In the battle just now, I suddenly felt that it was still inconvenient to go beyond the battalion level to directly command the company. Although this regiment suffered heavy losses in yesterday's air raid, after all, there were still seven companies with thousands of men, and if it was a relatively easy battle like the one just now, there would be no problem for me to directly command each company. However, if the battle is fierce, and I call again to give orders one by one, it will be very easy to delay the fighters, so it is urgent to restore the battalion-level structure.

I held in my hand the battle report that recorded the casualties of my regiment, and I was thinking about how to assign the existing seven companies to the newly built battalion. I was so engrossed in thinking that Lukin, who had returned from the Seventh Company, stood beside me for a long time, and I didn't even notice it.

It was only a gentle cough from Lukin's side that diverted my attention from the battle report. I looked at Lukin, whose face was blackened by the smoke of gunpowder, and couldn't help laughing, pointing my finger at his face and saying, "Comrade Captain, wipe your face, you look like a coal worker." ”

Lu Jin also smiled, raised his hand to wipe his face, and asked, "Comrade Regiment Commander, what are you thinking?" Thinking so distractedly, I've been standing by your side for so long, and you haven't even noticed me. ”

I handed him the battle report in my hand and said, "This is the battle report I just received, after two battles, the second company suffered the greatest casualties, and the attrition was more than two-thirds, and there are only more than sixty people left. ”

Lu Jin listened to me while flipping through the battle report, and after reading it a few times, he frowned and said, "Comrade Regiment Commander, do you mean to replenish the Second Company as much as possible?" ”

I shook my head and said, "At present, except for the seventh company, we have no reserves at all that can be used to supplement the company that lost Yan zhòng in front. And the next battle will be even more brutal. Seven companies can't be used casually. ”

Lukin was confused. He hesitated for a moment. Tentatively asked, "What do you mean?" ”

"If the second company and the fifth company are replaced, the fifth company has only suffered a dozen casualties, and there are still more than 140 people in the whole company, and they can be transferred up to replenish the defensive force of the first line of defense." When I said this, I suddenly remembered that I wanted to rebuild the battalion structure, and I added, "For the sake of ease of command." I intend to reinstate the battalion structure in the regiment. ”

"Restore the battalion-level system?!" Lu Jin couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, and then asked rhetorically: "What is the restoration method?" ”

I already had a preliminary idea before Lukin planned to think about it, and since he asked, I also said it in 1510: "At present, the 1st, 3rd, and 5th companies of the first line of defense are organized into a battalion, and the battalion commander is the commander of the first company; The 2nd, 4th, and 6th companies of the second line of defense form the second battalion, and the battalion commander is the commander of the second company; The 7th Company was under the direct command of the regimental headquarters. ”

After listening to my new grouping plan, Lukin nodded and echoed: "Comrade regiment commander, organize the existing troops into two battalions. Orders are communicated to the battalion level and from the battalion level downwards. This grouping scheme is very appropriate, and I agree with you. ”

Seeing that Lu Jin did not object, my heart was much more steady, and I instructed him: "Then you can call and convey this matter to the company commanders below." ”

As soon as Captain Lukin had finished communicating the formation of the battalion to the companies below, the call from the division commander Biryukov came in again. He hurriedly said on the phone: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, I want to inform you of an important matter, you must be mentally prepared first. ”

His words made my heart tighten a little, and I said what the hell was going on, even the teacher commander, who had always been calm, became so panicked. Biryukov said: "The shape has become more complicated, I have just received a call from Comrade Commander that the remnants of the scattered 57th Army, about five thousand people, are pouring towards the ferry behind the line of defense of your regiment. According to reconnaissance, the German units pursuing them are also moving towards the defense area of your regiment, and it is estimated that they will arrive in half an hour. Now the task of your regiment is to hold the existing positions, to block a possible enemy attack, to cover the safe crossing of the Don by the 57th Army, to establish a new defensive position on the left bank. ”

