After leaving the Pavlov building and entering the traffic trench, I turned my head as I walked and asked Basmanov behind me: "Comrade Captain, did the communications soldier say that something happened in the division?" ”

Basmanov shook his head and said with a blank expression: "I asked the communications officer, and he doesn't know what happened. He only said that the commander of the communications company, Lazumayeva, called him and asked him to come to you on Soviet Street. ”

"Is the enemy launching a new offensive against Mamayev Height?" I continued to ask, listening to the movement on the high ground side with my ears tilted to the side.

"No," Basmanov replied very dryly, "I did not see the smoke rising from the direction of Mamayev Heights, nor did I hear the rumbling of artillery. If my estimation is correct, the enemy has not attacked our positions at all today. ”

As soon as I entered the Avenue of Soviets, I saw nearly a hundred commanders and fighters lined up on the side of the road, and immediately guessed that this was the company that had just arrived, and I strode towards them.

I walked to the side of the line and asked aloud, "Who is the commander?" ”

As I spoke, a handsome officer of medium stature came out of the ranks, took a few steps to meet me, then stopped and raised his hand to salute, and reported: "Comrade Division Commander, I am Second Lieutenant Sherebryanny, acting company commander of the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment, and I report to you that the whole company of 97 men has been assembled and is waiting for your orders. ”

"Lieutenant Serebryanny, I order you that from now on you and your company will be directly under the command of General Rodimtsev, commander of the 13th Guards Division. Your task is to resolutely defend this Soviet avenue at your feet at any cost. The enemy must not be allowed to swagger through Guò to enter our city. ”

I've just finished my sentence. Second Lieutenant Sherebryanny weakly reminded me: "Comrade division commander. You are mistaken, I am a second lieutenant and not a lieutenant. ”

I waved my hand and said involuntarily: "Okay, you don't have to fight with me, I said that if you are a lieutenant, you are a lieutenant." Remember to change the rank on your badge later. ”

The last time I was at the headquarters of the group army, I saw Chuikov use this method to directly promote Lieutenant Colonel Vachuk, commander of the 284th Infantry Division, who led his troops to reinforce him, to colonel. It's because Chuikov used such a hand. Vachuk was greatly moved, and in the following battle, he commanded his troops to fight the Germans upside down, and in less than three days, the entire division was almost completely wiped out. Now, I want to leave this company in such a dangerous position as Soviet-Strasse, and I can only strengthen his resolve by promotion to the ranks.

Seeing that the commanders and fighters in the queue were all looking at the lucky person in front of me with envious eyes, a flash of inspiration suddenly flashed in my mind, and I walked quickly to the front of the team. He said to the commanders and fighters: "Brothers, I promise you. As long as you stay here until October 5th, I will promote each of you who are alive to the rank of the first rank. ”

As soon as I finished speaking, someone in the group shouted "Ula", and then a few more people shouted, and finally everyone shouted, and the more they shouted, the more neatly and louder.

Since I was in a hurry to return to the division headquarters, I had to hand over the matter of handing over the troops to Morozov. Basmanov and I sat on the sidecar of the motorcycle and behind the driver, respectively, and hurried back to the command headquarters.

When I returned to the headquarters, I saw Kirillov and Akhromeyev sitting at the table with sad faces. Seeing me enter the door, both of them hurriedly stood up, and Kirillov said anxiously: "Comrade Oshanina, thank God, you have finally returned. You know, something happened, something big happened! ”

Kirillov's words startled me, and I said in my heart that on the way back, I deliberately observed that not only was the Mamayev Gang not attacked by the enemy, but even the defense area of the 135 regiments was calm, what else could happen? But seeing that the impatient expression on Kirillov's face didn't seem to be pretending, he asked curiously: "What happened to make you so anxious?" ”

Without saying a word, Kirillov shoved a telegram into my hand and said angrily: "Look at it, the enemy has suddenly launched an assault from the direction of Gorodishe, and has now rushed outside the headquarters of the army group, and is fighting with the troops defending the headquarters. ”

This news was really like a thunderbolt from the sky, scorching me on the outside and tender on the inside, and I couldn't speak for a long time. After a long time, I stabilized my feelings and asked in a somewhat flustered manner, "How is the situation at the headquarters?" Did the commander, the military commissar, the chief of staff, all of them safely transferred? ”

