When Sokov was urgently recalled Nizhny Novgorod, he realized that something must have happened to his troops, but he did not expect that the problem would be beyond his imagination: a strengthening battalion of more than 800 people, after a battle, there were only more than 200 people left. He was very worried that with such strength, what else could his troops do in the next series of battles.
Belkin saw Sokov's concern and specifically explained to him: "Comrade Battalion Commander, the two infantry divisions participating in the offensive battle, have been destroyed after a long battle. The troops of each division are only 2,000, and half of them are non-combatants. Therefore, in this battle, it is better to say that our battalion is not a cooperation with the two infantry divisions, but it is better to say that they are more appropriate in cooperation with our battalion."
Belkin's explanation made Sokov understand in his heart that when the troops were surrounded by the German army, the reason why his superiors asked their troops to break through the enemy's encirclement was because the two divisions had lost too many personnel and had basically lost their assault capabilities.
Belkin also told Sokov that, long before the attack began, the Istrian Battalion no longer came to the command of the 11th Guard Infantry Division, but became a direct unit of the Army Command. This order was issued by Rokosovsky, who was still recovering from the Moscow Military Hospital.
When Sokov learned that the troops had become the direct troops of the group army, he felt much more at ease. In this way, Temuxingo could not casually incorporate his troops into the Southwest Front Army before obtaining Rokosovsky's permission, and he avoided the fate of becoming cannon fodder.
Nowadays, all the telephone lines of the battalion command are directly connected to the Army Command. Therefore, if Sokov has any questions, he does not have to send a telegram or yell at the top of his lungs. After the conversation with Belkin, he immediately picked up the microphone and called Malining.
After hearing Sokov's voice coming from the receiver, Malinin immediately asked with a smile: "Major Sokov, have you returned to the army?"
Although Sokov knew in his heart that Malining had already learned about his itinerary through the second lieutenant who sent him. But when he heard Malining ask, he still answered truthfully: "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, I have returned to my command post."
"Is there anything I need to help?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, I have an important thing, I want to ask for your help." Sokov stared at the thick round of reward application forms in front of him and said to the microphone: "I have a batch of reward application forms here to commend those soldiers who performed outstandingly in the battles a few days ago."
Malining thought that after Sokov returned to Istria, he would complain to himself when he saw his troops suffer heavy losses. However, he told him in a plain tone that the reward application form was mentioned to him, so he asked in confusion: "Major Sokov, you should contact the Political Department of the Group Army for the commendation application form, and they have always been responsible for this kind of matter."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, my deputy battalion commander reported to me that this batch of reward application forms had been handed over to the Political Department of the Group Army." Sokov said with a wry smile: "But unfortunately, these application forms were all returned by people from the Political Department."
"What, was it returned?" Malining asked in surprise when he heard this, "Do you know why?"
Although Sokov knew that once he told the truth, he might offend the people in the Political Department of the Group Army, he did not want his soldiers who had been through life and death to get the recognition they deserved after paying the price of blood and life. He said with a serious expression: "According to the comrades in the Political Department, this is a failed battle and has not completed the tasks assigned by his superiors. Therefore, the soldiers who have made merits and sacrifices in the battle will not be commended."
"Bastard, who said this?" Malining heard this and slapped the table in anger and said angrily: "If it weren't for the bravery and tenacity shown by the commanders and fighters of the Istrian battalion, our two divisions surrounded by the German army would probably have been abolished. We cannot turn a blind eye to the performance of the soldiers just because we lost a battle."
When Sokov heard Malining say this, he felt much more at ease. He thought that his analysis seemed to be correct. Malining would definitely seek justice for his subordinates. Sure enough, after a moment, Sokov heard Malining continue: "...You immediately send someone to send the commendation application form to the Army Command. I personally talked with military commissioner Comrade Lobachev that no one of the commendations and awards belonging to the soldiers is indispensable."
After finishing the call with Malining, Sokov considered this matter very much. If the correspondent soldier was sent to send these award application forms, there might be some unexpected changes. He had just returned to the camp and needed to be familiar with the situation in the camp and would definitely not leave in the short term. Therefore, the most suitable candidate is Berkin, the deputy political battalion commander.
After considering the good candidates, Sokov said to Belkin: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, I will hand over the reward application form to you. Now you will immediately bring two soldiers to the Group Army Command as soon as possible and hand over these reward application forms to Chief of Staff Malining. When you receive the award order and medal from your superiors, you will bring it back."
After Belkin left, Sokov felt that he should go to the health team to check out. In addition to forty or fifty wounded people who were recovering from injuries, there was also Asia who had not seen in nearly a month.
As soon as Sokov walked into the tent where the wounded were recovering, he was discovered by the military doctor Pavlov who was caring for the wounded. He quickly stood up and raised his hand to salute Sokov. After Sokov returned the salute, he asked Pavlov in a low voice: "Military doctor, how many wounded are there in this tent?"
Pavlov turned his head and looked at the wounded who were sleeping on stretchers and answered in a low voice: "Comrade Battalion Commander, there are twelve wounded people in this tent, half of whom can recover after one month of rest. There are two other seriously injured, even if they are injured, they will probably not be able to stay in the army."
"Since there are serious injuries in the health team, why not send them to the rear?" Sokov couldn't help frowning among the injured in the health team. He looked at Pavlov and asked seriously: "Don't you know that the medical conditions on the front line are too poor, which is not conducive to the recovery of these seriously injured?"
