We had to march about twenty kilometers overnight to reach the defensive position that had been abandoned by our troops. If we were to walk alone, it would have taken us at least four or five hours to get there. In order to speed up the march, I consulted with Kirillov and them, and decisively called in a dozen trucks that Captain Nikolai had brought with him when he defected to us, and let the vanguard advance in the trucks. When the truck was two kilometers from the fortifications, the fighters got out of the car and at the same time returned to pick up the troops behind.

Originally, I was going to lead the group alone, but when it was time to leave, Pandereev resolutely joined our troops going north. After several attempts at persuasion, I had no choice but to agree to go with him.

When our troops passed by the foot of the 107.5 heights, Bandereev looked at the heights in the darkness and said to me with emotion: "Comrade division commander, I really can't see that such a small piece of high ground has become a point of contention between the enemy and us. As far as I know, at least three brigades and an equal number of regiments of our army have been crippled in the struggle for this high ground. ”

"No, Lieutenant Colonel Kosgaard was heroically wounded in the battle to seize this high ground."

"Oh, Lieutenant Colonel Kosgaard was wounded here?" My words aroused the curiosity of Bandereev, who could not wait to ask: "What is going on?" Anyway, it's okay now, let's hear it. ”

I understood that if I walked without saying a word, I would soon get tired, so I simply took this opportunity to introduce Lieutenant Colonel Kosgaard, who was opening the way in front, to Pantai Leyev, the deputy division commander. "On the day that the lieutenant colonel was wounded, the separate division was transferred from the 64th Army to the 62nd Army, and we were rushed to Mamayev Hill. Takes over the task of defending the 35th Guards Division. When the three regiments and the four regiments passed the 107.5 heights. Discover the units of the tank corps that turned out to be holding the heights. For some unknown reason, inexplicably withdrew, giving up our positions to the Germans. Seeing that this high ground was not far from the Mamayev Heights, Kosgaard and the commander of the 4th Regiment Gaidar were worried that after the enemy seized this place, it would be more convenient to launch an attack on our division's defense area, so they immediately organized troops to launch an attack on the high ground.

After several thwarts in the troops' attacks, Lieutenant Colonel Kosgaard personally operated a heavy machine gun and suppressed German fire on the heights with firepower. Cover the attack launched by the fighters. As a result, just as the soldiers were about to rush to the top of the mountain, a shell fell next to the lieutenant colonel and exploded, and he was seriously wounded and immediately taken to the military hospital. ”

"I see." Pandereev said with emotion: "If the defenders on the 107.5 heights can build more fortifications like our Mamayev Gang, then even if the enemy pays a big price, it may not be able to capture it, at least the price paid by our army will be much smaller than now." ”

I rolled my eyes at him and snorted softly. He said dissatisfiedly: "If it weren't for the appearance of my anomaly, I would have forced the troops to enter the Mamayev Gang after that. In the case of extensive excavation and construction of fortifications, it is estimated that it would have been taken by the Germans long ago. I remember seeing in the documentary that the defenders only dug a series of individual bunkers on the northern slopes, and such positions were not much of a problem against the enemy's small forces. However, if the enemy, under the cover of aircraft, tanks, and artillery, threw in heavy troops, the defenders on the high ground would not be able to hold it at all, otherwise it would not have become a flesh mill in the Battle of Stalingrad. ”

Originally, I estimated that after we walked for about an hour, the truck carrying the three regiments would be able to return to pick us up. I didn't expect to walk for two hours, and I didn't see the shadow of the truck. Bandereev looked a little irritable, and he said angrily: "What's the matter with this truck, it's been gone for so long, why hasn't it returned?" ”

"Maybe the truck broke down?" Basmanov, who was following us, saw that Pantai Leev was angry, and hurriedly explained in a low voice: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you also know that the trucks used by the Dongfang Battalion were all eliminated by the Germans, and it is estimated that there are many breakdowns when driving. ”

"Break down, break down, even if one or two trucks break down, can all the trucks break down?" Bandereev retorted angrily: "If the fighter plane is delayed, can they afford to pay the responsibility?" ”

Basmanov was speechless when he said this, and I was about to persuade him when suddenly the marching procession stopped. I hurriedly called Basmanov: "Comrade Captain, you take two people to the front to see why the troops have stopped advancing." ”

As soon as I finished speaking, I heard someone in front of me shouting urgently: "Division commander, comrade division commander, where is Comrade division commander?" ”

"I'm here." Although I was full of resentment with this screaming guy, I tried to suppress the anger in my heart in order to find out what was going on.

