No one can answer Alitai's question. You, the lieutenant who leads the team, knows what's going on. How can the soldiers below figure out the situation?
There were dense footsteps coming from nearby, and they were getting closer and closer to him. When Alitai heard this voice, he was stunned and said secretly that the Germans were coming up again. He quickly shouted at the soldiers behind him, "Comrades, hide, prepare for battle!"
As soon as Alitai's shout fell, he heard someone shouting in the dark: "Victory belongs to the Soviet Union, honor belongs to the motherland! Brothers, for the motherland and for Stalingrad, move forward!"
"Ula!Ula!!!" As his shouts, a tsunami sounded quickly around him.
"It's our own people." Alitai immediately understood that it was not the enemy who was approaching him, but the friendly forces. They must have wanted to fight back against the enemy while the night was falling. In order to avoid misunderstandings, he shouted at the hidden warriors: "Everyone is lying in place and don't move, so as not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings."
The troops who were walking over were probably in a company of troops. The commander, who took the lead, saw clearly the several comrades lying on the ground with the help of the burning fire on the tank car. He quickly asked loudly: "Hey, comrades, which part of you are from?"
When Alitai saw that the person who was inquiring was an officer, he quickly stood up and replied to him: "I was the tank company commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and now I am under the command of Colonel Bere's Tank Brigade."
"So it's Lieutenant Alitai." When the officer heard Alitai's identity, he rushed over, held his hand, and shook it hard for a few times. "I really didn't expect that I would meet you here."
"Are you..." Seeing that the other party seemed to know him, Alitai quickly looked at the other party carefully, looking at him with a kind face, but he just couldn't remember where he had seen him: "Comrade Commander, have we seen him before?"
"What's wrong with you, Comrade Lieutenant." The officer took off his big brimmed hat from his head and said to Alitai: "I am Captain Paulkosky, the commander of the first battalion, the first company, and why, you don't know me anymore?"
"Ah, you are Captain Paulkosky." After figuring out the other party's identity, Alitai became excited: "So, our brigade also participated in tonight's counterattack?"
"The infantry brigade no longer exists now." As soon as Paulkosky said this, he found that Alitai's face had changed. He quickly explained to him: "Since the merger with the 41st Guard Division and our brigade commander was competent for the division commander, the original infantry brigade has become a reduction regiment, with the original brigade political commissar Comrade Berkin as the regiment commander."
Alitai learned that the infantry brigade had been upgraded to the Guard Division, and the brigade commander Sokov also took the position of division commander, and he couldn't help but feel ecstatic. He originally wanted to inquire about some situations from Paul Koskido, but the other party waved at him and said, "Comrade Lieutenant, we still have to destroy the enemies in the factory. Let's chat after the battle, goodbye!" After that, he quickly chased his troops.
"Comrade Lieutenant," and other counterattacking troops passed by themselves, the scout asked Alitai: "What should we do? Follow them to eliminate the Germans?"
"No!" Alitai shook his head and replied, "Our mission has been completed. Next, we will withdraw and report the results to Colonel Bereh according to the original plan."
"Yes!" The scout looked at the commanders and fighters who were gradually moving away unwillingly, and replied helplessly: "We will return to the brigade headquarters immediately to report!"
Alitai brought the soldiers from the combat team back to the position of the brigade command center. However, he did not immediately report to Be Lei, but stood outside the command center and waited for his subordinates to return.
After more than half an hour of waiting, four combat teams returned one after another, three of which were full and one was more than half of the casualties. Although Alitai felt sad when he saw this situation, he still tried hard to control his emotions and tried his best to ask the other combat team leaders in a stable tone: "Did you see the group that is moving to the west of the city?"
Hearing Alitai’s problems, everyone shook their heads at the same time, saying that they did not see the missing combat team. After a while, a team leader carefully said to Alitai: "Comrade Lieutenant, the missing combat team is responsible for two tanks and an assault gun, and seventy or eighty infantrymen. I am worried that they have an accident. You should go to the brigade commander as soon as possible."
