Hearing Kolpakchi's order, Semykov, who had already picked up the microphone, couldn't help but be stunned and reminded him in a low voice: "Comrade commander, the 147th and 181st divisions are our reserves, let them participate in the battle so early?" ”

Kol Pakchi waved his hand impatiently and said, "You don't look at when it is, and what reserves are left." If the Germans had broken through the Kacharinskaya area, they would have quickly advanced to the edge of the Koska River and formed an encirclement of the right flank of the 62nd Army. ”

Hearing what Korpakchi said so seriously, Semykov did not insist on his opinion, helplessly shook the handle of the telephone a few times, and said into the microphone: "I am the headquarters of the group army, and I will pick up the commander of the 147th Division, Major General Volkhin." After a while, the phone rang, and Semikov raised his voice and said: "General Volkhin? I am Senior Lieutenant Semykov, the operational staff officer of the army group, and the commander ordered that your division immediately ......"

As soon as Semikov's words were said at this point, Korpakchi, who had been pacing back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, suddenly walked to the table and hung up his phone. Not only did the person concerned, Semykov, look at Korpakchi blankly, but even I, who had been doing nothing by the side, stared at the commander strangely, wondering why he would suddenly interrupt Semikov to give an order to his subordinate troops.

Kolpakchi's hand pressed against the telephone and did not move away, he frowned, and said with a serious face: "The battle has just begun, and the reserves cannot move!" ”

Holding the microphone, Semykov muttered: "But, Comrade Commander, if we do not support the 33rd Guards Division." They will not be able to hold their positions. ”

Kol Parkucci did not answer his question. Instead, he took the microphone from his hand. After shaking the handle a few times, he connected it and said: "Operator, pick me up Colonel Kharchenko of the 182nd Infantry Division." ”

After the phone was connected, he asked in a stern tone: "Comrade Colonel, I want to know when your 192nd Division will be able to break through the German defensive positions in front of you?" ”

Kharchenko replied with some panic: "Comrade commander, I have done my best. Due to the strong fortifications in the German defensive area, three infantry regiments under my command launched seven charges in succession. None of them worked out. ”

Korpakč interrupted Kharchenko's complaint and ordered in an unquestioning tone: "Since the first seven failed, then you immediately organize an eighth attack." Comrade Colonel, I don't care what method you use, within an hour, I must see your troops appear in my field of vision, otherwise you will lose your rank of colonel. ”

Although Kolpacic showed panic just now, as a commander with rich combat experience, he returned to normal in a short period of time. Start calling the shots to your own troops again. Immediately after the end of the call with Kharchenko, he called the commander of the 33rd Guards Division, Colonel Fanaseyev.

A phone call. He asked straight to the point: "Colonel Fanasyev, how is the situation of your division?" ”

Fanasyev hurriedly reported: "Report Comrade Commander, according to the report of the 85th Regiment holding its position to the west, the German infantry, under the cover of tanks, is approaching the positions they are holding, and due to the heavy air and artillery fire of the enemy, they are unable to organize an effective resistance. The eastern position of the 84th Regiment has not yet been attacked by the Germans, and the commanders and fighters are rushing to repair the fortifications and prepare to fight the Germans here. ”

When I heard Colonel Fanasyev say that there were two positions in the east and west, I was slightly stunned at first, and then I remembered that our army's counteroffensive was from east to west, and the first line of defense to be conquered was now the eastern position, and the position that was conquered later was naturally the western position.

After listening to this, Korpakchi only told Fanasyev: "Colonel, you call the commander of the 85th regiment and tell them to hold on, and I will give them support soon." With that, he hung up the phone.

After making this call, he made another call, saying: "Comrade Military Commissar, the newly occupied positions of the 33rd Guards Division are currently under air raids and heavy artillery bombardment by the Germans, and at the same time the enemy's infantry, under the cover of tanks, is approaching them. Now that they are coming to the rescue, please order the artillery regiment to open fire immediately and stop the Germans in front of the positions to the west! Yes, don't hesitate, fire now! ”

Just as Kolpacchi was on the phone, the staff officer, who was observing at the window, suddenly exclaimed in surprise: "The Germans are about to enter the positions of our troops." ”

I took two steps to the window, raised my binoculars and looked at the battlefield, only to see that the German infantry, under the cover of tanks, had advanced to a place less than 100 meters from the position. For fear of accidental injury, the German artillery had stopped firing, and the air force circled over our positions for a while before flying away one after another.

