Due to the long time of the build-up of troops, I waited until three o'clock in the morning to leave the headquarters and went to the garrison of the third regiment with Captain Basmanov and fighters of a guard platoon.

As I approached the garrison of the Third Regiment, I could vaguely see that there seemed to be a lot of people standing on the side of the road in front of me by the light of the fires in the direction of the city. Just as he was about to order the troops to stop and wait until they had identified whether they were friends or foes in front before advancing, Basmanov, who had opened the road in front, had already sent someone back to report that the commander of the third regiment and several other commanders were waiting for me at the front.

I quickened my speed to Godunov, who was waiting on the side of the road, and found that the three people standing with him were all colonel-level commanders from the new division of Pantai Reev, who were currently holding the posts of political commissar, deputy regimental commander, and chief of staff of the Third Regiment.

After returning the salute to the saluting commanders, I asked Godunov: "Comrade Major, have the troops to go to the positions of the regiment to take over the defense have been arranged?" ”

"It's all arranged." Godunov replied me clearly: "I have drawn a battalion to be led by the deputy commander, Major Vatorak, to the garrison of the first regiment. ”

Hearing his name, the short and stocky major beside Godunov hurriedly stepped forward, raised his hand again to salute me, and said politely: "Report to the division commander, Comrade Commander, Major Vatorak, deputy commander of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, reports to you that I am about to lead the troops to the garrison of the 1st Regiment to receive the defense, and I am waiting for your next order, please instruct!" ”

I nodded at the scrappy major, and then gave him the order: "Comrade Major, since you are ready, let's go." A regiment of commanders and fighters is still waiting for you to take over. "Although I was urging Vatorac to hurry up. But I know it in my heart. It's okay if they go later. Because the commander of the first regiment, Sedelikov, had told me on the phone that in order to make the troops who received the defense as good as possible, he would leave Captain Beckman's company behind to serve as the camp guard.

As soon as I exchanged a few words of greetings with Godunov, I saw that the commanders and fighters hidden in the bomb craters on the side of the road and in the ruins of the buildings had been summoned by Major Wattolak and were marching in a neat line towards the station. So he took Basmanov and they went after the troops in front.

A few minutes later, our team arrived at the station of the first regiment. Then, in the distant light of the fire, I looked around carefully, and the two buildings that had been intact had collapsed into a cloud of masonry and rubble, and I did not know whether they were destroyed by German artillery fire or aircraft bombardment. There are also several buildings that have collapsed in half, but the intact part of the windows and entrances to the corridors are tightly blocked by neatly stacked sandbags, and it seems that these buildings are the new fortifications designed by Mihayev.

In the distance, the build-up of troops could be seen, probably seeing our arrival, and a group of men were coming against the marching column of the three regiments. In dim light. I saw that almost all of them were people wearing large-brimmed hats, and I guessed that it was possible that Sederikov and his many commanders at the regimental headquarters were numerous.

When they get close enough that I can see their faces. I immediately recognized them as Sederikov. As soon as the lieutenant colonel walked up to me, he muttered and asked, "I said, Comrade Division Commander, which district is our regiment going to?" ”

I smiled bitterly at Sederikov's question, because Chuikov only told me to send troops to reinforce the factory area. But the factory area is so large, in addition to the Stalingrad tractor factory, there are two areas, the "Red October" factory and the "barricade" factory, which cover an area equal to that of a medium-sized city, and I have no idea which district the troops will be deployed in after entering the city. So I could only shake my head and say to Sederikov regretfully: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I don't think I can answer your question. Because the commander only asked me to bring the troops into the city, and as for what they were deployed, I don't know. ”

After hearing this, Sederikov said regretfully: "Just now, quite a few commanders have asked me where our regiment will be transferred to participate in the battle. ”

"Then how did you answer them, Comrade Sederikov." I asked curiously.

"I only told them that our regiment would soon set out from the garrison and enter the city to fight the enemy. As for where exactly we will fight, not only I don't know, but even the division commander and political commissar don't know. But as soon as we enter the city, someone will come and guide us into a combat position. ”

"That's the right answer." After complimenting Sederikov, I accidentally caught a glimpse of Lieutenant Colonel Ilya standing beside him, and hurriedly greeted him with a smile: "Isn't this Lieutenant Colonel Ilya?" How did it feel after a few days in a group? ”

Ilya hurriedly stopped his body and reported to me: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, I feel relatively good. Speaking of this, he unconsciously turned his head and glanced at Sederikov, "Not only is the comrade regiment commander friendly to me, but the fighters below also respect me. ”

Hearing Ilya say this, I nodded, and then instructed Sederikov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, since the troops of the third regiment have arrived, you should also hurry up and hand over the defense, and then quickly march to the city, and strive to reach the designated battle position before dawn." ”

After receiving my order, Sederikov immediately instructed Ilya: "Comrade Deputy Regiment Commander, you will be responsible for the transfer of defense. As soon as the move is completed, immediately lead the troops to the city. ”

Half an hour later, the 3,000 commanders and fighters of the 1st regiment marched into the city in batches as a company, and the commander who walked in the front was the deputy regimental commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ilya, while Sederikov walked in the rear of the troops, serving as the rear guard of the entire army. I walked with my guard platoon in the middle of the whole ranks, with the Karpov battalion.

