Red Moscow

  Chapter 1525

  Just as the troops still in the Merefah Fortress began to prepare a special bathhouse for female soldiers, the troops of the 1st Mechanized Army under General Managarov also arrived outside the city of Klemenchug.

  This force was established in Kosterevo in September 1942. It had made great achievements during the Stalingrad Defense War. Solomatin, the commander of the army, was awarded the rank of lieutenant general because of his outstanding military exploits.

  Although Konev has personally stated that he wants to hand over this force to Sokov to command. But today, among the commanders in the Klemenchug city and the landing field on the right bank of the Dnieper River, the highest-ranking commander is Major General Fomenko, the commander of the 84th Division. After they arrived, who should unify the command of the troops became a headache.

   Colonel Chuvashov in the city of Kremenchug, after learning of General Solomatin's call, went out of the city to greet him in person and invited him to his headquarters. While entertaining the other party warmly, he ordered the chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Uzakov, to send a telegram to the army headquarters, reporting the news of Lieutenant General Solomatin's arrival to the headquarters.

After Sameko received the telegram, he also showed a embarrassed expression on his face. He said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, this is a headache. You know, we are currently in Klemenchug. The troops in the area, only the 98th Guards Division, the 84th and 254th Infantry Divisions, the highest rank is Major General Fomenko, while General Solomatin is a lieutenant general, let him accept the command of a major general or colonel, He definitely doesn't want to."

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff, you're right." Sokov agreed with Fomenko's statement very much: "If it were me, even if I didn't say it, I would feel very uncomfortable in my heart. When executing orders, it will definitely be greatly compromised, thus affecting the implementation of the combat plan."

   "Then what should we do?" Sameko asked Sokov for instructions: "How about we move the headquarters there overnight?"

"Don't disrupt our original plan for such a trivial matter." Sokov thought for a while, then shook his head and said: "I think after the train returns from Kremenchug, let the 73rd Infantry Brigade board the train. I will go to Klemenchug with the car in advance to command the troops there."

When Sameko heard that Sokov planned to go deep into the front again, he originally wanted to object, but then he thought about it. The conditions for the transfer of the headquarters are not yet ripe. It is better to let Sokov go first and take over the command of several troops. It can make the defense work there as soon as possible. Thinking of this, he nodded and said, "Okay, Comrade Commander, I will immediately call Major Guchakov and inform him to get the troops ready to board the vehicle."

When Guchakov received the call from Sameko, he was quite surprised. He asked in puzzlement: "Comrade Chief of Staff, according to the order of boarding, shouldn't we start the day after tomorrow? Why did it suddenly change to Nowadays?"

"The situation in Klemenchug has changed a bit, and Comrade Commander must rush there as soon as possible." Sameko explained to Guchakov on the phone: "Your troops are his most trusted, so after the Army Group The chief researched and decided, and you will **** him to Klemenchug."

Knowing that Sokov was planning to go to Kremenchug, Gutsakov immediately regained his spirits, and he assured Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I will immediately issue an order to the troops to prepare them for departure. You can rest assured that as long as there are commanders and fighters from our brigade, the safety of comrade commander will be absolutely guaranteed."

When Sameko put down the phone, Sokov said to him: "Chief of Staff, send a telegram to Colonel Chuvashov, asking him to receive General Solomatin well, and I will talk about anything after I go over. "

   "Do you need to transfer the 1st Mechanized Army to the landing field on the right bank as soon as possible?" Sameko asked for instructions.

"Not for the time being." Sokov shook his head and said, "Where the troops of the 1st Mechanized Army are deployed, and how to deploy them, I will discuss it with General Solomatin when I arrive in Kremenchug. "

Although Sokov has always remembered that Konev said that from now on, Lieutenant General Solomatin's 1st Mechanized Army will be placed under his command, but he is younger and has a lower rank than Solomatin. Obedience to his own order is still unknown, he wants to rush there as soon as possible, just to solve this problem.

After drinking tea at Chuvashov's headquarters, Solomatin returned to the subject: "Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask where my troops should be deployed. Also, as far as I know, in Klein There are several troops in Menchug and the landing site on the other side, who should be in command?"

