Just as Kurtzbach was taking Wittmann back to the army headquarters, Yakubov had already led the commanders and fighters of the fourth battalion of the reserve regiment into the barricade factory.
Under the guidance of the defenders of the barricade factory, Yakubov came to Belgin's headquarters. When he walked into the room with no roof and only four walls, he saw a political worker sitting at a broken wooden table.
He was looking at the map on the table. After he saw the other party's political and military rank clearly, he coughed lightly and asked politely: "Comrade, deputy battalion-level political commissar, I am Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov, the new deputy commander of the drawdown regiment. May I ask?
Where is your group leader?"
Hearing Yakubov's voice, the political worker stood up and came over to greet him. Even though he was far away, he took the initiative to extend his right hand: "Welcome, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov. I am the regiment leader Belkin.
"
"What, you are the leader?" When Yakubov heard what Belkin said, he showed a surprised expression on his face. He glanced at Belkin's collar badge again. It was indeed the rank of a political worker. He couldn't help but be surprised.
Question: "But you are a political worker?"
"Yes, before I served as the commander of the drawdown regiment, I was the brigade political commissar of the 73rd Infantry Brigade." Belkin shook hands with Yakubov and explained to him: "After the merger with the 41st Guards Division,
Since we couldn't find a suitable candidate to serve as the commander of the downsized regiment, the division commander, considering that I had served as a military officer before, gave this important task to us."
After figuring out why the leader of the downsizing regiment was a political worker, Yakubov continued: "Comrade commander, the division commander ordered me to come as your deputy commander, and at the same time brought a battalion to strengthen the barricade factory.
defense."
"A battalion?!" Belkin heard that a battalion was coming and asked instinctively: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, how many people are there?"
"There are eight hundred people in the camp." Yakubov replied with some pride: "Including the troops directly under my original regiment, the total strength exceeds a thousand people."
"Great, this is really great." Belkin was worrying about the lack of troops in his hands. When he learned that Yakubov had brought a reinforcement of thousands of people, he couldn't help but be overjoyed, and then asked: "
Are they all veterans with combat experience?”
Belgin's question made Yakubov blush with embarrassment. He hesitated for a moment and replied: "I'm sorry, comrade commander, the troops I brought are all new recruits who have just joined the army, and they are still the first batch of soldiers."
Once on the battlefield." After saying this, he looked at Belkin guiltily to see what the other party's reaction would be.
"Are they all new soldiers going to the battlefield for the first time?" Belgin felt a little regretful when he heard Yakubov's reply. But now that there are not enough troops to defend the barricade factory, a force of thousands of new soldiers is better than nothing.
. He called Yakubov to the table, pointed to the map and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, let me introduce the situation to you."
Yakubov looked down at the map on the table, his eyes almost falling out of his head. He asked in surprise: "Comrade leader, what is going on? The Germans actually occupied most of the factory. Our troops
What happened? Why not stop the counterattack and take back these lost positions from the enemy's hands?"
Faced with Yakubov's question, Belkin was silent for a moment and then replied: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, it's not that we don't want to take back these positions from the enemy, but because our troops are limited and are very difficult to use for defense.
It was difficult, let alone organizing a counterattack. When our regiment entered the barricade factory, only Colonel Lyudnikov's 138th Infantry Division remained among the few divisions that originally defended the factory, and the total strength was only a little over a thousand."
After listening to Belgin's introduction, Yakubov realized that the situation at the barricade factory was more serious than he had imagined. He raised his head and looked at Belgin, and said solemnly: "Comrade leader, please give us an order.
Bar."
"Your task is to resolutely defend the factory and the Germans must not occupy it. Do you understand?" After hearing Yakubov's resounding answer, Belgin continued: "I will now introduce to you the battalions.
The distribution situation. The first company and the first battalion's headquarters are on the left wing of my headquarters; the second company and my regiment headquarters are in the middle of our regiment's defensive area; and the first and third companies of the first battalion are on the right side to cover our right wing.
As for the Second Battalion, they are currently deployed at the rear of the entire defense line, responsible for assisting the artillery and assisting the infantry in defense with artillery fire..."
