and said, "Come back to the rear with me later, I can't promise to get you a tank right away, but it seems that you can catch a tank." For the sake of the returning captives, at least we can guarantee that the few of you will not be separated."

"Then thank you, this is probably the best news." Wei Ran said, speeding up his pace again.

When the two rushed back to the tank, they frowned indiscriminately.

"Roman?" Wei Ran shouted, "Vajim? Are you all right?"

Seeing that no one responded, the two immediately jumped onto the tank and opened the hatch, and then found Roman and Vajim lying on the ground and pressing the fire pedal together.

"Are you guys okay?"

Wei Ran didn't care about the small space, and immediately got in to test the breath of the two, "Help carry Vajim out! He's still alive!"

"Pass it to me!" Trosha immediately put his hand into the turret.

Just when Wei Ran was struggling to help Vajim up, he woke up.

Looking at Wei Ran with an anxious face, he looked up at Commissar Trosa, who was leaning most of his body into the turret. Vajim touched the wound running through his abdomen, and an ugly smile appeared on his young face. .But then, dark red blood flowed down the corner of his mouth.

"Let me...let me stay here, I... I'm dying, I... I can't feel my legs"

Vajim said wearily, "Victor, is there any more wine?"

"Yes! Yes!" Wei Ran hurriedly took out the portable flagon from the metal book, unscrewed the lid and handed it to the other party's mouth.

Taking a sip of the little gin left in the jug, Vajim seemed to be in better spirits, "Just let me stay here, Roman just said that he doesn't want to leave this tank either.
Victor, comrade political commissar, help me find something that can prove that I am a tanker.Wait until we recapture Kharkov, and send it back to Valentina.Her address is in mine, in my tank cap, remember to drink the vodka there, promise me that until then, keep it from her, our baby, my identity is about to be born"

"I promise you." Wei Ran solemnly made a promise, "When Harkov is taken back, we will"

Before he could finish speaking, Vajim had already closed his eyes, and the wine jug in Wei Ran's hand also slammed on the shell shell at his feet with a clang.

Trosha, who had been leaning his upper body into the turret, sighed, took off the hat on his head, and withdrew his upper body from the turret.

Inside the tank filled with the smell of blood, Wei Ran returned Vajim's body to the driver's seat with difficulty, and then took off his tank cap.

Inside this tank hat, a small pocket made of canvas was sewn by hand, and what was contained in the pocket was only a photo of Vajim and the young Valentina. Box of vodka.

Turn over the back of the photo, but there are several lines of addresses written in blue pen on it.

The address in the first line at the top is Kharkov, the second line is Belgorod, the third line is Voronezh, and the last line is Kirov.

However, apart from this photo, Wei Ran did not find any personal items from Vajim except for the trophy necklace and the German flashlight hanging around his neck.

There is no military medal, no soldier's card, no identity capsule, no cash, not even shredded tobacco, cigarette paper, and a lighter.

Sighing, Wei Ran found a pencil from the tank, and then found a few pieces of cigarette paper from Roman's body, copied all the addresses on the back of the photo, removed the firing pin of the tank, together with the The string of gold and silver rings around Vajim's neck was put into his pocket together.

Finally, he straightened Roman's body and wiped off the blood on the two military medals on his chest. Then Wei Ran put away his flagon, took the hatch wrench and left the tank.

Carefully locking all the hatches of the car, Wei Ran approached Trosha who was standing at the front of the car.

"The last one should be the address of Vajim's wife, and the rest are the places where they once lived. Vajim even buried a box of vodka in each of those addresses."

Wei Ran handed the cigarette paper with the address written on it to Trossa, and then took out the firing pin of the artillery that was just removed and handed it to the other party, "If possible, after Kharkov is defeated, please find a chance to send Take this back to his wife."

Trosha hesitated for a moment, took these things and asked, "Does he not have a soldier's card or something?"

Wei Ran shook his head, briefly explained Vajim's identity, and then took out the string of gold and silver rings from his pocket, "Let's find a way to exchange these things into money and send them back to his wife."

"Is there anything else I can do?" Trosa asked, putting the things away.

"Where is Agafon's body?" Wei Ran asked after hesitating for a moment.

"It's in the mass cemetery in the rear camp," Trosa responded.

"Comrade Commissar, the corpses of Roman and Vajim."

"Just do what Vajim said"

Trosha sighed, "After the war is over, if I am still alive, I will bring their family members here to pick them up."

"Roman's family members already died in Kiev in 1941." Wei Ran uttered another bloody fact, almost raving.

"Just like it says on the turret"

Trosha slowly raised his right arm, and while saluting the tank that turned into a coffin, he said forcefully, "In order to take back Soviet Ukraine!"

"In order to take back Soviet Ukraine." While Wei Ran muttered to himself, intense white light also filled his field of vision.

(End of this chapter)