Although the results of this battle can be reported to Vatutin by telegram. But I felt that some things should be made clearer on the phone, so I called Tavart Kiradze and asked him to accompany me back to the headquarters of the 51st Guards Division, and I wanted to personally report the battle to Vatutin through the division's special telephone line.

After the phone was connected, when I heard Vatutin's voice coming from the earpiece, I immediately said politely: "Hello, Comrade General! I'm Oshanina, and I have something to report to you right away. ”

"It turned out to be Comrade Oshanina." Vatutin's voice sounded happy: "I think you called me at this time, there must be good news to tell me!" ”

"Yes, Comrade General." I thought that he would speak to me in a very serious tone when he heard my voice, but he didn't expect his tone to be more friendly than ever, and I guess he guessed that I was calling him to report good news. I took a deep breath and said, "Our ambush has ended successfully, destroying a German armored detachment and destroying twelve tanks and twenty armored vehicles, one of which is the newest German Tiger tank. ”

"What are our casualties?" Vatutin, waiting for me to finish, asked cautiously.

"Comrade General, since the results of the battle have not yet been counted, I can't tell you accurate data for the time being." Although I also wanted to tell Vatutin, that our troops had suffered no casualties in this ambush, I was worried that an infantry soldier would accidentally fall or break his foot when he rushed down the hillside, so I cautiously said: "But I can tell you with certainty that not a single one of them was killed." ”

"What. Not a single sacrifice? Vatutin's voice sounded a little excited.

"Yes." I've told you the whole story of the battle. He also deliberately emphasized: "Because the German troops were on the march after being hit by our long-range artillery fire." As soon as the shelling was over, the new tanks hidden on the hillside launched a surprise attack from their flanks, and it can be said that they had no power to fight back at all, and they were completely annihilated by us. ”

Hearing me mention the new tank, Vatutin's voice became serious again, and he asked solemnly: "How did our new tank perform in battle?" ”

"Great performance, Comrade General!" You must know the T-54/55 tanks from later generations. In terms of armor, firepower and mobility, it far surpassed all tanks of this period. The Tiger tank has an absolute advantage over the T-34 of the Soviet Army, but against this new tank, it is like a short man challenging a giant, and the two are not at the same level at all. "Only that Tiger tank fired a shot and narrowly hit one of our tanks. However, the hit tank did not do anything at all, but killed the German Tiger tank with a single shot. ”

After listening to my account, Vatutin still said worriedly: "Comrade Oshanina, I think you should go to the battlefield yourself to see the damage to this tank. And whether there are occupants or not, and then report back to me. Do you understand? ”

"Understood. Comrade General. When I finished speaking, I politely asked, "Can I go now?" ”

"Go, go, go." Vatutin agreed very happily, and specially advised: "After you have checked the damage to the new tank, report it to me immediately." Remember, don't use a telegram, just contact me directly by phone. ”

I put down the phone, turned my head to look at Tavart Kiradze and Povsky, who were standing behind me, and then said to the two with a smile: "Two, the commander of the front ordered me to go to the battlefield to check the damage to the tank that was hit by the Germans just now, would you like to accompany me on a trip?" ”

"Needless to say, Comrade Commander." Hearing my question, the two immediately smiled like a sunny smile and replied in unison, "Of course, I am happy." ”

As we drove to the battlefield, Povsky, who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat, turned to the side and said to me with regret in his tone: "Comrade commander, although our artillery fire, under the guidance of artillery observers, covered the enemy's armored units, a third of their tanks and armored vehicles survived such a heavy shelling due to the long line of their march. ”

After listening to Povsky's words, General Tavart Kiradze, who was sitting next to me, said with a smile: "Comrade Colonel, you are really too critical of our artillery, you must know that although a third of the tanks and armored vehicles of the German army survived the artillery fire, they have almost lost their combat effectiveness. You didn't see that as soon as our tanks attacked, except for the Tiger tank, the remaining tanks and armored vehicles did not even have a chance to fire, they were wiped out under the blows of our tanks. ”

