Chapter 774

After the troops had assembled, we continued on our way. After walking for about 20 minutes, the battalion commander at the front of the team sent someone to report that he had contacted the third regiment and that the other party was waiting for us in the front fortification. In order not to keep kosja waiting for them, I quickly left the line with bandeleev and walked forward.

When we got near the fortification, kosja came up with some commanders. After listening to his brief report on the army, I looked at the dark buildings between the two trenches in the distance and asked, "Comrade commander, what are those buildings?"

After looking around, kosga replied, "Sir, those are some concrete blockhouses. The walls are more than one meter thick. They can resist the direct fire of 76mm artillery. You know, this is a key national defense project. Even the walls of the trench are concrete. "

After hearing what kosga said, I looked around curiously. Although I could not see far in the dark, I could not feel any trace of fighting here. So I couldn't help asking in surprise: "Comrade commander, since it is an important national defense project, why didn't we send a team to stick here at the beginning? Also, since this area is under the control of the German army, why did they not send troops to this important area? "

Cosga was stunned by my series of questions. He was tongue tied and didn't know how to answer my questions. At last, Bantai leiev relieved him. He said with a smile, "well, sir, don't embarrass lieutenant colonel kosga any more. Let me introduce you. The reason why we didn't leave troops to stick to this fortification in the early stage was that when our troops pulled down from the direction of Don river, almost all of them had lost their organizational system, the communication between the group army and the divisions was not smooth, and the orders could not be accurately given to the troops, so this key fortification was abandoned in vain. As for the reason why the enemy did not put troops in this fortification after occupying this area, I think it is because of the characteristics of this fortification. " At this point, he pointed to the front and said to me, "the main defense direction of this fortification is toward the north. When it is used to resist the enemy from the north, the fortification can still play its role. If the attacking enemy comes from the south, the effect of this fortification will be greatly reduced. This is probably one of the reasons why the enemy did not leave troops here. "

"Report to the division commander and deputy division commander," kosja returned to normal after being released by Bantai leiev. He reported to us: "after entering the fortification, we had carefully searched and found that there was a sign that someone had lived in a shelter. According to the observation, there are no more than one squad in charge here, but I don't know why they have all withdrawn. "

"Has anyone lived here?" Bantaileiev asked curiously, "can we judge whether it's our people or German?"

"It's German," kosga replied without hesitation. "We found a pair of discarded army boots in the shelter, which belonged to German; In addition, we found the remains of flour bags used by the Germans in the trenches. From the analysis of these remains, we can completely determine that the people stationed here must be the Germans. "

"Well, no matter whether the people who used to stay in this fortification were German or our own people, they are all our own people now." I gave kosga a direct order: "Comrade commander, take us to the trench."

Under the guidance of kosga, we entered the trench and watched some soldiers sit on the ground to rest, while others put their guns on the edge of the trench and watched the north side of the position with vigilance.

Kosga took us into a bunker. I saw five or six soldiers inside. There was a light machine gun in front of the black hole. Seeing us coming in, the soldiers quickly raised their hands to salute, and cosga waved to them to leave. After the soldiers left, I quickly walked to the shooting hole, raised my telescope and looked out. Although I couldn't see far away, I could see that the outside was a flat open land. Seeing this, I can't help cursing that the German commander's head is broken. Even if you put such a good fortification here, it will make us have some scruples. But that's good. We can pass here calmly and continue to go north to join the army of the Don river front.

Before I put down my telescope, I heard leiev from Bantai saying: "Sir, comrade, we have left mamayev post for almost three hours. According to the reservation in advance, we should receive the telegram from the political commissar."

I put down my telescope, turned my head, nodded and said, "OK, let the telegraph operator come in and receive the telegrams from the political commissar here to find out what's new in the city. Captain, you go out and call the operator in The last sentence I said was to basmanov, the commander of the guard battalion.

While busmanov was out looking for the telegraph operator, I called kosja to him and said, "Comrade commander, you will leave a battalion behind to take charge of the defense here."

Before I had finished, cosga said in surprise, "what, leave a battalion?" He was deeply afraid that I could not figure out the current situation, and he specially stressed to me, "before our regiment set out, you let major Godunov and the Third Battalion stay. I have only one battalion, two battalions and units directly under the regiment. If one battalion is left to guard the position, our troops going north will be thin. "

"Don't worry about that," I comforted him. "You leave captain dobrovsky's first battalion, and captain Rosenberg. I don't think he's healed and can't adapt to the Long March, so let him stay. When the time comes, combine the battalion of the fourth regiment with your second battalion and continue to go north. Even if you encounter the enemy's troops, the two battalions can still compete with the enemy. As long as we can hold on for more than half an hour, the regiment led by lieutenant colonel shijerikov will arrive at the battlefield. "

Just after the assignment, busmanov came in with the operator. Bantaileiev pointed to several stacked ammunition boxes and said, "just put the telephone on this one."

