The regiment chief of staff looked at the officer's retreating back and said to Papuchenko worriedly: "Comrade regiment commander, the troops of the first battalion have withdrawn inexplicably, which may lead to the collapse of our defense line. Do you think we should deal with this matter immediately?"
Report the matter to the division commander..."
Before the chief of staff of the regiment finished speaking, Papuchenko immediately realized that it was inappropriate for him to send an ordinary officer to prevent the troops from retreating. In this case, only by personally taking action could he possibly prevent the troops from continuing.
Defeated. Thinking of this, he said to the chief of staff of the regiment: "Chief of staff, you are responsible for this. I will stop the troops."
After giving this order, Papuchenko did not wait for the chief of staff of the regiment to speak, and ran towards the direction of the army's defeat with a pistol in hand. The chief of staff of the regiment was afraid that something would happen to him, so he quickly called two guards to follow him to protect him.
Safety.
"Stop!" Papuchenko rushed to the road and found that the officer he sent to look for the battalion commander had been pushed aside by the panicked soldiers. He shouted at the retreating troops: "Everyone is there."
Stop!" However, the already panicked soldiers could not hear his shouts and were still retreating backwards.
Papuchenko raised his gun and fired twice. The huge echo of the bullets hitting the top of the sewer alerted the retreating soldiers. They stopped one after another and looked around in shock, trying to figure out where the noise was.
gun.
Seeing the soldiers stop one after another, Papuchenko raised his voice and asked sternly: "Who told you to retreat!"
The soldiers crowded in the passage looked at each other in confusion. After a while, a soldier said: "It was the battalion commander who ordered us to retreat."
Hearing someone speak, the soldiers around him also echoed: "Yes, it was the regiment commander who ordered us to retreat."
Papuchenko asked with a livid face: "Where is your battalion commander?"
A battalion commander who was following the crowd originally wanted to take advantage of the crowd to get through, but he was discovered by the soldiers beside him: "The battalion commander is here!"
Seeing that he was recognized, the first battalion commander could only bite the bullet and came to Papuchenko, forcing himself to calmly ask: "Comrade commander, what are your instructions?"
"Tell me, why did you order the troops to retreat?" Papuchenko pointed his gun at the battalion commander and asked viciously: "Did you forget Order No. 227 and don't know that you will have to go to a military court if you retreat without authorization?"
"Captain, please...don't be angry." Looking at the pistol pressed against his forehead, the first battalion commander said nervously: "There is a reason why I ordered the troops to retreat."
"what reason?"
"The enemies who rush into the sewers are equipped with flamethrowers. Once they encounter resistance, they will use the flamethrowers to spray flames." A battalion commander stammered: "Even if the resisting soldiers are not burned to death by the flames,
They will suffocate due to lack of oxygen. In order to preserve the strength of the troops, I have to order the troops to retreat!"
"You coward who is greedy for life and afraid of death, I misjudged you." Papuchenko said, about to pull the trigger.
Although the regiment chief of staff sent two soldiers to be responsible for Papuchenko's safety, he heard the gunfire in the passage and was worried that something might happen to Papuchenko, so he hurried over and happened to see Papuchenko.
Wanting to shoot a battalion commander, I quickly rushed over and lifted his hand up. The bullet that came out of the barrel hit the wall of the sewer pipe above my head, and the flying gravel clanked on the helmets of the soldiers below.
"Comrade commander, don't be impulsive. The first battalion commander ordered the troops to retreat without permission and should be punished, but I think someone should be sent to hand him over to the division commander." The regiment chief of staff was worried that Papuchenko shot the first battalion commander in public and would
It affected the morale of the troops, so they quickly came out to smooth things over: "Our first priority at the moment is to order the troops to return to their original positions and continue to resist the enemy's attack."
After hearing the persuasion of the regiment chief of staff, Papuchenko also realized that he could not deal with the first battalion commander here, otherwise it would affect the morale of the troops, so he called the officer just now and ordered him: "You take two
Soldiers, escort the commander of the first battalion to the duty room at the entrance of the factory and hand him over to the division commander for disposal."
