Before he could contact the front army headquarters, the phone on the table rang first. Sokov quickly picked up the phone: "I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, chief of staff. Where are you?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," the voice of the engineer company commander came from the receiver: "...We only have less than 20 kilograms of explosives and cannot blow up two bridges on the Aksay River at the same time. Can you please give us a supplement?
…”
You don't have the explosives to blow up the bridge, so what's the use of me? Sokov's words came to his lips, and he suddenly remembered that he was the chief of staff of the Southern Group. Although he was only acting temporarily, he still had questions raised by the engineer company commander.
We really need to find a way to solve it. He thought for a moment, and then said into the microphone: "Comrade Engineer Company Commander, don't worry, I will help you get explosives. Now I order you to tie all the explosives in your hands to
On the bridge piers, wait for the Germans to approach and blow up the bridge immediately."
Putting down the phone, Sokov began to think about which department he should contact for the explosives needed by the engineers. After thinking for a while, he remembered that Ozor had used explosives when digging fortifications. Yes, he should contact the City Defense Committee, their
There must be explosives needed by the engineers in the warehouse.
Picking up the phone, Sokov suddenly thought that apart from Ozor, he didn't seem to know anyone from the City Defense Committee at all. If he wanted to get explosives, he could only ask Ozor for help. Thinking of this, he asked the communication
The soldiers contacted the infantry brigade headquarters at Mamayev Heights.
When he heard Sidorin's voice coming from the receiver, Sokov immediately said loudly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, can you hear me? I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov."
"I can hear you, Comrade Brigade Commander." After Sidorin learned that the caller was Sokov, he asked anxiously: "Have you found Comrade Commander?"
"Found it, found it." Sokov replied resoundingly: "He is fine now. But for some reason, the radio he carried cannot get in touch with the army headquarters at all. If you try again later
When contacting his headquarters, remember to tell General Shumilov that Commander Chuikov has formed a southern group on the left flank of the army group."
"Don't worry, Comrade Brigade Commander, I will convey this news to General Shumilov as soon as possible so that he can feel at ease as soon as possible." After saying this, Sidorin asked tentatively: "When can you come back?
?”
"I don't know when I will be able to return to Mamayev Heights again." Sokov said helplessly into the microphone: "General Chuikov has now appointed me as the chief of staff of the Southern Group. Before he dismissed me from my position,
, I’m afraid I won’t be able to go back for the time being. During my absence, you and the political commissar will be in charge of Mamayev Heights.”
"I understand, Comrade Brigadier." Sidorin asked respectfully, "Do you have anything else to do?"
"One more thing." Sokov said anxiously, worried that Sidorin would hang up the phone: "Major Ozor of the City Defense Committee, can you find him immediately?"
"Major Ozor was here just now, and now he has something to do with the political commissar. Comrade Brigadier, please wait a moment, I will send someone to find him right away." Soon, Sidorin's call came from the receiver.
Voice: "Come here, come here!"
Following his shout, a soldier walked in from outside: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you have any instructions?"
"Go and find Major Ozor immediately. Tell the brigade commander that he has important matters to see him." After simply laying out the order, Sidorin urged: "Don't be stunned, go quickly."
After letting the soldiers go out to look for Ozor, Sidorin nervously asked, "Comrade Brigadier, is the situation there serious?"
"Not optimistic." Sokov said into the microphone: "The German army broke through the defense zone of the 51st Army, posing a great threat to the left wing of the front army. We are currently building defenses on the north bank of the Aksay River to test the delay of the German army's move towards Stalinger.
The speed of advancement."
"Comrade Brigadier, I want to ask you." Sidorin waited for Sokov to finish and asked hesitantly: "Do you really think the Germans will storm Stalingrad?"
"There is no doubt about this, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov glanced at Chuikov who was standing not far away, and continued with courage: "So we must be prepared for street fighting."
