After formulating the plan, without waiting for me to speak, Vitkov took the initiative to ask for instructions: "Comrade commander, does this battle plan need to be reported to the army group command?" ”

Although our army has recently engaged in a series of battles, I have not asked the group army headquarters for instructions in advance or reported afterwards. But this time the situation was different, the German units broke through the lines of friendly lines, directly threatening the security of the army group headquarters. I was afraid that Khalitonov would temporarily transfer us to destroy the German troops wedged into the defensive line, so I had to report that I would not suddenly receive an order from my superiors to redeploy the defense while we were attacking Zaporosh with all our might.

As soon as Vitkov finished speaking, I immediately nodded in agreement: "Well, Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately send a telegram to Commander Khalitonov and report to him the operational plan for our attack on Zaporosh." ”

Seeing that I so readily agreed to report the plan to the army group headquarters, Kirillov asked a little strangely: "Comrade Oshanina, haven't you always been worried that the reported battle plan may be leaked?" Why did you agree with the chief of staff this time and report the plan to the army group command? ”

"Comrade Commissar," I patiently explained to Kirillov in order to answer his doubts: "Yesterday the German 'Reich Division' broke through the defensive line of the 4th Guards Infantry Army and plunged straight into the location of the headquarters of the 6th Army, where fierce battles were still going on. If Commander Kharytonov had transferred our army to reinforcements, then the 'Skeleton Division', the 11th Panzer Division, or the 336th Infantry Division, which had been near us, would have pounced on us from behind like hungry wolves and bitten us hard. In order to avoid this situation. This time, we must report our battle plan to our superiors. Let them know what they know. Lest we inexplicably give us an order to mobilize our troops while our army is in the midst of a fierce battle, causing unnecessary confusion. ”

After listening to my explanation, Kirillov frowned and thought for a while, then nodded and said: "Comrade Oshanina, you are very thoughtful, such a big action is to communicate with your superiors in advance. Otherwise. When our battle was in a stalemate, the superiors, who did not understand the situation, suddenly issued an order to transfer our troops to reinforcements, and then it would be troublesome. ”

Since we wanted to know the reply from our superiors at the first time, this battle plan was sent through the walkie-talkie in the headquarters of the headquarters. While waiting for a reply, Vitkov asked me again: "Comrade commander, do you think your superiors will agree with our battle plan?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." To Vitkov's question, I answered in the affirmative: "As soon as our army launches an offensive on Zaporosh, then a large number of German forces will be pinned down by us." In this way, they will not be able to draw forces to strengthen those forces that have broken through our defenses. All this will greatly ease the pressure on the main forces of the group army, and this is what they hope to see. ”

As we were talking, the operator suddenly shouted at us: "Comrade commander, the commander of the group army is on the line, and he wants to speak to you." ”

The commander of the army group wants to talk to me? When I heard the operator shouting this, my first reaction was that he had made a mistake. But on second thought, this telegraph operator is very capable and will never make such a low-level mistake, it should really be Kharytonov who wants to talk to me. I hurriedly walked to the walkie-talkie, grabbed the headset and put it on, and then politely said into the transmitter: "Hello, Comrade Commander, I am Oshanina, what instructions do you have?" ”

"I just finished reading the battle plan you reported." Kharidonov's slow voice came from the headset, "So, are you going to launch an attack on Zaporosh tomorrow?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." When I heard him talk on the phone, I had no scruples about our battle plan, and I couldn't laugh or cry, so I could only reply vaguely: "At present, our army has German troops on three sides, and only by launching an offensive decisively can the current crisis be resolved." ”

Hearing me speak so vaguely, Khalidonov seemed to understand something, and in the following words he did not mention the place name Zaporosh again, and after a few brief greetings, he said briefly: "...... Well, Comrade Oshanina, I agreed to your plan. Tomorrow I will wait in the army group headquarters for news of your victory. Break a leg! With that, he cut off contact.

Returning the headphones and microphone to the operator, I turned around and saw Pugachevchen hurrying in from outside. Worried that he had received some important information, he asked bluntly, "Major, have you received any latest information?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander, good news." Pugachev said with a happy face: "General Gurtiev has just sent a telegram saying that the search party he sent has found Colonel Bere......"

