Kolobtin stepped forward, looked at the young hygienist with beautiful short silver-white hair and a round face full of freckles, and asked sternly, "Where did you capture the wounded of our army in the cave?" The interpreter next to him hurriedly translated his words.

Karla glanced at him contemptuously, and replied without humility or arrogance: "Mr. Colonel, those men used to hold the tunnel, and after our troops entered it, most of the soldiers were killed by us, and only a dozen or so were seriously wounded. The commander of our army was merciful and did not let these prisoners be shot, but put them together with our wounded for treatment. ”

"Comrade Colonel, what about the female hygienist and those wounded?" After listening to the interpreter's words, the chief of staff of the division walked up to Kolobtin's side and whispered to him for instructions.

Kolobtin waved his hand, looked at me with his eyes and said, "These prisoners were captured by Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina's soldiers, and it is up to her to decide what to do with them." ”

When the division chief of staff heard Kolobtin say this, he turned his head to look at me and asked, "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, what are you going to do with this female hygienist?" ”

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on me, I couldn't help but scold Kolobtin in my heart for being an old slippery head who actually pushed me into such a big trouble. In the past, when we caught prisoners, under special circumstances, we usually took measures to execute them on the spot, but this time we caught a young female hygienist, not to mention dozens of wounded German soldiers, and it is estimated that except for the supervision team of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, no one present can do anything, so they handed over this big trouble to me to deal with.

I circled around the German hygienists and said, "What else is there to decide?" How did you deal with German prisoners before. It's okay to deal with it now. "Speaking of which. I also made a point of reminding the chief of staff of the division: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I promised this female hygienist not to harm any German prisoners. I hope you will also tell the soldiers not to harass these captured wounded. ”

When the chief of staff heard me say this, he couldn't help but complain: "But after the battle, our soldiers are exhausted, and if you want them to carry these German wounded, I am afraid that everyone will have affection." ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff." Kolobtin gave the female hygienist a disgusted look, and then ordered his chief of staff, "Let those German prisoners carry their own wounded, they are not in a position to let our soldiers spend any more effort on this." ”

Kolobtin left the chief of staff of the division to dispose of the prisoners, and I left Oleg to gather the troops and count the casualties. After arranging things in order, Kolobtin and I walked back with a squad of guards and soldiers.

As I passed the German hillside positions, I made a point of stopping to inspect the enemy's fortifications and see how they were able to reduce their losses under the shelling of our troops.

Under this look, I really see the fame. I don't know if there are capable people in the German army. Or completely copied my ideas in the fortifications they occupied, every fifty meters in the trenches. There is an anti-artillery hole. Without exception, these anti-artillery holes were dug downward, not to mention the light artillery used in today's shelling, even if it was heavy artillery bombardment, they could resist it.

Leaving the fortifications and on the way back to the 165th heights, Kolobtin suddenly asked: "Comrade Oshanina, I know that you have a flexible mind and rich combat experience, so in the last counterattack, the superiors gave you the authority to serve as the commander-in-chief." Originally, I was a little unconvinced, thinking that it was a particularly shameless thing for a group of veterans who had been in the past ten or twenty years to obey the command of a young girl. Originally, I thought that if the battle was not fought well, I would have to count it well. Unexpectedly, in that counterattack, we actually won a big victory, it seems that the vision of the superiors is good, and they can see farther than us. ”

Hearing him suddenly slap my ass like this, I guess I had something to say, so I asked bluntly: "Comrade Colonel, you and I haven't known each other for a day or two. If there's anything you want, just say it, don't say these flattering things to me. ”

Kolobtin smiled and said, "Actually, it's nothing, I just want to ask, what do you think of today's battle?" ”

In fact, he didn't ask, and I wanted to discuss the gains and losses of this battle with him at the right time. Since he is asking now, I will take this opportunity to talk to him. I thought about it for a moment and said: "Although we won this battle and succeeded in recapturing the positions occupied by the Germans, at the same time, many problems were exposed. ”

Hearing me say this, Kolobhutin said with interest: "What a problem. ”

"First of all, the firepower of our army is insufficient. Our artillery, before the offensive, carried out artillery shelling of the enemy for half an hour. It turned out that such an artillery bombardment had little effect on the fortifications built by the enemy. So much so that after the shelling stopped and our troops launched an offensive, the enemy could calmly deploy mortar and light and heavy machine-gun fire to inflict long-range and medium-range fire damage on our attacking troops. ”

