After cleaning up the battlefield, Rokossovsky and Batov met with the commanders who participated in the battle at the observation post. At such times, I could no longer afford to remain in the house without interest, so I made an excuse to leave.

There were dozens of commanders standing in the trenches outside the observation post, and judging from their collar badges, they were all lieutenants and colonels, and it was estimated that they were the commanders of the 173rd Division from company level to division level. The first batch to enter were three people, all of whom were not too young, in addition to a colonel, a middle school student, and a military officer with the rank of political worker, presumably the division commander, political commissar and chief of staff of the division.

They stayed inside for only a few minutes before they came out again, followed by a lieutenant who stood at the door and shouted to the commanders who were standing not far away: "Lieutenant Kurishchenko, commander of the second company of the 979th artillery regiment. ”

This familiar name immediately caught my attention, and I watched the commander, who had been squeezed out of the back row, quickly come to the lieutenant, stand up and report to the other party: "Comrade commander, I am Lieutenant Kurishenko, is it Comrade Commander who wants to meet me?" ”

I was still taken aback by seeing Kurishenko up close, I thought that a commander with such an experienced combat experience as him was at least middle-aged, but I didn't expect him to be so young, at most in his early twenties, tall and thin, and handsome.

The lieutenant standing at the door looked him up and down, then shook his head and said: "Let's go, Lieutenant Kurishenko, the two comrades of the commander are waiting for you inside." After saying that, he turned around and walked into the observation post first, and Kurishenko was stunned for a moment and followed in.

In my heart, I am feeling that Kurishenko is young and promising. Suddenly, I heard someone behind me cautiously asking, "Are you the commander of the friendly army?" ”

Hear the question behind you. I quickly turned around. Seeing that there was a second lieutenant standing in front of him, he asked with great interest: "Comrade second lieutenant, I am Oshanina, may I ask you something?" ”

The second lieutenant hurriedly stood upright, then handed me a piece of paper, and said: "Comrade General, this is a telegram just sent from your division, saying that it will be handed over to you immediately. ”

I took the telegram from the second lieutenant. After nodding at him in thanks, he looked down at the telegram. The telegram was sent by Chuikov, and the content was simple: "The Lyudnikov division is in danger, and you are ordered to return to the division city immediately after handing over the existing defense area to friendly troops, and carry out rescue operations against the division." ”

After reading this telegram, my heart suddenly sank, I did not expect that the great counteroffensive had begun for several days, but the situation in the Lyudnikov division not only did not improve, but worsened. Now that they are facing the fate of being completely annihilated by the German army, it seems that their rescue is imminent.

I walked briskly to the door of the observation post. According to the regulations, he asked, "Are you allowed to go in?" ”

As soon as I finished speaking, Rokossovsky's voice came from inside: "Come in, Leda." ”

As soon as I walked into the observation post, before I could speak, Rokossovsky added: "Leda, is something wrong?" From what I know of you, if there is nothing important, you will never be so reckless. ”

"Comrade Commander of the Front, this is the telegram I just received, from Commander Chuikov." As I spoke, I handed the telegram to Rokossovsky.

He took the telegram, looked at it twice, handed it back to me, and said, "Lida, since the situation in the city is not optimistic, you should rush back with your troops as much as possible, and leave the defense of Kongyi and Gorodishhe to General Batov's troops." ”

"Comrade Commander of the Front, I will leave my divisional chief of staff, Major Akhromeyev, responsible for the transfer of defense to General Batov's troops." After I finished speaking, I raised my hand and saluted Chuikov, turned around and was about to leave. But when I turned around, I saw Lieutenant Kurishenko standing straight in the middle of the room, and I couldn't help but stop again.