After Belkin introduced the troops in the barricade factory, Yakubov suddenly discovered a problem and asked quickly: "Comrade commander, does your regiment only have two battalions?"
"Of course not." Belgin shook his head and said: "There is also a third battalion and a marine battalion. The former is defending in the downtown area in the south of the city; while the latter is defending in the Workers' New Village of the Red October Factory."
"The defensive area of your regiment is really wide enough." Yakubov said with emotion: "In this way, the strength of your regiment will be greatly dispersed."
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I need to remind you." Belkin said to Yakubov with a smile: "Please don't always use the term 'your regiment'. Now you are the deputy commander of the downsized regiment.
, so it should be called 'our group'. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Comrade Commander." Yakubov agreed sheepishly, then asked, "How do you plan to allocate the troops?"
"The Second Battalion is behind the entire defense line. As long as the defense line is not breached by the enemy, they have no chance to fight with the enemy. I think the troops will be assigned to the First Battalion. As for the regiment troops you brought, they will stay here and take charge of the regiment.
Department’s security work.”
As soon as the assignment of troops was completed, Captain Vasily, the commander of the first battalion, called and reported to Belkin: "Comrade Commander, the Germans have launched an attack on us again."
"Great." Belkin, who had just replenished his troops, was now in high spirits. He said loudly into the microphone: "Comrade Captain, since the enemy is rushing to die, then you should teach them a lesson. Yes.
Yes, did the enemy send tanks or assault guns this time?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Vasily was on the phone while looking out from the gap in the wall of the headquarters and reported: "I saw three assault guns and two Panzer III tanks heading towards the first company.
Come from the defense zone."
"It seems that the Germans have not absorbed the lesson just now, then you immediately send out the anti-tank platoon, let the anti-tank fighters hide in the craters, wait for the enemy tanks and assault guns to get close, and kill them all." Belkin said with a sneer.
: "I want to see how many tanks and assault guns the Germans plan to use as targets for my rocket launchers."
Even though Yakubov had just come from the division headquarters, he didn't understand many things. After Belkin put down the phone, he couldn't help but curiously asked: "Comrade commander, what is a rocket launcher?"
"It is a new type of individual anti-tank weapon." Before Belkin could speak, a voice came from the door: "Anti-tank fighters can carry this lightweight anti-tank weapon and hide where the enemy must pass.
Here, take out the enemy tanks."
Belkin did not look towards the door. He had already heard that the person speaking was Captain Vanya, the regiment's chief of staff, so he introduced to Yakubov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, let me introduce to you. This is the regiment's chief of staff, Captain Vanya."
Captain Niya. Comrade Captain, this is Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov, the newly appointed deputy commander. You two should get to know each other well."
After Vanya and Yakubov got to know each other, Belkin looked at Vanya and asked: "How is the situation in the second battalion?"
"Comrade commander, I was about to report this to you." Vanya, who had just returned from the second battalion, said to Belkin: "The soldiers made a request to me. They should also go to the front line and fight with the enemy like the first battalion.
fighting."
"Nonsense, this is simply nonsense." When Belkin heard what Vanya said, he immediately straightened his face and said: "The division commander arranged for the second battalion to assist the friendly artillery because he considered that using artillery fire could reduce the defense of our army's frontal positions.
Pressure. If they are deployed to the front, the strength of the artillery will be weakened. You immediately tell Captain Briskey that no one in the second battalion is allowed to leave the current area without receiving orders from their superiors, otherwise
I'll just ask him."
While Vanya was on the phone to the Second Battalion, Yakubov asked curiously: "Comrade regiment leader, may I ask where the political commissar of our regiment went?"
"Comrade Dmitry, the political commissar of the regiment, was injured in the battle the day before yesterday and has been sent back to Mamayev Heights." Belkin replied with a wry smile: "Before he recovers from his injury and returns to the regiment, I'm afraid you are
Can’t see it anymore.”
When he learned that the regiment's political commissar was injured, Yakubov said regretfully: "What, the regiment's political commissar was injured? That's such a pity."
While the two were talking, another phone on the table rang. Belkin only glanced at it and said to Yakubov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, it should be the division commander who called me. He must be calling me."
I want to know if you have reached the designated location."
