Podgourski now arrived with his mines, which were sent to the hill. The Japanese evidently intended to destroy, if they could, every living thing on the hill and then to occupy it. Anyhow, they delayed their attack, which we expected every moment.
Just then I received bad news. While attempting to take the trench occupied by the Japanese, Second-Lieutenant Pogdanovitch was killed instantaneously, and the attack failed; the 1st Company of the 28th Regiment lost heavily, but fought magnificently. The death of this gallant young officer was a heavy blow to me. There were not many like him left.
“Well, if Podgourski’s mines are a failure, I don’t know what will be our next step. God grant that we can hold on to our positions, and then it will be time to decide that difficult question,” I thought to myself. Firing ceased; which meant the attack was imminent. I ordered the reserve companies to move right up to the foot of 203 Metre Hill; and Colonel Irman reported this fact to General Kondratenko, and asked for two more companies to reinforce him.
Colonel Irman and I rode to Akasaka Yama, where one had a better view of the positions and of 203 Metre Hill, but though the attack was at its height, we did not see a single Japanese. Apparently they were attacking along the narrow strip of cliff on 203 Metre Hill which was hidden from view from all our positions. We concluded that the assault was being driven home in small detached parties.
The rifle fire directed on 203 Metre Hill from all the neighbouring hills occupied by the Japanese was simply terrific. Bullets were flying in all directions; it was dangerous to stand out in the open, even far away to the rear, and one of my horses, which was in a place apparently quite safe, was hit in the foreleg. Now one of the reserve companies had climbed up to the hill; in another hour the second was almost there. It became necessary to think about further reinforcements. In an unbroken line the wounded were being brought back from the hill. At this moment I heard heavy rifle firing from Division Hill, but I had not a single man to send there. If the enemy were now about to attack there also, we should indeed be in a very bad plight.
It was now that Midshipman Doudkin opened fire with his small guns. Our telephones were silent. The strain was awful. If the Japanese took Division Hill, communication between 203 Metre Hill, Akasaka Yama, and False Hill would become extremely difficult. I reassured myself with the thought that Fort Yi-tzu Shan would prevent the Japanese from advancing too far. Meanwhile I sent an orderly to Division Hill to find out what was happening there. We had a splendid view of the rear of 203 Metre Hill, and could clearly see what every man was doing. We saw how the companies, on reaching the hill, wriggled along like snakes to the different parts of the trenches, and then disappeared into them, how every now and then a man would make a dash for the commandant’s bomb-proof, and then pick his way back again to the top of the hill, how they carried the wounded back to the dressing station—in a word, every movement of the defenders was plainly visible from our point of observation. For a long time we received no reports, but at last one came in from 203 Metre Hill. Three attacks had been beaten back, with enormous losses to the enemy; but the commandant felt sure that the attacks would be renewed, and therefore considerable reinforcements were indispensable. He also reported that they had found it impossible to roll the mines down upon the Japanese, and that things in general were in a very bad way. There were very few men left, and practically no officers.
Soon after Lieutenant Podgourski[87] came back from the hill with his sailors (we had by then returned to the staff headquarters) and promised to bring smaller bombs, from 6 to 10 pounds in weight, on the morrow.
Podgourski informed us that unless we sent up one company to 203 Metre Hill, it would be taken, as the men were physically and morally worn out. Fortunately, a reserve company arrived, and I immediately sent it to the hill, and Colonel Irman sent a despairing message for at least two more companies to reinforce us. We heard afterwards that the sight of the company coming to their help had had a most reassuring effect on the commandant, officers, and men.
The situation seemed to be so hopeless that one of the artillery officers suggested that the hill should be abandoned, since there was no hope of holding it. But Major Stempnevski was the first to say that, even though every one else left the hill, he would remain with his one company. Captain Alander supported him, declaring that if the 2nd Company remained, the 4th would stand by it. Just at this moment the reinforcing company was seen coming up. A ringing cheer went up, and the heroic defence continued. It was reported from Division Hill that the enemy had occupied a position in front of the hill and opened a very heavy rifle fire; to which we replied that the enemy had apparently no reserves there, and that this was probably only a demonstration, as it eventually turned out to be.