When I was just outside, I had been thinking about how to get Kurishenko to my division, but before I could figure out a good solution, I had to rush back to the division as soon as possible. Since he is in front of me at this moment, if I don't take this opportunity to make a request to Batov, I don't know that I won't have a chance until the Year of the Monkey. So, gritting my teeth, I turned to Rokossovsky and Batov and said: "Comrade two commanders, I have one more request. ”

Rokossovsky thought that the request I was talking about was related to the transfer of defense, so he said with a big grin: "Lida, if you have any requests, just put them forward, as long as we can do it, we will definitely help you." ”

I turned my head and glanced at Kulishenko, who was standing next to me, and then turned back to Batov and said: "Commander Batov, you also know that my unit has only been formed for a few months, and there is a shortage of combat backbones and commanders at all levels of all arms. This time, I want to go back to the division city to rescue friendly troops, and those who can be used are artillery in addition to infantry. With our current artillery strength, it will be very difficult to suppress the enemy's firing points when attacking fortified positions. So I take the liberty of begging you for permission to support Lieutenant Kurishenko to my division. ”

When I finished speaking, there was silence in the room.

After a while, Batov, who came to his senses, said politely, but at the same time resolutely: "I beg your pardon, General Oshanina, Lieutenant Kurishenko is the commander of our 65th Army. After saying these two sentences, he turned his eyes to Kurishenko next to him, and deliberately said to him in an official tone: "There is nothing for you to do here, Comrade Lieutenant, you can go." ”

Kurishenko snapped upright, raised his hand and saluted a few of us, and turned around to leave. General Batov's words made my heart completely fall into the ice cellar, and when I saw that Kulishenko was leaving, I couldn't help but want to rush up and grab him.

Just when I was about to despair, suddenly Rokossovsky spoke: "Comrade lieutenant, please wait a moment. Kurishenko, who had already reached the door, stopped, turned around again, still in an upright position, stared straight ahead, and quietly waited for Rokossovsky's instructions.

Rokossovsky smiled, and then said to Batov: "Comrade Batov, speaking of teachers. We and Leda's troops are comrades-in-arms and comrades; But when it comes to supporting friendly forces with our commanders. You're like Grandet......" Rokossovsky said these two sentences. Quickly came to Lieutenant Kurishenko, put his hands on his shoulders, and asked in a calm tone: "Comrade Lieutenant, what do you think about it, would you like to go to the independent division of this female general?" ”

After a quick glance at me, Kurishenko replied loudly: "Comrade Commander of the Front, I resolutely obey your orders. ”

When I heard Rokossovsky speak just now, I felt a wave of ecstasy in my heart. At this moment, when I heard Lieutenant Kurishenko express his obedience to the arrangement of his superiors, my heart blossomed even more.

After Rokossovsky waited for Kurishenko to finish speaking, he came to me again and asked with concern: "Leda, do you want Lieutenant Kurishenko alone?" ”

Hearing Rokossovsky's question, I nodded desperately, and at the same time said in a grueling voice: "Yes, Comrade Commander of the Front, although our division lacks enough artillery, as long as General Batov agrees to let Lieutenant Kulishchenko come to our division to take up his post. Then I will be content. ”

After I finished speaking, Rokossovsky did not say anything. Instead, he walked back and forth in the observation post with his hands behind his back. After walking a few laps, he stopped, turned to me and said, "Lida, your division will enter the city of Stalingrad, and it will be a vicious battle, and it will not be of much use to send you an artillery commander over there. Moreover, if Lieutenant Kurishchenko and his new subordinates want to cooperate tacitly, it will take at least a long run-in period, and what you lack most now is precisely time. In my opinion, the second artillery company can be assigned to the command of your division in a structured manner. What about your opinion, Comrade General. His last sentence was addressed to Batov, who was next to him.

I could see the look of resentment on Bartov's face, and I knew that he was reluctant to hand over such a good artillery commander to me, even if he was only a junior commander at the moment. Rokossovsky's words were even worse, he clenched his teeth and showed a painful expression on his face, but decades of military life made him develop a good habit of obeying the orders of his superiors, and after taking a deep breath, he tried to answer in a steady tone: "Comrade commander of the front, since you have given the order, then, I will resolutely obey." ”

I understood that in this case, I made such a request to dig into the corner, and I was supported by Rokossovsky, and Batov, who had suffered losses, must have hated me in his heart, but in order to dig up the talents that the division urgently needed, even if I knew that I had offended Batov, I could only do this thing with a hard head.