Belkin picked up the phone and listened. Sure enough, it was Sokov. He smiled and said: "Misha, I know what you want to ask. Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov and his troops have arrived safely.
After arriving at the barricade factory, soldiers have been added to the companies of the first battalion and are preparing to join the battle."
"Join the battle?!" Sokov heard this and asked casually: "The enemy is attacking you again. What is its scale?"
"According to Captain Vasily's report, the enemy dispatched two Panzer III tanks, three assault guns, and part of the infantry." With the experience of repelling the German attack, Belkin said with confidence: "With what we have now
The power is enough to crush any German attack."
"My comrade political commissar," Sokov heard Belkin speak so confidently and knew that he was pinning his hopes on those rocket launchers, so he reminded him tactfully: "Bazookas are certainly the nemesis of enemy tanks and assault guns.
, but we cannot take it lightly. The Germans are very cunning, and they may soon find a way to deal with your rocket launchers. Don't underestimate the enemy."
"Don't worry, Misha, I won't underestimate the enemy." After Belkin finished his promise to Sokov, he suddenly remembered the regimental political commissar Dmitry he just mentioned to Yakubov, and quickly asked: "Yes?"
How is Comrade Dmitry, the political commissar of my regiment, doing? When will he be discharged from the hospital?"
"Comrade Dmitry's injury is not serious. After the doctor's treatment, he can get out of bed and walk around." In order to reassure Belgin, Sokov also emphasized: "When I went to see Grisa today,
I took a look at Dmitri by the way. He is in good spirits and will be able to return to your regiment in four or five days at most, which will not delay the counterattack."
Sokov chatted with Belkin for a few more words, then put down the phone and said to Sidorin with a smile: "Chief of Staff, our political commissar is a little out of breath. Dmitry has just arrived in the health team.
Within two days, he was asking when his political commissar could be hospitalized. He was too anxious."
"I think the mood of Captain Belkin is understandable." Sidorin waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and then continued his topic: "After all, we have been holding on in the city for several months, and it was not easy.
We are looking forward to the big counterattack, and no one wants to miss such a historical moment."
Before Sidorin finished speaking, the phone on the table rang suddenly. Sidorin stared at it, nodded, and said teasingly to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, maybe it's Commander Belkin calling again."
He's really anxious about the phone call."
But when Sidorin put the phone to his ear and listened for a moment, a look of panic suddenly appeared on his face. He didn't even have time to cover the phone, and he couldn't wait to report to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, it's the health team calling.
The call came, something happened to Dmitri."
"What, something happened to Dmitri?!" Just a few minutes ago, he was talking to Belkin about the regiment's political commissar Dmitri, who was shrinking the regiment, saying that he could return to the regiment before the counterattack, but now he heard him
News of the accident. Sokov quickly took the microphone from Sidorin's hand and asked: "I am Sokov, what happened to Comrade Dmitry?"
"Comrade division commander," the caller replied in a panic: "Commissar Dmitry has been poisoned. It seems he won't be able to hold on for much longer."
Knowing that Dmitri could not hold on for long, Sokov threw the microphone on the table and ran out of the headquarters. Sidorin and Ivanov looked at each other and put the microphone on the phone base.
As soon as he was released, he also ran out. They were eager to find out what happened to Dmitri.
Panting, Sokov ran to the health team and asked Asiya, who was coming up to him: "Asiya, what happened to Commissar Dmitry?"
"He was poisoned." Asiya replied urgently: "He is almost dying, so I asked someone to call you to inform you."
"Where are they?" Sokov grabbed Asiya's arm and urged: "Take me there quickly."
Asiya brought Sokov, Sidorin, Ivanov and the others to the door of a small ward. Asiya opened the curtain and walked in, pointing to the wounded lying on the bed, and addressed Sokov who came in.
Say: "He is here."
With the help of the gas lamp, Sokov saw clearly that the person lying on the bed was indeed Dmitry, the political commissar of the downsizing regiment. He lay on the bed silently, without any reaction at all, and the skin all over his body became scorched and yellow.
It was as if he had been smoked by acid mist. Seeing this, Sokov couldn't help being shocked, and turned to ask Asiya: "Asiya, why is the skin all over his body so brown?"