When I heard the name Colonel Bere, I rushed to Pugachev, grabbed him by the shoulder, and asked: "I have found Colonel Bere, how is he doing?" Still alive? When I asked the last sentence, I couldn't help but lower my voice, afraid to hear the bad news of Bere's sacrifice.

"He's still alive, Comrade Commander." Pugachev replied simply: "However, he was wounded." ”

When I heard that Bere was still alive, the stone hanging in my heart fell to the ground, as long as I was alive, no matter what kind of injuries I suffered, there was hope for healing. Because of this, my next question was much more relaxed: "Where is his injury, and is the injury serious?" ”

"Comrade commander, don't worry, he can't die." Pugachev said lightly: "According to General Gurdiev's report, his search party found Colonel Bere next to an overturned tank. The colonel may have been wounded after the tank was destroyed, and after escaping from the tank, he fainted in a crater next to a nearby overturned tank. The first wave of search teams were worried that there would be Germans on the battlefield, so they were not careful in their search, and as a result, they failed to find Colonel Bere. After your order was given, the 308th sent another search party to conduct a careful search of the colonel's possible hiding place. Only then did he find the colonel, who was wounded and unconscious. After being examined by a military doctor. He was found to have multiple skin injuries on his body. In addition, he has a fractured forearm in his left arm and is able to walk independently. ”

Kirillov and Vitkov, who were next to him, breathed a sigh of relief after listening to Pugachev's story. Kirillov also said to himself: "Thank God, Colonel Beray is really fatal, it is a miracle that he was able to survive after lying in the snow all night after being wounded." ”

I waited for Kirillov to finish his exclamation, and then asked Pugachev: "Major." Did General Gurtiev say where Colonel Bere is now? ”

"The general has sent someone to drive the colonel over." When Pugachev said this, he raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then continued: "In a few minutes, he will be able to reach the army headquarters." ”

A few minutes later, Bere appeared at the military headquarters. The colonel, with his arm in a plaster cast hanging from his chest, staggered up to us with the support of two fighters, raised his hand to salute us, and at the same time reported: "Comrade commander, the commander of the tank brigade, Colonel Bere, reports to you. All the commanders and fighters of the 84th Tank Brigade died heroically after a stubborn battle. ”

I stepped forward. He pulled down the hand that was raised to his forehead, helped him to the table and sat down, and asked with concern, "Comrade Colonel, how are your injuries?" ”

"Please rest assured, Comrade Commander, my injuries are not serious, although there are many injuries on my body, they are all skin injuries, and they will heal in less than a week. It's just that this arm fracture is more troublesome, and it is estimated that it will take two or three at the fastest to fully recover. When he said this, he was probably afraid that I would let him go to the rear to recuperate in order to take care of his injuries, and specially added: "As long as my superiors give me new troops, even if the injuries on my arms are not finished, I can command the troops to fight." ”

After listening to his words, I said with a smile: "Comrade Colonel, I have seen the whole process of the battle of the tank brigade. If it weren't for the sudden appearance of the planes of the Germans, victory in this battle would have belonged to us. Although the tank brigade is now exhausted, don't worry, when the battle is over, the higher authorities will replenish us. "I also made a point of explaining what he was worried about;" For now, your first task is to heal your wounds, and only when you take care of your wounds can you lead your new troops on more difficult combat missions. ”

"Comrade Commander, at such a time, I do not want to go to the rear to recuperate from my wounds," Colonel Bere, after hearing my words, fearing that I was being perfunctory, made a solemn request to me: "You must ensure that I can return to my command post as soon as possible." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Colonel." To tell the truth, I am now very short of commanders at all levels, such an excellent tank commander as Colonel Bere, how could I let it go, seeing that he was still not worried about what I said to him, he hurriedly added: "I promise you, at most half a contract, your tank brigade can be rebuilt, and then you will be the commander of the tank brigade." ”

After saying this, I beckoned to Pugachev, and then instructed him: "Comrade Major, Colonel Beray needs to rest, you can find a place for him to rest." ”

"Yes!" Pugachev agreed, called the two fighters standing at the door, and asked them to help Colonel Bere out of the division headquarters.

