The loud trumpets sounded, and the commanders and fighters of the two regiments jumped out of their positions with shouts, shouting passionate slogans, and pounced on the enemy, who had suffered heavy casualties and were in a mess.

After the indiscriminate bombardment of German planes, the steel behemoths that were originally proud of their might have turned into a pile of scrap metal, burning on the wide battlefield. The fate of the two battalions of infantry was even more miserable, and when the planes bombed, except for one company of troops that entered the trenches, the rest were exposed to the open ground. When the bombs of German planes fell from the sky, many people had not yet come to their senses. As soon as the bomb that could not distinguish between friend and foe exploded, the German soldiers near the explosion point were blown up to the ground with blood and flesh flying and crying to the ground. As soon as their plane flew away, before the German soldiers, who had suffered heavy casualties, began to treat their wounded, they saw the Soviet commanders and fighters rushing towards them overwhelmingly. The surviving Germans were already frightened and shouted, and immediately those who could still move crawled out of the trenches or craters and rushed towards the Don River.

Just now, when I was giving orders to the two infantry regiments, I also took it upon myself to call Lieutenant Rozhkov of the artillery company, and ordered him to measure the distance, block the enemy's retreat with artillery fire, and cooperate with the counterattacking forces to destroy as many invading enemies as possible.

Before our infantry could rush forward, the mortar shells of the artillery company had landed accurately in the middle of the enemy's ranks, and in the open ground full of craters, clouds of black smoke rose in an instant, causing the enemy to roll on their backs. Our infantry rushed forward and swept the enemy with their machine guns, submachine guns, and rifles, like hunters hunting a pack of scurrying prey.

I calmly watched the commanders and fighters rushing towards the enemy like tigers in the mountains, and did not give any more orders to the troops to stop the pursuit. Return to position. to protect against the enemy's long-range artillery fire. Because the German tanks on the other side that were used to suppress us had been blown into a pile of scrap metal by their own planes shortly after crossing the river.

Under the fire and artillery fire of our infantry, this group of enemies, who had lost the cover of planes, tanks, and artillery, should not cry out to the ground, and except for a few who jumped into the river to escape, the rest were happily wiped out by the high-morale commanders and fighters on the wide plain on the left bank of the Don River.

"Yes. Yes, yes, that's how this battle should be played! "Seeing the one-sided victory of our army, Colonel Sazhin could not help but shout excitedly.

However, the enemy was not slow to react, and as soon as our fighters collected weapons and ammunition from the enemy's corpses, and just after returning to the second line of positions, enemy artillery fire roared.

This time the enemy used heavy artillery, and the shells landed in the open field in front of the second line of defense, and they exploded one after the other, "Boom, boom, boom!" "There is no interval between the explosions. All objects in front of the position were raised high into the air. The land that had just fallen silent was overturned again. The wreckage of the tank was toyed and rolled around, and the corpses of German soldiers and wounded soldiers who had not had time to be treated were blown up on the ground......

Colonel Sazhin stared at the area covered in artillery fire. Gladly said: "My God, what a scale of artillery did the Germans use to cause such a terrible effect!" Fortunately, our commanders and fighters withdrew in time, and if they were a step too late, it is estimated that few people would have been able to return to their positions. ”

Just then, the phone rang. Because the explosion in the distance was so loud that I couldn't hear what the political commissar was talking about, I had to shout into the microphone over and over again: "Comrade political commissar, please be louder." The explosion of enemy shells was so loud that I couldn't hear what you were talking about. ”

Panchenko tried to raise his voice, but I still couldn't hear what he was saying. Just as I was stomping my feet in a hurry, Sazhin came over, took the microphone from my hand, and hung up. He said to me, who was at a loss: "Comrade Oshanina, the enemy has suffered such great losses, I don't think they will attack again today. Let's go, let's go back to the division headquarters and ask the commissar what the hell is going on. With that, he hurried down the mountain.

As soon as he walked into the headquarters, Sazhin said in a loud voice: "Comrade commissar, I'm back." The enemy's artillery outside just now was so loud that I couldn't hear what you were saying in the observation post. Let's talk about something, is there something new ordered from our superiors? ”

Panchenko was originally leaning over to look at the map, when he heard Sazhin's voice, he looked up at us, then stood up straight, picked up a piece of paper from the table, walked over and handed it to Sazhen, looked at me and said: "Comrade division commander, this is a phone call just sent by Comrade Deputy Commander of the Group Army. "After he became a political commissar for a few days, he had already figured out that Chuikov was not a full-time officer, but only a deputy commander, so his title for him had also changed.

"What does the telegram say?" Sazhin took the telegram, looked down and glanced at it, and then immediately frowned.

