Sokov and Belkin got out of the tunnel and came to the trench. They looked down from a high position. They saw hundreds of sailors and soldiers, carrying rifles with bayonets, lined up in front of the position, using vigilant rifles.
He stared at the enemy officers and soldiers carrying corpses halfway up the mountain and at the foot of the mountain.
There was a row of covered trucks parked neatly at the foot of the mountain, with their rears facing the hill. Countless soldiers in khaki uniforms and gas masks on their heads were walking among the piles of corpses. They bent down to lift the corpses on the ground.
They carried the body to the truck in pairs and handed it over to the soldiers standing beside the truck, who put the body into the carriage.
"Comrade soldier," Sokov called a sailor and asked: "Do you know where Captain Shamrih is?"
The soldier looked around, pointed diagonally forward, and said: "Comrade Captain, over there."
"Please call him over." Sokov was worried that the soldiers didn't know who he was, so he specifically added: "Just say that the brigade commander, Colonel Sokov, has something to do with him."
Sokov's judgment was accurate. This sailor really didn't recognize him. Hearing him say that he was a colonel, he glanced at his collar badge. After seeing clearly that he had the rank of lieutenant colonel, he couldn't help but feel...
He showed an expression of astonishment. But no matter whether the officer standing in front of him was a colonel or a lieutenant colonel, since he had given the order, he could only carry it out. The soldier quickly agreed, climbed out of the trench on hands and knees, and looked for Shamri
He went.
Belkin looked at the corpses covering the hillside and couldn't help but said with emotion: "I really didn't expect that the battle in Beigang would be so tragic. Fortunately, our soldiers still stubbornly repelled the enemy's attack."
"But in order to crush the enemy's attack, the price we paid was too high." Sokov said sadly: "If the enemy launches such an attack again, our Beigang will have no troops to defend."
"The superiors are not planning to launch a new counterattack," Belkin looked to see that there were no outsiders around him, and the nearest guard was five or six steps away, but he still lowered his voice and asked, "Aren't you going to replenish our troops?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, have you forgotten that the Marine Corps Battalion is the force supplemented by our superiors." Sokov sighed and said, "If we want to get other supplements, I think it is not realistic in a short time."
"Then what force should we use to participate in the counterattack?" Belkin asked.
"We can only find ways to replenish our troops." Sokov thought about coming back to take stock of his troops this time, and found that the third battalion with the most troops was actually the third battalion that he was least optimistic about. If he wanted to replenish his troops, he should learn from Captain Andrei.
, "In addition to adding recovered wounded soldiers to the army, we can also absorb some urban residents to join our army."
"Is this appropriate?" Belkin directly objected to Sokov's idea: "The residents in the city have not received systematic military training. If they are forcibly incorporated into the army, once they go to the battlefield and see the enemy
When you rush towards them, you might become a deserter."
"Comrade Political Commissar, I understand what you mean." Sokov explained to Belkin: "There is no way to add residents to the army. If they cannot leave the city, then no matter where they stay,
It’s all unsafe. The Germans may occupy the place where they live. Once they fall into the hands of the Germans, do you think the Germans will provide them with food, medicine and daily necessities?”
"I don't think so." Belkin said in an uncertain tone: "The Germans' supply situation is actually not much better than ours. If they are asked to be responsible for the daily necessities needed by the residents in the city, I'm afraid they won't be able to handle it.
To. In other words, residents in enemy-occupied areas are entirely likely to die due to lack of food and medicine..."
Sokov nodded and continued: "Replenishing male residents of appropriate age into the army can at least ensure that they can obtain the necessary food supplies so that they and their families can continue to live."
"Comrade Brigadier, what you said makes sense." After hearing what Sokov said, Belkin also realized the seriousness of the problem: "It is impossible for all shops to open for business until the fighting in the city is completely over.
In this way, the residents who stay in the city will not be able to obtain the food and daily necessities they need. As you say, it kills two birds with one stone, not only solving the problem of insufficient troops, but also reducing the pressure of survival on the residents."