In addition to Karpov and Basmanov, there was also the battalion commander, Captain Sherebryane, who was walking with me. But seeing that Karpov and I seemed to have something to talk about, the two of us walked and fell seven or eight paces behind us, leaving us room to talk.

I politely asked Karpov: "Comrade Captain, how do the commanders and fighters feel during this time of your visit?" In the army, have you been discriminated against by friendly forces? ”

Karpov hurriedly shook his head and replied with a smile: "Comrade division commander, thank you for your concern. To be honest, when I first came. I am also concerned that our officers and soldiers will be discriminated against and ostracized in the first regiment. I didn't expect to come over and take a look. They were very friendly to us, like brothers, and did not suffer any unfair treatment. ”

"What do you think of the combat effectiveness of a group?" I looked at the neat pace of the team around me, and couldn't help but feel emotional: "Your troops are coming, how can they be regarded as elites, right?" ”

Unexpectedly, Karpov shook his head again and said: "Comrade division commander, you are not right. The units trained by Lieutenant Colonel Sedjerikov were significantly stronger in combat effectiveness than other units. I let out an unexpected "oh" when I heard it. He deliberately explained to me, "For example, the unit that has just come to take over the defense, whether judging from the marching columns or the commanders and fighters, cannot be the same as the troops of a regiment. ”

I was aware of what Karpov said, so now I regret my decision to agree to send a regiment to reinforce the factory area, which is currently the most combat-ready unit of the independent division, but I personally pushed them into the fire pit, and I couldn't help but want to slap myself twice at the thought of this.

"Comrade division commander. Why are there so many inhabitants in the settlement? Karpov suddenly asked me strangely: "Didn't you evacuate them even though you knew that there was a war?" ”

Hearing this question, I couldn't help but smile bitterly. The reason why the residents were not evacuated was not because Stalin himself did not believe that the Germans would attack Stalingrad and was afraid that the evacuation would cause unnecessary panic, so the evacuation was strictly forbidden. As a result, hundreds of thousands of refugees and original residents who poured into the city from all over the country were trapped in the city, and they could only rely on the limited boats on the Volga River to send people away little by little.

As our team entered the burning city, the heat generated by the burning buildings on both sides dispelled the cold of the night. Because of the scorching heat of lack of manpower, some commanders and fighters began to take off their winter clothes. Seeing this, I hurriedly called Basmanov over and instructed him: "Comrade Captain, go and pass my order to tell the fighters not to take off their clothes, otherwise they will get frostbite." Basmanov agreed, stopped, called all the fighters of the guard platoon to his side, and asked them to convey my orders to the troops on the march.

Seeing the dilapidated city, Karpov suddenly said in a hoarse, not like his own: "Damn the Germans, see what they have done?" What have they turned into our beautiful cities? ”

After hearing this, Basmanov, who passed by us after conveying the order, said fiercely: "Comrade Captain, take a good look, as soon as you see the crimes committed by the Germans in our city, your heart will be filled with hatred. ”

"My hatred, even if I don't look at it, I can't contain it in my heart." Karpov gritted his teeth and said: "My troops have seen countless heinous crimes committed by the Germans as they advanced towards Stalingrad, and my heart is filled with endless hatred for them. ”

Karpov's words aroused my curiosity, and I was about to ask what was going on, when the team in front suddenly stopped, and I turned my head in wonder and asked Karpov next to me: "What's the matter, why did the troops stop?" ”

Karpov stood on tiptoe and looked ahead, then reported to me: "Comrade division commander, it seems that he is the one who has come to meet us. I saw Major Ilya negotiating with them. Speaking of this, he suddenly raised his voice slightly, "Here we are, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel is coming towards us with a few people." ”

Hearing that the man who was our guide was coming, I hurriedly called Basmanov to walk briskly. After walking about fifty or sixty meters, I met the people brought by Lieutenant Colonel Ilya.

An officer, armed with a submachine gun and wearing a poncho and a boat-shaped cap, crossed Lieutenant Colonel Ilya, walked up to me, stood upright, and then reported: "Hello, Comrade General, I am Major Gladshev, commander of the guard battalion of the headquarters of the army group, and I have come to pick you up on the orders of the commander. ”

As soon as his words came out, Ilya next to him corrected him with a smile: "Comrade Major, you are wrong, it is the dead people who are leading, not us." Even if you want to take the dead, it is the Germans who die. ”

After listening to Ilya's ridiculous words, the young major said to me with a smile: "I'm sorry, Comrade General, I didn't make it clear, I was ordered to take you to the new army headquarters. ”

I shook my head at the troops standing next to me and asked curiously, "What about my troops?" ”

The major replied with a big grin: "Comrade General, please rest assured that my men will serve as guides for them to enter the battle position. Now, please come to the headquarters for me, Comrade Commander is still waiting for you. ”

I waited for Shedelikov to come up and introduce him to the commanders and fighters sent by the headquarters as guides, and then I was relieved to follow Major Gladshev to Chuikov's new headquarters. (To be continued......)

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