After returning the headset and microphone to the signal soldier, I said to the fat lieutenant colonel standing next to me: "Comrade lieutenant colonel, the new regiment has cleared the enemy from the west and south of the city, except for one company left outside the city to monitor the movements of the German troops, the rest of the troops have turned east to attack the German troops blocking the advance of the 201st regiment. ”

Baksov, who had a stern face, waited for me to finish speaking, and immediately ordered the fat lieutenant colonel: "Comrade lieutenant colonel, as soon as our troops regain Butovo, you should set up the headquarters in the city." Remember, we must hurry up and build more fortifications, this time Butovo was lost because we lacked strong fortifications, and as a result, the German planes bombarded the artillery, and our troops holding the position were dizzy. ”

The fat lieutenant colonel hurriedly straightened up and assured me and Baksov: "Commander, division commander, please rest assured that our 201st regiment will definitely be able to keep the Germans out of the city within the specified time. ”

Seeing the fat lieutenant colonel's serious face, I couldn't help but smile a little, and then comforted him and said, "Comrade lieutenant colonel, don't be nervous, I will leave the new regiment in the city and cooperate with your troops in battle." Don't look at the fact that this regiment has just been formed, but the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Sederikov, has participated in the defense of Stalingrad and the defense of Kiev, and has rich experience in street fighting. With his help, your chances of holding the city will be greatly improved. ”

As the fat lieutenant colonel listened to me, he nodded his head incessantly to show his agreement with what I said. At this moment, a telephone set on the wooden table rang, and Baksov grabbed the microphone and put it to his ear, and said loudly: "Hey, I'm Baksov, where are you?" ”

After listening for a moment, he handed me the microphone and said, "Comrade Commander. It's looking for your phone. ”

"My phone?" When I took the phone from him, I casually asked, "Who is looking for me?" ”

Baksov hurriedly whispered: "The call is from Comrade Deputy Commander, listening to his tone, it seems that he is in a hurry, it seems that there is something important to look for you." ”

I guess that Danilov was in such a hurry to find me, it must have been Vatutin's call to the headquarters of the army group. Ask if Butovo has been recaptured. Therefore, without waiting for the other party to speak, I preemptively said: "Hey, Comrade Deputy Commander, the 67th Guards Division and the newly formed regiment are currently fighting, and it is estimated that it will not be long before Butovo can be recaptured." ”

Danilov heard my voice and was silent for a while before replying: "Comrade commander, I am not looking for you about Butovo, but about something else important. ”

As soon as I heard that there was something important. I couldn't help but get nervous. If even Danilov could not deal with it on the spot, it must be a very serious matter, so I asked with trepidation: "What is it?" ”

"Comrade commander, the current situation is terrible, our first line of defense is in jeopardy." Danilov said in a serious tone: "Although the 51st Guards Division stubbornly resisted the German attack, the No. 2 and No. 3 positions in the division's defense area were all lost, and the main forces of the division were reduced to the No. 1 position, ready to continue to deal with the Germans there." ”

Danilov's words took me by surprise. I had thought that by giving up a few inconsequential defensive positions, the Germans would be driven straight through these gaps. I didn't have time to take care of a few of our important defensive support points, but I didn't expect them to act according to my assumption and actually seize two important defensive positions in the defense area of the 51st Guards Division. Thinking of this, I nervously asked, "What about the tunnels on Heights 2 and 3, were they all occupied by the Germans?" "I'm afraid that the Germans, after discovering the tunnel, will do so at the latest. If we find a way to deal with the tunnels, then the tunnels we build on the high ground will be of great use.

