A new German offensive began in the evening. In order to capture the position of our regiment, the enemy used a large artillery group, and shells rained down on the defensive line, and the position of our army fell into a sea of fire in an instant.

Since both lines of defense were shrouded in gunsmoke, the situation in the forward positions was not clear at all. I frowned and instructed Lukin: "Comrade Captain, contact the 1st and 2nd Battalions by phone to see how the situation on the position is?" ”

After picking up the phone and shouting a few times, Lukin raised his head and said, "Comrade Regiment Commander, the front line cannot be contacted, it may be that the telephone line has been blown up." ”

I glared at him and said in a stern tone: "Then what are you still doing standing here, immediately send someone to repair it, and you must restore the contact with the front line in the shortest possible time." ”

Lukin promised to run to the door of the observation post and shouted twice outside, and soon a second lieutenant came running up to him and saluted him, asking: "Hello, Comrade Captain, do you have any instructions?" ”

Because the artillery was so loud, Lukin had to shout loudly: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, the telephone line leading from the observation post to the forward position may have been blown up by a shell." You immediately send someone to check the line, and be sure to restore the communication with the front line in the shortest possible time. Go ahead. ”

After the second lieutenant left, Lukin came to my side and said, "Comrade regiment commander, I have given an order to the platoon commander of the communications platoon to immediately send someone to overhaul the line and restore the communication with the forward positions. ”

Two minutes later, a communications soldier ran into the observation post and reported to Lukin: "Comrade Captain, the second lieutenant asked me to report to you. Said that the telephone line had been repaired and that it was time to speak to the commander at the front. ”

After Lukin dialed the phone, he shouted loudly: "The commander of the first battalion? I'm Captain Lukin, report on your battalion? ”

The commander of the first battalion shouted hoarsely: "Report to Comrade Captain, the situation is very bad. The enemy's artillery fire was so heavy that it destroyed several concealed areas, and although it is impossible to count them for the time being, I estimate that the casualties were still very large. ”

"Tell the soldiers, pay attention to concealment, and minimize unnecessary casualties. Feed! Feed! Lu Jingang said two words. There was no sound in the microphone again. I shouted repeatedly, "Hey, battalion commander, battalion commander, can you hear me?" ”

Seeing this happens. I couldn't help but frown. Said unhappily: "What's the matter." Has the phone line been blown up again? Lukin hurriedly put down the phone, rushed to the door of the observation post again, and shouted outside: "Someone." Hurry up and check the line to see if the phone line has been blown up again. ”

At that moment, an enemy shell landed near the observation post and exploded, and the dust on the roof was so shaken that I had to close my eyes so that I would not be blinded by the dust. Before I could open my eyes, I heard someone shouting, "Comrade Captain, what's wrong with you?" Where did it hurt? ”

I quickly shook my head, shaking the dust off my face quite a bit, and then I tried to open my eyes and look towards the door, just in time to see a warrior lifting Lukin up from the ground. I walked over and saw that Lukin's face was bleeding, and hurriedly asked with concern: "Comrade Captain, are you injured?" The soldier and I helped him to sit down in the corner, and then shouted to the soldier: "Comrade soldier, go and call the health worker." ”

After the warrior left, I asked again with concern, "Lukin, you don't matter, do you?" ”

Lukin waved his hand and said with difficulty: "Comrade Regiment Commander, I'm fine, but I was grazed by shrapnel on my head and can't die." The soldiers of the communications platoon have already repaired the line, and I am sure that communication with the front line will be restored soon. ”

There was a sound of shouting a report at the door, and when I looked up, it turned out to be a male hygienist, and hurriedly raised his hand to greet him: "Come here, comrade soldier." The captain was wounded, so hurry up and bandage him. ”

The hygienist came to Lukin and crouched down, opened the medicine box, and pulled out a pile of bottles and cans and a roll of bandages from it. When he cleaned the wound with alcohol, Lukin gritted his teeth in pain and snorted, which frightened me nervously and reminded the hygienist: "Light, don't hurt Comrade Captain." ”

