When I walked into the headquarters, the chief of staff, Major Akhromeyev, was on the phone. Seeing my appearance, he was visibly stunned. For a moment, he stared at me in a daze. When I saw his surprised expression, I couldn't help but smile and say, "Comrade Chief of Staff, you haven't seen you for a few days, don't you know me?" ”

Hearing me speak, Akhromeyev stood up suddenly, threw the phone on the table, and called out in surprise: "Commander, are you really back?" With that, he thrust away from the bench he was sitting on and rushed over to meet me.

When he shook hands with me, he said to me excitedly: "Comrade division commander, you can come back, we can always think about you these days." How's it going to be all the way back? ”

"It's okay, it's very smooth." As I said this, I pointed to the microphone resting on the table and asked, "Chief of Staff, who are you talking to?" ”

"Who else could it be, Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, the commander of the Fourth Regiment." Akhromeyev replied with some reluctance: "He said that he heard the rumbling of artillery from the northwest and hoped to send a reconnaissance force to see what was going on." ”

"It was probably the Germans who were shelling our newly occupied positions at that time." After a brief account of the battle, I added: "You still haven't gone and explained it to Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar." ”

"Alright," Akhromeyev readily agreed, and walked over to the table, "I'll explain to him what's going on." After he picked up the microphone again, he said with a smile on his face: "Hey, Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, I'll tell you good news first." Comrade division commander returned to the headquarters. After a moment's pause. Go on. "You just said that the artillery you heard was the Germans shelling the positions occupied by the division commanders...... No, no...... The division commander was normal, and he didn't even hurt a single hair. So you don't need to send any scouts to reconnoitre, or step up night patrols, concentrate on guarding your high ground, and don't let the Germans touch your position in the middle of the night. ”

Seeing Akhromeyev walk away, Razumeyeva and Nadya, who had been sitting in front of the radio, also walked over one after another. They hugged me and welcomed me back.

By the time Akhromeyev hung up, Kirillov and I had already walked to the table and sat down. Akhromeyev asked with concern: "Where are the withdrawn troops located?" ”

"I asked Colonel Pandeleyev to place them all at the station of the Third Regiment." When I said this, I remembered that there was something that Akhromeyev had not had time to explain, so I immediately ordered him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, we have gained a lot in this operation, and we have captured seven German tanks, fifteen armored vehicles, nine artillery pieces, and a large amount of military supplies. At present, they are also stored at the three regiment stations. In addition to weapons and ammunition, there is also a large amount of food and medicine, and you will inform the regiments to pick up the supplies they need later. ”

Akhromeyev promised to stand up. I was about to go and get the phone on the table, just then. Kirillov suddenly asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, did the Front Command call?" He shook his head, and after saying no, he picked up the phone and called several regiment commanders, informing them to go and collect the supplies they needed.

While Akhromeyev was calling, I asked Kirillov in a low voice: "Comrade commissar, what do you mean by the call from the headquarters of the Front?" ”

Kirillov smiled bitterly and said angrily: "What else can you mean?" For you, of course. Seeing my dazed look, he continued: "Commander Yeremenko and Military Commissar Comrade Khrushchev call almost every day to ask you about your situation. Although I once explained to them that you personally led your troops to the north with the personal consent of the commander of the group army Chuikov, I was scolded by them several times. He raised his hand and looked at the watch on his wrist, muttering to himself, "I usually call at this time, why haven't I called today, is there something delayed?" ”

Akhromeyev successively called Lieutenant Colonel Oleg, the commander of the 2nd Regiment, Major Godunov, the acting commander of the 3rd Regiment, and Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar, the commander of the 4th Regiment, and informed them to go to the garrison of the 3rd Regiment to receive supplies for each regiment. Even the health team, which I didn't mention, made a special call and asked Shmakova and her sisters to take someone to pick up the medicine that the wounded urgently needed

Putting down the phone, he smiled and reported to me: "Comrade division commander, the phone calls to the regiments have been completed, and several regiment commanders have said that they will immediately send people to collect supplies. ”

Kirillov said with a smile: "I know these regiment commanders too well, I heard that they were asked to collect supplies, and it is estimated that as soon as they put down the phone, they began to arrange manpower, and within half an hour, their people will be able to reach the place where the materials are stacked." By the way, Comrade Division Commander," he said this, he suddenly turned his head to look at me, and said in a consultative tone: "I think the work of distributing materials will be handed over to Comrade Pantai Leyev, the deputy division commander, to be responsible." ”

I nodded, and said, "Okay, I agree with your suggestion, and Colonel Pantai Leev will be in charge of the distribution of supplies...... Before I could finish my sentence, the telephone on the desk rang.