Kolobtin, after listening carefully to the first point I said, nodded, and replied, "Yes, that's a good point. I thought that our tanks could provide them with the necessary fire cover when the infantry attacked, but I didn't expect to be overwhelmed by the enemy's tanks parked on the top of the hill. In both of our attacks, the tank detachments were almost passively beaten, let alone provided fire support to the infantry. And what about the second point? ”

"The second point is that the tactics are dull." I knew that saying this would make Kolobtin's very embarrassing, but in order to prevent him from making similar mistakes in future battles, I knew that he would not be able to step down, so I still said it head-on, "The troops involved in the first attack were all commanders and fighters of the 29th Division. I admit that they were very brave and tenacious in battle. But when fighting, bravery alone is not enough, and human flesh and blood cannot stop the enemy's bullets. Therefore, we are required to use our brains more when fighting a war and strive to minimize the losses of our troops. ”

Kolobtin's face smiled bitterly and said, "You have a very reasonable point, if you follow the style of the first attack, you may have all the troops wiped out, and you may not be able to recapture the high ground." ”

"The third point. Commanders on the front line did not put themselves in the right position. Fight. They are not thinking about how to direct the troops to attack. Instead, he simply thought that as long as he rushed to the front of the line with his gun, he would be able to boost the morale of the soldiers, and then he could rush into the enemy's position and destroy all the enemies. As everyone knows, if all the commanders rush to the front, once all the troops are killed, the troops that have lost their command will become a plate of scattered sand, and such an attack will not escape the fate of failure. ”

Speaking of which. I deliberately observed Kolobtin's expression, and saw that his face was flushed with shame by this time, proving that what I said had poked him in the sore spot. I looked behind me and saw that the guards were five or six paces away from us, and I should not be able to hear what I was saying to Kolobutin, so as to avoid the embarrassing scene of him being embarrassed in front of his own men.

After I finished speaking, Kolobtin's words suddenly and inexplicably said: "Actually, in today's battle, the sailors are very good. ”

"Yes, Comrade Colonel." I hurriedly echoed him and said, "The sailors have a tenacious will to fight, and their technical and tactical level is also very high. When facing enemy fire. Instead of blindly rushing towards enemy positions with guns in hand, they skillfully used craters to get close to the enemy. At the same time, the fire of light and heavy machine guns was used to suppress the enemy's fire and cover the advance of the troops. ”

When I said this, Kolobtin interjected: "It is a pity that during the shelling, the artillery battalion was allowed to destroy the barbed wire and minefields in front of the enemy's positions, and as a result, our troops paid heavy casualties when they broke through this section. ”

Kolobutin's words reminded me of several martyrs who died heroically on the barbed wire while serving as a human bridge for the attacking troops. I secretly reminded myself that when I submitted the list of meritorious personnel, I must inquire about the names of these martyrs and include them in the list. Although they were incorporated into the army as prisoners, they died honorably to defend the motherland, they are heroes of the motherland, and they deserve their share of glory.

As soon as we reached the foot of the mountain, a soldier rushed over to Kolobtin's side and reported to him in a loud voice: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, General Chuikov is waiting for you at the command. There is an order for you to go over and see him as soon as you return. ”

When I heard that Chuikov had come to the 165th Heights, I understood in my heart that it seemed that he was also not confident that the 29th Division would be able to regain the 158th Heights, so he didn't say hello to him, and he came quietly.

When he returned to the headquarters, he found that not only Chuikov had come, but also the chief of staff, Raskin.

Chuikov asked with a stern expression: "Colonel Kolobtin, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, I heard that you had already recovered the high ground on the opposite side a few hours ago, but why didn't you report to the army headquarters in time?" ”

Usually when a superior commander asks a question, someone with a high rank will answer him, so when I heard his question, I just silently turned my head to Kolobtin, waiting for him to answer this question.

Kolobtin didn't expect Chuikov to ask about the progress of the battle so harshly, and he couldn't help but get a little nervous, and he said in a hesitant voice: "Report to the commander...... Comrade, actually...... Actually, I wanted to report to you at the time...... I reported it, but I am afraid that the enemy will not be willing to lose the high ground and will organize troops to counterattack, so I plan to check it out first and report back to you when I come back. ”

"What were the results of the inspection? Is the whole highland under our control? When he said this, a sly smile appeared on Chuikov's originally tense face, and he suddenly stretched out his arms and hugged Kolobtin tightly, and said loudly: "Well done, Colonel Kolobutin, you really did a great job." What I'm trying to say is that you're good. ”

Only then did I realize that Cui Kefu's strict expression was deliberately pretended, just to make a joke with us. After hugging Kolobutin, he opened his arms and hugged me again.

