Red Moscow

  Chapter 996 Departure (Part 2)

   "Judging from the current situation, we can only choose to march on foot." Ma Linin said with a wry smile: "Even Colonel Bely's tank brigade can only use the tracked approach to Luhansk."

"My God," Sidolin couldn't help exclaiming when he heard Malinin say this: "The distance from Stalingrad to Luhansk is about seven or eight hundred kilometers. Marching in such bad weather, our soldiers They can’t even go 20 kilometers a day. And the tank brigade marches in on tracks, and they will all break down before they reach their destination.”

"Give me the phone." Sukov heard the conversation between Sidolin and Malinen, and immediately realized that if Malinen's arrangement was really followed, his troops would need to march on foot for a month before they could reach the designated location. It is estimated that the Battle of Kharkov is already over. He hurriedly asked for the phone in Sidolin's hand, and said into the microphone: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I think it is very inappropriate for our division to go to Luhansk on foot."

  Sokov's words aroused Malinin's curiosity: "Colonel Sokov, why is this?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, I think the higher-ups asked our division to set out for Luhansk immediately after completing the supplies, in order to strengthen the defense force there to deal with possible dangerous situations." Sokov continued: "If it is true Let our division march on foot, maybe something unexpected will happen before we arrive at the place."

"Colonel Sokov, what you said is very reasonable." Malinin knew that Sokov's words were reasonable, but he was also a clever woman who couldn't live without rice. He didn't have enough cars, and he couldn't conjure them out of thin air: "But now there is no way to get out of it." There are so many vehicles to transport your division."

  Sokov understood that Ma Linin was worried about the lack of vehicles, so he took the initiative to say: "Comrade Chief of Staff, there are not enough vehicles. Our division can take the regiment as a unit and go to Luhansk in batches."

   "Okay, Colonel Sokov, since you said that, let me first discuss with the comrade commander to see how many vehicles can be allocated for you to transport troops and supplies."

  After putting down the phone, Sokov said to Ivanov, Sidolin and others who were standing by the table: "Since the superior ordered our division to march towards Luhansk, we must start to make preliminary preparations."

"Let's organize a recreational team first, go to Luhansk to contact the local garrison, and choose a place to garrison the troops." When it comes to the deployment of large troops, the most experienced person is Ivanov, he asked Sokov for instructions : "Comrade commander, who do you think is responsible for going to the front station?"

   It is very important to hit the front station, and the level of the team leader is too low, it must not work. Sokov originally asked Sidolin to assume this responsibility, but after thinking about it, the mobilization of troops and the transportation of materials cannot be separated from Sidolin's assistant, so he turned his attention to Ivanov again: " Comrade deputy division commander, I think you should be in charge of the front stand. With you in charge, I feel more at ease."

Ivanov knew that the work of playing the front station was very hard and sometimes thankless, so he wanted to refuse, but after hearing what Sokov said later, he immediately changed his mind and quickly stated: "Okay, sir. Comrade, then I will lead the team to the front station. Don't worry, I will never let you down."

"Although we have eliminated the Paulus Group, no one can guarantee that there will be no stragglers and stragglers of the German army who slipped through the net along the way." Seeing that Ivanov agreed to take up the job at the front station, Sokov hurriedly told him: "For Take Seryozha's guard with you for your own safety."

Regarding Sokov's concerns, Ivanov grinned and said disapprovingly: "Comrade commander, you are worrying too much. Now the entire Stalingrad area has hundreds of thousands of our troops, just a few stragglers , What big waves can arise. There are too many guard companies, and there are not so many means of transportation. I think it is enough to let Lieutenant Samoilov's platoon follow me."

  Sokov felt that what Ivanov said made sense. If he sent a company to hit the front station, there would really not be so many vehicles. In any case, it was still possible to get together by taking a platoon of transportation, so I agreed to Ivanov's request. At the same time, he made a call to the guard battalion, and the person who answered the phone said: "This is Sokov, let Lieutenant Samoilov come to me."

  Ivanov saw that Sokov had arranged a guard force for himself, and he couldn't wait to say: "Comrade Commander, since Lieutenant Samoilov has arrived, I will set off immediately."

"Don't be in such a hurry, Comrade Deputy Division Commander." Seeing that Ivanov was in a hurry to set off, Sidolin quickly said, "Even if you want to set off, you have to wait for the command of the front army to send the mobilization order, otherwise you should contact the local garrison. How could the other party believe you without an order from your superior?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't worry too much." Ivanov said with some pride: "Even if there is no order from the superior, as long as I tell the other party that we belong to the 41st Guards Division, the comrades stationed in those places will warmly welcome you." our."

"Comrade deputy commander, are you telling the truth?" Sokov couldn't help asking curiously after hearing Ivanov say this so confidently: "The number of our 41st Guards Division is in other places. Is it really so easy?"

"That's natural. Among the troops of the Don River Army today, who doesn't know our division." Ivanov said proudly: "During the entire city defense battle, only the Mamayev Post that we insisted on, no matter what the Germans launched. No matter how fierce the offensive is, it has never occupied the commanding heights of this city."

"The deputy division commander is right. There was a report about our division in the "Red Star" a month ago." Anisimov, the political commissar of the division, said with a red face: "It reported in detail that our division was defending the battle. The combat experience in it, and the great feats established."

  Sokov guessed that when the "Red Star" was published, he should be staying in Moscow. It is a pity to miss such a good opportunity. He said regretfully: "Oh, unfortunately, I didn't see this newspaper."

   "Comrade Commander," Anisimov took out a square-folded piece of paper from his pocket, and said quite proudly, "I have transcribed the most exciting part, you can take a look."

Sokov unfolded the folded paper, and saw that it read: "The glory of the 41st Guards Division will last forever. A few years later, on the battlefield plowed by shells, green grass will grow; In free Stalingrad, new and bright buildings will rise. Then we veterans will proudly say: 'Yes, I fought under the banner of the heroic 41st Guards Division! '"

   Seeing such an evaluation, Sokov couldn't help but feel moved: "I really didn't expect that the newspapers would evaluate us like this."

   "Comrade commander, in order to protect this great city, our division has suffered tens of thousands of casualties." Sidolin said with emotion: "It would be great if they could live to see such an evaluation."

  After being reminded by Sidolin, Sokov immediately realized that his troops had suffered a lot of casualties in this defense battle, and the entire army had basically changed. If it wasn't for his superiors to replenish him with troops at any time, he might have become a polished commander by now.

   "Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said to Sidolin: "Our descendants will remember these comrades who died in defense of the motherland, and their achievements will last forever."

   "Comrade Commander," Ivanov also sighed, raised his hand to look at his watch, and said to Sokov, "I should go, otherwise I won't be able to find a suitable place to live before dark."

  Before Ivanov left, Sokov specially equipped them with a radio station, and specifically said: "Comrade deputy commander, remember to keep in touch with us at any time and let us know your whereabouts."

  (end of this chapter)