Akhromeyev sighed and replied to me: "If they had transferred, we would not have been in such a hurry." We wanted to send reinforcements, but General Krylov rejected our proposal, saying that we should concentrate on defending the Mamayev post, and decided not to allow the enemy to occupy the heights and get the 'tactical key' to open the defensive zone of the city and the workers' quarters. He concluded by saying that they were capable of repelling enemy attacks. ”

I slapped the telegram on the table and scolded loudly: "Confused, General Krylov is simply an old fool!" He also didn't want to think about what it would mean to us once the army group headquarters was terminated by the enemy. The more I scolded, the more angry I became, I went straight to Razumeyeva and ordered her: "Comrade lieutenant, immediately get in touch with the 5th regiment, I want to talk to Lieutenant Colonel Oleg." ”

I just sent troops to reinforce the 13th Guards Division because I understand the truth of the cold lips and teeth. But if we do not send reinforcements when the army group headquarters is attacked, and let them be wiped out by the Germans, then what is the use of improving the defensive positions of the friendly forces around us?

When Kirillov saw that I had instructed Lazumeeva to contact the 5th Regiment, he immediately understood what I was going to do, and after walking quickly to my side, he asked in a low voice: "Comrade Oshanina, you don't want to send troops from the 5th Regiment to carry out reinforcements, do you?" ”

I nodded and asked, "yes, is there something wrong?" ”

"Alas, you don't know, there are no troops left in the camp of the Fifth Regiment now."

"Where did the troops of the Fifth Regiment go?" When I heard Kirillov say this, I suddenly had a hint of foreboding. So he hurriedly asked: "Could it be that their troops have been reduced to zero again?" Went to the city to fight guerrillas? ”

Unexpectedly, Kirillov shook his head and said, "No." Yesterday we received an order from our superiors. It is said that since ammunition and supplies are now unloaded from ships by manpower and sent from the docks to the various firing positions and forward trenches, it is extremely heavy and arduous work. In addition, the fighting of the various units was frequent, and there was no manpower to collect ammunition. Therefore, the logistics department of the group army gave me the task of assisting in transporting ammunition early this morning, and in order to hurry, the fifth regiment almost went out of the dock. Assist friendly forces in unloading ammunition and supplies from small boats, and quickly deliver them to forward positions. ”

Hear this. I was so angry that I wanted to arrest the commander who gave this foolish order and beat him up. Just as I was about to run away, Razumeyeva timidly called me: "Division, commander, I have connected with the 5th regiment." ”

I took a few deep breaths, waited for a little more stability, took the headphones and microphone in Razumeeva's hand, and tried to say to the microphone in a calm tone: "Hey, is it Lieutenant Colonel Oleg?" I'm Colonel Oshanina. ”

"Hello, Comrade Division Commander." Oleg politely asked: "Do you have any instructions, please?" ”

"How many troops are left in the regiment?"

Without thinking, Oleg replied: "Report to the division commander, there are also the 2nd and 3rd companies of the guards and a militia company. ”

I gritted my back molars and asked, "Except for these three companies." Are there no other troops? ”

"No, Comrade Division Commander." Oleg replied crisply. "On the orders of the political commissar, we sent most of the commanders and fighters to the docks to assist the friendly troops in collecting ammunition."

"I see." With that, I cut off contact.

I walked back to the table and sat down, and began to ponder. The five regiments closest to the headquarters of the army group, there are currently only three companies left. The combat effectiveness of the militia company is too weak, and to carry out such a reinforcement mission is undoubtedly to send them to their deaths. The other two remaining guard companies were not weak in combat, but half of them were German soldiers under Grammers and Beckman, and they might have been honest when our troops had the upper hand. If they are allowed to go for reinforcements, they will see that the headquarters of our army's army group is in danger, and they may suddenly turn against the battle, which will become the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

"Commander, I have an idea." Akhromeyev walked up to me and stood still, and said cautiously: "Maybe it will be possible to solve the current crisis in the command." ”