Although Sazhin had already figured out what was going on from the telegram, Panchenko still repeated the contents of the telegram: "The deputy commander ordered that after holding out on the Don River for another one or two days, our division would withdraw from its existing positions, move towards the Volga River valley, and join friendly forces into new defensive positions. At the same time, let Comrade Oshanina, after receiving this telegram, immediately report to the headquarters of the front. The deputy commander would send his own driver, who would take Comrade Oshanina to Stalingrad. ”

After reading the telegram, Saren walked to the table and sat down without saying a word, took out a cigarette from the cigarette case on the table, lit it, and after a few puffs of silence, he said slowly: "Comrade Oshanina, you go and prepare, and when General Chuikov's driver arrives, you can follow him to the headquarters of the Front in Stalingrad." There is an order for you to go and report to the commander, General Gordorf. I guess maybe your superiors will have a new appointment for you. ”

I stood still and didn't move, and my heart said what was going on, how could the front army headquarters suddenly transfer me back? After listening to Sazhin's words, I hurriedly replied: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, I have nothing to prepare, and I can set off at any time." ”

An hour later, Chuikov's driver, Sidorokov, drove the jeep to the foot of the hill.

After saluting and saying goodbye to Sazhin and Panchenko, I trotted down the hill with a submachine gun from the guards on my shoulder. Sidorokov saw me running down the hill. Hurriedly got out of the car and came to the co-pilot's side. I pulled the door open. Respectfully invite me to get into the car.

After the car started, I put the submachine gun in the back position, and then asked the driver in a casual tone: "Hello, Comrade Sidorokov." Inadvertently, I saw that the rank on his collar badge had become sergeant, and I hurriedly stretched out my hand to him and said in a friendly manner: "Congratulations, you have obtained a higher rank." ”

He raised his right hand and shook it with me. He immediately let go, and explained to me a little embarrassed: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you know, I am the driver of Comrade Commander, and I sometimes accompany him to some dangerous places and participate in one or two battles, and this is how my rank was obtained. ”

As he was talking, the driver's face suddenly changed, he looked down at the window and looked out, and then shouted, "Hell." There are enemy planes in the sky. Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you sit tight. I'm going to get rid of this damn enemy plane at an accelerated pace. With that, as soon as he stepped on the accelerator, the jeep immediately sped up.

Our jeep, which was driving at high speed on a potholed road, was quickly spotted by enemy aircraft. The enemy plane began to dive and drop bombs at us, and from time to time the bombs exploded on the sides and behind the car, and the dirt from the flying shrapnel crackled on the car and crackled against the tarpaulin.

When the enemy planes had finished throwing away the bombs they were carrying, they could not help us, and then circled over us a few times before they flew away unwillingly. Seeing the enemy plane disappear from our field of view, the driver and I both breathed a sigh of relief.

After five or six hours on the road, we finally managed to reach Stalingrad. Compared to last time, there are more fortifications, more patrols, more checkpoints, and stricter inspections in the city. However, there are still as many pedestrians on the street as ever, and I feel that although the war is imminent, the relevant departments have not done any work to evacuate the residents.

The driver drove me to the outside of the headquarters building, and then said to me, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, it's here." ”

After leaning over to take the submachine gun from the back seat, I reached out and shook it with him, and said politely, "Thank you, Comrade Sergeant, thank you for sending me here." Then he pulled the car door and got out of the car, waved at him and walked towards the building.

As I entered the door, a second lieutenant on duty came over, stopped my way, saluted me, and politely asked: "Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, may I ask you for something?" ”

I hurriedly returned the salute and replied, "Comrade Second Lieutenant, I was ordered to report to the headquarters of the Front Army. ”

"Do you have a military ID and a business travel permit?"

I took out my military ID card from my pocket and handed it over, explaining: "I rushed over as soon as I received a telegram from the headquarters of the group army, and I didn't have time to apply for a business trip permit. ”

The second lieutenant opened his military ID, looked at me against the ID, shook his head and said, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, please come with me." I'm going to call my superiors to confirm. I didn't object to his proposal, just nodded and followed him into the building.

The second lieutenant led me into the building, into a duty room on the left, picked up the phone on the table, shook the handle, and said into the microphone in a calm voice: "Hello, I am the second lieutenant on duty at the door, please pick me up from General Glikov, deputy commander of the Front." Because I was far away, I didn't know what General Glikov, who answered the phone, said, but the second lieutenant replied vigorously: "Yes, yes, I understand, Comrade General." ”

After putting down the phone, the second lieutenant walked up to me, handed me back his military ID, and said politely: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I have confirmed that Commander Gordorf personally ordered you to return. His office is at the end of the corridor on the second floor, where you can meet him. ”

I took my military ID, thanked the second lieutenant, and turned to leave. Unexpectedly, he was stopped by the second lieutenant again: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, please wait a moment." ”

I looked back at the second lieutenant suspiciously, and asked puzzledly, "Comrade second lieutenant, do you have anything else?" ”

The second lieutenant pointed to the submachine gun I was carrying and said, "According to the regulations, you must first hand over the weapons you are carrying. "I knew that this was a rule, and that the second lieutenant was not trying to make things difficult for me, so I handed over the submachine gun in my hand.

"And your pistol." The second lieutenant added.

Without saying a word, I opened my holster, drew my pistol, and handed it to the second lieutenant.

