The position of the 3rd Battalion, which was about 300 meters away from the regimental headquarters of the 309th Regiment, was a hillside more than 100 meters high. As soon as I entered the position, I found that some false fortifications had been symbolically built on the top of the hillside, and the real fortifications were all built halfway up the mountain. They also dug a semi-circular trench at the exit of the two tunnels according to the topography of the hillside, and in the trenches there were several covered firing points with Maxim heavy machine guns.

Commanders and fighters were digging and reinforcing fortifications, and the sound of sappers digging and sledgehammers hitting stakes could be heard from the trenches. I don't know who saw us walking into the trenches and immediately shouted: "Lizheng!" ”

With this command, all the people stopped what they were doing one after another, straightened up and leaned against the trench, and stood there silently, saluting our group.

Girkin hurriedly stepped forward and said loudly to the commanders and fighters standing in the trenches: "Comrades, the commander of the group army, General Oshanina, and the division commander, General Tavart Kiradze, have come to visit you. ”

As soon as his words fell, the commanders and fighters around him began to discuss. I also took a step forward, stood beside Girkin, waved at the commanders and fighters in the trenches, and said loudly: "Hello comrades! ”

A jagged voice suddenly sounded in the trenches: "Hello Comrade Commander! "Hello Comrade General!"

After all the voices had calmed down, I waved at everyone and continued: "Comrades, your division commander and I have come to visit your defensive positions, and you can continue your work!" ”

With my order, everyone began to work again. Perhaps it was because the commanders and fighters were very excited and excited when they saw their superiors come to check their work, and I could hear that the sound of the sapper shovels and sledgehammers was obviously much more rapid than just now.

I was led by Girkin to the tunnel, and I looked up at the soil layer above. casually asked: "Comrade Major, can your tunnel withstand the enemy's shells?" ”

"No problem, Comrade Commander." Girkin replied with a smile: "The soil on it is so thick that the tunnel cannot collapse unless the Germans drop bombs that can penetrate the ground from their mouths." ”

I looked at the well-concealed mouth of the pit and asked thoughtfully, "What if this exit is blown up." What should you do? ”

"Report to Comrade Commander, there is an exit on the other side of the trench." Girkin replied to me clearly: "According to your orders, the tunnel on this high ground is 'H' shaped inside, and it is convenient to mobilize troops. ”

I nodded with satisfaction to his reply, and then asked, "Is there any other fortification besides this tunnel fortification?" ”

Girkin pointed to the hillside and said, "We are behind the hillside." A few cantonment holes were also dug, would Comrade Commander be willing to go and see them? ”

I didn't answer him immediately, but turned my head and asked Tavart Kiradze, who was next to me: "Comrade General, what do you mean?" ”

"Comrade Commander, do you need to talk about this, of course it depends." Tawart Kiradze smiled and said, "I've heard people say that you directed the construction of the fortifications. are all very distinctive. ”

So saying, we followed after Girkin. Entering the tunnel, walk along the narrow corridor towards the front. Because in the tunnel, every 20 meters, there is a gas lamp, so the light inside is not too dim.

Girkin, who was leading the way in front, turned back to us as he walked and said, "Commander, comrade division commander, we only have one company in the tunnel. The rest of the troops stayed in the caves. Once the forward positions are tightened, they will go through the passage into the trenches to go for reinforcements. ”

We walked out of the tunnel and walked about 20 meters along the traffic trench to a Tibetan cave. Before entering the hole. Girkin pointed to another passage and said, "Near the other exit, we have a cave. In addition to a company of troops in each cave, a large amount of ammunition and supplies were hoarded for use in long-term operations. ”

Girkin's words reminded me, and I quickly turned to Tavart Kiradze and said: "Comrade General, the major has a point. Your division should seize the time to stock up on ammunition and supplies and be prepared for a long-term battle with the German army. ”

After hearing this, Tawalt Kiradze immediately nodded and replied: "Don't worry, Comrade Commander, I will arrange it." ”

When I walked into the cave, I saw that on the firewood and grass on the ground inside, there were the backpacks of the commanders and fighters, and in the innermost position, there was even a small wooden table, which should be the office of the company commander. In the corner of the wall next to the wooden table, countless wooden boxes are neatly stacked.