"Comrade Battalion Commander, I have no choice," Pavlov said with a bitter face: "There are too many wounded people and not so many ambulances to pick them up, so they are temporarily left here. But please rest assured that they will be taken to the rear hospital in one week at the latest."
It was heard that it would take another week for the seriously injured people who stayed in the health team to be sent back. Sokov frowned even more: "Comrade Military Doctor, the environment here is so poor. There will be no problem with the seriously injured people staying for another week, right?"
"Comrade Battalion Commander, don't worry." Seeing Sokov's worried expression, Pavlov quickly comforted him and said, "Although our medical conditions are not as good as those of the rear hospital, the various drugs in the health team are still relatively complete, which can meet the medication needs of the wounded."
Pavlov's words made Sokov think that he had seized so many medicines, and some varieties were probably even complete than those in the rear hospital. As long as the medicines were guaranteed for the wounded, their chances of recovery were not inferior to those in the rear hospital. Thinking of this, he continued to ask: "Military doctors, how many tents are there in the wounded?"
"There are five tents with wounded people living in the wounded." Pavlov probably guessed that Sokov asked this, because the drunkard was not drinking. After introducing the wounded, he leaned into Sokov's ear and whispered: "Comrade Battalion Commander, Asia and Maria are in the tent on the northmost point. If you have anything, you can go there to find them."
Seeing that Pavlov guessed his thoughts, Sokov couldn't help but blush. However, he still said in an official voice: "Military doctor, I just returned to the camp today. I heard that there were many wounded people here, and I was preparing to come and visit them."
There were many wounded people who were not sleeping in the tents that Sokov went in from outside. When he saw Sokov walking in from outside, the wounded were overjoyed. The injured immediately stood up and wanted Sokov to salute; those who could not move, sat on a stretcher to salute. Sokov looked at these injured subordinates and his nose was sore, but he tried his best to control his emotions, stepped forward and shook hands with the wounded one by one, and had a few words to chat with the familiar wounded.
After Sokov visited the wounded, he stood in the open space in the tent for a while before turning around and walking towards the tent where Asia lived. When he arrived at the door of the tent, he was a little hesitant. Although he missed each other very much, he was a little timid at this moment and didn't know what to say when meeting.
Asia in the tent had actually seen Sokov who had visited the wounded for a long time, but she couldn't do it when she let her express her affection with Sokov in front of the wounded, so she hid in her tent and quietly waited for Sokov's arrival.
She heard the rapid footsteps outside from afar and near, and she heard Sokov's footsteps, and her heartbeat suddenly accelerated. But the footsteps disappeared when they reached the door of the tent. Asia turned her ear and listened to the movement outside, and found that there was no sound at all. She thought to herself that Sokov would not leave, right?
Asia thought Sokov had left, so she rushed to the door of the tent, opened the curtain, and prepared to go outside to see what was going on. But as soon as the curtain was opened, she unexpectedly found that Sokov did not leave, but stood at the door of the tent in a daze.
Sokov, who was in a daze, saw that the curtain was suddenly lifted open. He was stunned at first, and then he saw Asia who had been thinking about it day and night, and couldn't help but smile with a knowing smile on his face. After he and Asia were looking at each other for a while, he finally said, "Asia, it's been a long time since we saw each other, are you okay?"
Asia, who was holding the curtain in her hand, heard Sokov's question, suddenly turned red with shame and replied in a panic: "I, I'm fine! When did you come back?"
"I'm back today." Sokov didn't know that Asia had known that she had been back, and explained seriously: "I originally wanted to see you immediately, but I went to the battalion command post first, summoned the company platoon leader below to hold a meeting, and then visited the wounded, so I came late."
"It's cold outside, be careful of a cold." Asia leaned to the side and said softly to Sokov with concern: "You'd better come in first."
Sokov walked into the tent and saw two floors on the ground, which should be where Asia and Maria sleep. Asia placed a tree stump more than a half foot long next to the floor, in front of Sokov, and said to him: "Misha, sit down!"
After Sokov sat down, Asia asked curiously: "Misha, you have been to Moscow for almost a month this time. What are you busy with?"
Hearing Asia's question, Sokov hesitated for a moment. He thought that whether he was doing in Moscow or Nizhny Novgorod, what he did should be confidential at present, and he could not disclose it to anyone casually, including the close female health worker standing in front of him. He could only answer vaguely: "I accepted a secret mission, so I stayed for a long time. If it weren't for the Chief of Staff of the Army who sent me to pick me up, I would probably stay in Moscow for a while."
"It's good to come back." Asia brought another small stump, sat down beside Sokov, grabbed his arm, rested his head on his arm, and pouted, "I thought you would never come back again as soon as you left."
"Don't worry, Asia." Sokov felt Asia's longing for him, so he raised his hand and patted her on the shoulder, comforting her and said, "Even if I want to leave Istria camp completely, I will take you away!"
When Asia heard Sokov say this, she suddenly sat upright, looked up at Sokov, and asked excitedly: "Misha, are you saying true?"
"Yes, yes." Sokov nodded vigorously and replied affirmatively: "I think there should be no problem with bringing a few people with me when I go to the new army."
"That's great, that's great." Asia once again pressed her face against Sokov's arm and said excitedly: "Thus, we can stay away from separation."
Although Sokov's heart was bleak when he thought about the Kharkov battle that would begin soon and the Stalingrad defense battle known as the meat grinder, he felt that if he wanted to save Asia's life, he would be the most secure only by keeping her by his side. Thinking of this, he said to Asia: "Asia, I promise you that as long as you are by my side, I will protect your life safety."
Chapter completed!