   Solomatin's question left Chuvashov at a loss as to how to interface. Fortunately, Uzakov ran over with a telegram at this time and reported to him: "Comrade Commander, a telegram from the Army Command."

   Chuvashov snatched the telegram from Uzakov's hand and began to browse nervously. After reading the above content, he breathed a sigh of relief, and then said to Solomatin: "Comrade General, I just received a call from General Sokov, the commander of the Army Group, and he asked me to entertain you well. As for the troops How to deploy and who will be under unified command will be discussed after he arrives."

   Solomatin waited for the other party to finish speaking, and asked calmly: "Then when will your commander arrive?"

   "General Solomatin," Chuvashov thought for a while, and then replied: "If everything goes well, we will be here in eight hours at the earliest."

"What, eight hours at the fastest?" Solomatin showed displeasure on his face: "Comrade Colonel, do you know that in war, every minute is precious. If my troops stay Eight hours outside the city of Klemenchug, wait until your commander arrives before mobilizing, will it be too late? If the Germans launch an attack at this time, your troops standing on the right bank landing field can stop it Enemy attack?"

"General Solomatin," Chuvashov couldn't help getting angry when he heard that the other party looked down on his friendly army, but he still suppressed the anger in his heart and tried to say in a calm tone: "You may not know, now The two divisions standing on the landing field on the right bank had fought face-to-face with the most elite SS divisions of the German army. In the end, the enemy suffered huge casualties, and even the designation was almost revoked.

  Even if the Germans launch an attack at this moment, I believe that with the combat effectiveness of these two divisions, it will not be a big problem to crush the German attack. "

After listening to Solomatin, he couldn't help but chuckled, and said, "Comrade Colonel, it seems that you are confident in the combat effectiveness of your allies. I hope that when the enemy's offensive begins, the two divisions on the right bank landing field will really have some strength." The ability to block the enemy's attack."

"General Solomatin, I believe that the performance of the friendly army in battle will definitely exceed your imagination." Chuvashov said with confidence: "You can use one division to deal with an SS division of our army. Every time we fight against our army, it ends in a disastrous defeat, and I believe this time there will be no exception."

  Wine is less than a thousand cups when you meet a bosom friend, and there are too many words if you don't speculate. Chuvashov had already ordered the kitchen to prepare food and wine for Solomatin, and prepared to entertain him well. But due to a verbal dispute, the two soon broke up.

  After Solomatin returned to the outside of the city, the Chief of Army Staff greeted him and asked curiously, "Comrade Army Commander, what do comrades in the friendly army say, where do you plan to deploy our army?"

   Solomatin glanced at the chief of staff of the army, and said angrily: "Nowadays, the several units of the 27th Army don't even have a unified command, let alone let us arrange defense somewhere."

   "Are they going to keep us out of town?"

"That's not true." Solomatin shook his head and said, "Chuvashov told me that his commander, Major General Sokov, was about to rush over from the distant fortress of Meriefa. About eight hours later, can get here.”

The chief of staff of the    army became even more worried after hearing this: "Should we just let our troops wait outside the city for eight hours?"

"Although the commander here can't make the decision, we can't just wait here." When Solomatin came out of Chuvashov's division headquarters, he had considered how to deploy the troops. He took the opportunity to say: "Immediately transfer the 219th Tank Brigade to the vicinity of the Dnieper River Bridge, so that once the situation on the right bank is critical, the tank brigade can rush there to support."

The chief of staff of the   army finished recording his order, and then asked: "What about the mechanized brigade, let them stay outside the city, or follow the tank brigade to the Dnieper River Bridge?"

"The 19th mechanized brigade moved in with the 219th tank brigade," Solomatin said. "The remaining two mechanized brigades, as well as the tank regiment, artillery regiment and rocket artillery battalion, continued to stay outside Kremenchug. , awaiting my further orders."

   "Yes, Comrade Commander." The Chief of Staff of the Army waited for Solomatin to finish speaking, and replied loudly: "I will convey your order to all units as soon as possible."