Since the commanders and fighters were basically busy building fortifications outside, there were not many people left in the cave, except for the company commander and instructors, there were only a few sick soldiers. After a brief chat with them, I left the cave.

When our group returned to the parking position, Tavart Kiradze raised his hand and looked at his watch, and asked cautiously: "Comrade commander, it's almost five o'clock, why don't you go back to the division headquarters with me first, and then go to Korocha tomorrow." All right? ”

In response to his kindness, I waved my hand and said euphemistically: "Comrade General, thank you for your kindness. But now in this season, it won't get dark until about eleven o'clock, so it's just right for us to go to Korocha at this time. ”

Seeing that I was bent on going my own way, Tawart Kiradze had no choice but to say helplessly: "Since this is the case, I will not keep you, you have to be more careful along the way." ”

Our jeep was stopped by a checkpoint set up on the road when it was still a few kilometres from the city of Korocha. A sergeant walked up to the car, bent down to look at us, and said politely: "Comrade commander, may I ask which part of you are from?" ”

"Comrade Sergeant." Lieutenant Colonel Rasmikhin, after glancing at the rank of the other party, replied: "We are from the 6th Guards Army, and in the car is our commander, and she is going into the city to visit General Shumilov." ”

"If that's the case, then please come with me." After the sergeant finished speaking, he waved his hand to the soldiers at the checkpoint to lift the railing and guided our car to a small cabin. At this time, the sergeant came up again and said to us through the window: "Comrade commander, please wait a moment, I will go in and report." ”

Watching the sergeant enter the wooden house, Rasmikhin, who was sitting in the front row, asked with some concern: "Comrade commander, do you say that General Shumilov will agree with us?" ”

"I'll see you for sure." Bezikov, who knew the inside story, preemptively said: "The Seventh Guards Army was reorganized and formed from the 64th Army in April this year. There are 15th, 36th, 72nd, 73rd, 78th and 81st Guards Infantry Divisions. Our commander had been in this unit before, and he was not only familiar with the leaders of the group army, but also had frequent dealings with the divisional commanders below. ”

As he spoke, the sergeant came out of the room, followed by a lieutenant. I know from the medal on his chest that he also participated in the Battle of Stalingrad. I greeted the two of them, Bezikov. I pushed the door open and got out of the car.

The lieutenant came to my side, stood up and saluted, and then reported to me: "General Oshanina, Lieutenant Livovich, commander of the 15th Regiment of the 44th Guards Infantry Division, reports to you, I am at your disposal, please instruct!" ”

I heard the lieutenant call out my name and couldn't help but ask curiously: "Lieutenant Lvovich, do you know me?" ”

"Yes, Comrade General." Livovich immediately gave me an affirmative answer: "I met you several times before when you were working in the 64th Army. Moreover, there are quite a few commanders and fighters in our division. I've fought alongside you. ”

Although I have no impression of this lieutenant at all, I still have an inexplicable sense of intimacy when I meet someone who knows me here. I smiled and said, "Comrade lieutenant, I'm going to see your commander, I wonder if you can arrange a soldier to be my guide?" ”

In response to this request of mine, Lvovich had an embarrassed expression on his face: "I'm sorry, Comrade General, our defense zone is outside the city of Korocha. You can't go into the city without an order. ”

"So what to do?" Heard the lieutenant say that. Bezikov asked a little uncontrollably.

I was deeply afraid that Bezikov frightened the lieutenant, so I quickly raised my hand to stop him, and then asked Livovich in a friendly tone: "Comrade lieutenant, can you tell me how we can enter Korocha?" ”

The lieutenant pointed sideways to the wooden house next to him and said politely, "Comrade General." Please go and sit in the house first, I am sure that there will be a way soon. ”

"What kind of place is this, where do you live?" Bezikov asked cautiously.

