As soon as it was dark, as soon as the troops of Bandeleyev and Gurtiev set out, faint explosions and gunfire were heard from the north of the city. When I heard the movement coming from outside, my first reaction was: Did the German pursuing troops enter the encirclement of Chief of Staff Vitkov? But wasn't the battle supposed to be going on in the southeast, and why were the gunshots and explosions coming from the northeast?

I listened to the movement outside for a while, and was thinking about whether to send Pugachev to find out where the battle was going on. Unexpectedly, before I could call Pugachev, it suddenly became quiet outside.

"Commissar, deputy commander," I asked, looking at Kirillov and Romanov, "did you hear gunfire and explosions outside?" ”

"Hear me, Comrade Commander." Romanov was the first to reply: "Judging from the sound of gunfire, it should be our army's standard weapons firing, but there are only a few sporadic German weapons firing, and our army also uses mortars." ”

"Is it the troops of Chief of Staff Vitkov who are exchanging fire with the Germans who are catching up?" Kirillov waited for Romanov to finish speaking, and then asked tentatively.

"Probably not." I replied to Kirillov in the affirmative: "If it had been a firefight between Colonel Vitkov and the Germans who had caught up, the battle would have been much more intense, and it would never have ended so quickly." ”

Romanov said to himself: "Then where did the battle take place?" ”

"I'll figure it out, Comrade Deputy Commander." As soon as I said this, I shouted outside: "Major Pugachev, Major Pugachev." ”

My shouts just fell. I heard the sentry at the door also shouting for me: "Major Pugachev, the commander has something to look for you." ”

With the help of the sentry, Pugachev quickly ran into my command. Standing in front of me in an orderly manner, waiting for me to give him orders.

"Major, I'm sure you heard the gunshots and explosions just now, right?" Seeing that Pugachev nodded in affirmation, I continued: "You go and inquire about where the battle took place." Report it to me as soon as there is news. ”

"Yes!" Pugachev agreed. He hurried back to the telecommunications room next door.

As soon as Pugachev left, a telegram from Vitkov arrived, on which he briefly wrote: "The strength of the German army is about two battalions. Trailing our troops into the plains, which had not yet completely thawed. The 4th Regiment of the 22nd Guards Division, under the command of the regiment commander Gaidar, had set up an ambush circle. The newly replenished ammunition has been issued to front-line combat units. We are confident that after the start of the battle. Crush or even annihilate this group of enemies in the shortest possible time. ”

After reading the telegram I handed to him, Kirillov turned to the operator who sent the telegram to us and said: "Comrade telegrapher, please call back to the Chief of Staff and say that we wish him victory. ”

As the operator sat next to him and ticked the news, Pugachev walked in with a smile on his face. He came to stand still in front of the three of us and reported to me: "Comrade Commander, the situation is clear. The reconnaissance company, led by Captain Travkin, engaged in an exchange of fire with an enemy convoy. ”

"What's going on. Where did the enemy come from? "I was nervous when I heard Pugachev say that there had been an exchange of fire between the reconnaissance battalion and the German transport convoy. Hurriedly asked: "What is the situation now, has the enemy escaped or has we eliminated it?" ”

"Report to Comrade Commander," Pugachev said, still smiling, "the German convoy has been completely wiped out by us, and all but 11 of the 43 German officers and men have been killed." Nine trucks, except for the five destroyed by us, were captured by our troops. ”

"Be more detailed, Comrade Major." Romanov probably felt that Pugachev was vague, and made a special remark.

"That's right, Comrade Deputy Commander." Pugachev heard Romanov asking himself, and quickly turned to the side slightly, facing Romanov and said: "According to Captain Travkin, when they went out to survey the terrain, they suddenly heard the sound of the motor of the car. At first, when they thought it was a friendly move, the convoy they were riding in climbed to a nearby hill to check.

Up the hill, the captain noticed that on the road at the foot of the hill, there were nine covered trucks lined up, speeding along the road from north to south, one after the other. Spotting the approaching enemy, he immediately ordered the accompanying mortar crews to intercept it with fire.

Since it was impossible to figure out how many enemies there were in the car, the mortar gunners did not even use the base, so they opened fire directly. The shells landed on the road and exploded, and a thick smoke of gray-black rose in the middle of the convoy. The truck that rushed to the front was hit by a mortar shell, and after it caught fire, it drove forward for some distance before stopping, and then a violent explosion occurred.

Later, when the car saw that the road in front of it was blocked, it turned around and tried to run back. However, our mortarmen did not fire them, and fired a few more shots at the trucks behind, blowing up the last two trucks, completely blocking the road and leaving the enemy trapped in the middle with no way out.

Then Travkin led the infantry around him to charge. The few enemies in the convoy, seeing our fighters rushing down the hillside, hurriedly returned fire. As our fighters rushed forward, it didn't take long for the battle to end. ”

"What about the casualties of our troops?" After listening to the results of the battle, it seems to be a habit of mine to ask directly about the casualties of our army.

"Our army lost one person and was wounded seventeen, but the injuries were not serious, and it did not affect their participation in the next combat mission."

"Captain Travkin, have they interrogated the prisoners?" Kirillov added: "Have you figured out where this enemy came from? ”

Pugachev nodded and said: "It has been interrogated clearly, these enemies are coming from Dnepropetrovsk to transport supplies, saying that there is food for individual units on the front, which is only enough to last tomorrow for one day." Tomorrow there will also be a convoy of fifty trucks rushing to Kafbas to deliver the necessary food. ”

Hearing Pugachev say this, Romanov was pleasantly surprised and said: "Great, really good." Now that the Germans are short of food, as long as we firmly control Kafbass and cut off the German supply lines, then the morale and morale of their troops will be dealt a heavy blow, and the hope of victory for friendly forces will be greatly increased. ”

Kirillov agreed with the Romanov's point of view, and even suggested to me: "Look, Comrade Oshanina, should we send an army to set up ambushes on both sides of the road north of the city to destroy the approaching German convoy?" (To be continued......)

PS: Thank you book friends: Fei Hong Feifei, Cangzhi Meteor EX, Magic ※ Apocalypse, Look at the Landscape, Ramesses Children's Shoes Two votes for support! Thanks to book friends: Poor Road Flying Bear, Natural Scalper, Old Godfather, jjmj, zxx479, xhguo children's shoes for their valuable votes!