While the two were talking, Shamrih, who was notified, came trotting over with a rifle in hand. After he jumped into the trench, he straightened up and said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, the Marine Corps Battalion is executing the mission.
Security mission, please give instructions!"
According to the order, Sokov should reply: "Continue to perform the mission!" Unexpectedly, he frowned and said: "Comrade Captain, I want to ask you, why are so many soldiers serving as guards?"
Shamrih heard the dissatisfaction in Sokov's tone and quickly explained: "Comrade Brigadier, the enemy sent a lot of people to collect the corpses, about two hundred people. If more troops are not sent to guard, I'm worried.
…”
"Are you worried? What are you worried about?!" Sokov interrupted impatiently: "Are you still worried that these Romanians will take advantage of the opportunity to collect the corpses and attack you?"
"Ah, no, it won't!" Shamrih replied in a panic: "I'm just prepared, that's why I sent so many people on guard."
"After your trenches were shelled by the enemy, they were all uneven. Instead of arranging manpower to repair the trenches and strengthen the fortifications, you used all your manpower to serve as guards. Do you want to wait for the enemy to launch another attack?
Are all our soldiers standing on the hillside as targets for the enemy?" Sokov pointed towards the trench where he was, and said in a commanding tone: "Leave twenty soldiers to continue to be on guard, and the rest will withdraw.
Come."
"Yes, Comrade Brigade Commander!" In response to Sokov's stern order, Shamrih replied somewhat helplessly: "I immediately pulled all the people back to repair the fortifications."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Captain." Just as Shamrih turned around and was about to climb out of the trench, Sokov stopped him again and asked: "Have all the bodies of our wounded and soldiers been packed away?"
Shamrih nodded and replied: "Yes, all the wounded have been sent to the health team in Nangang, and the bodies of the soldiers have been carried away for burial."
"Have they been carried away for burial?" Sokov said with some confusion: "There are hundreds of martyrs. How many holes will be dug? Do you have so many people under your command?"
"No, I don't have many troops left in my hands." Shamrih shook his head and said, "It was the city staff who organized a group of residents to help us bury the fallen soldiers."
"Comrade Captain," Sokov was silent for a moment and said to Shamrih: "Organize the manpower to repair the fortifications as soon as possible. Maybe the enemy will restart the attack on you as soon as they finish removing the corpses."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Shamrih had just climbed out of the trench, jumped down again, and said to Sokov: "There is another important thing that I haven't had time to report to you."
"What's the matter? Tell me!"
"Just when the enemy came to take care of me, a Romanian officer came to me. Taking the opportunity to inspect the corpse, he quietly approached me and told me a secret in a low voice."
"What secret?" Sokov asked curiously.
"He said that the Romanian army's combat plan is to first use human sea tactics to seize the northern hillock. When we draw troops from the southern hillock for reinforcements, they will then launch an attack on the southern hillock." Shamrih said to Sokov: "They
Later, the reason why we did not launch an attack on Nangang was because we saw that Nangang never sent troops to support Beigang, but there were troops pouring out of the tunnels in Beigang. In addition, we were bombarded and machine-gun fired from Nangang.
They couldn't figure out the details of our army, so they had no choice but to retreat."
"I understand." Sokov did not express his opinion after hearing this. He just waved his hand to Shamrih and said, "Go and do your work."
After sending Shamrich away, Sokov couldn't help but secretly rejoice. Fortunately, he mobilized his troops through the tunnel connecting the two hills. As a result, Romania was given the illusion that Beigan had sufficient troops, so that
They had to temporarily change their attack plan.
"Comrade Brigadier," Sokov figured out the key to the problem, but it didn't mean that Belgin could figure it out. He said to Sokov with a serious expression: "Tell me why the Romanian officer asked Captain Shamrih
Could it be a conspiracy to tell such important information?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, you are thinking too much." Seeing that Bergin had misunderstood, Sokov quickly waved his hand at him and said, "Didn't you hear clearly just now? The Romanian officer said that they never found out that we were coming from Nangang
When we mobilized troops to Beigan, we thought we had enough troops, so we took the initiative to withdraw from the battle."
