In the middle of the night, the commander of the 51st Guards Division, Tavart Kiradze, called us and reported to us the information received by the scouts: "Comrade commander, everything has been figured out. The troops stationed in Tomarovka were the 2nd Regiment of the 'Großdeutschland' Panzer Division, which had three motorized infantry battalions, each with a total strength of between 600 and 700 men. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Gaski. ”

I waited for Tawart Kiradze to finish speaking, and then asked casually: "Have you figured out the situation of troops and weapons and equipment?" ”

"Our scouts captured a staff officer of the 1st Motorized Infantry Battalion of the regiment, and all the information was obtained through interrogation." Although I didn't ask how I got the information, Tawart Kiradze offered to explain to me where it came from. "The battalion commander was Major Golausel, and the adjutant was Second Lieutenant Weber. It has four motorized infantry companies, plus a heavy machine gun company. As for the specific equipment, the captives will not confess, so I cannot provide it to you for the time being. ”

When I heard that the equipment of the German army was not obtained, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Just as I was about to casually say a perfunctory sentence and hang up the phone, I heard Tavart Kiradze say again: "Comrade commander, there is another important piece of information, although we cannot prove the truth of it for the time being, but I still feel that I should report it to you. ”

Tawalt Kiradze's words aroused my interest, and I hastened to ask: "Comrade General, what important information is it, you can first tell me and listen to it." As for whether it's true or not, I'll send someone to find out. ”

After hearing my statement, Tavart Kiradze said cautiously: "According to the information captured from the captured German staff officers, the German army will be in three days' time, that is, on June 24. From the western flank of Yakovlevo bypassed the defense zone of our division. Go deep into the rear of our troops. ”

"What. General Tavart Kiradze? His words sent me into a cold sweat, and I cautiously asked, "Is what you said true?" ”

Tavart Kiradze hesitated for a moment, then replied: "Yes, Comrade Commander. That's what we have seized from the information, but the German translator in the division is not a professional, and there may be some deviations in the translated content. ”

In order to find out what was going on, as soon as Tawart Kiradze finished speaking, I immediately commanded in an unquestioning tone: "Comrade General. I beg you to send someone immediately to send the seized documents to the headquarters of the army group, and we must find out what is going on as soon as possible. ”

"Yes." Tawart Kiradze replied very cheerfully: "I will send someone to send it at once." ”

While I was waiting for Tavart Kiradze's men to deliver the documents, I told Danilov and the others what I had just heard. After listening to my words, Danilov leaned down to look at the map on the table, but Bezikov said in a skeptical tone: "Comrade commander, the information captured by the scouts of General Tavart Kiradze could not have been deliberately forged by the Germans to deceive us, right?" ”

For this point of view of Bezkov, I thought about it with a frown, and then bit my head and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff. I don't think so. Again, the Germans did not launch a full-scale attack on our defense zone, they forged such documents. It doesn't make any sense. ”

"Comrade Commander," as soon as my words fell, Danilov, who had been looking at the map, raised his head, looked at me and asked, "If the information is true, what are your plans?" ”

I snorted, sneered, and said, "Since the Germans are going to send them to the door themselves, then we are not welcome, and we must destroy this small army." ”

"Comrade Commander, what are you going to do?" Danilov then asked.

"Although the Germans are in small units, I think there will definitely be tanks and armored vehicles, so we have to find a way to ambush them." As I spoke, I looked down at the map in front of me, trying to find a suitable location for the ambush. Since I have been on the front line almost every day for the past two months, I am still familiar with the terrain here, so it is easy to find a suitable location for ambush.

I pointed to the location on the map and excitedly said, "This is the perfect place to ambush." ”

"Shell Vaka," Danilov quickly read the name of the place, looking at the location of my finger. Then he frowned and asked, "Comrade Commander, how do you know that this is a very suitable place for an ambush?" ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, please take a look." In response to Danilov's question, I pointed to the map and patiently explained to him: "To the northeast of Shell Waka is the first position of the 51st Guards Division, three to five kilometers apart. Shell Waka is an open field, with lakes to the north and a huge hillside to the south. Our troops could hide on the hillside, and when the enemy had entered the ambush circle, the artillery in position No. 1 would fire a round of artillery fire on the German marching column. The Germans, marching in the open field, were bound to suffer heavy casualties after being hit by our artillery fire, and at this time, our troops lying in ambush on the hillside would not be able to completely destroy them, but also inflict heavy losses on them. ”

After listening to my plan, Danilov stared at the map for a long time and asked the question in his heart: "Comrade commander, what should we do if the Germans rush forward or turn around and run back when they are attacked by our artillery fire?" ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, if the enemy has the two situations you mentioned," I explained to Danilov in response to his two concerns: "If the enemy continues to rush forward, he will break headlong into the defensive zone of the 51st Guards Division, and the commanders and fighters who have been in positions for a long time will block the path of the German advance with dense firepower, and when the troops lying in ambush on the hillside rush over, they will be able to form a flank and inflict heavy damage on the enemy." As for them to turn around and flee, it would be more than fitting, our troops did not need to attack at all, only extended fire with artillery fire, and agreed that they would suffer heavy casualties. ”

After I finished speaking, Danilov did not immediately express his opinion, but proposed to me: "Comrade commander, if we really want to completely annihilate or inflict heavy damage on this small force that has penetrated deep into the defense of our army, we must use artillery and tanks. Therefore, I suggest that General Tavart Kiradze of the 51st Guards Division be immediately attacked. and the commander of the 33rd Tank Corps, Colonel Bere, please come over. Study with them the coordination of the troops. ”

I strongly agree with Danilov's proposal. When he turned around and was about to tell Bezikov to call General Tavart Kiradze and Colonel Bere, he found that he had already walked to the telephone, picked up the headset on it and was dialing. Seeing that he behaved so positively this time, my dissatisfaction with him in my heart also weakened a lot, as long as he is willing to learn how to be a good staff officer, then I am still willing to use an acquaintance like him to serve as my chief of staff.

