Whining is whining, and after giving it to a few subordinates, the next thing to do has to be done.

I called the second battalion commander to him and instructed him: "Second battalion commander, we don't know when the enemy will come, and even if we repair the fortifications, we must not take it lightly, and we must strengthen our vigilance to avoid being attacked by the enemy." "Speaking of this, I couldn't help but glance at Slavin, knowing that the captain had successfully attacked the enemy's baggage camp at night two days before, and had also captured a large number of weapons and ammunition. It is okay for my troops to sneak up on the enemy, but we must not allow the enemy to sneak up on us.

The commander of the second battalion hurriedly replied: "Please rest assured, in addition to the fixed sentry posts in the two trenches, I also sent a mobile sentry of the squad. ”

"Well done, Comrade Captain." Lukin complimented him, and then asked, "Is it Shuanggang?" ”

The second battalion commander nodded and replied: "Comrade Captain, it's completely correct, the sentries I arranged are all veterans with rich combat experience, you can rest assured." ”

Seeing that Lukin nodded in satisfaction and wanted to continue to say something, I interrupted him and ordered the captain in an unquestionable tone: "Second battalion commander, double posts are not enough, we must send squad posts, and we must send the strongest squad." ”

The second battalion commander looked embarrassed, and Lukin hurriedly relieved him: "Comrade regiment commander, you must know that the soldiers are already very tired after continuous fighting, and if so many people are transferred to duty, then the soldiers will not be able to recover from fatigue quickly." ”

"Comrade Captain," I said very unceremoniously, "I would like to remind you that the task of our regiment is to hold this place and cover the crossing of friendly troops on the riverside. If it's because of our negligence. Make the enemy attack successful in the middle of the night. The defeat of our regiment is a trifle. But what about the thousands of fingers and fighters by the river? You must know that after suffering repeated blows from the German army, the command system of these units was dysfunctional and chaotic, and in the face of the enemy's attack, they were simply unable to organize limited resistance. If, for our sake, the enemy pounces on the river, what awaits the commanders and fighters will be driven down the river or completely wiped out. ”

After listening to my analysis, it was amazing. Lu Jin nodded thoughtfully and echoed: "Comrade Regiment Commander, what you said is reasonable, but I didn't think it through. Then he ordered the second battalion commander: "Comrade captain, did you hear the order of the regiment commander?" Immediately go back to strengthen the sentry posts on duty, and be sure to ensure the safety of the position. ”

After seeing the second battalion commander leave, I asked Captain Slavin, who was still standing in the room: "Comrade Captain, what are the casualties of your company during the daytime battle?" ”

Slavin hastened to reply: "Report to Comrade Regiment Commander, in the second wave of the enemy's offensive." Due to the fact that the mortar platoon exposed the target, it was bombarded by enemy tank guns. One cannon was blown up, four fighters were killed. As for the infantry, they were well concealed in battle, so there were no casualties. ”

"Good!" After complimenting him first, I ordered: "Captain Slavin, when you go back, immediately draw two squads from the company and deploy them in the crater between the two trenches. Remember, once our positions were attacked by the enemy, these two squads were quickly thrown into battle to support the attacked sector. ”

Slavin straightened up and agreed: "Please rest assured, Comrade Regiment Commander, I will immediately go back and arrange and send the strongest squad out to carry out this glorious mission." At this point, he paused for a moment and asked tentatively, "Are you allowed me to leave?" Comrade Regiment Commander. ”

I nodded at him, waved my hand and said, "Go ahead." Whether our regiment can complete the tasks assigned to us by our superiors and withdraw to the left bank of the Don River depends on the second battalion and your company. ”

As soon as Slavin left, Lukin immediately asked: "Comrade Regiment Commander, when do you think our regiment will be able to cross the river?" ”

Lukin's question immediately reminded me of the thousands of commanders and fighters by the river, and a few not very powerful motorboats, and it is estimated that before dawn, there is no hope for our regiment to cross the river. I did not conceal Lukin's intentions in the face of disadvantage, and I said to him with a wry smile: "Comrade Captain, the bridge over the Don River has been blown up by German planes, and the troops on the river can only rely on a few slow-moving motorboats to cross the river. However, fortunately, Comrade Kirillov, the head of the political department of the 62nd Army, and his group of colleagues were directing the river crossing operation by the river, so that the river crossing wharf, which was crowded with thousands of commanders and fighters, was not so chaotic. However, judging from the current speed of crossing the river, it will not be our regiment's turn to cross the river before dawn, so we must be prepared to hold on to this place for a long time, and be ready to fight to the death with the invading enemy at any time. ”

After listening to my words, Lukin took the initiative to propose: "Comrade Regiment Commander, let me supervise the implementation of the order you just given." If your orders are not carried out conscientiously, the consequences will be dire. It's not too early, you stay in the command post and have a good rest, and I'll go to the company. ”

Seeing that Lukin was leaving, I hurriedly stopped him: "Comrade Captain, please wait a minute." ”

He stopped, turned to look at me, and asked politely, "Comrade Regiment Commander, what else do you have to order?" ”

"Draw a few people from the guard platoon and go to the river to keep an eye on them. When the troops there are almost finished, they will come back and report to me immediately. ”

"Understood, I'll deploy it right away."

When I was left alone, I looked around, and it was empty, with a few freshly made wooden benches in the corner. I moved the wooden bench to the wall, sat down with my back against the dirt wall, and began to close my eyes.

Although no one came to disturb me, I slept very soundly, and I always felt that the guards who had been sent out would come back and report to me that all the troops on the river had crossed the Don, and that the motorboat that had taken us across the river was stopping and waiting.

