Seeing that the German attack was defeated, Rokossovsky shook his head at Carmela, who was standing beside him, and said: "Let's go, Carmela, follow me to the position to have a look, cheer up the commanders and fighters, and by the way, meet the veteran who helped us a lot just now." Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 He took two steps towards the door, suddenly stopped and turned to Tarasov, "Chief of Staff, when I am not in the command, I will leave this place to you with full responsibility." ”

Tarasov, who originally wanted to follow Rokossovsky to the position to have a look, heard his commander say this, and knew that his thoughts had been in vain again, so he had to reluctantly agree and continue to stay on duty in the command headquarters.

When Rokossovsky and Carmela entered the position, they saw soldiers running back and forth in the trenches carrying stretchers, and could faintly hear the painful moans of the wounded and the sound of someone shouting for the hygienist.

Hearing these strange voices, Carmela slowed down and said to Rokossovsky: "Koschika, it seems that the medical force in the army is not enough, and we need to ask the local hospital for help, so that they can replenish us with military doctors and nurses." ”

"But the whole of Yaltsevo is gone, where can I find doctors and nurses?" Rokossovsky said helplessly: "I think that among the refugees who have fled, there should be many people who used to work in hospitals, and we can recruit these people to fill the field hospitals." ”

As the two of them spoke, they came to the trench and saw a young soldier in a steel helmet sitting beside the trench, staring blankly ahead, while in his arms lay a soldier whose face was invisible. Carmela asked curiously, "Comrade warrior, who are you holding?" ”

When the warrior heard Carmela's voice, he raised his head, looked at Carmela with a blank gaze, and muttered, "It's a veteran, and if he hadn't helped me block the bullets, I might have been killed." ”

Hearing that there was a veteran lying in the soldier's arms, Rokossovsky's heart couldn't help but move, and he said that it would not be such a coincidence, he just wanted to come to see the veteran who had helped him, but the other party died. He crouched down and gently took the veteran's body from the soldier's hands.

Holding the veteran's body, he looked up and asked Carmela, "Is this the veteran?" ”

Carmela also crouched down and carefully examined the veteran's remains, and after a moment, he sighed and said, "That's right, it's him." After speaking, he turned his head and asked the soldier who was still in a trance, "How did he die?" ”

Seeing that the person who asked him was a general, the soldier quickly stood up and replied: "Report to Comrade General, at the time of our tank sortie, a force of Germans had approached our position. At that time, we had just returned to our position, and we could not help but panic a little when we saw the enemy appear so close to us. At this moment, it was the veteran who stood up and shouted loudly at everyone: Don't panic, the Germans are so small that none of us can get one. As long as everyone aims and hits, they can defeat all the enemies in a while. ”

When Rokossovsky heard this, he couldn't help but sigh secretly and said: I didn't expect this veteran to have the potential to be a political worker, if he hadn't sacrificed, he could have made him a company instructor or something.

At this moment, the commander of the 38th Division, Colonel Kirillov, came over with several people. He walked up to the two generals, and without saluting, he asked straight to the point: "Comrade two generals, why did you come here?" It's too dangerous here, so you'd better go back to Command, right? ”

Rokossovsky did not answer him, but asked rhetorically: "Comrade Colonel, what are the casualties of the troops, and what results have been achieved?" ”

Kirillov grinned at Rokossovsky, and then replied: "Report to Comrade Commander, in the battle just now, our division suffered more than 100 casualties, killed more than 400 Deko, and destroyed a lot of tanks. ”

Hearing Kirillov mention the tank, Rokossovsky's heart couldn't help but chuckle, he hurriedly put down the veteran's body, got up and raised the binoculars to look into the distance, only to see the six tanks that destroyed the German artillery position, still standing there without moving. Seeing this, his heart couldn't help but get anxious, and he turned his head and asked Kirillov: "Colonel, do you have a direct command number here?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Kirillov replied.

Hearing that there was a telephone in this position to contact the command, Rokossovsky could not wait to say: "Take me immediately." ”

As the group walked along the trenches, the commanders and fighters along the way stepped aside and straightened their backs to salute them. If it was usual, maybe Rokossovsky would have returned the salute to them, but at this moment, Rokossovsky's heart was worried about the fate of the first few heavy tanks, and he didn't notice these commanders and fighters at all.

When he arrived at the command post, he went straight to the telephone and picked up the microphone. When he heard Tarasov's voice coming from inside, he immediately said: "Chief of Staff, please tell Colonel Mikhailov to immediately withdraw the heavy tank company, I am afraid that the enemy will not be willing to lose, and may soon send bombers to bomb us indiscriminately, I don't want to see such a good tank blown up by the German planes." ”

"I see, Comrade Commander." Tarasov replied respectfully: "I will report to Colonel Mikhailov and ask him to withdraw his troops immediately." ”

"Comrade Commander, what are you worried about?" In the presence of outsiders, Carmela still used the official title of Khorkossovsky, "You must know that although the number of our tanks is small, the enemy's tanks and anti-tank guns do not pose any threat to them?" ”

Rokossovsky waved his hand and said with a wry smile: "General Carmela, the situation is not what you imagined. While the Dekor's tanks and artillery pose no threat to them, you forget that there are planes. Some time ago, I led my troops to ambush the fast columns of the German army in the forest area, and achieved considerable results. But just as we were cleaning up the battlefield, enemy planes appeared, and after a burst of indiscriminate bombardment, they inflicted huge losses on us. So I was worried that the Germans would not be willing to accept defeat and would repeat their old tricks and send planes to bomb them, and then these heavy tanks would be in danger. ”

While the two were talking, the phone on the desk rang suddenly. Kirillov picked up the microphone and said in a serious tone: "Hey, I'm the division commander, where are you?" ”

After the other party had spoken, Kirillov handed the microphone to Rokossovsky and said: "Comrade commander, I am looking for your phone and calling from the headquarters. ”

I took the microphone and put it to my ear, listening to Mikhailov's voice coming from inside: "Comrade commander, I have just been in contact with the commander of the tank company. In addition to the tanks that broke down shortly after entering the battlefield, four other tanks broke down and they are undergoing emergency repairs. ”

"Colonel, let them hurry up and repair, the Germans' planes may come soon. When the enemy planes come, they are the best targets. Do you understand? ”

"Understood."

"Now that you understand, let's let the two tanks that are not faulty withdraw first." Rokossovsky was worried that if he waited any longer, these heavy tanks might be wiped out by German bombers, so with the mentality of saving one by one, he ordered Mikhailov, "If possible, replenish the ammunition of these two tanks." ”

If the tank breaks down, it is simply impossible to troubleshoot it if there is no professional technician, but just the tankman who repairs it himself, and in a few hours. It is a pity that the Germans will not give the Soviet tankmen such a long time, and after only half an hour, four enemy aircraft came over the battlefield.

As soon as they saw the motionless heavy tanks parked in the distance, they swooped down from a high altitude and threw bombs and strafed several tanks, until they saw all the Soviet tanks on the battlefield being beaten by them and burned with them, then they waved their wings and flew away in the direction they came.

Rokossovsky, who witnessed the entire bombing process, was so angry that he stomped his feet. After the enemy plane flew away, he returned to the command post to call Mikhailov and angrily asked: "Colonel, how many tanks are left in the tank company?" ”

"Two." Hearing the anger in Rokossovsky's voice, Mikhailov replied with some humility: "Except for the two tanks that you just ordered to be withdrawn, the rest of the heavy tanks were blown up in the bombardment. (To be continued.) )