Akhromeyev hurriedly grabbed the phone and said loudly: "Hey, this is the division headquarters, I am the chief of staff, Major Akhromeyev, where are you?" After saying this, he fell silent, as if listening to what the other person had to say.

"Hello, Comrade Military Commissar, Comrade Division Commander has just returned to the command," Akhromeyev replied urgently, "I was just about to report to you, and your call came......"

When I heard Akhromeyev's nervous voice, I knew that the person I was talking to was Comrade Khrushchev, the military commissar of the Front. Sure enough, a moment later, Akhromeyev covered the microphone with his hand and handed it to me, while reminding me in a low voice: "Comrade division commander, it is the telephone ...... of Comrade Military Commissar of the Front"

Before he could finish speaking, I took the microphone from his hand and said politely close to my ear: "Hello, Comrade Military Commissar of the Front Army......

Unexpectedly, Khrushchev interrupted me and roared at me: "Major General Oshanina, I draw your attention to your own identity, now you are the commander of the Red Banner Independent Division, a general, and you command a division. It's not like when you were a regiment commander or battalion commander before, you can go out if you want to personally lead the troops to attack, you are the division commander, your post is in your own command post, you have no qualifications, and you have no right to risk your life, understand?! ……”

The sound coming from the headphones was so loud that I had to move the microphone away from my ears a bit so that my ears would not be deafened. After his words finally came to an end, I began to defend myself: "Comrade Military Commissar, please listen to my explanation? ”

"Say," Khrushchev said angrily, "I would like to hear what you have to explain." ”

Kirillov and Akhromeyev stood next to me, both looking at me sympathetically, and I could only make a helpless gesture to them, and then explained to Khrushchev: "Comrade Military Commissar, this is so. The matter of our division and the friendly division of the Don Front is very important, and I am not very comfortable if I let someone else go. In addition, the troops were behind enemy lines, and in order to prevent exposure, the radio remained silent most of the time, so that even if there was any emergency, it was impossible to ask the division headquarters for instructions. If I go, I can overcome this problem, and I can adjust the deployment in time according to the changes in the situation of the enemy and the enemy. ”

"Then when you go out this time, what are the results of the troops?" Although there was still anger in Khrushchev's voice, his tone was noticeably softened.

Although I was well aware that the telegram I sent to Kirillov was soon forwarded by the Chuikov to Yeremenko and Khrushchev, I honestly recounted the battles I had experienced in the past few days and the results I had achieved. At the end, he also said in a nutshell: "Actually, I personally led the troops to the north, not because I was arrogant, but after consulting Commander Chuikov and Comrade Gurov, the military commissar, and only after obtaining their permission did I lead the troops to set off." ”

After listening to me, Khrushchev said to me kindly: "Don't make an example, remember, even if it is approved by Chuikov." The men in the front army have not died yet, so you must not be allowed to take the troops alone and take the troops to the rear of the enemy to take risks, otherwise what will I do with Colonel Bandereev as the deputy commander of your division? ”

When I heard that Khrushchev's tone had changed significantly, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief in my heart, and at the same time smiled and said: "Understood, Comrade Military Commissar, I will pay attention in the future, and I will definitely not let something like this happen again." ”

"Now that you're back, let's get some rest." Khrushchev's tone was completely calm at this time, "Tomorrow I will personally visit you at Mamayev Heights." With that, he hung up the phone before I could speak.

After Khrushchev hung up the phone, I was still holding the microphone in a daze, thinking to myself, since he already knew that I was back and scolded me, why would he risk crossing the Volga to Mamayev tomorrow?

Seeing that I was in a daze, Kirillov hurriedly asked with concern: "Comrade division commander, what's wrong with you?" Akhromeyev thoughtfully took the microphone from me and placed it on the base of the phone.

I repeated what Khrushchev had just said to the two of them, and then asked them puzzledly: "What did the two of you tell me about the purpose of the military commissar's statement that you want to go to the Mamayev Post?" ”

"You don't want to see what you've captured and what German prisoners you've captured, right?" Akhromeyev said tentatively.

"Impossible," Kirillov immediately denied his speculation, "Comrade Khrushchev worked so much every day, how could he have crossed the Volga to the Mamayev Gang at the risk of such a trivial matter?" I guess there must be something important when he comes this time. (To be continued......)