"Not enough manpower?!" Sokov stared at Alitai and the several tank soldiers behind him, frowned and asked: "Lieutenant Alitai, what do you mean, what do you mean there are not enough manpower?"
"Comrade Brigadier," Alitai said with a sad face, "I received a notice and came here to observe the military competition with friendly forces. I thought there would be nothing wrong with our tank soldiers, so I only brought eight people here, including the driver.
There are only two people. You know, two drivers cannot drive three tanks at the same time. If we want to participate in the competition, I will send someone immediately and go back to ask a driver to come over?"
Sokov almost agreed to Alitai's request casually, but then he thought about it. He knew how to drive a tank anyway, and since he was just driving a tank in a competition, he was fully capable of handling it. So he waved his hand at Alitai and said: "
No need, Comrade Lieutenant, please let the soldiers board the vehicle, and I will drive the remaining tank."
As soon as Sokov's words came out, not only Rotmistrov was shocked, but even Alitai had an expression of disbelief on his face: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what did you say? You came to drive the tank yourself, I didn't listen.
Wrong?"
"Yes, Comrade Lieutenant, you heard it right, I will personally drive the tank to participate in the competition." Sokov said, waved to Alitai and ordered: "Let the soldiers wait for the vehicle and prepare to set off."
Rotmistrov on the side quickly stopped and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, no matter whether you can drive a tank or not, I still suggest that you don't take this risk and wait for the tank corps lieutenant to find another driver."
OK. It doesn’t matter if we wait a little longer. If anything happens to you during the game, there will be big problems."
"Don't worry, Comrade General." Sokov smiled at Rotmistrov, "I believe that with my tank driving skills, no accidents will happen. Just watch from the stage."
After saying that, he jumped off the viewing platform and walked towards the tank not far away with Alitai and others.
Before boarding the vehicle, Sokov whispered some precautions to Alitai and others, then took the tank soldier's cap handed to him by the tank army soldier, put it on his head, and got into the middle tank.
.
The Chief of Staff of the Tank Army standing on the stage asked Rotmistrov with some worry: "Comrade Commander, is it a bit too risky to let Lieutenant Colonel Sokov personally drive the tank to participate in the competition? You know,
He is an infantryman, not a tank soldier, will anything happen?"
In response to the chief of staff's question, Rotmistrov was silent for a moment and then said: "Based on what I know about Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, he is not a reckless person. He must really be able to drive a tank. We might as well just drive a tank."
Let’s watch him perform here.”
Among the commanders and fighters watching the battle, not many knew that Sokov could drive a tank, so everyone's eyes were fixed on the tank in the middle. Especially the commanders and fighters of the infantry brigade, they saw the tank start and move in place.
As they turned a corner and drove quickly towards the competition area, many people had cold sweat on their hands.
But what happened next made everyone feel at ease: three tanks went hand in hand, sometimes galloping on the plains, sometimes over the hills. Seeing Sokov's tank driving skills so proficient, Rotmistrov
He couldn't help but open his mouth in surprise, thinking that this Sokov was not simple. His driving skills were not as good as those of his own tank soldiers.
Soon, the tank approached the gully, and the logs erected on the ravine had long been removed. If the tanks driven by Sokov and others wanted to pass here, they had to use logs to build a bridge again. The three tanks were in
They stopped ten meters away from the ravine, and then some tank soldiers got out of the tank, unloaded the logs tied to the tank body, and carried them over to build the bridge. Watching them put all the logs in the same place
The Army Chief of Staff was a little surprised and said to Rotmistrov: "Comrade Commander, look, they have laid all the wood in one position. Are they planning to let all the tanks pass through the same place?"
?”
Rotmistrov looked at the tank soldiers who were building the bridge, nodded slightly, and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't you think their approach is correct?"
"Comrade Commander," the chief of staff looked at Rotmistrov and asked in confusion, "I don't quite understand what you mean."
"When our tanks passed through the ravine, each tank used four logs to build a bridge over the ravine." Rotmistrov pointed forward and explained to his chief of staff: "The simple bridge erected in this way
, the width must be the same as the width of the crawler track, otherwise you may fall into the ditch when crossing the ditch. And they put all the logs together to build the bridge, which is equivalent to a flat surface, even for drivers with average driving skills.
Able to drive a tank through ravines smoothly."
Having said this, Rotmistrov nodded again and said with a smile: "This Lieutenant Colonel Sokov is really not simple. He actually used this method to strengthen. It seems that they won this competition again.
"
"No way." After hearing what Rotmistrov said, the Army Chief of Staff said reluctantly: "After all, they haven't passed the ravine yet, so it's still unclear who will win and who will lose."
But what happened next confirmed that Rotmistrov's guess was completely correct. Because the wide plane formed by the twelve logs allowed the driver to drive the tank across the bridge without repeatedly adjusting the circle.
The position of the wooden bridge was such that the speed of the tank detachment commanded by Sokov passing through the simple wooden bridge was more than twice as fast as that of the tank army soldiers just now.
Seeing the three tanks returning to the viewing platform and stopping in front of the viewing platform, Rotmistrov immediately jumped down from the platform, walked quickly over, shook hands with Sokov who had just emerged from the tank and said: "
Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I really didn’t expect you to be so skilled at driving a tank.”
"I used to drive a crawler tractor when I was on the collective farm." After hearing Rotmistrov's praise, Sokov used his usual rhetoric to avoid arousing suspicion: "So
Only then can he drive a tank so skillfully."
After Rotmistrov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he smiled bitterly and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, we can still think of losing to you in shooting and stabbing. But now we even lose to you in the tank driving competition."
It really puts us to shame if we kill you."
