While Samyko was on the phone, Sokov was staring at the map in front of him in a daze, secretly thinking about getting rid of the three divisions that were serving as reserves and assisting defense. The only troops he could still use now were the 182nd and 188th.
, the 254th and 300th Divisions, the 73rd Infantry Brigade, as well as the 1st Artillery Division, the 2nd Artillery Division and the 4th Guards Tank Corps.
He picked up the red and blue pencils on the table and lightly drew the attack route he thought of on the map. The first thing the troops should capture was a small city called Pavlish located on the south side of the landing site. It is said that the German army was here
A transfer warehouse has been established to store a large number of weapons, ammunition and various military supplies.
"Comrade Commander," Samyko came to Sokov after making the call and reported to him: "I have conveyed your order."
Sokov just hummed softly, and did not take his eyes away from the map. Instead, he was considering whether, once Pavlish was captured, the city's defenses should be strengthened to prevent the Germans from counterattacking.
Occupied again.
Seeing Sokov staring at the map in a daze, Samyko guessed that the other party was considering the next combat action, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, what are you thinking about?"
Hearing Samyko ask himself, Sokov raised his head and glanced at him, then lowered his head again and tapped the map on the table with the pencil in his hand: "Comrade Chief of Staff, if we want to follow the orders of our superiors, we will go to the landing site."
To develop to the south of Alexandria and Kirovgrad, we must first capture Pavlish, seize the German transfer warehouse in the city, and use their weapons and ammunition to enrich our troops.
."
"Comrade Commander, since we all know that the Germans have a transfer warehouse in Pavlish City, it must be well-defended. If we want to capture it, we will probably have to go through a fierce battle." Although Samyko felt that Sokov's idea
Yes, but he felt that as the chief of staff, he should still give a reminder to prevent Sokov's expectations from being too high and failing to meet them would affect his emotions: "Which troops are you planning to send to capture Pavlish?
?”
Sokov had read the information sent back by the scouts and knew that this small city was only slightly larger than an ordinary town. Presumably there would be no more than one battalion of defenders in the city. If division-level units were used to attack, there would always be a way to kill the chicken.
He felt like he was trying to do something wrong, so after thinking for a while, he replied: "I think Major Guchakov's 73rd Infantry Brigade will carry out this task."
Sameko was not surprised at all that Sokov handed over such an important task to the infantry brigade to complete. After all, Sokov had previously commanded the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and now he naturally has a certain interest in this rebuilt infantry brigade.
Otherwise, Guchakov, whom he trusted, would not have been appointed to the post of brigade commander.
"I think it's okay. After all, the combat effectiveness of the infantry brigade is obvious to all. I believe they will be able to complete such a task." After Samyko finished his statement, he tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, Guchako needs to be
Major Husband, will you call me to the headquarters?"
"Okay." Sokov was not sure when his headquarters would be moved to the right bank area, so he readily agreed to Samyko's proposal: "Call Major Guchakov immediately and inform him to come here as soon as possible.
I will personally assign tasks to him."
The 73rd Brigade commanded by Guchakov, since the 300th Division moved to their front, they had no chance to confront the German army. At first, Guchakov was quite happy, which meant that the whole army
Brigade commanders and fighters can take a good rest.
But as time went by, the friendly forces in front and the attacking Germans were fighting fiercely, but his place was deserted, which made him feel a huge gap.
Just as anxious as Guchakov was the chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Askel. He asked Guchakov tentatively: "Comrade Brigadier, you have a good relationship with the commander. Can you please discuss it with the commander?"
Let’s discuss and assign some combat missions to our brigade?”
Hearing what his chief of staff said, Guchakov scratched the back of his head and said awkwardly: "Comrade chief of staff, this is not easy to handle. I know the commander, if there is any combat mission suitable for us, he will
He called us a long time ago. Now that we have not received his call, it means that he has no tasks suitable for us yet. "
"Comrade Brigade Commander, although the commander did not call you, we should still strive for opportunities." Askel was afraid that Guchakov would turn a deaf ear to his words and pointed at the sound of gunfire.
