Under the leadership of Samoilov, Sokov only took a few minutes to come near the exit of the Papchinko regiment command post. He had almost encountered any curves on the way back. Sokov couldn't help but mutter: I had just turned around for a long time and hadn't found this place. I don't know if I had a strong sense of direction, lost my way, or had encountered a ghost hitting a wall, how could it be so evil?
After meeting the secret code with the soldiers guarding the exit, Sokov and others climbed out of the sewer and entered the Pupchiko's regiment command post. Pupchiko, who was commanding the battle, was shocked when he saw Sokov, who was covered in mud, appeared in front of him and asked quickly: "Comrade Commander, what's wrong with you?"
"The enemy touched the sewer and fought a battle with us." Sokov turned his head and looked at Samoilov who followed in: "Although most of the guards were injured and killed, the enemies entering the sewer were wiped out by us."
"Comrade Commander, you are not injured, are you?"
"No." Sokov waved his hand at Papchinko and asked, "How is the battle outside?"
"Comrade Commander, the battle is very difficult." Papuqinko reported to Sokov seriously: "The enemy may have suffered two losses in a row, and now they have become much more cautious. Instead of charging into the community easily, they stayed on the edge of the community and used assault guns to destroy the buildings that our army was defending one by one. The troops we held in these buildings suffered heavy casualties."
After listening to Pupichinko's story, Sokov understood that the enemy wanted to use powerful artillery fire and saw the entire community razing to the ground. If the soldiers were still allowed to stay in the building, it would inevitably cause huge losses. So he ordered Pupichinko: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, immediately order all troops to retreat to the east of the square through the sewer."
"Comrade Commander, you mean to withdraw all the troops to the east side of the square." Hearing the order issued by Sokov, Papuqinko thought the guns outside were too loud, so he could hear it wrong, so he asked, "I heard it wrong, right?"
"No, comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you heard nothing wrong at all." Sokov pointed his hand outside and continued, "Look, the enemy is destroying the buildings on the west with assault guns. I think it will take only two hours at most, and all the buildings on the west will become ruins. Keep leaving the soldiers in those buildings, which is equivalent to letting them die. Immediately, comrade Lieutenant Colonel, let the soldiers retreat through the sewer."
Seeing Sokov's attitude so firm, Papchinko had no choice but to do so. He turned around and said to the chief of staff of the regiment sitting beside him: "Immediately give orders to the battalions to withdraw all the troops deployed in the building on the west side of the square."
The Chief of Staff of the regiment had just heard the order issued by Sokov. At this moment, he heard Papchinko saying this, and did not dare to neglect it. He quickly picked up the phone and called the battalion commanders one by one, and arranged the order to retreat.
Two minutes later, the regiment chief of staff stood up straight and reported to Sokov directly: "Report to the division commander, the order to retreat has been issued to the battalions. I believe that it will not take long before all the troops on the west side of the square will be withdrawn."
When Sokov learned that the troops would be able to withdraw soon, he nodded slightly. He thought to himself that the next day would be the most difficult period for the Stalingrad defenders. If one more soldier is saved, one more strength will be preserved. When the counterattack begins, his troops will be able to establish greater merits.
Sokov suddenly remembered the tank squad commanded by Lieutenant Agafeng. He had come out of the sewer for so long and had not seen it yet, and he didn't know whether they were safe. So he asked Papchinko tentatively: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, do you know what the tank squad is going on?"
"Tank Team?!" Hearing Sokov's question suddenly, Papuqinko was stunned, but then he thought of who Sokov might be talking about, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, are you talking about the tank team commanded by Lieutenant Agafeng?"
"Yes, they are them." Sokov nodded and asked, "How are they now?"
"According to the report of the troops below, the tank team lost three tanks." Papchinko reported to Sokov: "Lieutenant Agafeng took the remaining tanks and moved to a location close to the factory." He didn't know why Sokov suddenly asked about the tank team and thought he was going to arrange what tasks, so he took the initiative to say, "Comrade Commander, if you have any tasks to hand over to them, I can send a telecommunications soldier to inform them."
"No, no." Sokov waved his hand at Papchinko and said, "There are ruins everywhere in the new village of workers today, and the range of movement of tanks is limited. It is better to let them stay near the factory area, where the terrain is conducive to the movement of tanks."
After another half an hour, the Chief of Staff of the regiment received a call from each battalion and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, all the troops deployed by each battalion in the buildings on the west side of the square have been withdrawn."
"Very good!" After listening to the report of the Chief of Staff of the regiment, Sokov nodded again and issued a new order to Papuqinko: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, since the troops have retreated to the east side of the square, then you leave behind a movement to defend the enemy, and the rest of the troops retreat to the direction of the factory through the sewer."
"What? The direction of the troops evacuated to the factory?" Hearing Sokov's order, Papuqinko widened his eyes in surprise: "Comrade Commander, we no longer stick to the workers' new village?"
"Since the Germans want workers' new villages, we will give them to them first." Sokov sneered: "Since they like to use artillery fire to demolish houses, let them slowly consume shells here. Their shells are not limitless. When the workers' new villages are demolished, the shells will probably be exhausted. When they want to attack the factory, they will lose their will because of insufficient ammunition."
"Comrade Commander," although Papuqinko dared not object to Sokov's orders, he was still unwilling to give up the workers' new village, so he carefully reminded Sokov: "If the superiors knew that we had voluntarily given up the workers' new village, I would probably blame you. Therefore, I beg you to think twice about the retreat."
Sokov did not answer his question, but asked back: "Lt. Col. Papchinko, when will I tell you that I will give up the workers' new village?"
"But you clearly said just now, let us withdraw our troops to the direction of the factory." Sokov's words confused Papuchinko. He thought the division commander was about to refuse to admit his account, so he quickly reminded: "It's not only me, but even the chief of staff of the regiment heard it." He turned to look at his chief of staff, "You think so?"
"Well," the chief of staff of the regiment heard Pupchenko's question, looked at Sokov with guilt, and replied awkwardly: "Yes, Comrade Commander, I heard it too... I heard it."
"You are not wrong. I do ask you to withdraw your troops to the factory first." Seeing that neither of them understood his intentions, Sokov explained to them patiently: "Now the Germans are using assault guns to destroy buildings in the workers' new village. The troops will not play much role in staying here, but will only increase casualties. Therefore, I will order you to temporarily retreat to the factory, and wait until it gets dark, and then return here through the sewer to give the enemy a surprise blow."
After Sokov's explanation, the two finally understood what was going on, and quickly replied in unison: "I understand, comrade, we immediately give the troops an order to evacuate to the direction of the factory."
Chapter completed!