Sokov was originally going to criticize Sidolin for a few words, but when he saw Vitkov taking the initiative to take responsibility, it was hard to say anything. In any case, the other party was the deputy chief of staff of the group army, and now the acting deputy brigade commander of the infantry brigade. During the period when he was not in Mamayev, it was understandable that he adjusted his deployment according to the specific situation.
He waved his hand at Vetkov and said weakly: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, I am not in Mamayev's post for a while. You are responsible for the defense here. How to adjust and deploy is your responsibility. Let's stop this matter."
"What about the ammunition?" Sokov asked.
"Comrade Brigade Commander," said Cidolin with a bitter face: "You know that our brigade is equipped with almost all German equipment. Whether it is the MG34 general-purpose machine gun or the submachine gun, they are all big players who eat bullets. Even if a small-scale battle is over, it is common to consume tens of thousands of bullets."
Hearing this, Sokov couldn't help but widen his eyes and asked in surprise: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't want to tell me that our ammunition is almost exhausted, right?"
"So that's what I said." The person who received the conversation this time was Witkov. "As long as the Germans launched another attack after dawn, our people would have to fight with them for bayonets." But he quickly added: "Fortunately, our frontal enemy has been transferred, which has bought us more time."
"Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, you are too optimistic." Sokov saw the transportation on the Volga River with his own eyes this time. He did not think that the rear would bring the ammunition of the German weapons needed to him. "Under the current circumstances, the ammunition we use, except for seizing from the Germans, do not even think of the replenishment of even a single bullet from the rear."
"So," Weitkov immediately turned into a bitter face after hearing what Sokov said: "We are really likely to compete with the Germans for bayonets."
"If we cannot get the supplement of German ammunition, we will fight bayonets with the enemy, which is our only choice." Sokov considered that most of the commanders and fighters in the army were equipped with submachine guns. If the bullets were all exhausted, he could not fight bayonets with the enemy, so he ordered Cydolin: "Chief of Staff, after the meeting is over, you will immediately take the battalion commanders to collect the Mosinnagan rifles in the warehouse and let them prepare to fight bayonets with the enemy."
When Sidolin heard Sokov's arrangement, he was still very heavy. From the establishment of the infantry brigade to the present, he has always been focusing on using powerful firepower to eliminate the enemy. Unexpectedly, he has now fallen into a field where he wants to fight bayonets with the enemy. But he knew in his heart that there was nothing he could do about it, so he nodded silently and said that he knew.
"Given the weak defense forces of Mamayevgang and the serious lack of ammunition," Sokov continued: "I plan to draw 800 people from the Marine Battle Battalion to supplement the 192nd Battalion in Beigang and the 2nd Battalion in Nangang respectively. The remaining troops and the first battalion are organized into brigade reserves and put them into battle at the most critical moment."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Sidolin heard Sokov not mentioning the Third Battalion and Fourth Battalion, and thought he had forgotten it, so he quickly reminded him: "We still have the Third Battalion and Fourth Battalion, so won't we replenish our troops?"
"The Third Battalion is now sufficiently powerful, and the war in the city is not very fierce, so we can not consider replenishing them for the time being." Sokov explained: "As for the Fourth Battalion stationed in the Red October Factory, in addition to the cooperation of the workers and the mixed regiments in the factory, there are ten other tanks as fixed turrets, and they are not needed to be supplemented."
Sokov finally emphasized: "Defending the Mamayev post is our top priority. As long as the Germans do not allow the Germans to occupy this place, they will not be able to control the ferry by the Volga River and will not be able to split our defense line..."
Before he finished speaking, he saw someone coming from outside. After seeing clearly that the 192nd Battalion commander Goriya, Sokov pointed to the empty seat next to him and said to him: "Comrade Captain, you sit first, and we will have a meeting after everyone comes."
Goria agreed, but did not sit down immediately, but reported to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I sent someone to observe the river surface at the top of the hills and found that there were troops crossing the river."
