Half an hour later, fifteen hundred warriors, who had received tools, began to dig trenches along the Volga. Although they have no military training, they are very good at things like digging pits.

Looking at the trenches that were gradually forming in the hands of the soldiers, I couldn't help but nod with satisfaction, and said to Razumeyeva, who was standing next to me: "Comrade lieutenant, it seems that these new fighters are very good at digging the earth, even if you pull those old soldiers who often dig trenches, they may not be able to compare with them." ”

Before Razumeyeva could speak, Ilya preemptively said: "Comrade General, you may not know that most of them are from collective farms in Kazakhstan, and they are good at farm work, and they often have to volunteer to work at various water conservancy projects. Work like digging fortifications is a trivial matter for them. ”

As Ilya spoke, I vaguely saw a dozen commander-like people walking towards us, and quickly patted Ilya on the shoulder, pointed to the people coming from afar, and asked him curiously: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, look at someone coming to us, take a look, is it someone you know?" ”

Ilya turned his head and immediately became excited, and he said to me excitedly: "It's the division commander who is here." "After saying that, I raised my leg and left.

Division commander, what division commander? I grabbed him as he was leaving, and asked curiously, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, which division is the commander?" ”

"Which division commander can he be the commander of our new division. Now that he has appeared, presumably the other two regiments have also arrived, so that we will not have to worry about running out of people to repair the fortifications. ”

I thought that the person who came to help arrived. I was overjoyed. Hurriedly called Lazumeeva. Following Ilya, he walked quickly towards the group of commanders and fighters who came over.

When we were four or five meters apart, we all stopped, and then a little old man of medium stature with a belly as large as a pregnant woman came out of the crowd, raised his hand to salute me, and reported: "Comrade General, the commander of the new division, Colonel Bandeleyev, reports to you. The whole division has arrived at the designated position, waiting for your orders, and I ask you to indicate the next mission. ”

I returned the salute and said to him: "Colonel Bandereev, you have come at a good time. Come and see," I said, pointing to the soldiers who were digging trenches in the distance, "the command of the Front ordered us to build two trenches along the Volga, because we did not know when the enemy would rush across the river, so we had to complete the construction of the fortifications before dark. I'm worried about the lack of manpower, but I didn't expect you to come. ”

The colonel smiled and said to me, "Comrade General. I have just met with Comrade Khrushchev, the military commissar, and he has told me everything about the current situation. Rest assured. I immediately arranged for men to help the soldiers of the vanguard regiment repair the fortifications. After speaking, he turned his head and shouted to the back: "Comrade Chief of Staff, come to me." ”

A major followed his shouts and ran briskly and stood straight in front of us. The colonel began to instruct him: "Immediately transfer both regiments, one regiment is responsible for one trench, speed up the construction, and make sure that it is completed before dark." ”

The major agreed, turned and ran back into the crowd, called two warriors, and strode along the road from which he came.

After the major left, Bandereev suddenly asked Ilya curiously: "Hey, I said Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, where has your commissar gone?" ”

I understood that the commissar he was asking, the major Yamin from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hurriedly replied to Ilya: "Comrade Colonel, it is like this, since the fortifications by the river are prone to flooding, the superiors told us to cut down timber and spread it in the trenches to prevent water. Major Yameen, on the other hand, went with a battalion of troops to the forest to the north to cut wood. ”

"Oh, I see." When Pantai Leev said this, I noticeably felt that he was secretly relieved, and it seemed that he also seemed to be dissatisfied with the acting commissar of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but he did not dare to speak out in public.

In the past, I hated political workers and internal affairs personnel the most, but as time went by, I found that today's political workers basically have basic military command skills, and there are few blind commands like those in the early days of the war. The people in the Ministry of Internal Affairs are different, they always feel that they are superior, and they always rely on their special status to do whatever they want, and as a result, they are angry and resentful, and they don't know if they will be shot when they are on the battlefield.

With the addition of a new force, the speed of digging trenches suddenly became much faster. Originally, I saw many commanders and fighters standing waist-deep in the trenches, constantly shoveling out the earth. It wasn't long before no one was seen from a distance, only the occasional flashing shovel, lifting shovel after shovel of dirt. In order to check that the trenches dug were up to standard, I walked towards the newly dug trenches, and Pandereev followed.

The two of us stood on a mound of dirt by the trench and looked at the busy warriors below. Because the soil was freshly dug up, it was very damp and soft, and as soon as I stood up, I felt my feet sink a little bit, and I quickly took a few steps back and stood on the hard ground.