After the two chatted for a few more words, Sokov heard Sidorin say: "Major Ozor is here." Then Ozor's breathless voice came from the receiver: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I
It’s Ozor, what can I do for you?”
"That's right, Major Ozor, I am now the acting chief of staff of the Southern Group of the 64th Army. We are building fortifications on the north bank of the Aksay River. In order to prevent the enemy from using the bridge to cross the river, I plan to blow up the road bridge on the river.
and railway bridges. But currently our engineers lack enough explosives. I wonder if you can help us get some?"
Regarding Sokov's request, Ozor hesitated for a moment, and then asked: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I wonder how much explosives you need?"
"Major Ozor, I don't know. You know, I am a complete layman when it comes to engineering issues." Sokov replied with some embarrassment: "In your opinion, you need to blow up two
How much explosives do you need to build a bridge?”
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, where are you currently?" Ozor asked, staring at the map in front of him: "I need to find out where the bridge is so that I can accurately calculate the amount of explosives required."
After Sokov told Ozor the location of the troops, he also specifically reminded: "Comrade Major, please remember that we are going to blow up both the road bridge and the railway bridge at the same time, and you have to make sure that the number of explosives is enough.
"
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," faced Sokov's question, Ozor said with a straight face: "The only way to prevent the German armored forces from crossing the river is to blow up the bridges on the river. I have already
Learned the doctrine."
Sokov asked: "Okay, Comrade Major, I would like to ask, approximately when can you deliver the explosives to the river?"
"It will take two hours at the fastest," Ozor said angrily on the phone: "I will personally take people to deliver the explosives."
After settling the matter of explosives, Sokov personally called the engineer company commander, "Captain, I have already called the people from the City Defense Committee. They will send you enough explosives in two hours."
.When you see a truck carrying explosives appear, remember to arrange for someone to pick it up."
As soon as he put down the phone, Chuikov hurried over with a telegram and said to Sokov: "I contacted the front army headquarters. The officer on duty said that there is an infantry division from Siberia. It will be in Chirekov."
Get off the bus at Kotelnikovo station and let us take over the troops."
"Comrade General," Sokov looked at Chuikov and asked, "Who do you plan to send to receive this infantry division?"
"The place where they got off the bus is on the south side of the Aksay River. They may encounter German troops rushing up at any time. I'm not worried, so I'd better go there myself." Chuikov put the telegram in his pocket and stepped outside.
Go. But after walking a few steps, he stopped and pointed at Sokov: "You come with me."
"But, Comrade General." After hearing Chuikov's order, Sokov quickly reminded him: "I am now the chief of staff of the cluster. When you are not at the headquarters, I will temporarily command the troops on your behalf."
"At present, the southern cluster is just an empty frame. It doesn't matter whether we stay in this headquarters or not." Chuikov continued to walk outside and ordered his adjutant Klimov: "Bring a radio and follow us."
In this way, Chuikov took Sokov, Klimov, a communications soldier, and a squad of guard soldiers, crossed the Aksay River from the road bridge, and drove towards the station where the infantry division disembarked.
On the way, Sokov curiously asked Chuikov: "Comrade General, what is the number of the new unit? Who is the division commander?"
Regarding Sokov's question, Chuikov smiled bitterly and said: "My chief of staff, the designation of this unit is the 208th Infantry Division. As for who the division commander is and where the division headquarters is? I know nothing about these questions.
Know."
After the jeep was driving on the road for more than half an hour, Sokov suddenly saw a station faintly appearing in front of him, with groups of commanders and soldiers heading in his direction along the railway track. Seeing this scene, Sokov
He said with some excitement: "Comrade General, look quickly, there are troops coming towards us in front."
Unexpectedly, when Chuikov heard what Sokov said, he just glanced at the location of the station, and then said in confusion: "It's really strange, this should be the Gremiachaya station, how come there are so many troops there?
?Could it be that this station is one of the alighting points?"
With this question in mind, Sokov ordered the driver to stop the car at the railway crossing. He opened the door and jumped out of the car, shouting at the oncoming soldiers: "Comrades, which part are you?"