After greeting each other, Chuikov beckoned everyone to sit down and began to ask seriously about the battle.

The whole process of the battle, Kolobtin reported to Chuikov. As soon as Kolobtin spoke, I was surprised to find that he could be a storyteller, and Chuikov's love affair was completely attracted by the combat experience he recounted. When I heard that the first attack of our army, under the blow of the enemy's mortars, suffered heavy casualties, and that the commander was almost all killed, he was so angry that he slapped the table several times in a row, and almost jumped up and scolded the damned Germans. When I heard how the soldiers of the Marine Corps and the special battalion approached the enemy's position with skillful technical and tactical maneuvers and the use of ready-made craters. He couldn't help but applaud again.

When several fighters were heard in order to open a passage for the attacking troops. And lying on the barbed wire when he died heroically. To my surprise, his eyes immediately filled with tears. He stood up, ignoring the tears that had been left on his cheeks, and said to us: "Comrade commanders, let us observe a moment of silence for these heroes. As he spoke, he took off his military hat from his head, closed his eyes and bowed his head and began to mourn in silence.

Kolobhutin and Ruskin did not dare to slack off, and they also took off their hats and bowed their heads. When I took off my helmet, I looked around. Seeing that the other people in the command, whether they were commanders or soldiers, they took off their hats and bowed their heads in silence.

After the silence, Chuikov specially told me: "Comrade Oshanina, these soldiers are the heroes of our Red Army, although they have sacrificed, but the honor that belongs to them is indispensable. You can report the list to me later, and I will posthumously award them military medals and heroic titles. ”

Next, Chuikov asked Kolobhutin about his existence in this battle. Just on the road. Kolobhutin and I talked about this. That's why Chuikov asked at this time, so that he could count the questions that existed in this battle like a few treasures. I told Chuikov one by one.

After listening to this, Chuikov added: "Comrade Colonel, what you said is not complete enough. Although we say that the number of artillery is small, it is not that we are helpless against the enemy's fire points. Look at it, didn't the two cannons under Comrade Oshanina make a great contribution? Others have done a good job of destroying the enemy's mortar fire points one by one with direct aim and clearing the way for our troops to advance. I think you can sum it up well, so that the artillerymen in your division can also learn from others. ”

As soon as Chuikov finished speaking, the chief of staff, Colonel Raskin, continued: "Let me add that in fact, the method of tunnel bombing invented by Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, I think it is quite effective, and it can be of great use if you fight a tunnel war with the enemy in the future." So Colonel Kolobutin, you have to let the fighters practice this bomb throwing method as much as possible. ”

Kolobtin hurriedly agreed: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Group Army, I have memorized everything you said." ”

Turning his gaze to mine, Chuikov asked with concern: "Oshanina, what are the casualties of your special battalion in this battle?" ”

Although I haven't had time to count the casualties, I went to the opposite high ground and saw the remaining commanders and fighters of the troops, and I also had a general idea of the number of casualties. Hearing Chuikov's question, I smiled bitterly and said, "Comrade commander, the casualties are not small. This time, five companies came, and now there are commanders and fighters with combat effectiveness, and there is only a little more than one company when it is full. Speaking of this, I couldn't help but ask: "I don't know when the troops of my division will be able to withdraw from the settlements?" You must know that after this period of fighting, the original army of 2,000 people is now only five or six hundred people left. If I had another victory like today's, I would have run out of troops. ”

After hearing this, Chuikov was silent, just tapped his fingers lightly on the table. Raskin hurriedly said: "Comrade Oshanina, you may not know it, but today the enemy concentrated superior forces and launched a fierce attack on the Reynoch area where our 214th and 229th Divisions are stationed. And in the Orlovka area, there are also signs of the movement of enemy forces. ”

Although I heard that the enemy was attacking only in the Reynoch area, I understood that it was only a matter of time before the enemy attacked Orlovka. Perhaps the Germans also understood that if they broke through one of our lines, the troops in the rest of the defense area might be forced to retreat, so that they could achieve their objectives and move closer to Stalingrad.

