"Now, it's time for me to show off my magical powers!"
Reichev pinched his waist, he was in a great mood. For a long time, the paratrooper brigade was an elite hidden by the army. Before being airdropped into this swamp, the entire brigade officers and soldiers only had endless military exercises.
Drills are not real battles! When they actually start the first battle in their lives, they realize that actual combat is more dangerous than drills. However, as long as they use wisdom, such as opening fire first, it can easily turn into a one-sided killing.
Now Reichev also knew that because he ran fast enough, these nearly 600 soldiers and the attached service troops already had the opportunity to conduct assault operations.
After a series of battles, the losses of his battalion were not small. The soldiers who were slightly injured had returned to the team one after another, and the seriously injured and disabled had to be sent to train the militiamen. He lost 60 people permanently, but he also learned from other troops.
Sixty people were added.
The newly recruited soldiers have never been trained as paratroopers. They are the best recruited from the militia, and some are even quite young.
Nowadays, the title of "paratrooper" is more like an honorary title, just like some troops have received titles such as "Guards", "Red Flag", and "Panzergrenadier".
After receiving Balzen's order, Reichev immediately rushed all the officers and soldiers of the battalion, including the carriage drivers and horse breeders, to one place in the woods where they were resting.
He stood on the top of a carriage full of potatoes and announced to everyone: "Comrades! The superiors have issued new orders. The burden of ambush and reconnaissance in Loyev is ours to shoulder first. Do you know why?
?”
No one knew about this issue, and the crowd gradually became noisy.
"Everyone, please stop thinking wildly! The reason is very simple, because our speed is as fast as lightning! We are paratroopers, and paratroopers should have legs to penetrate the forest in this dense forest. In fact, we can reach the target if we advance another 20 kilometers. And the main force
The troops have to travel at least fifteen kilometers further than us!
Besides, I see that all of you are full of energy! If we march at night, when the sun rises tomorrow, we will have reached the enemy's bridgehead at Loev.
but!
However, we can't do this! We must maintain sufficient physical strength, and also ensure that there will be no non-combat attrition due to sprained ankle and cramps! According to the intelligence from superiors, there are already more than fifty people in the large army. Due to the severe sprained ankle, we have to
Out of the fight! Even a senior officer!
So we will camp here, and I give you permission to light the campfire and rest until seven o'clock sharp tomorrow morning.
Now, all camp! Make a fire! Eat! Sleep!"
Aren't the soldiers of the Parachute Brigade tired? No! We are all human beings. Even though they have been undergoing rigorous physical training during their years in the army, long marches with excessive loads have still seriously depleted their physical strength.
Everyone felt relieved when they learned that they could rest until seven o'clock tomorrow morning.
In fact, many people know that their marching speed is not fast. The reason why they are faster than the main force is because they have been marching at a steady speed with few stops.
In this way, in a forest on the left bank of the Dnieper River that was basically no man's land, little flames were lit. The soldiers greedily ate potatoes to replenish energy and water. They also ate some dried salted fish.
, add salt.
The soldiers have long been accustomed to this kind of poverty. Under siege by the German army, everyone can fill their belly with potatoes like a ball. Is there anything to complain about?
After eating, the paratroopers began to dig their own "accommodation holes." They received different training from ordinary infantry. They knew how to survive in an isolated and helpless natural environment. They already possessed certain capabilities of future generations of special forces. They
He picked up the engineering shovel and quickly dug a pit for himself to lie down in. Then he wrapped himself in a blanket and fell asleep.
The entire battalion of officers and soldiers quickly fell asleep, with only a small number of sentries taking turns on guard outside.
This night was uneventful.
The sun rose early, June 21st, and tomorrow will be the summer solstice. The paratrooper battalion all got up at the agreed time. Under the still hot ashes of the campfire, they quickly roasted some potatoes for breakfast.
Reichev also sent a telegram to Balzen at this time. After a brief communication with each other, the paratrooper battalion took the lead in starting today's and last day's march.
The soldiers packed up their blankets, tied them to their backpacks, and carried them all on their backs. After a night's rest, everyone's physical strength was restored, and they could move forward at a steady pace again.
The whole battalion reached the dirt road that must lead to Loev again, and formed two columns, walking on both sides of the road.
"Everyone, please note that if we continue to move forward, we are more likely to encounter danger! Our superiors do not prohibit us from shooting when necessary, so from now on, everyone is ready for battle!"
Reichev's order made the soldiers who were in good spirits even more nervous. After all, this road can lead directly to the target, and the possibility of encountering a German patrol increases as the troops gradually approach the target.
There was a platoon of soldiers who separated from the main force and advanced one kilometer ahead. They were the scouts. The remaining soldiers followed step by step, accompanying their carriages loaded with supplies, advancing at a speed of five kilometers per hour.
At 11:30 in the morning, the vanguard finally reached the edge of the forest. Through the telescope, they saw the bridge over the Dnieper River about one kilometer away, and a road extending from the bridge to the due east.
to the railway.
The leading soldiers laid an ambush on the spot and sent someone to report the fact that they had reached the target to the larger army.
Reichev was overjoyed and immediately issued an order: "The entire battalion is off the road, all personnel including carriages, advance to the forest on the east side and establish our camp in the forest!"
How will this battle against Loev end? The Soviet army naturally believes that it will win, but what it doesn't know is the process of the battle.
The location where Reichev announced to camp was actually three kilometers away from the east exit of the Loyev Railway Bridge. They were actually very close to the front line. Because of the cover of dense vegetation, the entire battalion believed that the enemy could not find them at all. But the troops must
Consider the possibility of a German patrol.
After receiving the order, the soldiers immediately set up a ring defense system in the forest. The center of the official battalion headquarters is located, and a large amount of supplies are also placed here. However, this is not a permanent camp. Tomorrow, the troops will inevitably launch an attack on Loev.
The first round of attack. At that time, the front line will be the edge of the forest one kilometer away from the German bridgehead. The Soviet army's eastern border of Loev's encirclement will also be first responsible for Rechev's battalion.
After the entire battalion left, a platoon of soldiers was left with only one job - to clean up the ruts of the carriages. This job may not be necessary, because the battle will begin after dawn the next day.