Because of the long distance of this March, I did not ask razumeyeva or Najia to come, but I found a telegraph operator from the communication company. The operator seems to be a monk, not familiar with the business, put a machine frame, an antenna is in a hurry.

Bantai leiev asked in a low voice: "Comrade division commander, why do you want to leave a battalion here to hold fast? In this way, our troops will soon disperse? When fighting behind enemy lines, we should not divide our forces at will. "

I just laughed bitterly at bantaileiev's worries, and then replied, "Comrade deputy division commander, you must have seen that this is the only way for us to go back to mamayev post. If we don't send troops to hold fast, once our troops are found by the enemy, they will surely send troops to occupy here and cut off our retreat. How long do you think our army, isolated and short of food and ammunition, will be able to hold out in the enemy's encirclement? " Seeing his thoughtful expression on his face, I struck while the iron was hot and said, "Comrade deputy division commander, I will set out with the comrades of the third and fourth regiments in a moment. You will stay and wait for the first regiment. When Xie jielikov's regiment arrives, let them have a rest and then catch up with us."

I had a talk with Bantai leiev for a while. Seeing that the clumsy operator had finally installed the telephone, I raised my hand and looked at my watch, urging him: "turn on the machine quickly, and watch the political commissar and their telegrams." Then he told busmanov, "Captain, use a flashlight to light up the radio operator, so that he can copy messages."

Not long after we switched on, kirilov's telegram came. I received the telegram from the telegraph operator, and then the light of basmanov's flashlight could hardly identify the above contents. It read: "in order to delay the German attack and relieve the pressure of our defense forces, our group artillery carried out heavy shelling on the enemy tanks and infantry gathered near the ground in the" Red October "factory half an hour ago, It caused heavy casualties to the enemy. "

After I handed the telegram to Bantai leiev, I walked out of the bunker. I looked towards the red city. Although I couldn't see it, I could still imagine the intensity of the battle from the dull gunfire. Looking to the East, there is no moving figure. It seems that the troops of shejerikov may still be on the slow truck, and they don't know when they will arrive.

I went back into the bunker and began to give orders: "Captain busmanov, send someone to help the operator remove the radio antenna. Commander kosga, go and give my orders. The first battalion will stay. The second battalion and the regiment will leave with us. As for you, comrade deputy division commander, just as we have just agreed, you should stay and wait for a regiment. After their rest, you can come north to pursue us. "

Because I decided to let the first battalion of the third regiment stay temporarily, when I set out, the troops of the third regiment were once in chaos in the dark, and the commanders at all levels took great efforts to gather up the troops. When I was about to set out, I could see the shadow of a regiment in the East.

When the troops of the third and fourth regiments started north again, kosga came to me and said in shame, "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't expect that the troops would be in chaos after a short rest. It's all my responsibility. I can assure you that we will strengthen the training of our troops when we go back, and there will never be a similar situation again. "

"It's not your responsibility, commander kosga. Don't blame yourself so much." I said amiably to the old commander of the third Regiment: "after the cruel fighting, there are few old soldiers left in the third regiment. Now the regiment is full of new soldiers. Originally, there was not enough time for them to train, but now they are still organizing their march at night. It's very good to reach such a level. "

Seeing that I didn't blame myself, kosga relaxed. He then asked curiously, "Comrade division, if we go all the way north, can we join the friendly forces going south?"

When I heard his question, I turned to look around and saw that there were people I could trust. Then I lowered my voice and said to kosga, "Comrade commander, we must find a way to hide before dawn. Otherwise, once we are found by the enemy's reconnaissance plane and do not wait to see the friendly forces, we will be in danger of losing the whole army. "

After looking around, he said anxiously, "this is the prairie. If the enemy finds us, they just need to send an armored force to surround us, and we will have no way back. At that time, as you said, not only can we not join forces with friendly forces, but we will be destroyed by the enemy. "

Thinking of the map that akhromeyev gave me before departure, I quickly told kosja: "according to the reconnaissance of the previous two days, there is a hilly area ten kilometers away, which is the weak link of German defense. Before dawn, we can hide our troops there. Commander, you immediately send a small team, speed up the north, to confirm whether the intelligence feedback from the reconnaissance team is correct“ OK, I'll send someone to do it now. " Cosga agreed, running away from me, and running quickly to the front of the line, ready to arrange for a scout.