The hygienist who was cleaning the wound couldn't help but stop what he was doing. Seeing his nervous look, Lukin comforted him and said, "Comrade hygienist, don't worry, I can stand it, you can continue." ”

After the hygienist had cleaned the wound and applied iodine wine, he bandaged Lukin's forehead. It was only then that he stood up and reported to me: "Comrade Regiment Commander, the captain was only grazed in the head by shrapnel, and after treatment, he is fine. ”

I nodded in satisfaction, waved at him, and said, "Thank you, comrade warrior." There's nothing you need to do here, so you can go back first. ”

When the phone call with the front line was connected again, I asked the first battalion commander: "First battalion commander, is there any movement of the enemy?" ”

The commander of the first battalion replied in a loud voice: "Comrade report to the regimental commander, according to the reports of the observation post, the enemy has been shelling our positions with artillery fire, and no trace of the enemy has been found in front of the positions. ”

"Continue to observe, and report to me at any time if there is a situation." With that, I hung up.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he put down the phone, Bilyukov's phone called again, and he asked urgently: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, how is the situation on your side?" ”

"It's not good, Comrade Division." I replied with a sad face: "The enemy is carrying out non-stop artillery bombardment of our regiment's positions, and although it is not possible to count the casualties for the time being, I estimate that the enemy's shelling has caused us a lot of casualties. ”

"I now convey to you the latest order, as soon as the enemy's shelling is over and no enemy ground forces are found attacking, you will immediately lead the troops to withdraw from their positions, retreat to two kilometers and establish a new defensive position, covering the troops crossing the river."

Bilyukov's change of order made me dissatisfied, but I didn't dare to complain at him, so I could only say euphemistically: "Comrade division commander, the casualties of the troops are too great, and it is very difficult to retreat quickly. Because it would take a lot of time to evacuate the wounded, and by the time we had withdrawn to the new fortified area, it was estimated that a large force of the enemy would pounce on us. If our regiment had no fortifications, it would not have been able to hold back the enemy. I built yì that the troops remained in the existing area and continued to resist possible enemy attacks, gaining precious time for the troops crossing the river. ”

Biryukov was silent for a moment, and then said: "Comrade Oshanina, now there is a group of political workers sent from the base camp by the river, and they need to cross the river as much as possible. If your regiment continues to hold its existing positions, it is entirely possible that the enemy's troops will bypass your defensive area and go straight to the river, and then these political workers who have no combat effectiveness will be in danger. ”

To be honest, I don't have a good impression of political workers, in my mind, they belong to the role of not being able to achieve enough and more to lose. Now I was very reluctant to let my troops retreat and build a new line of defense in an open field where there was no danger to defend and cover their crossing of the river.

Probably hearing that I was slow to react, Bilyukov said in an aggravated tone: "Comrade Oshanina, maybe you don't know the details of these political workers, then I will tell you openly and honestly. They were summoned from all the border regions and oblasts of the country, including secretaries of the district, oblast, and municipal party committees, directors of departments, secretaries of collective farms and factories, and other party workers, totaling more than 500 people. Among them were also Comrades Kirillov and Kruglov, functionaries of the Central Committee, and Deputy People's Commissar of the State Farm of the Russian Federation Stupov, who came to the army group in order to strengthen the political departments and form a strong party nucleus in the army. If something happens to them, it will be a huge loss that cannot be recovered for us. At that time, not to mention you, even General Chuikov and I may be sent to a court-martial. ”

Biryukov's words scared me out of a cold sweat, it turned out that the people we were going to cover for crossing the river were so important that it seemed that we could only carry out the order unconditionally. So I bit my lip and replied reluctantly: "Please rest assured, division commander, when the enemy's artillery bombardment is over, I will order the troops in the front line to withdraw from their positions and rush to a new defensive position to build a defensive position." And I, on the other hand, will lead the Seventh Company and the Guard Platoon to stay behind to cover the retreat of the troops. ”

Hearing me say the number of the Seventh Company, Biryukov was silent for a moment, and then said decisively: "Okay, we must do our best to build a defensive position by the river to cover the safe crossing of the river by the political workers." Finally, I wish you the best of luck and remember, be sure to come back alive! (To be continued......)