The search team walked in the forest for a day, but found nothing. Seeing that it was getting late, Sokov ordered the troops to stop, camp on the spot, and wait until dawn the next day to continue searching.
The soldiers built a half-man-high circular snow wall around the camp. The purpose of this was to block the biting cold wind, and secondly, even if the enemy came to sneak attack at night, they would have a defensive fortification that they could rely on to fight.
As soon as the team's radio was turned on, it received a call from the unknown highlands. Sokov took the earphone and microphone from the operator's hand, and started talking to Belkin who stayed in the battalion command post: "Deputy Battalion
Comrade Chang, I’m Sokov. What’s the latest situation with you?”
"Comrade Battalion Commander," Belkin's anxious voice came from the earphones: "When I sent people to the city to get the radio, the division headquarters informed us that the location of the missing plane was about 20 kilometers southeast of our station.
About kilometers. I was deeply afraid that you were going in the wrong direction, so I ordered the radio operator to keep calling you."
"Thank you, Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander." Belkin's words made Sokov secretly relieved. He said in his heart: Fortunately, there was Matlosov in the first echelon, otherwise he would have followed the route he had set.
, the team took the wrong path during the day. He quickly said into the microphone: "Our search route today is along the southeast direction. If we are lucky, we should be able to find the missing plane tomorrow."
Before ending the call, Sokov asked again: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, how is the situation in Susinich City?"
"What else can we do?" Belkin replied with a wry smile: "According to Corporal Maxim's report, the enemy is bombarding the city non-stop, so that our commanders and soldiers have to dig trenches and build shelters, reducing the number of troops.
Suffer some loss."
Sokov called for Zheliya and Oleg and said to them: "Comrades, I just spoke with the deputy battalion commander. According to the latest intelligence, the plane we are looking for may be only a few meters away from us.
Kilometers away. So tomorrow will be a very critical day..."
As soon as he said this, he was suddenly interrupted by the radio operator on the side: "Comrade Battalion Commander, someone is sending us a report."
Hearing what the operator said, Sokov thought to himself: I just spoke to Belkin, why did he start sending the report again? Is there something urgent? He quickly ordered the operator: "Comrade operator, immediately
Receipt!"
Since Sokov was eager to know the contents of the telegram, he did not continue to explain the task to Zhelya and Oleg. Instead, he stood aside and quietly watched the telegraph operator receive the report. Waiting for him to receive the telegram from the operator.
After taking the telegram and reading its content clearly, I couldn't help but be shocked. I saw it read: "My reconnaissance team discovered a forced landing of our aircraft. While rescuing the people on board, a firefight broke out with the Germans. Now more than half of the team's personnel have been lost.
, requesting support." The signature is: Grisa.
Zheliya, who was standing nearby, tilted his head to read the contents of the telegram clearly, and said with some excitement: "Comrade Battalion Commander, Grisa's reconnaissance team has actually found the missing plane. This is great."
After hearing this, Sokov nodded, put the telegram into his pocket, and ordered the operator: "Call back to Grisa immediately and ask him to report their location."
While the radio operator was sending the report, Zheliya took the initiative to ask Sokov: "Comrade Battalion Commander, since the whereabouts of the pilots are now known, please let me lead the team to pick them up."
"Don't be anxious, Sergeant Zheliya." Sokov waved his hand towards Zheliya and said: "We still don't know where Grisa is and whether there are German troops around them, so we can't act rashly.
, let’s wait until his call back arrives.”
Grisa's call back arrived soon. The message said that after rescuing the crew on the plane, the reconnaissance team encountered the German army. After a fierce battle, only two of the team's crew members were left, and they were now being attacked by about two platoons.
The German army is trapped somewhere.
Based on the telegram, Sokov quickly found their location on the map, which was less than five kilometers away from his camp. Logically speaking, after knowing the location of Grisa and the others, Sokov should immediately lead
People went to rescue them. But considering that the number of German troops was several times greater than theirs, and they were in the dark, if they rushed over rashly, they would probably rush into the German encirclement. Not only would they not be able to save Griza and the others, but they would be trapped themselves in it.
Zheliya and Grisa had a good personal relationship. Seeing that Sokov was reluctant to make any decision after reading the telegram, he urged: "Comrade Battalion Commander, now that we know where Grisa and the others are, we should make a decision as soon as possible.
Go rescue them, otherwise they may be wiped out."
"Comrade Sergeant," Sokov looked at Zhelia and said in a stern tone: "You only considered that they were in danger of being wiped out. Why didn't you consider us? If you rush over now and fall into
What should we do if we fall into the enemy's trap?" Seeing that Zheliya was rendered speechless by himself, Sokov continued, "You go back and rest first. We will rush over to support them early tomorrow morning.
"
Seeing that Sokov had reached this point, Zhelya knew that there was no point in arguing anymore, so she raised her hand and saluted him, and left with Oleg.
After Zheliya and Oleg left, Sokov ordered the operator: "Send a message to Grisa again, saying that reinforcements are on the way and asking them to hold on until noon tomorrow."
At five o'clock in the morning the next day, Sokov led his troops and headed towards the place where Grisa and the others were besieged. When the troops had walked about three or four kilometers, Oleg sent Matlosov to open the way.
I came to report that a German sentry was found in the forest ahead and asked for instructions on what to do.
After listening to Matlosov's report, Sokov quickly gave the order to the second echelon: "Stop advancing and standby!" Then he took a machine gunner and followed Matlosov to the front.
.
Oleg and another soldier were lying behind a bush covered with snow, vigilantly monitoring the enemy in the distance. Seeing Sokov and the others coming up from behind, they quickly moved their bodies to the side and whispered
The report said: "Comrade Battalion Commander, there is a German sentry two hundred meters ahead."
Sokov quickly raised his binoculars and looked forward through the gap in the bushes. Sure enough, he saw a German soldier wearing a military coat and a helmet walking back and forth holding a rifle. He put down the binoculars and whispered
Asked Oleg: "Did the enemy not notice you?"
"No." Oleg said in a positive tone: "I have carefully observed that the German's helmet also has a cold blanket wrapped in it, which will have a certain impact on his hearing. I think he must not have noticed it.
us."
Sokov paused for a moment and then asked: "Oleg, can you confirm that our missing plane is in that direction?"
"It's hard to say." Oleg said with some embarrassment: "I just observed carefully with a telescope and found no airplane in the forest."
"Comrade Battalion Commander, look above us." Matlosov pointed to the trees above us and said to Sokov: "The snow on the treetops is gone. It should be the snow when the plane was forced to land.
It was blown away by the waves. Although I cannot confirm the specific location of the plane, I can guarantee that the plane we are looking for is within a one kilometer radius."
This chapter has been completed!