The soldier who reported the news hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said: "The buildings on both sides of the street have been blown up. If we want to pass through the ruins, we will definitely be discovered by the enemy."
"Since we can't pass through there," Chuikov said decisively after learning that the enemy had controlled that area, "let's go around from other blocks."
"Comrade Commander," Klimov heard what Chuikov said and quickly reminded: "We currently don't know whether other streets are also controlled by the Germans. If we go around and find that we still can't pass, it will be troublesome to go back.
Already."
"Then what do we do? Should we just rush across the intersection?" Chuikov frowned and asked, "Didn't you hear that the enemy placed a tank and a machine gun position at the intersection, and we didn't even have one?"
Fa rushed over."
"I think we can try it. We can quietly approach the intersection from the ruins that collapsed next to it, and then rush over quickly." Klimov said cautiously: "A group of five people, pass through the ruins, anyway, everywhere
It’s all the sound of gunfire, so as long as we don’t make much movement, the enemy shouldn’t be able to spot us.”
Chuikov listened to the gunfire and explosions one after another around him, and quickly thought about the plan proposed by Klimov. At this moment, a soldier ran from behind and reported to him anxiously: "Commander
Comrades, enemies, and later it was discovered that a large number of enemies were coming towards us."
"Where?" Chuikov was shocked when he heard the news, and asked quickly: "How many people are there?"
"It's about two hundred meters away from us," the soldier said hurriedly: "There is about a platoon of troops, starting a search formation and coming towards our hiding place. It is estimated that they will be able to get here in ten minutes at most."
Chuikov made a decisive decision: "Just as Klimov said, a group of five people will approach the intersection from the collapsed building next to the street, and then rush over quickly. Be careful, be quieter, ten million
Don't alert the enemy."
As the order was given, the team members immediately formed groups of five and sneaked into the ruins next to the street against the wall, and then cautiously approached the intersection. But when the first team rushed over, Chuikov still
Chuikov was on tenterhooks, deeply afraid of being discovered by the enemy. But after passing two groups without attracting the attention of the Germans, Chuikov finally felt relieved. He felt that it would not be a problem to pass the intersection smoothly.
Chuikov was in the third group. In addition to Klimov and a guard, there were also two female operators in the same group. When they ran out of the ruins, bent over and ran quickly towards the other side of the street, a
A female soldier accidentally tripped over a stone on the ground and couldn't help but screamed "ah".
Although the sound she made was not loud, unfortunately, the gunshots and explosions around her suddenly quieted down, and her voice seemed particularly abrupt. The German machine gunners who were behind the sandbag fortifications immediately came towards the sound.
Looking in the direction, he saw a few black figures quickly crossing the street. Seeing this, he almost instinctively pulled the trigger.
The sudden sound of machine gunfire was mixed with the screams of the female soldier. Although Chuikov also wanted to save the female soldier, he knew more clearly that in the face of the German machine gun fire, he could only protect himself.
That's it. The few soldiers who stayed on the other side of the street saw that Chuikov and the others were in danger. They immediately opened fire without hesitation to attract the German machine gun fire and cover Chuikov's escape.
After Chuikov fled into the ruins across the street in embarrassment, he turned around and saw that only Klimov and a female communications soldier were left beside him. The other two people should have fallen to the enemy's gunfire. He glanced at the street
Several soldiers on the opposite side who were still exchanging fire with the enemy gritted their molars and said to Klimov: "Let's go!"
In order to cover Chuikov's escape, the five soldiers in the last group opened fire decisively, attracting the enemy's firepower. The German troops searching in the distance heard the intensive gunshots and shouted loudly along the way.
The streets rushed over.
Chuikov and the others ran forward one foot at a time in the ruins, trying to leave this dangerous area as soon as possible. As they ran, they suddenly heard someone shouting in a low voice behind the masonry and rubble in front of them: "Kerry
Mov, Klimov, is that you?"
Klimov felt that the voice sounded familiar, so he quickly grabbed Chuikov and said to him in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, it seems that our people are in front. They should be the two groups that went over first." Then he
He shouted in a low voice toward the direction from which the sound came, "It's me, I'm Klimov."
As soon as he finished speaking, two soldiers came out from behind the rubble. They came to Chuikov and asked with concern: "Comrade Commander, are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Chuikov recognized the two soldiers in front of him, both of whom were guards of the Protection Command, and asked quickly: "Where are the others?"
A soldier quickly turned around and pointed to the broken wall not far away: "Comrade Commander, they are all there."
After continuing on the road, for the sake of safety, Chuikov ordered Klimov to lead two soldiers to explore the road ahead. He and the remaining people were about thirty meters behind.
Klimov, who was leading the way, did not walk through the streets in order to prevent encounters with the enemy again. Instead, he walked through the ruins of buildings next to the streets. After walking for an unknown amount of time, he suddenly heard someone asking: "Hey, you guys
Which part is it?”
Klimov was startled by the sound. He hurriedly hid behind a pile of rubble with two other soldiers, pointed his gun at the direction of the sound, and asked warily: "Which part are you from?"
?”
A soldier wearing a military poncho and a steel helmet walked out from behind a broken wall not far away, came to the rubble pile where Klimov and the others were hiding, and said in a low voice: "I am from the 73rd Infantry Brigade.
Sniper, my name is Vasily Zaitsev. What part are you in?"
When Klimov heard the name of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, it was as if he heard the sound of nature. He stood up and walked around the rubble, came to Vasily, held his hand and said excitedly: "Comrade Vasily,
I am the adjutant of the Army Group Headquarters, Klimov. It is great to meet you here."
"Hello, comrade commander." Vasily straightened his body and asked politely: "Is there anything I can do for you?"