At this moment, there was smoke and fire everywhere on the positions of our troops, but there was not a single figure in sight. Seeing this scene, my heart couldn't help but sink, what's going on? The commanders and fighters of the 85th Regiment still don't shoot? Are they all sacrificed?

At this moment, our artillery opened fire, and swarms of shells whistled through the air, accurately falling into the German attack queue in front of our position, and for a time the open field originally covered with German infantry and tanks was blown into a sea of fire, and shrapnel was scattered and dirt was splashed.

Kolpacchi also walked to the window and picked up a telescope to admire the masterpiece of our artillery. After looking at it for a while, he removed the telescope from his eyes, turned his head to Semykov and said: "Comrade Captain, call the military commissar and let the artillery fire extend the fire, and we must completely crush this attacking enemy." Semykov excitedly agreed, and turned to make a phone call.

Because the unexpected blow of our artillery made the first offensive of the Germans fail. As soon as the Germans retreated, the surviving commanders and fighters on the western position came out of the rubble and hurried to repair the fortifications.

Watching the German troops retreat, a smile appeared on Kolpakci's face. But before he could laugh out loud, Semykov reported to him the bad news: "Comrade commander, I have just received news that the Germans have launched a fierce offensive against the 184th and 192nd divisions of our army. ”

Kolpacic restrained the smile on his face and asked unhappily, "How is the current battle situation?" ”

Semykov shook his head and replied with a bitter face: "Comrade commander, the situation is bad. According to the latest battle reports, the German motorized 3rd and 60th divisions were the main forces of the attack, and ten minutes earlier they had just destroyed the headquarters of our 184th and 192nd infantry divisions in the area of Verkhniy Buzinovka. With the whereabouts of the two division commanders and the personnel of the division headquarters unknown, the command system of the two units has fallen into disarray, and with the exception of a few units that have persisted in fighting in place, most of the remaining units are retreating to the Golubinsky and Lower Nabatovsky areas. ”

Hearing the word "retreat" from Semykov seemed a little difficult, and I estimated that the situation was much more serious than he said, and the troops were not retreating in an orderly manner, but in a rout.

At this moment, the telephone on the table rang, and Semykov picked up the microphone and listened to it, and immediately handed it to Kolpakchi and said: "Comrade commander, it's General Chuikov calling. ”

Chuikov's phone, why did he call at this time? To find out what was going on, I took advantage of Kolpacic's walk over to take the microphone and quietly moved two steps towards him so that I could hear the conversation between him and Chuikov.

"Hello, Vladimir. Yakovlevich! "Chuikov unexpectedly called Kol Pakchi's patronymic and real name on the phone, and my heart couldn't help but tighten, and my heart said, "Is something big wrong?" Otherwise, Chuikov would never have used such a formal name for Kolpacchi.

Korpakchi was also stunned when he heard Chuikov call him this, and then politely asked: "Hello, Vasily. Ivanovic! You are calling at this time, is there anything you can do? ”

"Comrade commander of the army group," Chuikov said in a cold tone, "I want to report you an unfortunate news. In the German telegram we have just intercepted, they claim that in the battle in the area of Verkhniy Buzinovka, they have achieved great results, defeating the troops of our 184th and 192nd divisions, and killing the commander of the 192nd division, Colonel Kharchenko. ”

"What?" When Kolpacchi heard the news, he almost jumped up, his breathing became short, and he said in a loud voice: "This is impossible, you know, I was on the phone with Colonel Kharchenko an hour ago, and the news you got must be a rumor deliberately spread by the Germans, the purpose of which is to shake the morale of our army." ……”

"General Kolpakchi," Chuikov interrupted him without waiting for him to finish, and said sternly: "The troops on the right flank of our army group are at the moment receiving the rout of the 184th and 192nd divisions, and at the same time they are already engaged in fire with the vanguard of the German army. I advise you to immediately abandon the positions you occupied in today's counter-assault battles and allow the troops to withdraw after dark. Move quickly, or you'll find out after dawn tomorrow that the army has been surrounded by the Germans. Then you will not be faced with the question of how to consolidate the positions you occupy, but how to organize the breakthrough of your troops. ”

Kol Parkage put down the phone and sat down on his stool weakly, staring at the map in front of him in a daze. Semykov and I stood by his side, one left and one right, quietly waiting for him to make the most difficult decision.

After a long time, Kolpacki raised his head, as if he had made up his mind, and said weakly to Semykov: "Comrade Captain, you go and call Colonel Fanasyev and ask him to give the troops an order to hold out until the evening anyway." After dark, the troops quietly withdrew from their existing positions and returned to the starting positions for the morning offensive. Semykov agreed, turned and went to call. (To be continued......)