Several soldiers who happened to pass by Sokov heard Sokov asking him, and quickly answered the number of his unit, and continued walking forward. When Sokov heard this, he realized that they were not from the 208th Infantry Regiment.
, He quickly turned to Chuikov who was still sitting in the car and said: "Comrade General, none of them are from the 208th Infantry Division. I guess the troops we are looking for are still ahead. Can the driver continue on his way?"
"Get in the car!" Chuikov said simply: "Let's continue moving forward."
After driving along the road next to the railway track for more than ten minutes, a small station appeared in front of us again. Klimov, who was sitting in the passenger seat, immediately turned to Chuikov and said: "Comrade Commander, Nebekovo will give way to the station."
We’re here, let’s go in and rest for a while before leaving?”
After Chuikov glanced ahead, he said to Klimov: "Let the driver take a look around here to see if any of our troops are active."
After the driver heard Chuikov's order, he immediately drove around the Nebekovo concession stand. When he turned to the south, he actually found a troop building fortifications south of the concession stand. Chuikov
Pointing at the busy commanders and soldiers, he ordered: "Drive the car over."
After the car stopped this time, Sokov was still the first to get out of the car. He pulled a soldier who was repairing the fortifications and asked loudly: "Comrade soldiers, which unit are you from?"
The soldier stopped what he was doing, turned to look at Sokov, and replied briefly: "We are the 208th Infantry Division."
When he learned that the troops in front of him were the 208th Infantry Division, Sokov couldn't help but be overjoyed. But after he glanced across the entire field, the smile froze on his face. The number of soldiers who were repairing the fortifications here totaled no more than a dozen.
Three hundred men. Sokov quickly asked the soldiers: "Where is your division commander, where is your commander?"
"I don't know where the division commander is." The soldier looked around, then pointed at an officer and said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the one standing over there supervising the work is our battalion commander. Do you have
If you have any questions, you can ask him."
Chuikov, who was sitting in the car, heard the soldiers asking questions, so he got out of the car and took Sokov to find the supreme commander. The commander of this unit was a major. He saw a general heading toward him.
He came up, raised his hand in salute, and said: "Hello, Comrade General. I am the battalion commander of the 208th Infantry Division. What can I do for you?"
After Chuikov raised his hand in return, he said to the major: "Comrade Major, can you tell me what happened?"
Hearing Chuikov's question, the major said with a look of sorrow and indignation: "Comrade General, you don't know something. The military train we were on was attacked by the German air attack just after it stopped at the Kotelnikovo station. Although the commander
They evacuated the troops in time, but many people still died during the bombing.
Just when we fled the station and thought we had saved our lives, several German tanks appeared from nowhere, bombarded the train with tank guns, and fired at us with machine guns. If I hadn't led the troops to withdraw in time,
If the battle breaks out, I'm afraid our battalion will be completely wiped out."
"Comrade Major," Chuikov glanced at the commanders and soldiers who were repairing the fortifications, and asked with some confusion: "Can I ask you, what are you doing here?"
"Do you even need to ask? Of course they are building fortifications." The major retorted with some dissatisfaction: "I heard that the Germans are gathering tanks near the Kotelnikovo station. In order to prevent these tanks from rushing towards Stalinger
Le, I ordered the troops to build fortifications here to slow down the enemy's advance towards Stalingrad."
"You are doing well, Comrade Major." After praising the major who knew how to proactively build fortifications, Chuikov then asked: "Since you are one of your own, can you tell me where the division commander is and where the division headquarters is?
Where?"
"I don't know, Comrade General." The major shook his head like a rattle. When he was bombed, the commanders and fighters in the station fell into panic. He finally took his battalion to a relatively safe place and built a
As for the whereabouts of the division commander, political commissar and others, the major really knew nothing about the fortifications. "When I was bombed, I lost contact with the division and regiment headquarters. The specific situation may not be known until communications are restored."