"Comrade General, you are too modest." Although Sokov won three consecutive games in today's game, in order not to embarrass Rotmistrov, he still explained with a smile: "If it weren't for that
There are ravines blocking the road, and we have definitely lost in this tank driving competition."
"That's right, Comrade General." Alitai, standing next to Sokov, promptly added: "Before we boarded the train, Comrade Brigade Commander specifically told us to use all the logs together when building the bridge.
, the bridge deck erected in this way is wide, and tanks can drive directly across it without having to send people to adjust the width. If it were not for saving a lot of time when crossing the bridge, we would definitely lose this game."
"If you win, you win, if you lose, you lose." Rotmistrov said magnanimously to his chief of staff: "Chief of Staff, please announce the results of the game to everyone."
The chief of staff agreed, climbed onto one of the tanks, looked around, and said loudly: "Comrade commanders and soldiers, I now declare that in the tank driving competition that just ended, the 73rd Infantry Brigade won!"
When they first heard that a new tank driving competition had been added, the commanders and fighters of the infantry brigade felt it was particularly unfair: We are infantry, but you have to compete with us in driving tanks. Why don't you compete with us in driving airplanes? But when they
When I saw the tank driven by my brigade commander speeding across the plains and hills, I felt a little relieved and felt that even if I lost, it wouldn't be too bad. At this moment, I heard the chief of staff of the tank corps announcing the infantry brigade in public.
When they won, the soldiers immediately let out cheers like a mountain roar and a tsunami, and the military caps they had just picked up flew into the air again.
When the troops from both sides returned to their respective stations, Rotmistrov said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, can you have a few words?"
Sokov nodded and said, "Okay."
The two of them moved to the side of the road so as not to block the commanders and soldiers who were preparing to return to the camp. Rotmistrov said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, thank you."
"Thank me?!" As Rotmistrov suddenly thanked him, Sokov asked in confusion: "Why?"
Rotmistrov first handed Sokov a cigarette, and then said: "You also saw today that when our tanks pass through ravines or anti-tank trenches, they use logs to build bridges. In order to make the bridge
The width is the same as the width of the tracks on both sides of the tank, which usually wastes a lot of time. But your concentrated use of logs to build bridges has made our soldiers understand that using this method to pass obstacles will save a lot of time.
time."
After figuring out what was going on, Sokov grinned, and then said: "Comrade General, this is just a trivial matter. You are really commending me."
After the two chatted for a while, Rotmistrov said to Sokov: "I received a telegram from the commander of the front army last night, saying that reinforcements were sent from the base camp and they will probably be available in the next two days.
Arrive. Once they arrive, our defense strength in Kursk City will be greatly improved. Then your brigade will be able to search the defense line and concentrate on defending in one direction."
When he learned that reinforcements from the base camp were arriving, Sokov not only did not feel happy, but the expression on his face became solemn. Seeing Sokov's reaction, Rotmistrov couldn't help but be curious: "Sokov
Lieutenant Colonel, when I heard that reinforcements were coming, I saw that instead of feeling happy, you had a worried expression on your face. What is going on?"
"Comrade General, it is a good thing that there are more troops in the city." Hearing Rotmistrov's question, Sokov did not hide it, but answered truthfully: "But if there is no unified
command, then when facing an enemy attack, the troops in the city will fight independently. Once the German army becomes too strong, we are in danger of being defeated individually."
Sokov's words reminded Rotmistrov that he knew that in addition to the infantry divisions, the reinforcements also included tank brigades and artillery regiments. If these troops came from the Bryansk Front, their superiors might still be able to
The troops were given to him for unified command, but now these troops are from the base camp reserve. Not to mention himself, I am afraid that even the commander, General Rokossovsky, does not have the right to command.
Thinking of this, he said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, your concern is very correct. I will report the matter to General Rokossovsky when I return to the headquarters later."
When Sokov returned to the headquarters, Belgin, who was staying here, immediately greeted him. Although he already knew from other soldiers that the infantry brigade had won the three competitions, but seeing Sokov
When he appeared in front of him, he still couldn't help but ask: "Comrade Brigadier, did we win all the victories in today's game?"
"Yes, Comrade Political Commissar." Since one of the victories was personally directed by him, Sokov said with some excitement: "Not only did we win the shooting and stabbing competitions. Even Rotmi
We also won the tank driving competition that General Stroeve temporarily added."
"This is so unfair." Although he had won the game, Belkin still wanted to complain about Rotmistrov in front of Sokov: "We are obviously an infantry brigade.
General Rotmistrov wants to compete with us in tank driving skills. Isn’t this an act of imposition?”
Sokov laughed dryly twice and said, "In any case, we are still the final victors. Comrade Political Commissar, come to the map. I have something else to say to you."
Sokov pointed to the map hanging on the wall and said to Belkin: "I heard from General Rotmistrov that the reinforcements given to us by the base camp will arrive in Kursk soon. Wait until they arrive
Come, the defense area of our brigade will shrink, from the original two defense directions to one. Can you tell me, which direction should we choose for defense?"
"Needless to say," Belkin walked to the wall, patted the bottom of the map with his hand, and said confidently: "Of course he is responsible for the defense in the south of the city. There is a barrier here from the Tenebra River. The German army
We cannot invest heavy troops in this direction, and there is no problem in defending this place with our strength."
Sokov thought about the victory achieved by the 1st Company of the 2nd Battalion and felt that the terrain south of the city was indeed easy to defend and difficult to attack. If he could choose freely, he would definitely choose the south of the city. He nodded and said: "Comrade Political Commissar, you are right.
Yes. After the reinforcements arrive, I will request my superiors to move our brigade to the south of the city and be responsible for the defense in this direction."