The direction said: "Listen, our friendly troops are fighting the enemy every day, but our commanders and fighters stay on the battlefield doing nothing. This means that the friendly commanders and fighters have the opportunity to make contributions every day. If time goes by, they will definitely
It will affect the morale of our officers and soldiers..."
Before Askel finished speaking, the phone on the table rang without warning. He grabbed the phone, put it to his ear and said: "I am Lieutenant Colonel Askel, Chief of Staff, where are you?"
?”
"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Askel." Sameko's voice came from the phone: "I am Sameko."
Hearing the call from Samyko, Askel couldn't help but feel ecstatic. He immediately covered the phone with his hand and reported to Guchakov emotionally: "Comrade Commander, it's Samyko.
A call from the Chief of Staff of the Section."
When Guchakov heard that the call was from Samyko, his eyes lit up, and then he motioned for Askel to continue answering the phone. After Askel understood it, he released his hand covering the phone and asked respectfully: "
General Sameko, what are your instructions?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Askel, Comrade Commander intends to assign you an important combat mission."
"Important combat mission?!" Askel asked excitedly: "General Sameko, can you tell me what important mission it is?"
"What Comrade Commander means is to ask Major Guchakov to come to the headquarters, and he will personally explain the mission." After Samyko finished saying this, he paused for a moment, and then continued: "By the way, you also
Come together, after all you are the chief of staff of the infantry brigade."
"Okay, General Samek." After learning that she could also go to the headquarters to accept the mission, Askel couldn't help but be overjoyed and said quickly: "We will go there right away."
After putting down the phone, Askel immediately said to Guchakov impatiently: "Comrade Brigadier, Chief of Staff Samyko informed us that the commander has an important task to give us. Order you and I to rush to the commander immediately.
The Ministry accepts the mission."
"Then what are you still doing?" Guchakov urged anxiously, "Why don't you hurry up and make preparations to go?"
When Askel picked up the phone and was about to arrange a vehicle into the city, he suddenly remembered something and asked quickly: "Comrade Brigadier, we have all gone to the headquarters. What if something happens in the brigade? Otherwise, we
During your absence, designate a person to be responsible for handling various matters?"
"While we are away, let Captain Mikhailev take charge." Guchakov said: "In any case, he is our deputy brigade commander, and he is bound to do so at this time."
After Askel handed over the work in the brigade to Mikhailev, he and Guchakov took a jeep and drove towards the city of Kremenchug.
On the way, Askel couldn't restrain her curiosity and asked Guchakov who was sitting next to her: "Comrade Brigadier, you have been dealing with the commander for a long time. Tell me, he asked us to go there this time."
What combat missions will the headquarters assign us?"
"I don't know the specific mission." Guchakov said carefully: "But I think it must be related to the development to the south of the landing site."
"Are we going to let our brigade carry out the main attack?" Askel just put forward this hypothesis, but immediately rejected it. He shook his head and said: "No, no. We have the 254th and 300th Divisions deployed in the front, regardless of whether they are from behind or not.
In terms of soldiers and equipment, these two divisions are more suitable for the main attack than us."
After rejecting her idea, Askel continued to pester Guchakov and asked: "Comrade Commander, I think you must know something. Just tell me something. Otherwise, when I see Comrade Commander, I
Still don’t know anything.”
After hearing what his chief of staff said, Guchakov shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands, and said helplessly: "Comrade chief of staff, it's not that I didn't tell you on purpose, but I really don't know anything."
"really do not know?"
"I really don't know." Guchakov said with a wry smile: "The two of us are together all day long. If Comrade Commander calls me to assign any tasks, you will definitely be the first to know."
Askel thought about it carefully, and it seems that this is really the case. No matter what orders are conveyed by superiors or reports from subordinates, they all have to go through him. If Sokov wants to tell Guchakov something, he will definitely do it.
knew.
The speed of the jeep suddenly slowed down. Askel thought it was almost there. When she looked out the window, she found that it had not even crossed the Dnieper River. She asked the driver angrily: "What's going on? Why are you slowing down?"
The driver stopped the car on the side of the road, turned around and reported to Askel: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the road ahead is too narrow, and there are troops approaching. I can only stop the car and wait for them to pass by."
Hearing what the driver said, Askel quickly checked his head and looked through the windshield in front of him to observe the situation on the road ahead. Sure enough, he saw a large number of troops approaching, with infantry walking on both sides of the road.