Watching Colonel Bere staggering away from the command, Kirillov couldn't help but sigh: "Comrade Oshanina, the tank brigade is over, and when we attack Zaporosh, after the artillery fire is prepared, we can only let the infantry charge the city without the cover of tanks." ”

As soon as Vitkov and Kirillov finished speaking, he immediately said: "Comrade commissar, although the tank brigade is exhausted, our infantry can still be supported by a small number of tanks when attacking Zaporosh. ”

"We still have tanks?" When Kirillov heard Vitkov say this, he asked with some surprise: "Comrade Chief of Staff, who told you that we still have tanks?" ”

"Comrade commissar, the chief of staff is not wrong, we should still have tanks to support the infantry offensive." Although Vitkov had not yet made it clear, I understood in my heart what he was talking about the tank troops, so I explained to Kirillov: "Have you forgotten that there is a tank battalion in the 22nd Guards Division of Jì Bandereev? ”

"A tank battalion under the command of Major Persten?" Kirillov asked in surprise: "Aren't they, under the command of Major Akhromeyev, on the southern outskirts of Poloy, and are maneuvering with the German army?" ”

"Since the Germans were rushing to Poloy from several directions at the same time, their sphere of activity was getting narrower and narrower," I continued: "In order to ensure that our corps could smoothly capture Zaporosh, I decided that in addition to leaving the tank battalion of the 171st Division, Major Perstian's tank battalion would immediately withdraw from the battle and reach the Kuban by this evening. ”

In the evening, I received a call from Major Perstian from the Kuban. His excited voice came from the headphones: "Comrade Commander, hello, I'm Perstin, me and my tank battalion are waiting for your orders, please instruct!" ”

"Comrade Major," I was holding the phone with the wire, so I didn't have to worry about being tapped by the Germans, so I said to him without concealment: "Our troops are going to attack Zaporosh tomorrow, I want to ask you, can your tank battalion go into battle and cover the infantry attack?" ”

After a short silence, Persjian replied decisively: "Comrade commander, although there are only six tanks left in our battalion, there is no problem in covering the infantry attack on Zaporosh. ”

"Very well, Comrade Major." Hearing his answer, I nodded in satisfaction, and then instructed him: "You and your troops are temporarily resting in the Kuban, and tomorrow before dawn, together with Major Godunov's new third regiment, rush to the airport." ”

When I put down the phone, Vitkov said with relief: "Comrade commander, now we have one more regiment and a tank battalion, and all of them are units with combat experience, and with their support, I believe that we will have no problems in capturing Zaporosh." ”

I was about to speak, when suddenly a voice shouted at the door. I turned my head and saw that the deputy commander of the reconnaissance battalion, Captain Travkin, was standing at the door. So I beckoned to him to come to me, and asked, "Comrade Captain, how is your reconnaissance mission going?" Have you figured out the deployment of German forces in the German 'skeleton division' and the city of Zaporosh? ”

"Comrade Commander, our reconnaissance mission has been completed," Travkin said sternly, answering my question, "but the situation has taken an unexpected turn. ”

"An unexpected change? What's changing? When I heard him say this, I was immediately shocked, and I thought to myself, could it be that the German army had increased its troops in Zaporosh? If that's the case, our attack tomorrow will be a pebble to a stone. So he asked tentatively: "Could it be that the Germans have sent reinforcements to Zaporosh?" ”

After hearing this, Travkin shook his head vigorously and said in shock: "The defenders of Zaporosh did not receive any reinforcements, but retreated quietly and unexpectedly. (To be continued......)

PS: Bow and thank the book friend Cang no Meteor EX children's shoes for their three votes! Thank you for the two votes of the book friends who dance against the ∮, will carry it out to the end, and Yikui children's shoes! Thank you for the valuable votes of book friends zheng1360, winxxx, Yinghe readers, book friends 111018224708442, old godfathers, book friends, 141029174810017 children's shoes! Thank you for the reward of L599XL children's shoes!