"Comrade Oshanina," Bandereev asked hesitantly, "do you think the Germans will fight across the Volga?" ”

"No, Comrade Colonel." Almost without thinking, I replied to him: "Don't look at the Germans who have the upper hand in the city, but they want to destroy our troops and drive us out of the city, which cannot be done." Not only can we stop the enemy, but we can wipe them out completely and cleanly. ”

My answer, apparently beyond the expectation of Bandereev, hesitated for a moment before he asked curiously: "I didn't expect you to be so confident, even if our army is at a disadvantage at the moment, you are still full of confidence." ”

I didn't answer his words, just smiled casually, and then diverted the topic: "How many commanders with combat experience are there in your division?" ”

Pantai Laiev thought for a moment and replied: "There are two hundred and twenty-seven people, all of whom hold the posts of regimental and battalion commanders. Speaking of which, he also made a point to explain to me, "Because after our troops entered the city." It will be dismantled immediately. Divisions or brigades with heavy losses were assigned separately. Therefore, the whole division only has a three-level structure of divisions, regiments and battalions. ”

"After the soldiers are replenished into the troops, where will you commanders go?" Thinking of the more than 200 commanders with rich combat experience, I suddenly had the idea of digging into the corners of the wall, so I asked sideways: "Do you join these units like the soldiers, or do you want to be transferred out separately, return to the place of departure, and re-recruit and train new troops?" ”

With a bitter smile on his face, Pantai Laiev came over for a long time. He pointed to the ferries on the Volga River that were heading to the other side, and said reluctantly: "Actually, we are similar to these sailors who transport supplies, they transport supplies, and we transport soldiers. If there were no accidents, after sending this group of soldiers into the city, we had to return to the place of departure and continue to recruit soldiers from the cities and farms. ”

"Comrade Colonel, I wonder if you have any thoughts about staying in the combat unit?" When I heard that the task of these commanders would end after the new recruits were sent into the city, my desire to win them over became stronger and stronger. I asked tentatively: "My unit is newly formed, and it lacks sufficient combat backbone and commanders with combat experience. I wonder if you and your subordinates will consider joining my team? ”

After listening to my words, Bandereev did not immediately express his position, but asked noncommittally: "Comrade Oshanina, I don't know where your troops are stationed?" ”

"Mamayev Hills." I said lightly.

"Mamayev Gang?" Pandereev's voice suddenly rose a few pitches, so that some of the nearby soldiers who were busy were also alarmed by him, and they stopped what they were doing and stood up straight to look at us.

"Whatever you see, hurry up and get on your way." After yelling at the distracted fighters, I looked at Pandereev and said solemnly: "Yes, Comrade Colonel, my independent division has been stationed at Mamayev Gang since the beginning of September. Although my division was greatly reduced, from more than 10,000 men at the beginning to more than 2,000 men, we were like a floodgate, firmly in front of the Germans, so that they could not advance a single step. ”

My boasting excited Pandereev, who stretched out his hands, shook my hand vigorously, and said excitedly: "General Oshanina, I didn't expect that it was your troops who were holding the Mamayev post. It's been such an honor to work with you. ”

I was confused by Bandereev's attitude, and when I let go of his hand, I asked curiously: "Comrade Colonel, what the hell is going on, your words are indistinct, and you have confused me." With that, I stared at him intently to hear what he would say.

Pantai Leev looked to the left and right, and then whispered to me: "Comrade division commander, there are many people here, let's change to a quiet place." After saying that, he pulled me to the side for more than ten or twenty meters, and felt that we were almost in the same position, so he stopped.

I also looked around, and although we were in the field of view of the surrounding fighters, the closest fighters to us were also about ten meters away, and as long as we didn't speak loudly, they couldn't hear what we were talking about.

Bandereev whispered to me: "Comrade General, maybe you don't know it yet. As soon as the Germans crossed the Don and advanced towards Stalingrad, the General Staff conducted a war game. According to the results of the deduction, the focus of the enemy's attack was the Mamayev Height. It is possible that the enemy will take the Mamayev post from our troops within the first week after approaching Stalingrad. In the ensuing battle, in order to recapture and hold this high ground, our army had to devote at least five to eight divisions per month. To put it mildly, this place will become a flesh mill. ”

Bantai Leyev's words made my heart tremble, and I said that this war game deduction is too amazing, and it actually deduces everything that happened in real history. However, due to my appearance and this independent division that appeared out of nowhere, there has been a slight deviation in history, and the Mamayev Gang, which has become the focus of contention between the Soviet Union and Germany, is still in our hands at the moment.