After the officers escorted the battalion commander away, Papuchenko shouted loudly to the hundreds of soldiers in the passage: "Comrades, if the enemy successfully passes through our defense line, then the Red October workers behind us will
We can no longer defend it. Now, I order you to immediately return to your original defensive position and prevent the enemy from taking a step forward."
After shouting these words, Papuchenko felt extremely angry when he saw that the soldiers were still standing still. Just when he was about to have an attack, the regiment chief of staff said first: "Come here and gather the commanders of each company. The regiment commanders are going to ask
You assign tasks."
The three company commanders in the crowd did not dare to neglect when they heard the shouts of the regiment chief of staff, and hurriedly pushed towards Papuchenko's position, preparing to accept the order personally given to them by the regiment commander.
Because the commander of the first battalion led his troops to retreat without authorization, the area responsible for the defense of the first battalion was quickly occupied by the Germans. Some soldiers who stayed in the ruins of the building did not receive the order to retreat and did not know that the sewers under their feet had been occupied by the Germans.
, but were defeated by the German soldiers who came out of the sewers. After a battle, the soldiers who stayed in the ruins were either injured or sacrificed, or became prisoners of the German army.
Sokov, who was staying in the observation post of the annihilation camp, saw soldiers being escorted out of the ruins by the German army from time to time, and he couldn't help showing a surprised expression on his face. Bolshak, who was standing next to him, was also puzzled: "
Comrade Colonel, what happened? Why are so many soldiers taken prisoner by the Germans? I just counted, there are at least thirty people."
"What a hell." Sokov picked up the telephone hanging on the pillar and said into the receiver: "Operator, call me to the 122nd Regiment command post immediately."
After the call was connected, Sokov heard an unfamiliar voice and frowned and asked: "I am Sokov, who are you?"
"Hello, comrade division commander." The regiment chief of staff heard that the call was from the division commander himself, and quickly and respectfully replied: "I am the regiment chief of staff."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov asked dissatisfiedly as he looked at the soldiers who were taken prisoner in the distance: "What happened there? Why did I see so many soldiers becoming prisoners of the enemy?"
Although the regiment chief of staff did not see the soldiers being captured by the enemy, he heard what Sokov said and immediately understood what was going on. He did not know whether Papuchenko led the troops back to their original defensive positions.
So there was some hesitation about how to report to Sokov.
Hearing that there was no sound coming from the microphone, Sokov's dissatisfaction increased a bit. He raised his voice and asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what's going on? Why don't you speak?"
"Report to the division commander, comrade!" Hearing the division commander's anger, the regiment chief of staff replied with embarrassment: "Not long ago, the enemy entered the sewer from the defense area of the first battalion. However, the first battalion commander entered the sewer without asking for instructions.
Leading the troops to retreat, the defensive area of the battalion was occupied by the enemy. I guess that the captured soldiers should have been holding on to the ruins on the ground because they did not know that the underground troops had retreated, so they were beaten by the enemy.
Caught off guard."
The explanation of the regiment chief of staff made Sokov understand the reason why the soldiers were captured. When he thought of the instigator, Sokov became furious. He asked angrily: "Comrade chief of staff, where is that first battalion commander?"
Where? I will send this coward who is greedy for life and afraid of death to a military court and let him receive the punishment he deserves."
"I have sent someone to escort him to you." The regiment chief of staff said cautiously: "I think you will be able to see the first battalion commander in a while."
"Where is Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko?" Sokov thought that he had never heard Papuchenko's voice and was worried that the other party was embarrassed to talk to him, so he ordered the regiment chief of staff: "Let him talk to me."
"I'm sorry, Comrade Division Commander, I'm afraid the regiment commander can't speak to you for the time being." The regiment chief of staff reported to Sokov: "The regiment commander led the troops to the west. He said he wanted to see with his own eyes the lost defensive zone being recaptured.
.”
"Nonsense, simply nonsense." Sokov said loudly into the microphone: "Comrade Chief of Staff, just leave these matters to the commander below. How can he, a regiment commander, take risks? I am ordering you now,
Send someone immediately to bring Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko back. Do you understand?"
"Understood, comrade division commander." The regiment chief of staff knew that he could not persuade Papuchenko to come back, but now that he had the division commander's order, it was another matter. He could justifiably send someone to call the regiment commander back.