"As far as I know." Danilov said with some hesitation: "On the two lost heights, our fighters are still holding the tunnel. The Germans occupied only superficial positions. ”

When I heard Danilov say this, I couldn't help but sigh, and then said lightly: "It turns out that the tunnel is still in the hands of our army, then I will rest assured." Comrade Deputy Commander, I believe that the commanders and fighters who are sticking to the tunnels will definitely be able to support our army's counteroffensive until the moment. ”

"However, the Germans occupy the surface positions, and as long as they take a few tunnel openings, our commanders and fighters inside are in danger." Although Danilov heard what I said, he still said uneasily: "Why don't I ask General Tavart Kiradze to make a phone call and ask him to order the troops in the tunnel to break through overnight?" ”

"No, no breakthrough, my deputy commander." I was deeply afraid that he would give such an order to the 51st Guards Division on the spur of the moment, so I hurriedly stopped him and said: "As long as our soldiers still hold the tunnel, the German army will be burdened with a big burden of defense." In order to prevent us from taking their back route, they must leave enough troops on the high ground to serve as a guard. In this way, the number of troops they can use to attack the second line of defense will be greatly reduced. ”

Danilov listened to me and did not refute it. He went on to say: "In addition, the defense area of the 52nd Guards Division was also fiercely attacked by the Germans. In order to strengthen their defenses, I have sent the newly arrived 96th Tank Brigade to them. ”

"The 96th Tank Brigade?" I did not reproach Danilov for moving troops without asking for instructions, but asked lightly: "Didn't they get under German air raids while they were on the march?" ”

"The air raid was not encountered, but as soon as they entered the defense zone of the 52nd Guards Division, they encountered a German armored detachment. After some fighting, eleven German tanks were destroyed, and our side had no other losses except for one tank whose tracks were broken. Speaking of this, he suddenly said mysteriously: "Comrade commander, guess which German unit attacked the 52nd Guards Division?" ”

"Skeleton Master?!" Without thinking, I said the number of this German unit, but at the same time, I was also taken aback, I didn't expect that in the troops attacking the defense line of our army group, there would be such an ace team as the skeleton division, and the next battle would be even more cruel than I imagined.

"That's right, it's the Skeleton Master." After confirming my suspicions, Danilov solemnly said: "Comrade commander, the combat effectiveness of the Skeleton Division far exceeds ours, and I have little confidence in the 52nd Guards Division holding the position, you can see if a division is drawn from our reserves." What about going to support the 52nd Guards Division? ”

"No, resolutely not, my comrade deputy commander." To Danilov's proposal, I refused without hesitation and explained to him: "You also know that our defensive front is too wide. No one could predict from which area the Germans would break through, and if the limited forces were evenly distributed behind a long defensive line, the overall defensive force would be weak, and if a battle broke out, there was a danger that the Germans would break through each of them. At present, although the Germans occupy two of our positions, they are bound to divide their forces for the sake of the security of the rear. In the face of the weakened Germans, I believe that with the solidity of the second line of defense, it will be enough to crush all their offensive attempts. ”

"But the 52nd Guards Division. I think it is better to have a commander of the army group in charge, so as to strengthen the confidence of the Guards soldiers to resist the German attack. After Danilov finished saying his thoughts, he took the initiative to ask me: "Comrade commander, if you don't do this, you go back to the headquarters of the army group to take charge of the overall situation, and I will go to the 52nd Guards Division and command the troops together with Colonel Nekrasov." ”

For Danilov's proposal, I thought about it a little. Still decisively refused. I said in a clear manner: "As you propose, we will both pass through the area where the Germans are in and out." It's too dangerous to do that. Whether it's you or me, if something happens to you, the troops will be thrown into chaos. ”

After hearing this, Danilov said with a wry smile: "Comrade commander, since you see the problem so thoroughly, then I will stay in the headquarters." Handle the internal affairs of the army group on your behalf. ”

Putting down the phone, I said goodbye to Baksov: "Comrade Colonel, I am about to go to another defense area, if you have any difficulties, take advantage of me here." Let's bring it up together. ”

Baksov thought for a moment, then shook his head and said: "Comrade Commander, although we are facing many problems now, please rest assured that within the specified time limit, we will resolutely hold on to Butovo." ”

The jeep we were in left the defense zone of the 67th Guards Division and headed in the direction of the 52nd Guards Division. On the way, Bukov cautiously asked: "Comrade commander, aren't we going back to the command?" ”