Of course, these are my own secrets, and they must not be known to outsiders. Although I was shocked in my heart, I still pretended to be casual on my watch and said, "Comrade Colonel, it seems that this war game deduction is not very accurate. You see, how long the battle has been going on, but the Mamayev Gang is still in our hands. ”

Bandereev nodded, and then said to me solemnly: "General Oshanina." The chances of a wargame deduction error are slim. Otherwise, the General Staff would not have resorted to this approach. The reason why Mamayev Gang is still under the control of our army. It has a lot to do with you, the division commander. I have decided that as long as my superiors allow it, I will lead these commanders under my command to join your independent division, and I hope you will agree. ”

As soon as Pantai Leev's words came out, I immediately became excited, and quickly shook his hand and shook it vigorously. "Comrade Colonel, this is wonderful. On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the Independent Division, I would like to welcome you and your subordinates to join us. ”

By two o'clock in the afternoon, the earthworks of the two two-kilometre-long trenches had been completed, and all that remained was to lay the wood that Major Yaming had brought back to him neatly at the bottom of the trenches to protect them from water.

I was crouching down beside the trench with Bandereev, watching the soldiers lay out logs, when suddenly there was a shout in the distance. I heard the other person seem to be calling my name. I quickly stood up and looked in the direction where the voice came from. I saw no one else, but Yakubov, whom I was familiar with.

Seeing the appearance of this captain, I speculated that Khrushchev might have given me some new orders, and after quickly saying a word to Bandereev, I hurried towards Yakubowev.

Still far away, I asked him curiously: "Captain Yakubowev, is there something wrong?" ”

"Order, the latest order." Yakubov, who was out of breath, panted and said to me: "The military commissar orders that the new division immediately stop building fortifications and seize the time to rest." Wait until evening, pick up the necessary weapons at the pier and board the ship to enter Stalingrad. ”

I was overjoyed by this unexpected order, and I hurriedly asked: "Comrade Captain, does the military commissar still have an explanation?" ”

"Yes." After Yakubov's breathing calmed down a little, he then conveyed Khrushchev's order: "He said that the vanguard regiment of the new division will be incorporated into your independent division, and the other two regiments, led by the division commander Colonel Bandereev, will go to the headquarters of the 62nd Army and be handed over to Chuikov. ”

At this time, Bandelyev also walked up to my side and asked curiously: "General Oshanina, what happened?" You look like you're happy. ”

"Yes, yes, Comrade Colonel." I was thrilled to think that I could return to Mamayev and return with a new army, "I just received an order from my superiors to stop building fortifications. After collecting weapons at the pier in the evening, the ferry boat entered Stalingrad. ”

"Great, that's great." Hearing that his troops no longer needed to be engineers, Bandeleyev was also happy. He then asked, "How are the troops in the division distributed by the superiors?" ”

"The vanguard regiment is assigned to my independent division, and the recruits of the other two regiments, led by you, will be handed over to Commander Chuikov at the headquarters of the 62nd Army."

After a moment of joy, Bandereev asked me with some embarrassment: "Then when do you think you will ask your superiors for instructions on the matter of me and my subordinates going to the independent division?" ”

"Don't be in a hurry, Comrade Colonel." I comforted him and said, "You first lead the troops to the headquarters of the group army, and after the transfer of the troops is completed, you can take your subordinates to my independent division to report." After crossing the river, I will personally report this matter to General Yeremenko and Comrade Khrushchev, Military Commissar. ”

In the evening, I and 2,000 men of the vanguard regiment boarded eight ferries docked at the pier and crossed the river with me, with the exception of Razumayeva, and several other female soldiers accompanied us.

As the ship headed for the west bank, I looked at the weapons in the hands of the fighters in the cabin and could not help but say to the regimental commander Ilya with regret: 'Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I didn't expect that the front army was so poor that it could not even guarantee a rifle for each man. You see, at the moment there is a gun for every three people, and if we fight like this, we will suffer a big loss. ’

Since Commissar Yamin was not in the same boat as us, Ilya spoke more casually, and he said gratefully: "Comrade General, this is already very good. Then he lowered his voice and approached me and said, "Actually, on the battlefield, because of the lack of weapons, the recruits are not given weapons at all, at best, one grenade or anti-tank mine is given to each person, and they are allowed to attack the enemy." In the end, the enemy did not destroy a few, and almost all of our men died. ”

After the ship docked, I took this inadequately armed unit along the open field behind the Mamayev Gang and advanced to the location of the division headquarters.

As soon as we reached the foot of the hill, I met a patrol led by Captain Khrushov, and he was overjoyed to see me and the new reinforcements, and hurriedly sent someone to report the good news to the political commissar.

After I introduced him to Ilya, I began to assign the whereabouts of the troops: "Lieutenant Colonel Ilya, now it is necessary to disperse the troops into the regiments. Your 1st Battalion goes to the 2nd Regiment of the Independent Division; the 2nd and 3rd Battalions went to the 4th Regiment on the high ground to the north; The remaining four battalions were sent by Captain Khrushov to the garrison of the 3rd regiment. ”

As soon as I had assigned the places to the battalions of the vanguard regiment, Khrushov instructed his men to act as guides for the battalions and lead them to their new stations. (To be continued......)