This is what had taken place. On the arrival of Lieutenant Podgourski, Captain Sichev, Major Stempnevski and Captain Kramorenko (to whose initiative the attack was mainly due) formed the following plan: to call for volunteers among the officers and men to attack the Japanese with the bombs, to divide them into two parties, and, on a rocket being fired, one party to act from one flank of the trench and the other from the other flank. Lieutenant Podgourski was to take charge of one party. As arranged, the two parties started off in absolute silence towards their objectives. Then Lieutenant Podgourski with three volunteers, Riflemen Trufanov and Butorin of the 4th Company of the 5th Regiment, and Fomeenitch, a sailor, wriggled up on their stomachs to the trench, and there set the fuses of their bombs. The distance was yet rather far for throwing, but as it seemed impossible to crawl any nearer without being observed, they decided to have a try. Fomeenitch was the first to throw his bomb, but it fell short. The enemy did not pay the slightest attention. As the signal had not yet been given, it was decided not to throw any more bombs for the present. Then, seeing that they were not in a good position for throwing, Lieutenant Podgourski and Fomeenitch crawled along to the other flank and joined Captain Kramorenko’s detachment. They then succeeded in getting quite close to the bomb-proofs, and Lieutenant Podgourski threw his bomb, which, however, also fell short.
“Let me have another try, sir,” said Fomeenitch to Lieutenant Podgourski, and the 10-lb. missile, hurled with a strong arm and true aim, fell right into the entrance to the bomb-proof. There was a deafening roar, and a great column of smoke, combined with fragments of planks, beams, iron girders, and shattered limbs, shot high into the air. All the other men then ran out into the open and threw their bombs. With a terrific roar the bomb-proofs were blown to pieces. Clods of earth, pieces of planks and beams, and fragments of human bodies fell all round our brave fellows. Those of the Japanese who were left alive fled down the hill, but were all shot down by Captain Kramorenko’s men. All was over in two minutes.[91]
Praise and all honour to Podgourski and Kramorenko! Our joy knew no bounds, whereas the Japanese were literally dumbfounded.
JAPANESE BODIES ON THE TOP OF 203 METRE HILL.
p. 193]
Their futile, but desperate, attacks had cost them some thousands of men,[92] whose bodies were strewn over all the slopes of 203 Metre Hill and choked the ravines at the foot of it.
On the following day (September 23) we collected a number of rifles and digging tools. We walked freely about 203 Metre Hill and its environs, and did not hear a single shot from the Japanese. The enemy’s artillery also was silent, and if we had only had one more division, we could have retaken all our old positions, the Japanese having apparently abandoned them.
Parties of Chinese were sent out to collect the bodies on 203 Metre Hill, and they dug pits on the spot and buried the dead in them. Our men were laid to rest near the headquarters of the staff. Many of the dead had lain for a long time in the trenches on 203 Metre Hill among its living defenders.
Rest ye in peace, brave men! Your heroic deeds will bear such fruit on Russian soil that thousands like unto you will arise hereafter.