Due to the command of the tank corps of Colonel Bere, not far from us. Ten minutes later, he appeared in the house. After he sat down, I asked straight to the point: "Comrade Colonel, you have been receiving new tanks for some time, how are they, have the tank crews adapted to the new tanks?" ”

"Rest assured, Comrade Commander." Bere stood up and replied with a smile: "The two battalions of the 82nd Tank Brigade, which are currently equipped with new tanks, have already formed combat effectiveness and are ready to go into battle at any time. ”

Bere's words made me feel much more at ease. Now that the units equipped with new tanks have formed combat effectiveness, then in a few days the battle. I can use them with confidence and boldness. I said to Bere, "Colonel, there may be a small battle in two days, I wonder if you will be able to send troops into battle?" ”

"Of course, there is no problem," Colonel Beray agreed very cheerfully, "you are the commander, as long as you give the order, our 33rd Tank Army is at your disposal at any time." Wherever you point, my tank men and I rushed there, beating the Germans into a mess and fleeing, and we will definitely not disappoint your high hopes. ”

Hearing Colonel Bere's words of determination, I waved my hand and said with a smile: "Okay, Comrade Colonel, you and I are old acquaintances, so there is no need to say anything about these scenes." All you need to do is draw two tank companies equipped with the new tanks. ”

When Beray heard that there was a combat mission, he couldn't help but itch, and he asked: "Comrade commander, I don't know where the battle will take place, what is the task of our tank army?" ”

"Don't be in a hurry, Colonel Bere." Danilov took over and said to Beray with a smile: "As soon as the commander of the 51st Guards Division, General Tavart Kiradze, arrives, we will have a meeting. As for what the tasks are, we will explain them to both of you in detail during the meeting. ”

Although the defense area of the 51st Guards Division was a little far from us, Tavart Kiradze came in a hurry as soon as he received a call from Bezikov. When he arrived, it happened that the information he had sent had been translated into Russian by the translators of the Intelligence Section.

Precisely because this document arrived before us at the same time as General Tawartkiradze, the first thing I did at the meeting was to read its contents to the commanders present. After reading it, I put down the document and asked Tavart Kiradze: "Comrade General, if this document is true, what do you think?" ”

"Hold your ground and never take a step back." Tawalt Kiradze replied.

Danilov and I looked at Tavart Kiradze's answer, and we both saw a smile on each other's faces. So I said to Tavart Kiradze: "Comrade General, defense alone is not enough. You must know that even if the enemy is armed with tanks, artillery and armored vehicles, they are only a small force, and we are fully capable of eating them. ”

"Eat them?!" Tawart Kiradze looked at me in confusion and asked in surprise: "Comrade commander, I don't know how we are going to eat them?" ”

I stood up, pointed to the shell vaca on the map and said to him: "Comrade General, this place is not far from your defense area, right?" ”

Tavart Kiradze only glanced at it, then nodded, and said affirmatively: "Yes, Comrade Commander, this is only a little more than four kilometers from my defense zone. Standing in the observation post on the hillside, you can clearly see the terrain of about ten kilometers ahead. ”

"How's the terrain here?" I didn't directly state my plan, but asked the other person to see if he was a good commander.

After looking down at the map for a while, Tawartkiradze raised his head and said: "Comrade commander, to the south of this open field is a very large hillside, where we can ambush a force, and when the Germans have passed, we will suddenly rush out from their rear and take them by surprise. ”

"Comrade Division Commander." Danilov deliberately asked: "The east side is your defense zone, and the enemy who is attacked will definitely not run there, because it is a self-defeating net." It's even more impossible to go west, because you're in that direction. What would you do if they retreated to the north? ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, it is impossible for the Germans to retreat to the north." Tavart Kiradze thought that Danilov did not know the terrain there, and went out of his way to explain: "To the north is a wide lake, and the Germans have no way to go north." ”

After listening to Tavart Kiradze's words, Danilov turned his head and smiled at me, and then said: "Comrade commander, seeing that the division commander Tavart Kiradze is also very familiar with the terrain here, then you can introduce the mission to him." ”

"Comrade General." I smiled and nodded at a surprised Tawart Kiradze, and told him what I had just planned. After saying that, I asked rhetorically, "What do you think of this plan?" ”

Tawart Kiradze pondered for a moment, then nodded again and again, and said affirmatively: "Comrade commander, this plan of yours is quite good. If the Germans don't come, then they will not be able to fly. But I still have a question, I don't know whether to say it or not. ”

"Say, Comrade General." I encouraged him to say, "Say whatever comes to your mind, and don't have any scruples." ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Tavartkiradze said with some hesitation: "If the German army really has tanks and armored vehicles in its troops, and my infantry is ambushed there, it is estimated that it will be difficult to retain this enemy ......."

"Alright, General Tawart Kiradze." Before he finished speaking, I understood what he meant, and hurriedly raised my hand to stop him from continuing, but directly stated his own arrangement: "I plan to let Colonel Bere transfer two companies of tank troops to lie in ambush on the hillside with your troops, and wait for the enemy to fall into chaos under our artillery fire, and then your combined force will launch a surprise attack to teach these fascist invaders a hard lesson." (To be continued.) )