"This is the command post of our company, Comrade Colonel." After Livovich said this, he made a gesture of invitation to me. "Please come in, Comrade General," politely said. ”

When we entered the cabin, we saw an officer writing something at the table. When he saw us coming in, he immediately stood up and raised his hand to salute me.

"This is my instructor, Lieutenant Serdyukov." Seeing that I was looking at the commander with a strange look, Livovich hurriedly explained to me: "He is writing a report to his superiors on the progress of our company's fortifications. ”

Hearing him talk about the fortifications, I couldn't help but ask again: "How are the fortifications of your company being repaired?" ”

After hearing this, Livovich smiled bitterly, shook his head, and said: "Comrade General, because the amount of work is too large and the commanders and fighters are too tired, so far we have only completed about one-third of the entire project. In fact, not only our division, but almost all units are in a similar situation. ”

His words couldn't help but make me frown, thinking that General Shumilov had set up his headquarters in Korocha, which was only a few dozen kilometers away from the German army, and had not even built a perfect defense system, once the German army launched an attack on them, would they be able to block the enemy's fierce offensive?

While I was thinking wildly, I suddenly heard Livovich say: "Comrade General, I have just called Comrade Division Commander, and he said that he will come right away. I believe that with him leading the way, you will have no problem entering Korocha. ”

I listened to Livovich's arrangement, and my favor for him couldn't help but increase a few points. I smiled and said to him: "Thank you, Comrade Lieutenant. If it weren't for your help, we wouldn't have been able to get into Korocha today. ”

As he was talking, the sound of a car brake came from the door. When Livovich heard this voice, he immediately said in surprise: "It seems that the division commander is coming, Comrade General, please wait a moment, I will be back immediately." So saying, he ran out.

After a minute or two, Lieutenant Livovich and a colonel walked into the room side by side. He pointed to the colonel beside him and introduced to me: "Comrade General, this is the chief of staff of our division. ”

"Hello, Comrade General!" The chief of staff of the division came over and saluted me, and said politely: "Comrade general, I'm sorry, since the division commander can't come because of something, I will be responsible for escorting you into the city." Please! ”

Before leaving the house, I reached out and shook Livovich and thanked him before following the division chief of staff.

As soon as I walked out, the chief of staff of the division said to me: "Comrade General, my car is driving ahead, and you and your subordinates will follow me." Rest assured, the checkpoints along the way know my car, and we can enter the city without any problems. With that, he turned and stepped onto a jeep parked on the side of the road.

Our convoy followed the colonel's jeep and sped along the dirt road towards Korocha. With the divisional chief of staff of the 15th Guards Division opening the way, we were indeed very smooth, and almost all the checkpoints, seeing our convoy approaching, removed the barricades or raised the railings and respectfully let us through the checkpoints.

I looked to both sides of the road, and saw that on the plains or high ground on both sides of the road, there were commanders and fighters who were nervously building fortifications. Although the scene was in full swing, I was concerned about their untargeted construction. General Shumilov does not seem to have learned the lessons of the Battle of Stalingrad and is still using the wrong defensive thinking of the beginning. There were only a handful of fortifications on those highlands, and most of them were built on the plains. If the German panzers had carried out a surprise attack, the fortifications would have been able to be flattened in no time. If they want to stop the enemy's frenzied attack, they will have to pay great sacrifices.

After the convoy entered the city, I took a closer look at the buildings on both sides of the street, and found that only a few buildings had established fire points, and most of the fortifications were barricades at intersections.

I was worried about the fate of Shumilov's Seventh Guards Army when the car suddenly stopped, and then I heard Beziakov's voice: "Lida, we are in place. ”

I looked out the window, and saw that there were many vehicles of all kinds parked in front of a building here, and in addition to the sentries at the gate, I could also see patrols passing by from time to time, and it seemed that this was the headquarters of General Shumilov. I pushed the door open and said to myself, "Get out of the car." With that, he jumped out of the car first. (To be continued.) )