Sokov knew some principles of icebreakers. First, it was to break ice in a collision manner, which was to continuously hit ice cubes with the hull to achieve the effect of breaking ice. Second, it was to pour water into the water tank at the stern, so that the bow of the ship was raised and climbed onto the ice surface, and crush the ice with weight. Due to the nature of icebreaking, it means that the icebreakers are all behemoths. It is a bit of a fantasy for the small gunboats of the Volga Fleet to complete this kind of work.
Following Cuikov to the observation post not far away, Sokov raised his telescope and looked in the direction where the sound came. Fortunately, there was a moon in the sky, and with the reflection of the ice surface, he could clearly see on the other side of the river, two small gunboats were constantly hitting the ice surface, coming little by little towards the west bank.
"Comrade Commander," Gurov looked at the gunboat that was constantly hitting the ice, and frowned and asked Cui Kov: "The river surface has been completely frozen, and the transport team on the other side should be able to come. Why do the sailors in the fleet take the risk of breaking the ice?"
"Yes, the river surface is indeed frozen." Cui Kefu replied with a wry smile: "But after surveying, it was found that the ice layer was only five to eight centimeters, and the last place was only fifteen centimeters. Not to mention vehicles that were carrying transportation materials, even people walking on the ice surface, they could fall into the river. There is probably no way for the sailors to do this."
Hearing Cuikov say this, Gurov stopped talking. He used the gunshot glasses in the observation center to silently observe the gunboats on the other side. The two gunboats were about 150 meters apart, and they used the same method to hit the ice. Behind them, some ships could be seen vaguely. I can't figure out whether they were spare or transporting materials?
After more than ten minutes, the two gunboats gradually approached the center of the river. One of them was obviously too heavy to suffer. After completing a new impact, the hull began to slowly sink.
"Comrade Commander," Gurov shouted loudly at the sight of this situation: "Call General Rogachev immediately and ask him to stop this adventure immediately. If this continues, these two gunboats will be done."
Cuikov picked up the microphone hanging on the pillar and was about to make a call, but he stopped, shook his head and said to Gurov: "Comrade Military Commissioner, I can't make this call."
"Why?" Gurov asked strangely.
"I guess the reason why General Rogachev ordered the ships to do such an adventure was to restore the transportation on the river as soon as possible." Cuikov said with a serious expression: "Now the two gunboats are approaching the center of the river. If they stop now, the previous efforts will be in vain."
Sokov looked at the gunboats that stubbornly hit the ice on the river. He heard the harsh collisions and was worried about the sailors on the gunboats. He felt that if he continued to hit like this, it would probably not take long before both gunboats would be reimbursed. He had also had the same idea as Gurov, asking Pugachev to stop this risky attempt. Even if he could barely open a waterway on the river, in such cold weather, it would probably be before dawn and the river would freeze again.
The injured gunboat slowly sank in the eyes of everyone. First, the bow of the ship sank. Not long after, the high-rise stern also sank into the water. Before the ship completely sank, Sokov saw several black shadows jumping into the water from the ship, probably the sailors on the gunboat.
Seeing the gunboat sinking, everyone felt heavy in their hearts. "Comrade Commander," Gurov said again: "We should always remember these brave sailors. In order to open a route on the frozen river, they showed great courage and heroism..."
Although Gurov said some clichés, Cuikov nodded and echoed: "You are right. We should all remember these brave sailors. It is precisely with their help that we can defend this city..."
Not long after the gunboat sank, several small boats came from behind to rescue the sailors who fell into the water. After all this, another new gunboat drove up from behind and continued to hit the ice unremittingly, trying to open up a waterway for transport ships to pass.
Half an hour later, the gunboat finally arrived at the west coast, but they were already scarred and probably could not be driven back to the east coast without repair. As soon as the channel was opened, more than a dozen transport ships parked behind immediately drove at full speed and drove towards the west coast along the waterway opened by their comrades.
When Lobov learned that Cuikov was in the observation center, he hurried over and prepared to report to him about the distribution of supplies. When Cuikov saw his appearance, he immediately greeted him and said, "Comrade Minister of Logistics, you are here just in time. The other side has brought us supplies. You immediately rushed to the ferry and arrange for people to receive them."
"Have the other side transported us supplies?" Lobof said in surprise: "Comrade Commander, the river surface is frozen, how can they come?"
"Did you see two gunboats parked on the shore?" Cuikov pointed to the two gunboats docked on the shore and said, "The sailors of the Volga Fleet used gunboats to open a waterway on the river surface, and ships carrying materials were coming."
"What, use gunboats to break the ice?" Lobov's face showed a shocked expression when he heard Cui Kev say this. He looked at the two scarred gunboats and said in surprise: "Just like this, two ordinary small gunboats can actually open up a waterway on the frozen river surface. This is simply a miracle."
"Okay, Comrade Logistics Minister." Cui Kefu glanced at the ship that was sailing over and urged: "Is it a miracle? We will discuss it if we have time in the future. Your current priority is to immediately arrive at the ferry and organize people to receive supplies."
After Lobov left, Sokov couldn't help but say to Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, the temperature is so low now that even if the sailors of the district fleet opened up a channel with gunboats, it would probably not take long and they would freeze again. Then their efforts will be in vain."
"As long as there is a ship that can only transport materials to the city through this channel, the price they pay is valuable." Cui Kefu looked at the river and said, "Even if the waterway that was finally opened up will be frozen again before dawn, at least another batch of materials will be transported into the city, which is enough to support us until the day when the counterattack begins."
"Comrade Military Commissioner," said Cuikov and Sokov, and turned their heads to look at Gurov and said to him: "I think you will report this matter to the Front Command to let them understand the heroic actions of the sailors."