The man heard my answer and ran to me. I vaguely saw the rank on his collar badge, so I preemptively asked: "Comrade Ensign, why are you shouting, do you know that your voice can be heard far away at night, and you are giving a message to the Germans?" ”

"No, it's not like that, Comrade Division." The second lieutenant was frightened by my words, and hurriedly defended: "It was the battalion commander who discovered the enemy situation and asked the troops to temporarily stop advancing, and at the same time asked me to report to you." ”

"Found the Germans, do you see how many there are?" When Bandereev heard that he had discovered the enemy, he immediately became excited, grabbed the second lieutenant's arm, and asked in a loud voice: "How far is it from us?" ”

After the second lieutenant who was caught by him saw who the person in front of him was, he hurriedly reported to him: "Report to Comrade Deputy Division Commander, it was the vanguard detachment in front who sent someone back to report, saying that it may be an enemy patrol, about seven or eight people, two or three hundred meters away from our large force, and the detachment is currently monitoring the enemy." ”

"Comrade Second Lieutenant," after hearing the enemy's situation, I was deeply afraid that the battalion commander would give the order to open fire on this group of enemies on the spur of the moment, and then we would be completely exposed. So I ordered the second lieutenant: "Comrade second lieutenant, immediately go back and tell your mother's battalion commander that in the prairie in the dark night, this shot will be heard far away." While clearing this group of enemies. You must not shoot. Try to finish them out with a dagger, and never expose the target. Then I instructed Basmanov: "Captain, you take a squad of soldiers and go back with the second lieutenant, and report back to me after confirming that the enemy has been destroyed." ”

Unexpectedly, Basmanov and the others had not gone far before they were stopped by the oncoming people, who shouted at me panting: "Division, I have figured it out." It's a misunderstanding, and the front is your own person. ”

"What the hell is going on?" I walked quickly to the person who came, frowned and asked, "One moment it's the enemy, the other moment it's my own people, what's going on?" ”

A sergeant came, and after taking two deep breaths, he replied: "Comrade division commander, it is like this, the small unit that we regarded as the enemy just now turned out to be our scouts in German uniforms. At that time, the detachment of spearheads quietly approached them. Just as he was about to do it, he overheard someone in the middle saying Russian. That's when I realized that I had made a mistake...... All in all, in a few seconds, it is possible that they will fight with their own people. ”

There was a false alarm, although the sergeant spoke a little incoherently, but I also heard a cold sweat, if it was really my own people and my own people fought, then it would be a shame to throw home.

The misunderstanding was cleared up, and our troops continued to march forward, with the scouts acting as guides for the troops.

After walking for about half an hour, I heard the roar of a car motor faintly in front of me. As soon as I heard the voice, I knew that the truck that picked us up had arrived, and the stone hanging in my heart was also lowered, and I said to Pantai Laiev easily: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, our truck is here, so that we can walk a little less." ”

Pantai Leev didn't answer me, but stood there on tiptoe and looked into the distance. After looking at it for a while, he said to himself, "Strange, why don't these trucks turn on their lights?" ”

"Report to the deputy division commander, you are not allowed to turn on the lights, it is an order issued by the division commander." Basmanov hurriedly explained to Pantai Leev: "If the vehicle is driven with the lights on, the enemy will be able to detect us from a distance of seven or eight kilometers. So for safety, the trucks didn't have their lights on while driving. ”

After a few more minutes, most of us were in the truck. Bandereev sat in the cab of the first truck, and I sat in the second.

Soon after the vehicle started, the driver said to me with a sad face: "Comrade division commander, I have a Jianyì, I don't know if I can say it or not?" ”

"Come on, comrade driver." I said kindly.

"Can we drive with our lights?" The driver said angrily: "I have never driven like this in my life, I am not allowed to turn on the lights, and the light outside is dim, and my eyes are so painful that I can't stand it." ”

"No, comrade driver." I ordered the driver to turn off the lights on this moonless night, which was indeed a bit too difficult for them, but there was no way, if the lights were on, the target would be exposed, so I had to wronged them. "Once the lights are on, the enemy will be able to spot us from a few kilometers away, and if they attack with artillery fire, our convoy will be completely destroyed."

Seeing my resolute attitude, the driver could only sigh and continue to drive.

After driving a certain distance, in order to ease the atmosphere in the cab, I took the initiative to ask: "Comrade driver, how far can we travel in an hour?" ”

After hearing this, the driver snorted and said angrily: "An hour is no more than ten kilometers, only a little faster than a rapid march." ”

"That's fine, it's much faster than having the warriors walk." I pretended to be relaxed and said, seeing that the driver was still unhappy, I hurriedly comforted him: "Comrade driver, don't worry, after this battle, I will personally ask you for credit." ”

"Please?" When the driver heard this, he couldn't help but turn his head and ask excitedly, "Is this true?" ”

The driver was so distracted, the wheel ran into a pit on the side of the road, and the whole body suddenly shook violently. I almost hit the glass and had to shout at the driver, "Drive carefully." After the car resumed driving smoothly, I said to the driver in a positive tone: "Don't worry, comrade driver, as soon as this battle is over, I will give credit to your entire convoy for the battle." ”

After the car drove forward for half an hour, the car in front of me stopped, and the car I was in also stopped, I thought something had happened, and quickly asked the driver: "Comrade driver, what happened?" ”

The driver turned his head and said to me with a smile: "Comrade division commander, we have arrived at the place, and we sent them here in the last unit." However, it is not far from the fortifications of our army, only about two kilometers away, and if you walk, you can reach it in about twenty minutes. Seeing that I was delayed in getting out of the car, he was worried about what I was thinking, and added: "If you drive forward, the road is not easy to walk, and the sound of the motor of the car is easy for the enemy to hear, so you can only get off here." ”

I nodded at the driver, thanked him, pushed the door open and jumped out of the car. At this time, commanders at all levels also came out of the cab one after another, beckoning the soldiers in the carriage to get off the train. (To be continued......)