As the German troops retreated towards the north side of the square, I couldn't help but let out a long breath. This wave of enemy attack was repelled by us, so we bought at least half an hour or even more to adjust our deployment and strengthen our defense.

I looked at the dozens of commanders and fighters around me, and then I looked at the buildings on both sides of the street, and secretly calculated in my heart that if I sent all these commanders and fighters to the buildings to defend, I would strictly disperse the troops, so that the German troops attacking again could calmly wipe out our defenders who were holding on to the buildings one by one. In order to make use of the limited forces to hold such a wide defensive area, it seems necessary to change the way of thinking and concentrate troops to hold some key support points, as long as these support points are held, the enemy's offensive can be blocked.

I was deliberating about which buildings to put my troops in when I heard a rush of footsteps nearby. Turning our heads to see the sound, a group of warriors were running quickly towards us. Running at the front was a sailor, and he kept turning back and urging the soldiers behind him as he ran: "Hurry up, everyone speed up, hurry up!" ”

I heard the sailor's voice a little familiar, and I wanted to take a closer look at who it was. The commander of the guard battalion on the side, Basmanov, suddenly shouted excitedly: "Division commander, you see, running at the front is the sailor sergeant of the former 92nd Infantry Brigade Horol. With that, he quickly stepped forward and waved his hands at the other party.

When Horol saw him, he just raised his hand and saluted, and kept running towards me with the group of warriors at his feet, leaving only Basmanov, who looked dazed, raised one hand high and stood in a daze.

I reached out and stopped the sailor sergeant who was approaching. Ask aloud, "Hey." I said Comrade Sergeant. Where are you going? ”

Holol stopped, turned his head to look at his comrades behind him, pointed to the door of the corridor we just came out of, and said loudly: "Comrades, the regiment commander is in that building, rush with me!" ”

Seeing that they were about to rush into the building, I quickly moved a few steps to the left, blocking their way. Puzzled, he asked Holrol, "Comrade Sergeant, are you going to go into this building?" ”

Holol nodded vigorously and said with an anxious expression: "Comrade Colonel, our regimental commander is trapped in it by the Germans, I am going to bring someone to rescue him now, please don't stand in our way." Also, if I could, I would like to beg you to send some soldiers to help me go into the building with me to save people. ”

Hearing him say that his regimental commander was trapped in the building, I immediately thought of Colonel Ye Lin, who had just been sent away, so I asked tentatively, "Sergeant Holol." Are you going to rescue Colonel Yelin? ”

Holoel, who was about to raise his head and continue to rush into the building, heard me say this. He immediately stopped and asked nervously: "Comrade Colonel, how do you know that it is Colonel Ye Lin who is trapped in the building by the enemy, have you seen him?" ”

"Of course I did!" Without waiting for me to speak, Basmanov, who had just been snubbed by Holol, came over and said angrily: "Not only did we see the commander of the 42nd Guards Regiment Yelin, but we also wiped out all the Germans in the building. ”

"That's great!" When Horol heard the news, he turned around and excitedly said to the group of fighters he had brought: "Comrades, have you all heard that? Our regimental commander has escaped safely. When the soldiers began to cheer, he turned to face me again, raised his hand and gave a military salute, and said gratefully: "Thank you, thank you for saving our regimental commander." ”

I really wanted to know how Holol knew that Yelin was besieged by the enemy and could bring a large group of soldiers to the rescue, so I asked curiously, "Comrade Sergeant, what the hell is going on?" ”

Hearing my question, Hollor's face turned slightly red, and then he explained to me with some embarrassment: "When the enemy rushed in, because there were not many people defending the regimental headquarters, after a fierce battle, the guards were almost dead and wounded, and I was trapped by the enemy in a room on the second floor. After killing a hapless man who had intruded in by a daredevil, I jumped out of the window and ran quickly back to the division headquarters along the traffic trench behind the building. After reporting to the division commander, he sent thirty men from the remaining soldiers of the division guard battalion to me to rescue the regiment commander. After explaining the situation, he approached me, looked at the building next to me, where there was smoke from several rooms, and asked cautiously: "Comrade Colonel, do you know where our regimental commander is?" ”

I nodded, pointed to the Mamayev Gang in the distance, and said, "When we rescued Colonel Yelin, he was already seriously wounded, so I sent someone to send him to our division's health center. He was accompanied by the only surviving second lieutenant. ”

"Commander, what should we do next?" Morozov walked up to me and asked me for instructions.