Chuikov pondered for a long time, raised his head and looked at me and said: "Comrade Oshanina, as soon as the troops of the special battalion are gathered, you immediately take them back to the settlements, withdraw to the garrison of your division together with the troops inside, and wait for further combat missions from the headquarters of the army group. ”

"Yes!" I hurriedly and loudly agreed.

"Comrade Chuikov," Raskin could not help but persuade him to cancel the order when he heard that Chuikov had actually ordered me to lead the troops to retreat, "You must know that the troops at the front are now insufficient, and fresh forces are needed to strengthen them. But you asked Comrade Oshanina to withdraw from the battle with her more combat-ready troops, do you think about this again? ”

Ignoring Raskin, Chuikov raised his hand to look at his watch, and then asked me: "Oshanina, how long will you be able to assemble your troops?" ”

"An hour, it can't be any faster. You must know that the troops are still cleaning up the battlefield, and it is not so easy to assemble. ”

"Okay, I'll give you an hour. When the time comes, you will have to evacuate the 29th Division with your troops and return to the Independence Division's garrison as soon as possible. I am here to remind you that you must do your best to raise the combat effectiveness of the remaining troops, and perhaps it will not be long before your divisions will be used in the main direction of battle. ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." When I said this, I took the initiative to propose to Chuikov: "There is one more thing I would like to ask for your opinion. See if I can send a message to the troops stationed in the settlements and tell them to quickly withdraw to the defense area of the Guards Division, and I will rush there with the withdrawn troops to contact them, so that I can save some time. ”

"Okay, so be it." Chuikov also agreed very cheerfully, and then said: "Do you have anything else to add?" ”

I thought about the military flag, so I took the opportunity to ask: "Comrade commander, my independent division has been established for a while, and I have participated in several battles and achieved good results, I wonder if you can award my division a military flag?" ”

"Flags?" My words made Chuikov's face look embarrassed. Probably in order not to discourage my enthusiasm, he said vaguely: "I remember, I will discuss the matter of awarding the flag with Commander Shumilov when I go back." Now you should go and contact the troops in the settlement, and ask them to withdraw as much as possible, and rush to the defense area of the Guards Division to join you. ”

When I went to the location where there was a radio station and asked the operator to help me deliver the news, I saw that Chuikov was talking to Kolobtin again, as if he was assigning him some important task.

The operator quickly got in touch with Razumeeva, and I spoke into the microphone: "Hello, Comrade Sergeant, I am the division commander, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina. Is Major Sederikov or Major Gaidar at the command post? ”

"Yes, comrade division commander, please wait a moment, I will call them for you right away." Immediately I heard Razumeeva's voice calling Shederikov: "Comrade Major, please come over, Comrade Division Commander is on the line, she has something important to talk to you." ”

Soon Sederikov's voice came out of the headphones: "Hello, comrade division commander, congratulations on your great victory. ”

When I heard him say this, I couldn't help but be stunned, and then I asked, "Comrade Major, are you clairvoyant or obedient?" How do you know that we have won the battle when we are so far away? ”

"Because I, like Major Gaidar, have full confidence in you, and think that if you are on the horse, you will be able to win a great victory." Speaking of this, he changed the topic and asked cautiously: "Comrade division commander, are you looking for me at this time, do you have any important tasks to assign to me?" Just whisper, don't let Gaidar hear me, lest he have to compete with me for a task later. ”

I was amused by his words, and after laughing, I said with a straight face: "Comrade Major, I have just received an order from my superiors to immediately abandon the settlements and immediately retreat to the garrison of the Guards Division. ”

"What, retreat?" Shederikov cried out in surprise, and he asked puzzledly: "Didn't we withdraw this settlement that was so hard to regain and give it to the Germans in vain?" ”

"Don't ask so much, it's an order." I replied dryly: "We have only a few hundred men in the settlements, and we lack heavy weapons, and we will not be able to hold it in the event of a large-scale German attack." Don't say anything, immediately convey the order, and let the commanders and fighters pack up and prepare to go. When we arrived at the garrison of the Guards Division, we should not leave for now, and when we arrived, we would return to the garrison of the Independence Division together. Do you understand? ”

"Understood, I'll go and set it up right away."

When I returned to Chuikov's side and whispered to him that the troops in the settlement were preparing to retreat, he nodded, and then said to me as if he had made up his mind: "Oshanina, I have carefully considered the matter of the military flag, and I will do my best to solve it for you, so you don't have to worry about it." What you have to do now is to withdraw your troops to the garrison as much as possible and improve their combat effectiveness, which is your first priority. (To be continued......)