I shook my head and replied, "It stands to reason that after the matter here is over, we should go directly back to the army group headquarters." However, the defense zone of the 51st Guards Division had already been occupied by the Germans in several places, and the situation of the 52nd Guards Division was also very bad. We're going to rush over now, so that the commanders and fighters there can have the confidence to continue fighting. ”

As soon as I said this, there was a sudden screaming sound in the air, and almost at the same time, the jeep suddenly made a sharp turn to the left, and if I hadn't grabbed the handle in time, I guess I would have been thrown out of the car by a huge inertia. Then I heard an earth-shattering explosion not far away, and the carport was thumping from the dirt falling from the sky.

"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!! Bukov, who reacted, screamed, "Hurry up and get the car away, don't stay here, or we'll be blown to powder by shells." ”

As soon as the driver stepped on the accelerator, the jeep we were in rushed forward quickly, and with his superb skills, he skillfully evaded the German shelling again and again, and came to the defense area of the 52nd Guards Division without danger.

As soon as I walked into the headquarters of the 52nd Guards Division, listening to the sound of gunfire outside, I asked Nekrasov straight to the point: "Comrade Colonel, how is the situation outside, is the German offensive still continuing?" ”

Nekrasov shook his head and said slowly: "The German attack was repulsed by us, but the casualties of our army were also very serious. If it had not been for the risk of our engineering units laying mines in front of Position No. 4, it is estimated that Position No. 4 would have fallen back into the hands of the Germans long ago. ”

"Where is the commander of the 96th Tank Brigade?" I asked.

"After the tank brigade made a decisive attack and destroyed a number of German targets, it returned to the fortifications behind our defense area to rest, so that if something happened, they could strike quickly." Nekrasov, after reporting to me about the tank brigade, also asked me: "Comrade commander, can you give me some additional troops?" You know, today I fought with the Germans for a day, and my troops suffered very heavy casualties......"

Before he could finish speaking, I raised my hand to interrupt his next words, and said unceremoniously: "Replenish the troops, in a week, you don't even think about it, we will use these troops in more important defensive areas." ”

Nekrasov asked with a gloomy face: "Comrade commander, isn't our battle here fierce enough?" ”

"Comrade Colonel," I said dissatisfiedly, seeing that he was a little stubborn, "and now that the campaign has just begun, and there are many great and vicious battles to be fought in the future, and if the reserves are thrown into battle too soon, then there will be no forces to use when we really need men." ”

I didn't dwell on him on this issue any longer, but changed the subject and asked, "Comrade Colonel, have you made all the numbers of the enemy troops on the other side clear?" Confirmed to be the Skeleton Master? ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Hearing my question, Nekrasov replied affirmatively: "We not only interrogated the captured German officers and soldiers, but also examined the corpses left by the German soldiers on the battlefield. It soon became clear that the German troops attacking us were none other than the Skeleton Division, one of the three main forces of the SS. ”

"What is the situation at positions 5 and 6?" I asked, "With their strength, can they hold these high grounds?" ”

"Comrade commander, I assure you that we will hold our positions firmly and will never let them fall into the hands of the Germans." Nekrasov said to me with a solemn expression: "And I heard that the last division commander of the skeleton division died at the hands of the troops under your command, and I hope that I will have the honor of killing the second commander of the skeleton division." ”

From Nekrasov's words, I could hear his self-confidence, so I said to him cheerfully: "Comrade Colonel, since we can kill the first commander of the skeleton division, then we also have the strength to kill the second commander of the division. You can convey this to every commander and fighter through political workers at all levels, so as to enhance their confidence in victory. ”

When I say this, it makes Nekrasov a little unsure. He looked left and right, and when he saw that the rest of his men were some distance away from us, and were all busy with their own work, and would not notice us, he asked in a low voice: "Comrade commander, do you really think that we can defeat the German skeleton division?" (To be continued.) )