"Comrade General, I do not agree with you." Although Tavart Kiradze said the truth, Povsky was still unconvinced and said: "Today, the German army was attacked by our sudden artillery fire in the process of marching, and it is completely understandable that there is no way to fight back." Suppose one day they dispatched hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles to form battle formations on the wide plains of our defensive fronts and launch a surprise attack on our defensive positions. Do you think we can hold them off? ”

I did not stop the argument between Povsky, the commander of the artillery, and General Tavartkiradze, because the two men only had different views on some tactical issues, and they expressed their own opinions, and did not speak ill of each other in the slightest because of their personal preferences. In this case, I sat quietly and listened to the exchange of words with a smile on my face.

After a while, our car suddenly stopped. I glanced out the window and saw that I had already arrived at the battlefield, so I smiled and said to the two who were still arguing, "Okay, stop arguing." The battlefield is here, let's go and see it first. After saying that, he took the lead in pushing the car door and walked down.

As far as the eye can see, there are large craters more than one person deep, and wisps of green smoke are still rising from them. The wreckage of a tank or armored vehicle that had been overturned next to the crater was still burning, and there was a choking and unpleasant smell.

The commander of the third battalion, Major Girkin, noticed our arrival and hurriedly ran over from a distance. I waited for him to salute and asked, "Major, are there any casualties in your battalion?" ”

"Nope. Not a single one. Girkin after answering my question. Then he reported: "Our battalion is cleaning up the battlefield. About thirty prisoners were captured, most of them seriously wounded, what should we do? ”

Before I could think of how to reply to Girkin's request, Tavartkiradze, who was next to me, had already begun to give orders to his subordinates: "Major, do you still need to ask for instructions on such a thing?" Except for those who were not injured or slightly injured, the remaining seriously wounded were shot one by one, and the other bodies were buried on the spot. ”

"Yes!" Jirkin said yes very happily. But his feet did not move, and he turned his inquiring gaze to me, as if waiting for my further orders.

I felt very uncomfortable listening to Tawartkiradze's somewhat impersonal command. However, after thinking about it, I felt that Tawart Kiradze's order, in this case, was still very correct. After all, most of the seriously wounded Germans were burned, and even if they were brought back to the prisoner camp, it was estimated that there was no chance of surviving in the end. Rather than let them waste our army's precious medicine, it is better to give one shot per person. Let them be relieved from their suffering. Thinking of this, I said to Girkin, who was still standing in front of us, "Major. What are you doing here, why don't you go and carry out your commander's orders? ”

After getting my permission, Girkin said yes and turned to leave. I suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly stopped him again: "Major, do you know where the tank that was just hit by the German tank shelling, where is it?" ”

At the foot of the hill a hundred meters away, Girkin pointed to the neatly parked row of tanks and said: "Comrade commander, count from here, the second one is." Speaking of this, he couldn't help but say with emotion, "Being hit by a German tank at such a close position, it would have been destroyed a long time ago if it had been replaced by another tank, but I didn't expect this new tank to have nothing to do with it." ”

When we arrived in front of the tank column, the tank crews were clearing the turf and dirt from the tank body. Two tank captains walked up to us, raised their hands and saluted, saying: "Comrade commander, the commander of the 82nd (101st) tank brigade, Captain Basdukhov (Lukbass), reports to you that the tank company has completed its combat mission and is resting, please instruct!" ”

When I heard the numbers of the 82nd and 101st tank brigades, I couldn't help but laugh dumbly, saying in my heart that it was really a coincidence, that they actually had the same name as the two most famous airborne divisions of the US army, but I didn't know if they could make great achievements in the Battle of Kursk. I smiled and nodded at the two of them and asked, "Where is the tank that was just hit by the Germans?" ”

