When Sokov walked out of the command center with his brisk steps, Samoilov and Guchakov, who had been impatient outside, met him and asked curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what important things do the commander and military commissioner look for you?"
Sokov saw people coming and going in the corridor and felt that it was not the place to speak, so he said to the two: "It is not convenient to speak here, so let's leave first and walk on the road while talking."
The three of them left the building where the headquarters was located and walked not far along the street towards the outside of the city. Suddenly, a familiar voice shouting: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, do you still remember me?"
Sokov turned his head and looked in the direction where the sound came. He saw two trucks parked on the side of the road, and an officer and several soldiers were standing next to one of them. "Comrade Commander," Samoilov leaned into Sokov's ear and said, "It's Sayes, the driver who just sent us here."
"Aha, Sayers, my friend." Sokov raised his hand and swung at Sayers twice, and asked curiously: "What are you doing here?"
"Ltd Colonel Comrade," Sayes saw Sokov recognize him and hurried over, saying excitedly: "I'll wait for you here."
"Wait for us?" Sokov asked in surprise: "What are you waiting for us here?"
Before Sayers answered, the officer standing by the car had already walked to Sokov, raised his hand to salute him, and reported in a regular manner: "Hello, comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I am Lieutenant Baduhov, the captain of the 753rd Transportation Team."
After Sokov raised his hand and returned the salute, he reached out to the other party, shook his hand, and asked curiously: "Comrade Lieutenant, what are you and your subordinates doing here?" At this point, he glanced at Sayes quickly and asked in a teasing tone, "Can't you wait for us here too?"
Sokov's words aroused the laughter of Samoilov and Guchakov, but after the laughter stopped, Lieutenant Baduhov said seriously: "You guessed it right, comrade Lieutenant Colonel. My subordinates and I are indeed waiting for you here."
"Wait for me?" Seeing that the lieutenant and Sayers said the same thing, Sokov couldn't help but ask curiously: "What should I do?"
"That's right, comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Baduhoff said respectfully: "Our transport team was originally the Southeast Front. After the number of troops defending Stalingrad was changed, we were incorporated into the Don Front, but we have been carrying out transportation tasks in the defense zone of the Stalingrad Front. During the transportation process in the past few months, due to the continuous bombardment of artillery and enemy planes, the transport team, which originally had sixty trucks, is now only these two left."
Sokov only knew that in the Battle of Stalingrad, the front-line combat troops suffered heavy losses, but he did not expect that the convoy responsible for transportation in the rear also suffered the same fate. He did not know how to persuade the other party, so he could only say dryly: "Lieutenant Baduhov, thank you for your hard work!"
"As long as we can defeat the enemy, we will have no complaints no matter how hard or tired we are." Baduhov said with some embarrassment: "I am waiting for you here today, because I have something to ask you."
"Please ask me if you have something to do?" Sokov thought to himself that I have no affiliation with him. What do you ask me to do? Although he thought so, he still said politely: "Comrade Lieutenant, if you have anything, just speak up. As long as I can do it, I will definitely help you."
"Because our transport team suffered serious losses, the logistics forces here no longer arranged any transportation tasks for us since mid-September. We will be temporarily transferred to help only when the transportation forces are really tight." Baduhov said to Sokov sincerely: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, my subordinates and I are Stalingrads. We cannot stand the situation where others are working hard to defeat the enemy, but we can only do nothing. Therefore, on behalf of the remaining subordinates, I ask you to accept us and take us to attack the enemy."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Samoilov saw the other party taking the initiative to join his troops, and hurriedly approached Sokov's ear and whispered: "Although they only have two trucks, they can help us transport weapons and ammunition in our next march. You can accept them."
Samoilov's proposal was in line with Sokov's wishes. They carried a lot of seized weapons, ammunition and supplies. If vehicles could be transported, it would reduce the burden on the soldiers when they marched. Thinking of this, Sokov nodded at Baduhoff, then reached out to him and said friendly: "Lieutenant Baduhoff, welcome you to join our troops."