  As the order was issued, the 219th Tank Brigade, the most elite tank of the 1st Mechanized Army, took the lead. This brigade had three tank battalions, all equipped with T-34 tanks. This unit has always been regarded as an offensive force by Solomatin. In offensive battles, if a certain German position cannot be conquered for a long time, Solomatin will send this tank force to carry out assaults on the enemy's positions and cover the infantry. Break through the enemy's defenses.

   Followed by the 19th Mechanized Brigade, which has a tank regiment with 21 tanks, three infantry battalions with trucks, and two artillery batteries equipped with 76.2mm field guns.

  The purpose of Solomatin deploying these two brigades near the Dnieper Bridge is to prepare his troops to attack in the shortest possible time when the defenders at the landing site on the right bank are defeated. You know, Sokov's troops are invincible. Once they are defeated by the German army, but his troops block the rushing German army, it will make him famous and great for his future. helpful.

When the troops of the mechanized army were mobilized to the bank of the Dnieper River, they immediately alarmed the 254th Division, which stood firm here. After the division commander, Colonel Shechtman, learned the news, he immediately brought a guard out with the political commissar, Colonel Billing, and wanted to do something about it. Know where this force comes from.

   The two stood at the head of the bridge, reaching out to stop the oncoming tanks.

  After the leading tank stopped, the top hatch of the turret was opened, and a tank lieutenant wearing a black jumpsuit and a tank cap got out from inside. Seeing the two standing on the bridge, they jumped out of the tank and ran over.

   After Shechtman and other tank officers came to him, he asked with a straight face: "Comrade lieutenant, what part are you from, and why are you here?"

   After the tank lieutenant raised his hand to salute the two, he replied with a smile on his face, "Two colonels, we are from the 219th Tank Brigade of the 1st Mechanized Army."

Sokov did not inform Shechtman about the situation of the 1st Mechanized Army, so Shechtman asked in surprise after hearing this: "Comrade Lieutenant, I remember that in the organizational system of the 27th Army, it seems that there is no such thing as you." Army. Where the **** did you come from?"

   "Comrade Colonel, you are right, we are indeed not from the 27th Army, we are from the 53rd Army."

   "The 53rd Army?" Shechtman was even more puzzled: "Why did you appear here?"

   This time it was the turn of the tank lieutenant to be surprised: "Why, Comrade Colonel, don't you know that from now on, our 1st Mechanized Army will be temporarily assigned to the command of the 27th Army, and we are ordered to strengthen the defense of the landing field on the right bank."

"This is really great." Hearing that the tank unit is here to strengthen the defense of the right bank landing field, Shechtman and Billing looked at each other, and they both saw the look of joy in each other's eyes: "With the tank unit With the support of the German army, we will be more confident in blocking the German attack."

  Seeing that the two colonels were overjoyed, the tank lieutenant poured cold water on them: "Comrade colonels, but we have received orders to station near the Dnieper River Bridge and not enter the defensive position on the right bank for the time being."

   "Don't enter the defensive position on the right bank?" Shechtman asked puzzledly: "Why is this?"

  The tank lieutenant waved his hands and said: "Comrade Colonel, even if you ask me this question, I can't answer you, because my superior didn't tell me the reason at all."

   Shechtman thought about it, and the lieutenant made a lot of sense. If it were me, I wouldn't casually tell the company commanders of the battle plan, it's normal for the other party not to know.

   "Comrade Lieutenant," Billing couldn't hold back his curiosity, and asked the tank lieutenant, "Where is your brigade commander? I want to talk to him."

  The lieutenant of the tank soldier quickly replied: "Comrade Colonel, if you want to talk to our brigade commander, I can notify him by radio and ask him to come here to meet you."

   After obtaining Shechtman's consent, the tank lieutenant turned around and returned to the tank, preparing to notify the brigade commander by radio, asking him to come here to meet the two Shechtmans.

  After the tank lieutenant left, Billing asked Shechtman: "Comrade commander, tell me why the tank brigade of the friendly army stopped advancing when it reached the river?"

Shechtman frowned and thought for a while, and replied: "I think it may be because we don't have a unified command here, and no one can give them orders. They don't know what to do for a while, so they can only send troops to Deployed near the bridge. Once they are needed on the right bank, they can pass the bridge in the shortest possible time and enter the landing field on the right bank."

  (end of this chapter)