The second lieutenant put the pistol and submachine gun in a cabinet on the table, took out a notebook from his briefcase, looked through it, scribbled two lines on it with a pencil, tore it off and handed it to me, saying, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Please keep your receipt. Wait until it comes out. Come here to retrieve your weapon. ”

I went up the stairs to the second floor and down the hallway. Along the way, I met several commanders in a hurry, and they looked up at me, and when they saw that I was of a higher rank than theirs, they did not stop, and raised their hands to salute me as they walked forward.

Seeing this kind of scene, I can't help but feel that the front army headquarters is really no better than the group army headquarters, here. I was a stranger, and no one knew me at all.

Outside the office at the end of the hallway, a baby-faced lieutenant sat at a square table. Seeing me walking towards him, the lieutenant stood up and asked with a cold expression: "Is there something wrong with you?" Comrade Commander. ”

I walked up to him and stopped, smiled and said, "Hello, Comrade Lieutenant. I have been ordered to report to the commander, can I go to the commander now? ”

The lieutenant looked at me a few times and said lightly, "I'm sorry. Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. I have not been notified that anyone wants to report to him. Therefore, if you want to see the commander, you must register for an appointment according to the regulations. Please leave your name and rank and position. And what is the important thing to see the commander. Then, when Comrade Commander has time, he will arrange to meet with you. ”

The lieutenant's tone of voice was completely businesslike.

I knew that the theory of the officer on duty would not help, so I shrugged my shoulders and wrote down my name and rank and the reason for asking to see the commander on the registration book he handed me. After filling in all this, I returned the registration book to the lieutenant and asked, "Comrade lieutenant, where should I go to wait for news?" You know, I just arrived in Stalingrad a few minutes ago, and I don't have a place to stay. ”

The lieutenant, though old-fashioned but enthusiastic, picked up the phone, dialed a number, and said into the microphone, "Hey, it's me." There is a female commander who wants to meet Comrade Commander, but she has not made an appointment, and now she has to find a place to wait for the commander's reception, so can she arrange it for you to do so? ”

After getting permission from the other party, the lieutenant put down the phone and said to me with a smile: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you go to the first floor, go down the stairs and turn left, and the second room is the lounge, where you can wait for the reception of Comrade Commander. ”

I thanked the lieutenant and turned to leave. Unexpectedly, not long after walking, I saw a general with a small height, a round face, and a shaved head walking towards him. I quickly stepped aside to make way for him, straightening up and saluting him.

The general returned the salute and walked past me unhurriedly. Suddenly he stepped back and stood in front of me, looked me up and down, and asked, "Who are you?" Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. ”

Hearing this general ask me, I glanced at him again, and after making sure that it was not General Gordorff I was looking for, I replied respectfully: "Comrade General, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina reports to you that I have come to the front headquarters on the orders of Commander Chuikov to report to General Gordorf, Commander. ”

At this time, the lieutenant on duty came over, saluted the general, and said: "Hello, Comrade Deputy Commander of the Group Army, the commander has been waiting for you for a long time. He ordered me to go in as soon as I saw you, without telling you. ”

After listening to the lieutenant's introduction, I realized that the general in front of me was General Glikov, deputy commander of the Front. So he raised his hand again and saluted: "Hello, General Glikov." ”

Glikov smiled at me reluctantly, and there was arrogance in his smile that rejected people from a thousand miles away, and he took the initiative to stretch out his hand, shook it lightly with me, and immediately parted, and said, "Fortunately, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." After saying that, he shook his head at the lieutenant and said, "Let's go, comrade lieutenant, take me to the commander himself." ”

Seeing the lieutenant push open the door, and then respectfully invite Glikov to enter at the door, and carefully close the door, I turned around and walked on, intending to go downstairs to the lounge to wait for Goldov's reception.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I reached the staircase, the lieutenant on duty caught up from behind and stopped me at the same time. "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, please stay, Comrade Commander has an order, please go to his office immediately."

Walking into Goldov's office, he met the gray-haired general again. When I saluted him, he beckoned me to sit down, looked at me with a smile and asked, "I said, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, didn't I transfer you to General Korpakchi's 62nd Army?" How did you appear again in the 64th Division of the 229th Army? ”

General Glikov, who was sitting on the sidelines, raised his eyebrows when he heard the commander's question, and looked at me with interest, waiting for me to answer the commander's question.

I knew that I had been able to enter Commander Gordorf's office so smoothly, and that General Glikov had played a great role, so I smiled politely at him before replying: "Report to Comrade Commander, on the day I returned to the 62nd Army, I was just in time for General Lopatin to take over from General Kolpakchi. "At this point, I paused deliberately to see if Goldov had anything to add.

Sure enough, after listening to this, Goldov nodded, and said: "Yes, it was I who ordered Lopatin to go to the 62nd Army as commander." Go on. ”

"General Lopatin's first order, after taking over the post of commander, was to blow up the pontoon bridge over the Koska River, so that the troops would not withdraw from their positions and retreat to the rear without permission. After the meeting, I was sent by Comrade Gurov, the military commissar of the group army, to the 229th Division, which was also encircled, and in this way, less than an hour after I returned to the 62nd Army, I was sent to the 64th Army. (To be continued......)