After receiving Batov's reply, Rokossovsky nodded with satisfaction, and then walked up to Lieutenant Kulishchenko and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant, what are you still doing in a daze, why don't you report to your new superiors?" ”

When Kurishenko heard me say this, he quickly turned to face me, raised his hand and saluted, and then reported loudly: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, Lieutenant Kurishenko, the former commander of the second company of the 979th Artillery Regiment of the 173rd Division, reports to you......"

"Wait a minute," I raised my hand to interrupt the rest of Lieutenant Kulishenko's words before he could finish speaking. I knew in my heart that although I had forcibly poached Rokossovsky from General Batov's men with the help of his strength, it would be difficult for him to identify with the independent division without giving him a little sweetness. So, I solemnly said to him: "Comrade Kurishenko, from now on, you are the commander of the 2nd Artillery Battalion of our Red Banner Independent Division, and the rank is no longer a lieutenant, but a captain. Report back to me again. ”

Kurishenko received an unexpected promotion, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. After he reported to me again according to his new rank and position, I continued: "In addition to your promotion, all the commanders and fighters of the former Second Artillery Company, the platoon commander was promoted to company commander, the squad leader was promoted to platoon leader, and the soldier was promoted to squad leader. Please convey this order of mine to the warriors later. ”

Kurishenko and I left the observation post, and as we passed in front of the group of commanders who were waiting outside, I suddenly heard someone calling Kurishenko: "Hey, I said lieutenant, where are you going?" ”

I looked in the direction from which the voice came and saw that it was a lieutenant colonel standing at the front of the queue. And after Kurishenko heard the lieutenant colonel's inquiry, he hurriedly ran to him, raised his hand to salute him, leaned forward slightly, leaned close to his ear and whispered, although I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I understood that he must be reporting to the other party what happened in the observation post.

As Kurishenko spoke, the lieutenant colonel from time to time threw a curious glance at me. Judging from Kurishenko's attitude towards him, such a lieutenant colonel is the commander of the 979th artillery regiment. After Kurishenko's words were finished, the lieutenant colonel came over with him, stood still in front of me, raised his hand in salute, and said politely: "Comrade General, Lieutenant Colonel Babaevsky, commander of the 173rd Artillery Regiment of the 979th Infantry Division, reports to you. ”

I raised my hand to salute him, and at the same time said politely: "Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. ”

"Although Lieutenant Kurishchenko is young, he is a rare artillery commander," Babaevsky, although he dealt with me for the first time, he still had no scruples about speaking for the sake of the future of his subordinates, "so please make sure to reuse him so that he can play to his strengths." ”

"Lieutenant Colonel Babaevsky," I said with a smile and a friendly face to this commander, who was concerned about the future of his subordinates, "please rest assured, I will take good care of Captain Kulishenko." I believe that it will not be long before he becomes an excellent artillery commander with outstanding combat achievements. ”

After saying these words, I quickly changed the topic: "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel Babaevsky, we still have an urgent mission, so we'll get here today, and when we have the opportunity, we'll have a good chat." ”

Leaving the trench and walking to an open field, I stopped, looked at the artillery position in the distance, and turned to Kurishenko: "Comrade Captain, if your artillery battery is to be transferred, how long will it take?" ”

Kurishenko raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then replied: "Report to Comrade Division Commander, it will take at least an hour." ”

"Then I'll give you an hour and a half," I ordered him briefly, as I wanted to rush back to the city headquarters to find Kirillov and them, "and when the troops are assembled, you will bring them to the junction south of the city, and I will soon join you with a large force." ”

"Yes, I promise to get the job done." (To be continued......)