"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Alitai didn't see the last combat team appear, and he was still not at ease. He said stubbornly: "I will never leave here until I see the last team appear."
Seeing Alitai so stubborn, everyone was not only not complaining about him, but on the contrary, they were quite moved. Some people even thought that if my group did not appear in the designated location within the specified time, I guess Comrade Lieutenant would still stay here and wait for us.
After waiting for a while, he still didn't see the last group appear. A team leader said to Alitai tactfully: "Comrade Lieutenant, you should go to the brigade commander first. We can stay here and wait."
Just when Alitai was unmoved, he suddenly heard someone nearby greeting him: "Comrade Lieutenant, when did you come back?"
Alitai turned his head and saw that it was a staff officer in the brigade department, so he replied casually: "It's been more than half an hour since I've been back."
"Since you've been back for so long, why don't you go in and report to the brigade commander?" After hearing Alitai's answer, the staff officer said unhappily: "Don't you know that the brigade commander has been waiting for your news?"
"We still have a combat team that has not arrived." Alitai did not argue with the other party, but whispered: "I originally planned to wait until this combat team arrives before reporting to the brigade commander, but after waiting for a long time, there was still no news at all."
"Comrade Lieutenant." After hearing Alitai's explanation, the staff officer thought for a moment, then pointed his hand at the other party and said, "You follow me in and report to the brigade commander first. As for the missing group, I will find a way to ask someone to help you find it."
Hearing the staff officer taking the initiative to help him find the lost team, Alitai was overjoyed and hurriedly thanked the other party: "Thank you, thank you, comrade of staff."
"Okay, okay, thank you later." The staff officer waved his hand at Alitai and said, "We will go to see the brigade commander first, he is already a little impatient."
Alitai followed the staff into the command center and reported to Bielei. When Bielei saw Alitai appear, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and said repeatedly: "Comrade Lieutenant, why did you come back so late? The gunshots outside and explosions were heard. I thought you were leading several combat teams to participate in the counterattack of friendly forces."
"Sorry, comrade Colonel." Alitai lowered his head and replied embarrassedly: "Actually, we returned to the vicinity of the brigade command more than half an hour ago. It was because we saw that a combat team had not returned yet, so we offered to wait until everyone arrived before we came to report to you."
After Bi Lei figured out why Alitai was late, he asked tentatively: "Are they back now?"
"No." Alitai shook his head and replied bitterly: "We have not seen them come back until now."
After listening to Alitai's explanation, Believe's face became serious: "Comrade Lieutenant, according to your opinion, if this group never comes back, you will not plan to show up with me at all, right?"
Alitai did not dare to answer Belei's question, but lowered his head. Seeing his reaction, Belei understood that his guess was correct, so he said seriously: "Lieutenant Alitai, although you have successfully completed the task I assigned you, I still have to criticize you. Since you have arrived outside the brigade department, why not report to me immediately? Even if you want to stay outside and wait for your soldiers, you must send someone in to talk to me so that I can understand it.
If I hadn't sent a staff officer to inquire about your whereabouts, would you plan to never show up with me for the rest of your life? I think you are a typical disorganized and undisciplined person. Have you ever thought that because you have not appeared for a long time, it will cause misjudgment from your superiors and make wrong decisions."
"I'm sorry, comrade Colonel, it's my fault." Alitai immediately realized that he was wrong and was very serious. He quickly apologized to the other party and said, "I will definitely not make similar mistakes again in the future."
"Forget it, this matter has ended here, so I won't be an example." Bie Lei pointed at Alitai and said to him: "The counterattack of our army tonight was so smooth, because you successfully blew up the enemy's tanks and assault guns. After losing the support of these technical equipment, the German infantry did not even know how to fight, but we were defeated by us."