I turned my head to look at Morozov's thirty or so artillerymen, and the fighters of a dozen guard battalions, and said with a wry smile: "We have limited forces now, and it is unrealistic to hold the entire street." So I thought that until new reinforcements arrived, we would only be able to pick a few houses as support points for our defense. ”

Basmanov looked at the few dozen fighters around us, nodded, and echoed: "Division commander, I agree with you, it is unrealistic for us to defend such a wide Soviet street with just a few dozen of us. If only a few fire support points are established, in addition to not scattering the troops, it can also effectively resist the enemy's attack. ”

I looked around, and there were only a few dozen fighters brought by Horrol except for my troops, and I beckoned him to come to my side, and then asked, "Comrade Sergeant, do you have any communications equipment here?" ”

After hearing this, Holrol shook his head like a rattle and replied: "I'm sorry, Comrade Colonel, the walkie-talkie in the regiment was broken during the battle, otherwise I wouldn't have had to run back to the division headquarters just now to report the news." ”

After listening to Khorol's words, I couldn't help frowning, we didn't bring any communication tools with us when we came out, and now the communication equipment equipped by the 42nd Guards Regiment has also been damaged, it seems that we have to contact Kirillov and them, as long as we send someone back to Mamayev Post.

Just as I was thinking about who to send back, Basmanov gently patted me on the shoulder. Pointing to the Pavlov building in the distance, he said to me: "Division commander. Let's go to that building and try it. Maybe there's a communications device there. ”

As soon as Basmanov finished speaking, I immediately shook my head in denial. What is the situation in the Pavlov Building, others don't know, don't I know? Not to mention Sergeant Pavlov who held on to the building, even Rodimtsev and Chuikov, who had inspected it, could not have imagined that this building, which was only guarded by a few Soviet troops, could hold on for up to two months under the enemy's powerful offensive wave after wave. Finally, the building could be named after the defenders after the war.

I smiled wryly and said to Basmanov: "Captain, I have been to that building, and there is only a small unit of the 42nd Guards Regiment in it, and the commander of the troops is a sergeant named Pavlov. Do you think that in a building held by a platoon-level unit, you can find communication equipment to communicate with divisional troops? ”

I've said it to this point, and if Basmanov doesn't understand, he's not worthy of being my guard battalion commander. Fortunately, he replied in a timely manner: "I understand, Comrade Division Commander, I will immediately send someone back to the division headquarters to report the news and ask them to send reinforcements." ”

"Okay. Let's send someone out. Strive to bring reinforcements before the Germans launch their next offensive. "After I have finished commanding. Still not at ease, he told again: "For the sake of safety, send two fighters to set off in batches, even if you encounter an enemy on the road, you can ensure that one soldier returns to the headquarters safely." ”

Basmanov, who received my order, hurriedly called two fighters and gave them some orders. After receiving the order, the two warriors agreed, turned and ran briskly towards the east entrance of the street. Looking at their departing backs, I secretly prayed in my heart: you must return to the headquarters safely, and bring the reinforcements we desperately need.

Basmanov walked back to me, and was about to say something, when suddenly he seemed to see something, and his eyes were staring straight behind me, and his expression made my hair tingle with fright, and I thought to myself, "He couldn't have seen the Germans rushing towards us, right?"

Just when I was uneasy, he suddenly shouted loudly: "Division commander, look, it's our troops." Running at the front, it seems that the commander of the 13th Guards Division, General Rodimtsev. ”

I hurriedly turned my head to look behind me, and saw a large number of people at the west entrance of the street, at least seventy or eighty people, and it was General Rodimtsev who walked in front. The commanders and fighters behind him were dressed in a messy manner, including soldiers in steel helmets and khaki cotton uniforms, sailors in black beans and sailor uniforms, and militiamen in peaked caps and gray-blue overalls.

Seeing the procession appearing at the entrance, Khorol came over and said to me excitedly: "Comrade Colonel, it was the division commander Rodimtsev who brought people here. With that, he hurried up to meet him.

Seeing that the commanders who could direct me appeared, I could no longer stand still, so I also moved my steps and followed Khorol and walked towards Rodimtsev.

Horol walked up to Rodimtsev, who was carrying a pistol, stood upright, saluted him and said: "Report to the division commander,...... comrade"

Before he could finish speaking, Rodimtsev raised his left hand and interrupted his words, and asked with a stern expression: "Wait a minute, Comrade Sergeant, has the task I assigned to you completed?" ”

Holol turned his head to look at me, and then said in embarrassment: "I'm sorry, Comrade Division Commander, I didn't wait to complete the task you gave me. ”

"What?" Rodimtsev glared at Khorol and asked loudly: "Sue me, why didn't you complete the task?" ”

Horol shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Because when I arrived with someone, the battle was already over!" ”

Rodimtsev's gaze swept over us, and then he asked Horol: "Where is Colonel Yelin?" ”

Hearing Rodimtsev ask about Yelin, I hurriedly stepped forward and preemptively said: "Comrade General, please allow me to report to you about Colonel Yelin!" ”

Rodimtsev glanced at me, who was rushing to speak, and said angrily: "Colonel Oshanina, if you have anything to say, just say it." But I remind you that I can only give you one minute, and if you want to say anything, please hurry. ”

I did not take Rodimtsev's unfriendly attitude to heart, but said to myself: "Report to Comrade General, after we had eliminated the German troops holding out in a building in the back, we accidentally found Colonel Yelin, who was seriously wounded, and I have ordered him to be sent to the health clinic at Mamayev Heights. (To be continued......)