Upfall

The Germans had the more difficult task, attacking the dug-in defenders uphill, with no artillery or armored support. Despite the challenge, the leading SS platoon—at great cost— overran the first Jewish trenches, taking a dozen bewildered young men prisoner, Encouraged, the company commander, Untersturmfuhrer Friedhelm, led a fresh platoon into to the assault. If he succeeded, the entire Jewish position would crumble.

Yatom, dimly aware of the critical battle now raging behind his line, returned to the aid station where he found Nir, Ido and a doctor huddled over Rafi, alive but still unconscious. Yatom told Nir to rejoin Mofaz, annoyed that the sergeant had not already returned to the fight, and left Id0 with the doctor and Rail.

Suddenly there was rifle fire from the mortar position off to Yatom's left. Yatom turned nervously toward Poldolsky, worried that his rear positions were now under attack, but the mortarman just shrugged his shoulders. The position seemed secure and there were no Germans in sight. Yatom looked off toward where the mortarmen had shot, somewhere near Ido's old position, but saw nothing. He figured that the mortar-men, like everybody else, were just shaken and scared, firing at shadows.

Moments later a truck pulled up behind the aide station. Perchensky hopped out, accompanied by twenty reluctant looking from Biali. On the low ridge to the northeast, the fighting continued to rage between Fliegel‘s men and the SS. Some of the men and boys noticeably winced at the tumult. Yatom told Perchansky to guide the group to the ridge and reinforce Fliegel, but not to remain there herself. With Feldhandler wounded, they could hardly afford to risk Perchensky, if they were to have any hope of getting home. She agreed, more tired than afraid, and not unhappy to do something vital, even if it meant dodging a few bullets.

Having done what he could to help Fliegel on the right flank, Yatom radioed Ilan on the left. The sniper, who was effectively in command of the hillock across the valley, told Yatom that Sobel had also just arrived with twenty extra men, but Ilan continued, the reinforcements were no longer necessary. The hillock was secure. Then Ilan stopped talking. Fearing he'd lost another man Yatom yelled at the sniper through the handset.

"Sorry commander" answered the sniper distractedly. "There is an enemy halftrack festooned with antennae—just moved into my line of sight, about 600 meters."

"Beseder. Keep an eye on it. And tell Sobel and his men to come to me."

Across the valley from Ilan a trio of SS privates from the wrecked German armored attack, also saw the German command halftrack and started toward it. They weaved their way unnoticed across the still smoking valley, past the burning wrecks of the recon platoon, the Stug III and their own blasted halftrack. The highest ranking of the three, a veteran Sturmmann named Siegling, carried a prize—the Galil assault rifle which Ido had abandoned after it had run of bullets and rockets. The Germans had sheltered in the lee of the main ridgeline after their failed attack, but enterprisingly approached Ido‘s position once it appeared he had departed. Siegling took the unusual looking weapon. It was Siegling Yatom had seen the mortarmen shoot at. An enterprising soldier, Siegling figured his commanders would want this prize.

Meanwhile, in his command halftrack on the Lubin road, Kumm approached the hillock Hoehe 28. Up to this point he had been careful not to venture too near the enemy position. Now he took the risk, hopeful that he could recover the deteriorating situation. It was one thing to hear fragmented reports from subordinates, and to follow the flow of the fight by the smoke of wrecked machines. It was another to observe the battlefield in detail. As Kumm approached the hillock he got a good view of the larger ridge, Hoehe 31 on his left, and clearly saw the knocked out Stug and halftracks in the saddle between the two hills. This area was now quiet, but the sound of vicious fighting echoed from the little ridge to the northeast, Hoehe 19 where Stadler had thrown in his last reserve. Across the valley he made out three SS men running back toward his line, refugees from the armored attack.

Kumm was brave but not reckless. As his command track neared the enemy position he fastened his helmet and slunk down in the armored bay, keeping only his shoulders and head above the parapet He ordered his driver to steer toward a trail that appeared to enter the wood near the Company 2 command post. From there Kumm could call in artillery 0n the Hoehe 28, and push the demoralized men of Vogel‘s company into a final assault.

The enemy held hill, quiet but menacing, loomed half-a-kilometer away in the distance. Kumm's driver turned the halftrack and drove for the trail and the cover of a stand of linden trees.