. He quickly straightened up and replied: "I will send someone to bring the leader back immediately."
After putting down the phone, Sokov turned to Samoylov who was standing outside the door and said: "Second Lieutenant, let's go back to the duty room at the entrance of the factory. Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko will send an officer who escaped from the battle later."
Come here, you are responsible for sending him to the army headquarters."
"What, running away from the battle?" Hearing what Sokov said, not only Samoylov was stunned, but even Bolshak was dumbfounded: "Comrade Colonel, I really didn't expect that there would be someone in your army.
People who are greedy for life and afraid of death exist.”
"The forest is big, and there are all kinds of birds." Sokov sneered and said: "With so many people in the army, there are brave and fearless heroes, and naturally there are also cowards who are greedy for life and afraid of death. Let's go, Second Lieutenant Samoilov.
, let’s go back to the duty room now.”
As soon as Sokov walked into the duty room, before he had time to talk to Zinchenko who was staying inside, he heard someone shouting a report at the door, and said without looking back: "Come in!"
A second lieutenant walked into the duty room, raised his hand and saluted Sokov, and then reported: "Comrade division commander, I am the combat staff officer of the 122nd Guards Regiment, and I have been ordered to send the commander of the first battalion to you."
Sokov walked to the table, sat down, and ordered to the combat staff: "Bring him in!"
The combat staff officer agreed, walked to the door and said outside: "Bring the people in!"
Zinchenko was confused by what happened. He stared with wide eyes as a major walked in dejectedly from the door, escorted by two soldiers, and asked Sokov in a low voice: "Comrade Colonel,
What happened?"
Sokov had no time to talk to Zinchenko, but stared at the major who was escorted in, and asked angrily: "Tell me, major, why did you order the troops to retreat without authorization, which almost caused a big mistake!"
"What, he ordered the troops to retreat without authorization?" Zinchenko said in surprise: "When did this happen? How come I didn't know about it at all?"
"Do you know that because you ordered the troops to retreat without authorization, the enemy quickly occupied many areas controlled by your battalion." Sokov pointed at the opponent and continued: "Because the soldiers staying in the ruins on the ground did not get the
You were given the order to retreat. You didn’t even know that the enemy had already occupied the area under your feet, so you were caught off guard by the enemy who emerged from the sewer. Now many soldiers have been sacrificed or captured. You have to bear the main responsibility for such consequences.
responsibility."
Although Sokov did not answer Zinchenko's question, from his words, Zinchenko already understood what happened. He stared at the poor major and thought with disgust: I really didn't expect that this major actually
He is a coward who is greedy for life and afraid of death. You cannot be polite to such people. Even if they are not shot on the spot, they should be sent to a military court and let them receive the punishment they deserve.
"Comrade Commander, I was wrong." A battalion commander said in a tearful voice: "I am willing to make amends for myself. Please give me a chance to atone for my sins."
"I'll give you a chance?!" Sokov sneered, slammed the table, and then stood up and said: "Then who will give those sacrificed soldiers a chance to be reborn? Second Lieutenant Samoilov, immediately put him
Take it away, I don't want to see this disgusting face again." His next sentence was to Samoilov standing at the door.
When Samoylov heard Sokov calling him, he quickly walked into the duty room and asked tentatively: "Comrade division commander, what should I do with him? Should I drag him out and shoot him?"
For the mistakes committed by a battalion commander, it is not an exaggeration to shoot him immediately. However, Sokov did not want to shoot a school-level officer casually at this time, especially in a friendly defense zone, which would have a negative impact on the troops.
Military morale will be affected to varying degrees. Therefore, he ordered Samoilov: "Take a few soldiers, escort him to the army headquarters, and hand him over to the military legal department for trial. How to deal with it, the superiors will naturally arrange it.
"
After Samoylov led his men to escort the first battalion commander away, Sokov looked at the combat staff and said: "Comrade staff, please go back and tell Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko that if something like this happens again, he will
Just wait for the military court."
"Yes, Comrade Division Commander." After listening to what Sokov said, the combat staff officer quickly replied loudly: "I will definitely convey your words to the regiment commander."
"Okay, you have nothing to do here." Sokov waved his hand to the combat staff and said, "Go back to your unit."