Trucks carrying supplies were driving in the middle of the road.
Askel opened the door and got out of the car, turned around and asked Guchakov who got off the car from the other side: "Comrade Brigadier, look, which army is this?"
Since the flag bearer at the front of the team was holding only an ordinary red flag, Guchakov could not determine the number of the opponent's troops at all. He could only shake his head again and replied in a dumbfounded way: "I'm sorry, Comrade Chief of Staff.
, I cannot confirm their numbers. But judging from the weapons they carry, they are definitely not troops of our 27th Group Army."
The marching troops soon passed in front of Guchakov and Askel. Guchakov looked at the trucks passing in front of him. Some were loaded with supplies; some were filled with two rows of soldiers.
Sitting opposite each other, the cannon was towed behind the vehicle.
Although he did not know the opponent's number for the time being, Guchakov judged from the Bobosha submachine guns and Mosin-Nagant rifles carried by the soldiers that this unit was definitely not affiliated with the 27th Army. Because even if the troops were replenished
No matter how many soldiers there are, a considerable number of commanders and fighters can be seen in the team equipped with assault rifles. However, none of the commanders and fighters who just passed in front of them were carrying assault rifles. They were obviously friendly troops.
"Hey, Comrade Lieutenant." Askel saw an officer passing in front of her, so she stopped him and asked curiously: "Can you tell me which unit you are in?"
Seeing that the person calling him was a lieutenant colonel, the officer quickly stopped and reported to Askel: "Comrade lieutenant colonel, we are the 37th Infantry Brigade under the 69th Group Army, and we were ordered to come here to take over the defense.
"
As for where to receive defense, the officer did not say, and Askel did not ask. Because he knew very well in his heart that even if he asked about these matters involving confidential content, he was afraid that the other party would not tell him. It would be better not to tell him.
Asking.
After the officer finished saying the number of the unit, seeing that Askel was silent, he raised his hand and saluted him, then quickly caught up with the unit and continued to march south.
"It turned out to be the troops of the 69th Group Army!" Guchakov began to mutter in his heart: "If you didn't mean that General Gagan's 57th Group Army would take over the defense of the landing site, why did it become the 69th Group Army again?"
With such questions, Guchakov and Askel arrived at the headquarters in a car.
Sokov shook hands with the two of them one by one, invited them to sit down, and then ordered his staff to prepare refreshments for them. Then he asked: "How about you guys along the way? Have you been attacked by enemy planes?"
"No, Comrade Commander." The two men replied in unison: "It was peaceful along the way and there were no air attacks from enemy planes."
After saying this, Guchakov added: "However, we met a force on the road to take over the defense. After questioning, we learned that they were from the 37th Brigade of the 69th Group Army."
After Sokov waited for Guchakov to finish speaking, he first asked rhetorically: "Comrade Major, I believe you recently heard that the 57th Army will take over your defense. Now that it has suddenly been replaced by the 69th Army, do you feel that
Quite strange?”
"That's right, Comrade Commander." In front of Sokov, Guchakov didn't want to hide his true thoughts, so he said it without hesitation: "I feel very strange too."
"The situation on the battlefield has changed, and some of the original plans of superiors must also be adjusted accordingly." Sokov said to Guchakov: "For example, the troops that will take over your defense have changed from the 57th Army to the 3rd Army.
The 69th Group Army is the result of temporary adjustments by superiors."
Sokov didn't want to dwell on this matter for too long, so he changed the subject in time: "Major Guchakov, Lieutenant Colonel Askel, I called you here today because you have an important combat mission, and you have to personally do it.
Arrangements for you."
Hearing that Sokov was going to personally assign important combat tasks to them, Guchakov and Guchakov quickly concentrated and waited quietly for the other party to assign tasks to them.
Sokov called the two men to the map, pointed to the small city Pavlish on the south side of the landing site, and said: "The task I give your brigade is to occupy Pavlish and seize the enemy's material transfer warehouse here.
"
"Seize the enemy's transfer warehouse?" Guchakov couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he heard this, and said without thinking: "Comrade Commander, please forgive me, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to complete such a task."
This chapter has been completed!