Alitai listened to the movement outside and found that the gunshots and explosions were getting farther and farther away from here. He thought that the Soviet counterattack troops had successfully advanced forward again. He stood up straight and asked Believe: "Comrade Colonel, do you think our troops can successfully destroy the enemies in the factory before dawn?"
"According to our reconnaissance, there were more than a dozen tanks and assault guns, plus a battalion of infantry in the factory during the day." Bellei said with knowledge: "After you successfully destroyed the German tanks and assault guns, our army dispatched two divisions and a regiment of troops to launch a counterattack on the enemy. I think there should be no problem in solving all the enemies in the factory before dawn."
After Bi Lei finished speaking, he turned his head and looked at the staff officer who had just finished calling and asked, "Who are you calling?"
"Lieutenant Alitai just said that one of their combat teams was missing," the staff officer replied: "I called the health team and the field hospitals of the two divisions to see if they had any of the wounded soldiers of the combat team."
"Is there any news?"
"Have it!"
"Let me tell me quickly!"
Alitai's heart was in his throat as he listened to the conversation between the staff officer and Be Lei. He hoped to hear news about the combat team, but he was afraid of hearing accurate news. The combat team had not fallen for so long, and it was obvious that something unexpected happened. He was worried that they had all been destroyed.
"Our health officers have treated a wounded man." The staff officer did not look at Alitai, but looked at Berei and reported: "The military doctor told me that the wounded man was injured while performing the mission of blowing up the tank. I think the troops commanded by Lieutenant Alitai are performing the mission of blowing up the tank tonight. The wounded man undoubtedly..."
"Wait," Belei couldn't help but interrupt the post of the staff officer when he heard this, "You just said that it was a wounded man, where are the rest of the combat team?"
"Sacrificed!" The staff officer's expression suddenly became gloomy. "According to the wounded, the enemy's infantry surrounded him as soon as the tank was blown up. The team leader asked him to come back to report to you, and then rushed in other directions with other soldiers to attract the enemy's attention."
"So that's how it is." Be Lei nodded, turned his gaze to Alitai, and said thoughtfully: "No wonder they have been waiting for them for so long, but they have not returned to the designated location."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Alitai, after finishing his speech, he immediately rushed to say: "Please allow me to bring people back to the battlefield, find the bodies of these sacrificed soldiers, and bring them all back for a good burial."
Bi Lei raised his hands and placed them on Alitai's shoulder, and said earnestly to him: "Comrade Lieutenant, I understand your feelings for these soldiers. If I am in your position, I would like to restrain my comrades' bodies immediately. But it doesn't work, at least it's not possible. You haven't heard that the battle outside is still continuing. Even if you want to restrain your comrades' bodies, you have to wait until the entire battle is over."
After saying this, Bi Lei took his hand away from the other party's shoulder, took a step back, and said, "Comrade Lieutenant, you must be very tired after completing the mission. I now order you to find a place to rest. Whether you are visiting the injured comrades or restraining the bodies of the comrades who died, you must wait until dawn."
When Alitai heard Be Lei say this, he was about to fight for it again, but Be Lei raised his hand to stop it: "Lieutenant Alitai, this is my order, there is no room for bargaining. Do you understand?"
"I understand, comrade Colonel." Alitai raised his hand and saluted Believe, and asked respectfully: "Are you allowed me to leave?"
"Allow!" Bi Lei nodded at Alitai and said, "Don't worry, go and rest. After dawn, I will send someone to call you."
Seeing Alitai's back disappear at the door, Bere said to the Chief of Staff who had just walked over: "This is a commander who knows how to cherish his subordinates. If he can survive until we repel the enemy attacking the city, I will make suggestions to Sokov to promote his position and military rank."
After hearing this, the Chief of Staff grinned and replied: "Comrade Brigade Commander, when we defeat the enemy attacking the city, are you really willing to let him return to Colonel Sokov?"
Chapter completed!