Sokov guessed that it must be Bere and the others had started crossing the river, and quickly asked: "How is the enemy's situation? Have their crossing operations been discovered?" He was worried that Bere and the crossing operations would also be discovered by German spies hiding near the river bank. If they were hit by another shell, they would not know how many people would be injured or killed.
Fortunately, Goria shook his head and replied, "The river bank is very quiet, and there is no movement. I went to the top of the hill to see it myself. I could see someone patrolling on the shore. If the German spies were not close to the river, they would not be able to guide the direction of the artillery for their artillery."
"That's good, that's great." Sokov thought that as long as Bere and the others cross the river, they should not be bombarded by the enemy, then more living forces can enter the city to strengthen the defense of Mamayev. "Because the only ships we can use to cross the river are limited, Colonel Bere and the others may need to travel back and forth twice before they can all cross the river."
"Do you need to send someone to pick them up?" After Sokov finished speaking, he asked tentatively: "It's dark outside, don't have misunderstandings with the defenders on the shore."
"Don't worry, Deputy Brigade Commander." Sokov waved his hand at Vetkov and said, "Before I came here, I left Lieutenant Samoilov and his guards on the shore. With them there, there is no need to worry about Colonel Bere and others who will not find the way or have misunderstandings with friendly forces after they get ashore."
Seeing that Sokov had arranged everything, Vitkov did not say anything. Instead, he kept silent. "Comrade Brigade Commander, Dmitry, the director of the brigade political department, told me something yesterday. I think it is necessary to talk to you."
As soon as Belkin said, he immediately attracted everyone's attention. Seeing everyone's curious eyes at Sokov, Belkin coughed heavily and explained: "This matter has nothing to do with tonight's combat meeting, it is the private matter of the brigade commander."
"My private matter?" Belkin's words made Sokov confused. He looked at the other party and asked in confusion: "Comrade Political Commissar, what is the matter?"
"That's right. Didn't we arrange for Asia to go to the Red October factory some time ago?" Belkin quickly explained: "The purpose we sent her to the place was to ask her to take care of the wounded, and the other was to ask her to take care of your life. Who knew that after she went there, because the war there was fierce, there were constant streams of wounded soldiers sent to the basement every day, which made her so busy that she had no time to rest..."
"Comrade Political Commissar, stop talking." Sokov figured out that Belkin wanted to tell him about Asia, and quickly raised his hand to stop it: "Since Asia is a brigade's health worker, it is her duty to take care of the wounded. Comrade Political Commissar, you don't have to feel guilty about this."
"You misunderstood what I mean." Belkin waved his hand and continued, "What I want to say to you is not about taking care of the wounded, but about her mental state recently."
"Is the mental state bad?" Sokov couldn't help frowning when he heard this and asked strangely: "Why is this happening? Did something happen?"
Belkin looked at Sokov and nodded vigorously and said in a affirmative tone: "Yes, when she heard that the troops you led were cut off by the Germans in the Orlovka area, she immediately fainted. Although she was awakened later, her whole mental state was in a trance. After examination by the factory doctor in the factory, she said it was a mental illness and there was no effective drug treatment."
Speaking of this, Belkin suddenly raised his voice: "Now, comrade brigade commander, you have returned to Mamayev. I believe that as long as Asia sees you, her mental state will return to normal again."
When Belkin introduced the situation, Sokov kept scolding himself in his heart, just spending time on the war, and actually forgot Asia. In order to keep it a secret, he didn't even report on the breakout from Orlovka to the north, let alone others. So much so that he had returned to Mamayevgang, and the people in the brigade were not sure where they were.
"It's all my fault," Sokov said with some shame: "I will arrange a man immediately to bring Asia back."
"When Lieutenant Maxim called, I had asked him to inform Brisky that when he came to Mamayev for a meeting, remember to bring Asia with him." Belkin said to Sokov earnestly: "When Asia comes back, don't let her leave again. With you by her side, her mental state will soon return to normal."