"Take the initiative to withdraw from the battle!" Belkin repeated Sokov's last words and said with a sneer: "If they have the ability to seize the Beigang position, why don't they continue to fight. Instead, they will be attacked by us as soon as they are attacked.
After shelling and machine gun fire, they retreated hastily."
Sokov looked at the Romanian army collecting corpses outside. After working for a long time, they collected less than a third of the corpses. It would probably be dark by the time they finished collecting the corpses. He was not interested in continuing to watch here, so he
He turned to Belkin and said: "Comrade Political Commissar, let's go back to the brigade headquarters. Shamrih and Golya will be responsible for the work here."
The two left Beigang and returned to the brigade headquarters. As soon as they entered the door, Sokov saw Sidorin, who was looking at a map with his back to the door. He couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt in his heart. Chuikov suggested that he serve as deputy brigade commander.
However, he refused without hesitation. If Sidorin knew about this, I wonder if he would have any emotions.
Naturally, Belkin did not know what was happening in the headquarters. Seeing Sokov standing in a daze at the door, he pushed him gently from behind and asked curiously: "Comrade Brigadier, why are you standing at the door?"
Go in?"
Sidorin, who was looking at the map, heard a voice behind him. He turned around and found that it was the brigade commander and political commissar who had returned. He quickly stood up straight, turned around, smiled at the two of them and said: "Brigade commander, political commissar, you guys."
came back!"
"Back!" Sokov replied guiltily and then asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what are you busy with?"
"Comrade Brigadier, I have good news for you."
"Good news?!" Sokov looked at Sidorin with some surprise and asked: "Chief of Staff, what's the good news? Has the superior replenished our troops and ammunition?"
"Not long ago, I received a call from the logistics department of the group army, saying that after dark, a batch of ammunition for German weapons will be provided to us. As for the soldiers and the situation of the group army, I think you should also know that in the current situation
Under such circumstances, it is impossible to replenish our troops." Sidorin said: "The good news I mentioned is about something else."
"What other matters?" Sokov urged anxiously: "Chief of Staff, tell me quickly!"
"Not long ago, I just received a telegram." Sidorin reported to Sokov: "This telegram was sent by Lieutenant Grisa. He said..."
"Lieutenant Grisa?!" When Sokov heard this name, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. Then he thought of Lieutenant Grisa, the fourth company commander who led his troops to move behind enemy lines and then suddenly lost contact, and quickly asked: "Staff
Commander, is the Lieutenant Grisa you are talking about the fourth company commander who has lost contact with us for a long time?"
"Yes, that's him." Sidorin continued: "He said in the telegram that they encountered a large enemy force during the transfer. Because all the rockets they carried were used up, they could not fight with them.
If the enemy has more troops to contend with, the only option is to retreat while fighting in order to get rid of the enemy's pursuit."
"If I remember correctly, they carried several radio stations." Hearing this, Sokov couldn't help but asked angrily: "During the transfer process, why didn't he send us a telegram and report to me their
Condition?"
"Comrade Brigadier, don't be angry." Seeing Sokov's unhappy face, Sidorin quickly persuaded: "It's not that he doesn't want to report to you, but the conditions at the time did not allow it. The enemy has been chasing after him, and
We monitored their radio signals and before the telegram was sent, the enemy had already appeared nearby."
After Sidorin explained, Sokov finally understood Grisa's difficulties, and no longer blamed the other party, but asked with concern: "Where are they now?"
"After several days of retreat, they finally got rid of the enemy's pursuit." Sidorin pointed at the map and replied: "After repeated confirmation, Grisa found that their current location is Karachi on the east bank of the Don River."
"What, they are in Karachi now?" After Sokov learned about Grisa's location, he couldn't help but feel anxious secretly. It was too far away from Mamayev Heights. If he wanted to withdraw, he would still need to go through the enemy's path.
There are several blockades, and it is still unknown how many people will come back alive. Thinking of this, he ordered Sidorin: "Call back to Grisa and ask him to report in detail the deployment of the troops and the surrounding German troops so that we can make a decision.