The broad-shouldered, stocky Captain Lukbass on the left immediately replied: "Report to the commander, the tank that was hit was the tank of our company. Although the turret was hit by a German tank at close range, nothing happened at all. ”

I knew that the tank was fine, but I was worried that some of the crew members would be injured by the huge impact of the shells, so as soon as I heard that the tank belonged to the 101st Tank Brigade, I quickly asked Lukebas: "Comrade Captain, when the tank was shot, did the crew have any casualties?" ”

"When the tank was shot, the commander, Sergeant Roschukin, accidentally hit him in the head." In his report, Lukebas also made a point of emphasizing: "However, the injury is not serious, and it has been bandaged." ”

After listening to Lukmas's report, out of concern for my subordinates, I specially instructed him: "Call him over and I will see how his injuries are?" ”

When Lukebas heard me say this, he immediately turned his head and shouted at the tank crews who were busy not far away, "Hey, Sergeant Roschukin, come to me." ”

At his shout, a short tankman who was clearing the dirt jumped out of the tank and trotted in front of me. He raised his hand and saluted me with a military salute and reported to me in a shrill voice: "Hello, Comrade Commander, Sergeant of the Tank Corps Roschugin has been ordered to come, please instruct!" ”

Looking at the thin and handsome tank sergeant in front of me, a strange feeling suddenly welled up in my heart. I glanced at his forehead wrapped in gauze and asked with concern, "Comrade Sergeant, are your injuries serious?" ”

Roschugin replied with a smile: "I just scratched a little skin, the injury is not serious, the hygienist has bandaged me, and it will heal in a few days." ”

From his smile, I sensed a hint of charm, and the strange feeling in my heart became even stronger. I looked him up and down, then fixed my eyes on his neck, and was surprised to see that there was no Adam's apple. Seeing this, a strange thought suddenly popped into my mind, and I said, "Comrade Sergeant, I have something to say to you, come with me. ”

After I finished speaking, I walked towards the parked jeep, and when I saw that Tavart Kiradze and Povsky wanted to follow, I quickly raised my hand to stop them, and said politely: "You stay here first, I have something to talk to Comrade Sergeant privately." ”

Although Tawart Kiradze didn't know why I did this, they nodded and honestly stood there without moving their feet.

I took Roschukin to the jeep, and the driver, who was sitting in the car, thought that I had some orders, and quickly got out of the car and stood up straight next to the jeep. After glancing at him, I ordered, "Comrade driver, I have something to say to the sergeant in private, so you should avoid it first." ”

The driver raised his hand in salute, then turned and ran away.

When I was left with Roschugin and I next to the jeep, I looked at him and asked, "Comrade Sergeant, tell me, what's your name?" ”

Roschukin, not knowing why I was asking, replied with a blank face: "Report to Comrade Commander, my name is Alexander. Roschukin, was a tank commander of the 101 Tank Brigade. ”

When I heard his answer, I snorted and said, "Comrade Sergeant, I am asking for your real name. ”

Roschukin immediately showed a flustered expression on his face when he heard my question, but he still stubbornly said to me: "Comrade commander, I don't know what you're talking about, my name is Alexander. Roschukin. ”

I looked left and right, and when I saw that there was no one nearby, I said to him with a straight face: "Okay, Comrade Sergeant, don't continue to hide it, I can see it." Tell me honestly, your surname is Roschukina, or something else? ”

Roschukin was stunned by my words, and after a long while, she said tremblingly: "Comrade commander, I don't know how you can see it? ”

Seeing that she admitted the fact that she was a woman, I smiled and said, "Although you hide it well, I can detect your strangeness from the smile you just had." Although it is difficult to find that you are a woman from your figure, I can easily recognize your identity with your words and deeds. Speaking of this, I couldn't help but say with emotion, "Are all those fighters in the same tank as you blind?" I've been with you for so long, and I didn't even realize that you were a woman? (To be continued.) )