"Comrade Political Commissar, you are right." Sokov had ten thousand approvals in his heart for Belkin's proposal. He made a secret decision in his heart that no matter what happens in the future, he would let Asia stay in Mamayevgang and not let her run around anymore. "I will let Asia stay in Mamayevgang's health team in Mamayevgang in the future, and she will not let her go anywhere."
"That's right." Berkin nodded with satisfaction in Sokov's statement. Just as he was about to say something, the phone ringing on the table rang without warning.
Sidolin picked up the microphone and listened for a moment, then handed it to Sokov directly, saying, "Comrade Brigade Commander, it's Commander Cuikov's phone number."
"Hello, Comrade Commander!" Sokov took the microphone, put it in his ear, and asked respectfully: "Do you have any instructions?"
"Sokov, I heard you have returned to Mamayev's hill, so I'll call to confirm." Cuikov said in the microphone: "When will you have time? Come to my headquarters immediately!"
"I'm sorry, comrade Commander. I can't go to your place yet." If Berkin had not mentioned Asia's matter, maybe Sokov would agree to Cuikov and immediately rushed to the headquarters to see him. As for the combat meeting, it would not be too late to wait until he came back from the headquarters. But now he was eager to see Asia, so he said tactfully: "I just returned to Mamayev's hill and wanted to convene a meeting of battalion commanders and re-arrange the defense here. After all this, I will go to your place again, okay?"
"Okay." Hearing that Sokov seemed to have a lot of things to be dealt with, Cui Kov couldn't force him, so he could only sigh and said helplessly: "Then after you have finished dealing with your affairs, you will immediately rush to the headquarters."
"I understand, Comrade Commander."
Just as Sokov was about to put down the microphone, he suddenly heard Cuikov say again: "By the way, Comrade Sokov, I almost forgot something. Congratulations on winning the Red Flag Medal and a higher military rank."
"Thank you, thank you!"
When Sokov put down the phone, he found that everyone in the room looked at him with strange eyes, and asked in confusion: "What are you watching me do?"
"Comrade Brigade Commander, you are hiding so deeply." Witkov, who was sitting beside him, first reached out to him and said with a smile: "If the commander had not called you, we would not have known that you had received the Red Flag Medal and promoted to the military rank. Please accept my sincere congratulations to you."
Sokov heard what Vitkov said, and then he remembered that the phone was missing. Every time he spoke, almost everyone sitting next to him could clearly understand the content of the call. While shook hands with Vitkov, he said embarrassedly: "Isn't this time to tell you? I didn't expect that Comrade Commander's phone call came first..."
After Sokov shook hands with all those who congratulated him, Vetkov asked again: "Comrade Brigade Commander, since the commander asked you to go to the headquarters, when are you going to go there?"
Sokov naturally would not tell the other party that he planned to go to the Army Command after meeting Asia, but instead put on a serious look and said: "I just returned to Mamayev's shore. I always have to meet my subordinates, learn about the situation of each battalion, and redeploy the defense. After all this, it will not be too late for me to go to the headquarters."
Vitkov read countless people, and there was no way he could tell Sokov's words were insincere, but he did not expose him. Instead, he said in extraordinary cooperation: "That's right, comrade comrade, you have been away from Mamayev's Gate for a long time. The situation here has changed a lot. Many of the original deployments do need to be adjusted."
Another half an hour later, someone came in to report to Sokov and said, "Comrade Brigade Commander, Colonel Bo Lei is here!"
When Sokov heard that Beret was coming, he felt inexplicably relaxed. Since the other party could appear, it proved that he had not encountered any danger when crossing the river. Sokov stood up and was about to walk out, Beret had already stepped into the door.
"Col. Bilei, you are here!" Sokov walked towards Bilei with a smile, and asked, "When you cross the river, you didn't encounter enemy shelling, right?"
"No." Bilei shook his head and said, "With your deployment on the shore, the enemy's spies can't send any signal so that we can cross the river smoothly." Speaking of this, Bilei suddenly lowered his voice and said to Sokov, "Misha, I have a surprise for you."
"Surprise?!" Sokov asked in confusion: "Col. Bore, what surprise are you talking about?!"
Chapter completed!