The news that Captain Slavin turned out to be the son of the division commander Biryukov surprised me. A general who became a division commander did not use his position and position his son to be a staff officer in the headquarters of the group army with a high security factor, or even in the headquarters of the front army, but in the most dangerous combat units. The night attack, which was supposed to be rejected, was decisively changed his mind when he heard that his son was the commander, and agreed to our battle plan. It is still unknown whether the night attack at night will succeed, and the commanders and fighters who participated in the operation are facing the fate of nine deaths. When I think of this, I have a little more admiration for Biliukov.

While I was thinking about it, Lukin had already dialed the phone of the company commanders of the second company, and was assigning them the task of answering Slavin. He spoke into the microphone for a while, then raised his head and covered the microphone to ask me for instructions: "Comrade regiment commander, the second company commander wants to talk to you, do you see, take it or not?" ”

I nodded and said, "Okay!" I talk to him and see what he does. After saying that, I took the microphone from his hand, and after putting it to my ear, I smiled and said to the microphone: "Hello, Comrade Company Commander." I don't know if you have anything to do with me? ”

"Hello, Comrade Regiment Commander." The other man addressed me respectfully, and when I heard his voice, I remembered that he was the officer who was talking about me behind my back with Slavin. He timidly asked, "I have a situation I want to tell you, is that okay?" ”

"Of course, Comrade Company Commander." I can't remember what rank he is, so I can only call him by title," I said. See if I can help you out. ”

"That's right. Comrade Regiment Commander. "With my permission. The small company commander mustered up his courage and said: "Just now, Captain Lukin called me and arranged for my company and the first company to go together to pick up Captain Slavin's troops, but nearly half of the soldiers in my company are currently unarmed. ……”

"What, half of the fighters have no weapons?" I frowned and said, "That means you can only send half of your men to meet Captain Slavin tonight?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." The second company commander finished speaking. Some anxiously asked: "I wonder when the regiment will be able to replenish weapons and ammunition for our company?" ”

Hearing the question of the second company commander, I thought for a moment, and then said to him with a smile: "Comrade company commander, don't worry. When Captain Slavin's troops have completed their sneak attack and brought back the enemy's weapons and ammunition, I will quickly replenish the missing weapons and ammunition for the companies. At that time, the first and second companies responsible for receiving the task will have the right to give priority to the selection of weapons. ”

Regarding my promise, the commander of the second company swore and said: "Thank you Comrade Regiment Commander for your understanding of us, please rest assured." We are sure to complete the task well. ”

When I heard him say this, my heart became more and more steady. I nodded and said, "As long as you can complete the task satisfactorily, anything can be said." ”

At eleven o'clock in the evening, Slavin and his company set off in the dark. When he received a call from the commander of a company who was on guard duty at the front, Lukin let out a long sigh and said, "Well, whether tonight's operation will succeed or not depends on Captain Slavin." All we can do is wait. ”

The hour hand pointed to twelve, and just as Lukin and I were walking around the command post in a hurry, like ants on a hot pot, the telephone on the desk rang. I picked up the microphone and said, "Hello! Here the command post of the 678th regiment. ”

"Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, hello!" The voice of General Biliukov came from the microphone, and he asked a little hesitantly: "I called you just to ask if there is any news from the troops attacking at night?" ”

"I'm sorry, Comrade General." To his question, I was a little embarrassed to say: "So far, we have not received any news from the Seventh Company. And there was silence on the enemy's side, and no gunfire was heard for the time being. ”

"I see, I understand it all. Since it was calm outside, it proved that their actions were not detected by the enemy. I'll stay on the phone tonight and report back to me as soon as they get back. After saying this, he hung up after hearing me make a promise to him.

As soon as Bilyukov's phone was put down, Chuikov's calls came one after another, and he asked sternly: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, have the night raiding troops reached the enemy's camp?" ”

I replied with a wry smile: "Report to Comrade Commander, it has been an hour since the night attack troops set off, but we still have not received any information related to them. As you know, our regiment is a newly adapted regiment, and it is not even enough for ordinary communication equipment such as telephones, let alone high-end goods such as walkie-talkies. ……”

"Alright, Comrade Oshanina." Chuikov interrupted me in time, laughed and scolded: "Don't call me poor, you said that your regimental communication equipment, which unit in my group army does not lack these things?" If the logistics department doesn't give me anything, I can't add anything. As for the weapons, you'll have to find a way to replenish them yourself. When there is news from the night raiding troops, give me a call, and I will wait for your report in the observation post. ”

After talking to Chuikov, I learned that in addition to us, there were also General Bilyukov from the division headquarters and Chuikov who was staying at the forward observation post in Nizhny Chilskaya. The former was unable to sleep at night because the commander of the night raid was his own son, who feared for his safety; And Chuikov, indeed, because he was not at ease with me, feared that something would go wrong in his actions tonight, so he stayed by the telephone, waiting for the outcome of our battle.

Although I knew the terrain of the German baggage camp well at the meeting, I still spread the sketch on the table again and worked with Lukin to deduce the course of movement of the Slavin troops. At the end of the exercise, I was pleasantly surprised to find that as long as Slavin and his actions were fast, they should be able to retreat before the nearby German troops could react.

As soon as the deduction was finished, the phone on the table rang. As soon as I saw that it was the telephone set between the troops below and the regimental headquarters, I guessed that it might be related to the night attack on the troops, so I hurriedly picked up the microphone and hurriedly said: "I am the regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, what's the situation?" Please speak! ”

"Report to Comrade Regiment Leader!" The excited voice of the second company commander came from the microphone, and he excitedly reported: "Slavin, they are back, and they have brought back twenty truckloads of ammunition. ”

"What?" I didn't believe that the action was so smooth, so I asked rhetorically: "Comrade Company Commander, are you sure that Slavin's subordinates drove the truck back?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." The commander of the second company replied in an affirmative tone: "I know many of the soldiers who are driving, and I am arranging for the soldiers to unload the truck." ”

"How many people have returned?"

"Each car was a driver and a chaperone, and a total of 40 people came back." Hearing that only such a few people had returned, my heart suddenly cooled half, just now I learned from Lukin that the seven infantry companies of the whole regiment, each company has more than 150 people, and now 40 people have returned, doesn't that mean that Slavin's company is almost gone? Because he didn't mention Slavin in the report, my heart couldn't help but raise my throat, and my heart said that Slavin would not be sacrificed, right? I asked, "Where is Captain Slavin, the commander of the seventh company?" ”

The commander of the second company was silent for a moment before replying: "Report to the regiment commander, I just asked the returning soldiers, and the soldiers said that Captain Slavin was still in the baggage camp, and he asked the soldiers to pull the twenty carts of ammunition back to our position, and then return empty to continue pulling ammunition." The baggage camp was fully stocked with weapons and equipment that could equip two regiments. ”

When I heard that Captain Slavin was nothing, I felt much more relieved. When I heard that there were more weapons and ammunition stored in the camp, I couldn't help but feel excited, if so much ammunition was brought back, the equipment level of our regiment would be able to rise to a higher level, so I instructed the second company commander: "Comrade company commander, after the truck is unloaded, send two platoons of soldiers and empty vehicles back to the baggage camp to assist Captain Slavin in carrying weapons and equipment." You personally lead the team. (To be continued......)