I heard that it was the task of covering the troops to cross the river, but I didn't pay much attention to it, anyway, there were only a few thousand people, and if I acted quickly, maybe I could all pass through the bridges on the Guò River in half an hour and reach the left bank of the Don River. Therefore, he replied disapprovingly: "Please rest assured, Comrade Division Commander, that our regiment will be able to resolutely block the attack of the Germans and cover the friendly troops to cross the Don River smoothly." ”

Perhaps Biliukov could hear from my tone that I didn't take the enemy to heart, so he hurriedly said in an accentuated tone: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, the enemy is menacing, you can't underestimate the enemy." You must know that the enemy planes had already blown up the bridge over the Don River during the air raid in the morning, and the thousands of commanders and fighters currently crowded along the river lacked sufficient equipment to cross the river, and they could not cross the river in a few hours. This requires your regiment to carry forward the spirit of not fearing hardship and death, fighting tenaciously against the invading enemy, repelling the enemy's attack, and covering the crossing of the river by our troops. ”

After listening to Bilyukov's words, I suddenly became nervous, my heart beat violently, my heart beat in my chest, as if I wanted to jump out of it, I smiled extremely reluctantly, and replied: "Please rest assured, as long as there is still one in our regiment, we will resolutely hold the position." ”

Bilyukov said with satisfaction: "Very well, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I hope that the cousin of your regiment will be as beautiful as you say." I repeat the order again, at any cost, hold your ground! ”

I quickly straightened up and repeated loudly: "Yes, Comrade Divisional Commander." Hold your ground at any cost! ”

I handed the microphone to Lukin and said with a stern expression: "The division commander has called, saying that the enemy may soon launch a fierce attack on our regiment's position, let us be ready, and at the same time order: at any cost, hold the position and cover the friendly troops to cross the river." You order a battalion to immediately lay anti-tank mines in front of the position. We lack sufficient anti-tank weapons, so we can only rely on mines to blow up enemy tanks. By the way, tell the battalion commander that the anti-tank mines are all buried on the road where the tanks used to pass just now, so that the chance of blowing up the enemy tanks is higher. ”

While Lukin was on the phone, I sat down in a corner and poured myself tea as I drank it and considered how to deal with the brutal battle that was coming.

I didn't think about it for long, the sudden ringing of the phone interrupted my train of thought again, I frowned and looked at Lu Jin who answered the phone, and secretly scolded in my heart that the caller was not interesting, and he didn't call early or late, just in time for me to think about the problem, and interrupted my train of thought, and I had to scold him later.

Unexpectedly, Lu Jin directly handed the microphone to me again and said in a low voice, "It's the division commander's phone." ”

Didn't the division commander's phone call just call, why did he call again? Although I was a little dissatisfied with the frequent phone calls from the division commander, I had to force a smile when I answered the phone and politely asked, "Hello, Comrade Division Commander!" May I ask if you have any new instructions for calling at this time? ”

Bilyukov didn't politely talk to me either, and said straight to the point: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, I just received an order from the commander. He asked our division to cross the river with the remnants of the 57th Army and establish a new defensive zone on the left bank of the Don. ”

"What? Our division crossed the river with the 57th Army? "Hearing this, I can't help but be surprised, not long after receiving the order to hold our positions and cover the crossing of the river by friendly troops, the new order for us to cross the river with us has arrived, isn't this a pastime? I cautiously asked: "Comrade division commander, didn't you just convey to me the order to hold the position?" You know, we are reinforcing the fortifications and preparing to resist the attack that the Germans are preparing to launch. ”

Bilyukov said coldly: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the order of the higher authorities is not allowed to be discussed, since Comrade Commander ordered our division to cross the river, then carry out the order to cross the river." If the enemy comes to attack, you still have to hold them back. When the friendly forces are almost crossed, your regiment immediately withdraws from its position and rushes to the river crossing to cross the river. ”

"What if the enemy takes the opportunity to catch up?" When I heard that we were going to retreat under the nose of the enemy, I couldn't help but feel a little furious in my heart, for if we were to be attacked while retreating, it was entirely possible that the troops would be routed, and then they would be defeated.

"Do you want me to teach you how to withdraw it?" Bilyukov said a little impatiently: "Fight and retreat, alternately cover the withdrawal from the position." (To be continued......)