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander," said Gurov. "I will go back and write a report later, and report to the Front Command what I have seen with my own eyes. Also, I will call General Pugachev later to express my gratitude to him and thank his sailors for their contributions to our defense of the city."
The waterway has been opened, and Sokov followed Cuikov back to the headquarters to continue discussing the counterattack mission of the 41st Division of the Guards. Cuikov asked: "Col. Sokov, when do you think you can attack the frontal enemy?"
"Comrade Commander, my troops are now scattered in several positions." Sokov felt that if he wanted to counterattack, he had to concentrate his troops. Now his troops were responsible for the defense of several regions at the same time. The troops were too dispersed. Even if he carried out a counterattack, he would face problems such as insufficient troops and insufficient offensive forces. Therefore, he took the initiative to raise the difficulties he faced to Cui Kov: "Before gathering the troops, I don't think our counterattack can achieve any ideal results."
Sokov's answer was somewhat beyond Cuikov's expectations. After staring at the map on the table for a while, he raised his head and said, "Col. Sokov, I will draw my strength as soon as possible to strengthen the defense of the barricade factory. In this way, you can withdraw the troops supporting the barricade factory back to Mamayev."
"Where is the new village of workers?" Seeing that Cui Kev promised to withdraw the troops stationed in the barricade factory to Mamayev hill, he couldn't help asking another one: "I have a regiment there, including the Marine Battalion."
"There are still hundreds of people in the 39th Guard Division. I can let them take over the defense of the workers' new village." After calculating in his heart for a while, Cuikov said to Sokov: "How many troops have been built from these two places?"
"I don't know very well, Comrade Commander." Although both regiments are under Sokov's jurisdiction, he really doesn't know how many troops there are now, "but according to my estimate, there are at least two thousand people."
"Two thousand people, under the current circumstances, this is an amazing number." Cui Kefu said with emotion: "There are more people than a division, and they are all veterans with rich combat experience. I feel relieved if they are responsible for the counterattack mission."
Seeing that Cui Kov was so fast, he assigned a counterattack mission to himself. Sokov could not object, so he could only agree with a bitter face: "Don't worry, Comrade Commander, I don't think they will disappoint you."
Cuikov raised his hand and looked at the watch, pointed his hand at the camp bed placed at the foot of the wall, and said to Sokov: "Col. Sokov, there are still five or six hours before dawn. You lie down for a while. I will ask you to get up after dawn."
Since entering the barricade factory, Sokov has almost never closed his eyes. He not only had to assist Lyudnikov in guarding the factory, but also had to draw a schematic diagram of assault guns for Director Peter. At this moment, when Cui Kov asked him to rest, he did not refuse. After thanking him, he walked to the bed and lay down with his clothes.
Although Sokov, who was lying on the bed, closed his eyes, he was not sleepy at all. The scene of gunboats hitting the ice layer constantly appeared in his mind. The bravery of the sailors deeply moved him. He was thinking to himself: Have the sailors on the sunken gunboat all been rescued? If they were not treated in time, they would be frozen to death.
Just as he thought of this question, he heard Cuikov calling: "General Pugachev, I am Cuikov! First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your actions in transporting materials for us."
"Secondly, I want to ask, are all the sailors in the sunken gunboat rescued?" Perhaps worried that the other party would not give him the correct answer, he also emphasized: "I saw the gunboat sail from the east coast to the west coast with my own eyes."
Pugachev originally planned to conceal the casualties of the sailors from Cui Kev, but when he learned that the other party had witnessed the whole process with his own eyes, he changed his mind and said truthfully: "Six people were sacrificed, and the two disappeared."
Sokov, who was lying on the marching bed, couldn't help but feel a slap in his heart when he heard this, and thought that in the biting river, people would not last long, and the two missing sailors must have been in danger.
Hearing Cuikov nodded, Sokov could no longer lie down. He turned over and got out of bed, came to Cuikov, straightened his body and said, "Comrade Commander, it's getting late, please allow me to return to the army."
Cuikov raised his hand and looked at his watch, saying unexpectedly: "Col. Sokov, you have just been lying for less than ten minutes, why did you get up so quickly?"
Sokov naturally would not tell the other party that he did not continue to sleep because he felt uncomfortable when he heard the casualties of the sailors. Instead, he said vaguely: "Comrade Commander, I have been away from the barricade factory for a long time. I am worried that something will happen, so I want to rush back as soon as possible."
"Isn't Colonel Lyudnikov in the barricade factory?" Cuikov raised his eyebrows and said, "If there is something, he knows what to do. You should stay here until dawn."
Gurov, who had just finished writing the report, saw Cuikov trying to keep Sokov, and interrupted, "Yes, Colonel Sokov, it's not a few hours before dawn, so you should continue to lie down and sleep. It's not too late to return to the barricade factory after dawn."
From the words of the two, Sokov heard his concern for himself. His nose was sore and his tears almost fell. Although it was safe to rest here, he still said stubbornly: "Commander, comrade of the military committee, thank you for your kindness. I didn't stay with the soldiers and I was always uneasy. You should let me go back."
Seeing Sokov so stubborn, Cuikov and Gurov looked at each other, nodded slightly and said, "Okay, Colonel Sokov, since you insist on returning to the army, we will not keep you. The way back is not peaceful, so you should pay more attention to safety. By the way, will there be a guard force accompany you to return to the barricade factory?"
"Yes, comrade commander." Sokov nodded and said, "When Colonel Lyudnikov left, he left me a guard squad. You all know the commander of the team. It is Samoilov who has just returned from behind the enemy for not long."
"So it's him." Cuikov was originally worried that Sokov returned to the barricade factory late at night, but when he heard that the commander in charge of security was Samoilov who he knew, he felt much more at ease: "With him here, your safety will be guaranteed."
Chapter completed!