"If you have any ideas, just say it!" I glared at Akhromeyev, and said in my heart that it was all over the time, and you were still spitting and talking, so I slapped the table and said in a stern tone: "Chief of Staff, if you don't say it, how do I know what you think, can you relieve the crisis of the army group headquarters?" ”

After hearing this, Kirillov also echoed and said: "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, hurry up and say what you think, it's not that you don't know how critical the current situation of the headquarters is. ”

"Division commander, political commissar, that's what I think. The Germans launched so many attacks on Mamayev Heights. But the focus of each attack was on the high ground to the north, where we were almost ignored by the enemy. I don't think we're the focus of the enemy's attack here anyway, so it's better to simply pull out the second regiment, add the tank battalion, rush behind the Germans at the attacking headquarters, and beat them severely. I don't know what you think? ”

"I agree!" The command was in danger of being wiped out at the moment, not to mention sending a regiment to reinforce it, even if I were asked to fill in all the independent divisions, I would be willing, so as soon as Akhromeyev finished speaking, I did not hesitate to express my support.

"However, if the second regiment is transferred away at once, there will be no troops to defend on the southern high ground where we are located, and once the enemy pounces, we will not have the slightest strength to fight back. If the enemy had allowed to occupy this height, the communication between the four regiments and the rear would have been completely cut off, and in less than two days they would have been wiped out by the enemy because they had run out of ammunition and food. "Kirillov was noticeably much calmer than I was, and instead of echoing our opinions, he presented his own different opinions.

Listening to Kirillov say this, I thought about it carefully, it really makes sense, I heard that Chuikov was in danger, so I couldn't wait to send troops to the rescue, after all, he is an infinite potential stock. If it had been not Chuikov, Gurov and Krylov who were besieged, but Yeremenko and Khrushchev of the Front Command, I would have chosen to ignore them.

I looked up and asked Akhromeyev: "Chief of Staff, how many companies are left of the 2nd Regiment, apart from the one sent to the Avenue of the Soviets?" ”

Akhromeyev thought for a moment and replied to me: "There should be seven more companies, but there are only two companies at full strength, and each remaining company has only 30~50 people." ”

After mentally calculating the existing strength of the 2nd Regiment, I instructed Akhromeyev: "Call the commander of the 2nd Regiment, Major Pugachev, and ask him to leave a whole company, under the command of the commander of the 1st Battalion, Captain Khrushov, responsible for the defense of the heights. The rest of the company was mixed into three companies, and he personally led the team and went with me to the headquarters of the rescue army. ”

As soon as my words came out, they immediately aroused the opposition of Kirillov and Akhromeyev as a whole, and Kirillov in particular said eloquently: "No, resolutely not." Comrade Oshanina, you must know that you are the commander of a division, not a company commander or a platoon commander, and you have no right to abandon your post and lead the troops into battle. Something like the rescue command can be carried out by Major Pugachev, and if you are not at ease with him, then by Chief of Staff Akhromeyev. Anyway, this time, I must not let you go on any more adventures. ”

"Comrade Commissar is right." Akhromeyev also said solemnly: "I believe that I can fully handle the matter of rescuing the headquarters in command, so you should stay in the command headquarters, division commander." ”

I rolled my eyes at the two of them, ignored them, and instead picked up the phone on my desk and dialed Major Perstian of the tank battalion. When I heard his familiar voice coming from the earpiece, I immediately ordered directly: "Comrade Major, I order you, immediately send someone to check the ammunition and fuel of the tank, and in the shortest possible time be ready for a sortie." ”

After hearing this, Peilsjian immediately replied excitedly: "Please rest assured, division commander, I will immediately send someone to check, and in fifteen minutes at most, our tank battalion will be ready for battle!" ”

"Good!" I just said a few words and hung up.

Putting down the phone, in order to prevent the two of them from continuing to prevent me from leading the troops to the rescue headquarters, he raised the division commander's shelf and said: "Political commissar and chief of staff, the two of you have been in the army for a long time, don't you know that the orders of your superiors are not allowed to be discussed?" Okay, don't say anything, I'll bring the reinforcements. Speaking of this, I saw Akhromeyev's mouth open and wanted to say something, and quickly interrupted him, "Chief of Staff, what are you still doing in a daze, why don't you quickly convey my order to Major Pugachev and get them ready to attack." (To be continued......)