With this regiment provided by Colonel Zhicholiv free of charge, my mood suddenly became very good. I now command more than 1,000 people and nearly 2,000 people, plus the support of artillery and tanks, and clean up those Germans on the opposite side, it is not easy and pleasant to chop melons and vegetables. Because of this, I have the leisure to stand on the hillside at this moment, smiling and watching the troops dispatched down the slope.

Major Avakov's artillery battalion, all towed by wagons. When they reached the bottom of the slope, the driver stopped the carriage and assisted the artillerymen in unloading the artillery, and then drove the carriage far away so as not to obstruct traffic. Avakov was an experienced artillery commander, and he directed the artillery fighters down the slope to push the artillery on the high ground on either side. Ten guns were placed on the high ground to the north, and the spacing between the guns was large, which, according to him, was a passage for tank sorties. The remaining twenty guns were all deployed on the southern heights, and he himself stayed there to command.

Lieutenant Colonel Cheremnov's infantry regiment also entered the southern side of the hillside one after another and began to arrange its troops. A dozen neat infantry formations, like a carpet, quickly spread all over the south side of the hillside.

The signal corps of the 58th Brigade are not idle, they are laying the telephone line between the two highlands, so that there is no need to send a messenger or shout loudly for communication between the two highlands.

I walked up to a tank parked at the front of the troop platoon, reversed the butt and struck the turret twice, and soon the top lid was opened, and then Captain Witorganov came out of it and asked in a loud voice: "Comrade Major, do you have any instructions?" ”

"Captain Witolganov, please pay attention." Although I had just given him an account of the mission, I was still unsure, so I told him again: "The artillery will begin firing at the Germans' positions at 6:50, and your tank units will strike immediately after the shelling begins, and they must break into their positions before the Germans have recovered from the shelling." Do you understand? ”

"Completely understood, Comrade Major. Your order has been communicated to all the fighters, and when the time comes, we will swoop down on the German positions with lightning speed, and when they find out, we will rush to their side and begin to pack them up with tank shells and machine-gun bullets. ”

I was very satisfied with the captain's answer, nodded and walked over the infantry phalanx.

Lieutenant Colonel Cheremnov and several commanders were discussing something, and when he saw me coming, he quickly stood up straight and said: "Major Oshanina, hello! Lieutenant Colonel Cheremnov reports to you that the 174th regiment is on combat duty, please instruct! ”

"Please continue!" With that, I turned around and walked towards the command post, anyway, the infantry was commanded by such an experienced commander, so I didn't need to worry about it at all.

When I returned to the command post, I found that it was quite lively, with sentries standing guard at the door, and commanders at all levels coming in and out of the house from time to time. On the wooden table beside Colonel Zycholifu, there were already several telephones at some point, and he kept in touch with his subordinates through these telephones.

When I entered, he just finished making a phone call, saw me enter the door, hurriedly beckoned me to sit down, and took the initiative to pour a cup of hot tea and handed it to me. After all this, he asked, "Is it all ready outside?" ”

I put the teacup on the table, quickly stood up and replied, "Yes, Comrade Colonel." As soon as the time came, the artillery could open fire on the positions of the Germans. ”

He raised his hands and pressed them down, motioned for me to sit down, and said politely: "Major Oshanina, don't be restrained, this is your territory, take it easy." With that, he looked down at the watch on his wrist and said, "Two minutes left." ”

At this moment, a lieutenant officer, panting, ran in, came up to him and handed him a piece of paper: "Report to Comrade Colonel, this is a telegram that has just been sent from the command of the army group. ”

Richo Lifu took it with a smile on his face, thanked the lieutenant, and looked down at the telegram. After a few lines, his face became extremely serious.

Just as Zhicholiv was reading the telegram, a major commander walked up to me, looked up at his watch, then picked up the phone on the table, shook the handle a few times, and then said into the microphone: "Is it Major Avakov?" I am the Chief of Staff. Ready to get started? ”

After receiving the reply from the other party, he covered the microphone with his hand and said to Zhicholiv: "Comrade Brigade Commander, Major Avakov has made all preparations and is waiting for your final order. ”

Almost as Richo took the microphone, I looked up at my watch, and the time was exactly 6:50. I looked up and waited for Zycholiv to give his men the last orders.

Who knew that Richo Liv held the microphone, took a deep breath, and was silent for at least ten seconds before he opened his mouth to say the earth-shattering words: "Comrade Major, I order: the original artillery mission is canceled, all artillery withdraws from their positions, and quickly turns eastward. After speaking, without waiting for the other party to have a chance to say anything, he hung up the phone decisively.

"Comrade Colonel, what is this for?" When I heard this inexplicable order from him, I couldn't help but feel a little anxious, and hurriedly stood up and asked, "Why do you want to suddenly cancel the order to shell?" ”

Not only me, but even his chief of staff was confused, everything was ready in front of him and ready to attack the enemy at any time, but the plan was suddenly canceled, and no one could figure it out.

Colonel Zhicholiv handed the piece of paper in his hand to the Chief of Staff, and then said to me in a deep voice: "Major Oshanina, I'm sorry. A call had just been received from Army Group Command that the Germans were attacking the Miasnebor area, and that the 59th Army was retreating in the area defending that area. In order to prevent the retreat of the group army from being cut off, our brigade had to rush to the area to support the 59th Army. ”

Then he waved his hand and said to his chief of staff and the rest of the room, "Pack your things, and we'll go at once." Then he said apologetically to me: "In addition to the artillery unit, I will also take the 174th Infantry Regiment." This is an order from my superiors, and I can't disobey it, so I can only say I'm sorry to you. With that, he gently patted me on the shoulder, sighed, and turned to leave.

With the departure of Colonel Zhicholifu, I sat down on my stool weakly, my mind blanked, and I watched blankly as the signal corps of the 58th Brigade was dismantling the telephone lines and telephones in the command post.