Time passed little by little in my half-asleep sleep, but when I heard the sound of shouting a report from outside the command post, I jumped up from my stool, looked at my watch, and it was just five o'clock in the morning. I rushed outside with my hands behind my back and stood up, then called out majestically, "Come in!" ”

The first to enter the room was Lukin, who was followed by a young warrior who, although he looked alive, I guessed that Lukin had sent him to the river to observe the crossing. After the two of them saluted me. I looked at Lukin and asked, "Comrade Captain." What's the matter? ”

Lukin glanced at the warriors beside him. Then he reported to me: "Comrade Regiment Commander, the fighters I sent to observe the crossing of the river came back and reported that the troops on the river had almost finished crossing the river, and only a dozen political workers of the 62nd Army remained. You see, do you need to report this situation to the division headquarters immediately?"

It seems that I did not guess that the warriors around Lukin were indeed sent to the river to find out the situation. Although Lukin reported that the troops along the river had basically crossed the river, I was still a little unsure. So he asked the soldier for confirmation: "Comrade soldier, you said that you saw that the troops by the river have basically crossed the Don River, and there are only a dozen political workers left, is what you said true?" ”

The fighter nodded affirmatively and replied: "That's right, Comrade Regimental Commander." After seeing that the troops by the river had boarded the boat, I went to the wharf and chatted with the rest of the political workers for a while, only to learn that they were transferred from all over the country. Prepare to enrich the political workers of the various units of the 62nd Group Army. ”

After listening to the words of the soldiers, I knew in my heart that the troops by the river must have crossed the river. It was our turn to cross the river, but before leaving the position, we had to ask the division headquarters for instructions. I asked Lukin: "Comrade Captain, where can I call the division headquarters?" ”

Lukin turned his head and shouted outside, "Signal soldier, bring in the phone line." With his shout, two signal soldiers entered the command post one after the other, the one in front holding the telephone in his hand, and the one behind him holding a long telephone line.

Lukin took the phone from the signal soldier's hand, shook the division headquarters, and handed me the microphone. As soon as I heard Bilyukov's voice from inside, I hurriedly said: "Hello, comrade division commander! I'm Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina. ”

"It's you, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Biryukov said unhurriedly: "How is the situation on your side?" Did the enemy be found at the front of the position? How many of our troops are still waiting to cross the river? ”

Hearing this series of questions from Bilyukov, I hastened to answer: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, according to the report of the fighters who went to reconnoitre, all the troops staying on the river have crossed the Don, and only a dozen political workers of the 62nd Army are left on the wharf. And the front of our regiment's position was calm, and not a single enemy was discovered. ”

"In that case, then you should cross the Don with your regiment and establish a new defensive position on the left bank of the river."

With the permission of the division commander, our retreat became justified. I put down the phone and immediately ordered Lukin: "Comrade Captain, you lead the second battalion commander and his troops to withdraw from their positions first and go to the riverside pier to board a boat and cross the river. The 7th Company and I remained in our positions until the 2nd Battalion had left safely, and then we withdrew from our positions. ”

Lukin hesitated for a moment, and then persuaded me: "Comrade regiment commander, it is better for you and the second battalion to withdraw first, and I and the seventh company will stay behind to cover." ”

I waved my hand and said decisively: "Comrade Captain, don't say more, this is an order, go and carry it out." ”

Seeing that my attitude was so resolute, Lukin did not insist any longer, but after saluting me, he left the command post with a few soldiers.

After several battles in our regiment, there were not many people left, and as soon as the second battalion withdrew, less than two hundred men were left in the position. Seeing that there were only these few people left, my heart became uneasy, and I was deeply afraid that the Germans would attack at this time, and we, who lacked sufficient anti-tank weapons, would not be able to stop their attack.

Fortunately, we had been in position for more than an hour, and still did not see a shadow of the enemy, when Lukin sent someone to report that they had finished boarding the boat, and that the ferry was carrying them to the opposite shore, and that we should also hurry to the pier to board the boat.

Knowing that Lukin and the others had already left, I breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately ordered Slavin to assemble the Seventh Company, the guard platoon, and the engineer platoon, and quickly rush to the riverside pier to board a boat and cross the river.

When we reached the river, we saw two ferries parked on the pier in the distance. As we approached the pier, we were greeted by two political workers, and I recognized them as Kokunov and Rogulev at a glance.

The two of them came to me, raised their hands and saluted, and said, "Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, we meet again. ”

I raised my hand and saluted and asked strangely: "Comrade Kokunov, Comrade Rogulev, the troops by the river have crossed the river, why are you two still here?" ”

Rogulev took over and said: "Comrade Oshanina, it was Comrade Kirillov who asked us both to stay and receive you. It's not early, hurry up and get on board, in a little while the enemy planes will come. ”

Walking into the dock and looking at the two ferries docked on the shore, I pointed to the one on the left and said to Slavin: "Comrade Captain, you take the seventh company to this boat, and I and the guard platoon and the engineer platoon go to the right one." ”

The boarding proceeded quickly, and in less than ten minutes we were on our way. There were not many people on my boat, only seventy or eighty people, and Kokunov also got on this boat. With weapons and ammunition piled up near the railings that I don't know who had brought them, all of us had to stand in the middle of the boat.

As the ferry approached the other side, I looked into the sky with apprehension, fearing that an enemy plane might suddenly come out. I didn't expect that the more I was afraid of something, the more something I would come. Several fighters standing close to the side of the ship suddenly shouted loudly: "Look, planes, it's enemy planes." Air raids, air raid sirens! ”

With the loud shouts of these soldiers, the ship suddenly became a pot of porridge. (To be continued......)