Since the city was severely damaged, Klimov couldn't figure out the direction at all after walking for so long. When he saw people from Sokov's troops, he immediately asked impatiently: "How far is Mamayev Hill from here?"
How far?"
"Less than two kilometers, comrade commander." Vasily glanced at Klimov and the two soldiers behind him, and asked curiously: "Are there just the three of you?"
"There are still many people behind us." After Klimov finished speaking, he turned around and ordered a soldier: "You should go back immediately and report to Comrade Commander that we have encountered snipers from the 73rd Infantry Brigade here and ask them to
Come over here as soon as possible."
Chuikov rushed over quickly. He stepped forward and held Vasily's hand and said: "Comrade Vasily, I know you. On the first day you went to the battlefield, you sniped and killed a German colonel and a major.
It's really amazing to disrupt their attack on the station staff dormitory area."
In response to Chuikov's compliment, Vasily grinned and then said: "Comrade Commander, this is not the place to talk. The Germans may come over soon. Let's get out of here first."
Everyone followed Vasily and shuttled through the maze-like masonry and rubble. Chuikov couldn't help but sigh in his heart. If he hadn't met the sniper Vasily, even if his group barely escaped from the Germans, they would have
Get lost in these ruins.
Under the leadership of Vasily, everyone finally arrived at Sokov's headquarters after half an hour's march. Sokov, who was discussing the day's combat deployment with Sidorin, couldn't help but be stunned when he saw Chuikov walking quickly into the room.
He paused for a moment, then quickly walked over and asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, why are you here?"
"Hello, Lieutenant Sokov." Chuikov nodded to Sokov and said: "The army headquarters is surrounded by the enemy, so we can only evacuate the headquarters in batches."
Sokov glanced behind Chuikov and asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, are you the only one? Where are the Military Commissar and Chief of Staff?"
"Comrade Military Commissar took the staff of the headquarters and took the inland gunboat from the crossing of the Tsaritsa River and left by water." Chuikov walked to the table and sat down, picking up a cup of hot tea on the table and taking a sip.
And then, he continued: "The remaining people in the headquarters, every twenty people formed a small team, and left the headquarters in batches. The small team led by the chief of staff left the headquarters before me. As for where they are now
,I am not sure as well."
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin saw his old superior coming and quickly came over to salute. After a brief greeting, he asked tentatively: "Do you think it is necessary to get you to Mamayev Heights safely?"
Please report the news to the front army headquarters. This way, even after the chief of staff and military commissar arrive at the new headquarters, they can know your whereabouts in a timely manner."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, you are right." Chuikov immediately called the female telegraph operator waiting outside and told her: "Yelena, immediately send a report to the front army headquarters saying that I have gone smoothly.
We have arrived at Mamayev Hill. If Krylov or Gurov ask, please let them know."
While Elena was sending the report, Sidorin carefully asked Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, is your journey going well?"
"We had a firefight with the enemy on the way and lost seven comrades." Chuikov said with a solemn expression: "If we hadn't happened to encounter Vasily who was lurking, we would probably still be wandering around in that area."
"Comrade Brigadier, you heard it, right? It was Vasily who brought the commander and the others here." Upon hearing this, Belgin immediately suggested to Sokov: "We should give him credit!"
Regarding Belkin's proposal, Sokov nodded slightly and said: "Comrade political commissar, in addition to giving him credit, I think we can also grant him a military rank." He thought for a moment and added, "Grant him the rank of sergeant.
You have no objection, right?"
"I agree!" After Belkin nodded in agreement, he turned to Sidorin and asked: "Chief of Staff, what do you think?"
"I agree with the brigade commander's proposal to grant the soldier Vasily the rank of sergeant." Seeing that Sokov and Belkin had reached an agreement on this matter, Sidorin naturally would not object, and also suggested: "I suggest
Let Vasily lead the sniper team."
"Comrades," Chuikov asked after waiting for the room to regain calm, "How is the situation here with you?"
"Comrade Commander, please allow me to report to you." Sidorin reported to Chuikov respectfully in accordance with the regulations: "The enemy's attacks on us during the day were all repelled. According to our statistics,
The number of enemies killed was about nine hundred, and the number of wounded was not less than this number."
"It was a good fight." After hearing such results, Chuikov smiled and nodded, and then asked: "What are your casualties? If the enemy continues to attack tomorrow, can you defend it?"
Regarding Chuikov's question, Sidorin did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned to look at Sokov next to him, and then said cautiously: "Comrade Commander, the enemy used 305 mm heavy artillery to launch an attack on Mamayev Heights today."
The shelling destroyed the surface fortifications of Nangang and caused a lot of casualties to the commanders and soldiers who stayed in the fortifications. If they continue to bombard us with heavy artillery tomorrow, I don’t know if our fortifications can withstand their shelling."
"305 mm heavy artillery?!" Although the battle results reported by the infantry brigade mentioned that the German army used artillery of this caliber, the critical fighting situation in other areas at that time had already made Chuikov so anxious that he could not pay attention to the enemy's attack.
What caliber of artillery was used at Mamayev Ridge? After hesitating for a moment, he asked: "The artillery of this caliber should be a rail gun. I think the enemy will not have many artillery shells. I want to use this artillery again tomorrow."
It is unlikely that you will carry out shelling."
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin waited for Chuikov to finish, grinned, and then said: "If the enemy does not use this artillery tomorrow, I think there should be no problem for us to hold our position. In the daytime battle
During the battle, the enemy suffered nearly 2,000 casualties, while our casualties were only more than 700. Even if we fight hard, we can win the final victory."
"There are still too few troops in the city," Chuikov sighed and said, "Especially after today's battle, except for your brigade, all the structures have been disrupted, and we are unable to implement effective command at all.
.It seems that I need to ask my superiors to send reinforcements."
