“Somewhere between here and nine, menschen. Keep your heads down, but get it fixed quickly. It’s very important and I’m depending on you.”
He patted each on the shoulder as they gathered up their kit and, without a word, disappeared off into the barrage.
Von Scharf dropped onto the sawn-off tree trunk that served as a stool and lit a cigarette from the butt of his radio operator’s hand-rolled offering.
He dispensed with the cigarette holder, given the circumstances.
“Scheisse!”
They both gave voice to the word, as a shell landed adjacent to their position, bringing down more stone and earth, and shaking everything around them.
Drawing on the comforting smoke, von Scharf looked at his watch.
‘1243… scheisse! Is it only 1243?’
The field telephone announced itself through his thoughts.
“Bataillon… ja… ja… Herr Hauptmann, Stabsfeldwebel Keller.”
The receiver changed hands.
“Scharf.”
“Herr Hauptmann, the enemy are gathering for a second attempt. A large panzer formation drove past us, with panzer-grenadieres and… I’m not totally sure, to be honest… but it seems to have progressed beyond Salzhemmendorf and almost to Heights 397 and 420.”
Von Scharf consulted the battalion situation map before replying.
“What’s that you say? Are you sure, Hermann? There was a full bataillon of the 897th moving through there, with armoured support.”
“No, I’m not sure, Herr Hauptmann, but I do know that it certainly looks like there’s fighting going on to the west of Salzhemmendorf.”
“Are they coming round your flank yet?”
“No, Herr Hauptmann. That’s another reason why I think they’ve gone straight over the river. Nothing is developing to the south of Salzhemmendorf, which it would do if they had been stopped, don’t you think.”
“Ja, sound thinking. All right. Get me better information as quick as you can. Anything else?”
“Nein. We’ll hold, Herr Hauptmann.”
“Get me more information, Hermann. Out.”
Lighting another cigarette, he contemplated sending some of his reserve to the left flank of Keller’s company, but held himself in check.
‘I need facts… what’s going on… what the fuck is going on…’
It was then he realised that he had two cigarettes in his grasp.
He laughed inwardly and hoped that the other occupants of the bunker hadn’t noticed.
‘I’m getting far too old for this shitty mess.’
Lieutenant Colonel Vesnin knew exactly what was going on, and he held his leading platoons in check whilst his plan was put into place.
Resisting the standard shouts and threats from his Brigade Commander, he had withdrawn the units on his right flank, and sent them to move quickly around the base of his position, in order to extend and strengthen his left flank.
Careful examination of the heights, through a convenient shell hole in the roof of the west tower of Marienhagen’s evangelical church, led Vesnin to believe he had spotted the end of the enemy defensive line.
Lacking men to exploit his discovery, he did the next best thing by holding back his second attack, and allowing the withdrawn units to concentrate where he felt the enemy line no longer existed.,
Even as his supporting artillery and mortars redoubled their efforts to wear down the defenders, he could hear the sounds of small arms fire from elsewhere on the height, indicating that the other battalions were already into their own attacks.
Tanks of the 45th Guards Tank Brigade assigned to bolster his force, opened direct fire on the German defenders.
‘Hurry up, Dushkin… hurry up, man!’
No sooner had he thought the words than, as agreed, Major Dushkin sent a single blue flare skywards, which initiated a full-scale attack by all of Vesnin’s force.
He checked his watch.
‘1257.’
“Send a message to the Polkovnik. I’m attacking and expect to turn the enemies flank. Route 240 will be open shortly.”
His aide scurried away, leaving Vesnin to ponder the scene developing in front of him.
“Scharf.”
“Herr Hauptmann, I need reinforcements. The enemy’s attacked again, but on a broader front. They’re nearly around my right flank, and will get between you and me if they’re not stopped.”
“Calm down, man.”
Von Scharf didn’t wait to see if there was more.
“Where are the lead elements now?”
“Nearing the trench lines… not quite in grenade range… I need more men, Herr Ha…”
“Spread your men to the right, Aschmann. Don’t let them get round you.”
“I can’t, Sir… I simply can’t. I’ve nearly a Bataillon to my front. If I spread out further, I’ll be overrun.”
Von Scharf made a snap decision.
“Hold your positions, Aschmann. That’s an order. Help’s on its way.”
Within two minutes, Hauptmann von Scharf had gathered a group of twenty-two men and placed them under the command of Janjowski, who was dispatched towards Aschmann’s right flank.
As he watched the group dash off, he recognised the two signallers returning, one favouring a leg that had been clipped by shrapnel.
“All done, leute?”
“Yes, Herr Hauptmann. Three breaks in all.”
“Good effort, damn good effort, Kameraden,” he slapped each man enthusiastically on the shoulder, “Damn good effort. You’re hurt, Finze. Bad?”
Gefreiter Finze shook his head.
“Just a clip, Herr Hauptmann. Nothing to trouble the sani with. A decent coffee’ll make it go away.”
Von Scharf poured two.
“Catch your breath, Kameraden. Thank you again.”
He held out his cigarettes, which the two exhausted signallers accepted gratefully.
He turned to the operator.
“Get me Keller.”
Von Scharf stood over the situation map and waited for the handset to arrive in his hand.
“Keller, this is Scharf. I’ve just sent some men to bolster Aschmann’s right flank. It seems the enemy has moved around and threatened to roll around him. I suggest you watch out for the same.”
“Already on it, Herr Hauptmann. I sent a small group to the west as soon as I had some spare men… but the bastards are coming again.”
“Different attack?”
“No, Herr Hauptmann, still coming straight up the slope, as before… slower, and using the cover better. They’ll get closer this time, of course.”
“But you’ll stop them, of course. Anything else from Salzhemmendorf?”
“Not yet, Herr Hauptmann. Too much smoke and dust, but the enemy artillery’s pounding the high ground, which would support my thoughts.”
“I’ve had no runner… the radio’s not working… for all I know we’ve been ordered off this hill already.”
Keller said nothing, whilst von Scharf silently debated his options.
It didn’t take long.
“Unless I hear otherwise, we’re staying on this damned hill, klar?”
“Alles klar, Herr Hauptmann.”
“Keep an eye on your flank, and whatever’s going on at Salzhemmendorf. Let me know if there is any change. Hermann… you can hold, yes?”
The chuckle was almost masked by exploding artillery shells, but it was none the less there.
“Zu befehl, Herr Hauptmann.”