"Great, this is great." Baduhov grabbed Sokov's hand and shook it hard for a few times, turned around and shouted happily at the several subordinates who were surrounding him: "Comrades, you all heard it. From now on, we have organized again."
"Hello, comrades! Let me introduce myself. I am Colonel Sokov, the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade." Sokov let go of Baduhoff's hand and said to the surrounding car soldiers: "On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the Infantry Brigade, you are welcome to join."
Seeing Sokov surrounded by car soldiers, Samoilov couldn't help but mutter in a low voice: "Are you a comrade commander wrong? He is obviously a lieutenant colonel, why did you tell others that he is a colonel?"
Guchakov, who never spoke, had to consider the problem much more comprehensively than Samoilov. He sneered, and then said to Samoilov in a low voice: "Comrade Lieutenant, don't you understand that our brigade commander must have just been promoted to colonel. You didn't see him walking out of the headquarters with a smile on his eyebrows."
After Guchakov reminded him, Samoilov felt that it seemed very reasonable. Sokov would never lie about such things. Otherwise, after these car soldiers arrived at Mamayev, they found out that Sokov was not a colonel, but a lieutenant colonel, which had an impact on his reputation.
After getting two trucks, it was much more convenient for Sokov and his team to return to Red October Town. In less than ten minutes, the truck stopped at the position where the troops gathered. After Sokov got off the bus, he shouted at Bere, who was standing not far away: "Col. Biele, let the soldiers put all their excess weapons and ammunition on the truck."
When Bereh heard Sokov's order, he hurried over and asked with some concern: "Comrade Brigade Commander, is it appropriate to put all the excess ammunition on the truck? If they received any transportation task halfway, we have to unload the ammunition again."
"Don't worry, Colonel Bilei, what you are worried about will not happen." Sokov said to Bilei with a smile: "These two trucks belong to our infantry brigade."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, what's going on?" Beret's face showed a puzzled expression when he heard Sokov say this: "Why do you say that these two trucks belong to us?"
Sokov proudly told the origin of the truck to Bere, and then lowered his voice and said, "Col. Bere, I have one more thing to tell you. In order to commend my military achievements, my superiors not only awarded me a Red Flag Medal, but also promoted me to the rank of military. Now, like you, I am a colonel."
"Is this true?" Believes was sincerely happy for Sokov's rank and his medal, and quickly reached out to him and said with a smile: "Comrade Brigade Commander, please accept my congratulations, congratulations on your higher military rank and a precious Red Flag Medal."
"Col. Bere," Sokov couldn't help feeling a little guilty when he thought of Bere, who had made many achievements in the battle during this period of time, and did not receive any reward. He said apologetically: "I feel that this medal and military rank are worthy of it. The reason why we can achieve such great results is entirely due to the vast number of commanders and fighters..."
Before Sokov finished speaking, Bere interrupted his later words, "Comrade Brigade Commander, you can't say anything. If it weren't for your command, it would be basically impossible for us to achieve such great results. I have carefully recalled every battle you commanded, and felt that even if you commanded by yourself, you would never be able to do better than you. Therefore, the medals and military ranks you deserved by your superiors."
While the two were talking, Shamrich ran over and asked Sokov for advice: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I want to ask, when will our troops set off?"
Sokov pointed his hand at the truck not far away and replied, "When the soldiers put all the excess ammunition on the truck, we can set off. We will try to reach the next ferry before dark so that we can cross the Volga River in the dark and enter Mamayev hill."
Shamrik looked at the location of the truck and saw that there were already a lot of weapons and ammunition on it. He knew that he would not be able to set off after waiting. He quickly greeted Sokov and ran back to gather the team to prepare for departure.
After the excess weapons, ammunition and supplies were piled up on the truck, the troops were assembled. Sokov immediately waved his hand and said loudly: "Go away!"
While the troops lined up in four columns and walked along the streets in neat steps, Sokov was also preparing to marches with them. But the transport captain Baduhoff pulled him and begged: "There are still more than ten kilometers from here to the next crossing of the river. You should take our car."
Chapter completed!