The massive amount of supplies found in the underground warehouse made Chuikov smile, because this finally solved his urgent need. He walked out of the warehouse, called his adjutant Klimov out, and ordered him: "Klimov, you go there immediately
Notify the commanders of the 138th, 157th and 208th Divisions and ask them to send people here to collect supplies."
"Comrade General." When Sokov walked out, he happened to hear what Chuikov said and quickly reminded him: "What about Colonel Mirnov's 154th Marine Brigade?"
"Don't worry about the Marine Brigade," Chuikov waved to Sokov and said, "They are on the supply list of the logistics department. Even if they don't come here to collect supplies, their superiors will deliver supplies to them."
When the commanders and fighters of the third battalion arrived, Sokov immediately ordered them to take over the defense of the warehouse. Andrei was more cautious, fearing that Germans would emerge from nearby while the troops were transporting supplies, so he deliberately deployed two bombs on the top of the hillside.
machine gun.
After Andrei finished arranging the defenses, Sokov asked him in a low voice: "Captain Andrei, have the six cannons been hidden? Don't let the friendly forces see them, otherwise they may take them away."
"Don't worry, Comrade Brigadier." Seeing that Sokov was obsessed with the cannon, Andrei reported to him: "I have sent people to move the cannon to other areas. It will never be discovered by friendly forces."
After almost two hours, people sent by the three divisions to collect supplies lined up outside the warehouse, one by one to receive the ammunition and supplies needed by each unit. The sergeant of the internal affairs force who was responsible for guarding the warehouse walked to the warehouse.
In front of Cove, he asked with a sad face: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I would like to ask, what should we do if you empty all the warehouses?"
Looking at the sergeant standing in front of him, Sokov thought to himself: The outskirts of Stalingrad are so chaotic now. Maybe this sergeant's superior unit was either annihilated by the enemy or moved to another place.
, so much so that I forgot that there is an important underground warehouse here, and ended up taking advantage of myself.
"Comrade Sergeant," Sokov has never done anything like demolishing bridges across rivers. Such a large military warehouse was emptied of materials without the approval of superiors. If the superiors really held the responsibility, others
Speaking of the sergeant, even if he came forward, it would not be easy. In order to prevent the sergeant from being signed because of himself, he thought for a while and said to the sergeant: "If you don't object, I plan to recruit you."
My guard company of the 73rd Infantry Brigade."
"Infantry 73rd Brigade?" The sergeant was stunned when he heard this number. Therefore, when Chuikov was giving the order just now, he did not hear the number mentioned by Sokov. After hesitating for a moment, he asked tentatively.
: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, are you also a unit of the Southern Cluster? Why didn't I hear the number of this unit just now?"
When Sokov heard the sergeant ask this, he couldn't help but blush. He realized that he was trying to pry Chuikov's wall again. Although the two squads of internal affairs troops were not large in number, their performance on the battlefield was definitely better than the average.
The soldiers were much stronger. Otherwise Sokov wouldn't have instinctively wanted to take them under his command as soon as he heard the sergeant ask about where to go next.
"That's it, Comrade Sergeant." Sokov felt the need to explain to the Sergeant to let him understand what was going on: "I am the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and the troops are stationed at Mamayev Heights.
Now I am serving as the acting chief of staff of the Southern Cluster on a temporary basis. Once a suitable candidate is available to take over my job, I will return to Mamayev Heights. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." After the sergeant figured out what was going on, he nodded and said, "I am willing to go to Mamayev Hill."
"Great, this is great." Seeing that the sergeant agreed to follow him, Sokov was overjoyed. He quickly called Andrei over and said to him: "Comrade Captain, the sergeant will be the infantry brigade from now on."
The platoon commander of the security company is here. When you return to Mamayev Heights, take them all with you."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." Seeing that the distribution of ammunition and supplies was proceeding in an orderly manner, Chuikov felt that it was time to return to the headquarters, so he specifically called Sokov: "We are going back to the headquarters now.
"
After returning to the headquarters, Chuikov asked the staff who stayed behind: "Is there any movement from the enemy on the other side?"
"Colonel Lyudnikov reports," the staff officer quickly reported to Chuikov: "The German army is preparing equipment for building a bridge. It seems that they are preparing to build a pontoon bridge on the Aksay River."
"Build a bridge?!" Chuikov heard this and immediately ordered his staff: "Get me the 138th Division headquarters. I want to talk to Lyudnikov."
"Comrade General," Sokov reminded him, considering that the Southern Group only had two mortar battalions: "The German army in front of us is the 14th Armored Division. If they are allowed to cross the river smoothly, our infantry will not be able to withstand it.
Their tanks."
Although Chuikov appointed Dmitriev as the artillery commander of the Southern Group, Sokov only had a handful of meetings with him. Now that he saw that he was not at the temporary headquarters, he asked the staff: "Dmitriev."
Where is General Husband?"
"I don't know," the staff officer replied, shaking his head: "General Dmitriev came to the headquarters yesterday and said that he wanted to collect artillery somewhere and form an artillery unit to resist the attack of German tanks.
"
The call to the 138th Division headquarters was connected, and Chuikov asked Lyudnikov directly: "Comrade Colonel, I heard that the Germans are preparing to build a bridge in the defensive zone of your division. How is the situation now?"
"Comrade Commander," Lyudnikov immediately replied after hearing Chuikov's question: "They have now started erecting the pontoon bridge."
Knowing that the German army had begun to build a bridge, Chuikov became a little anxious: "Then what measures have you taken?"
"When the enemy started to build the bridge, I once ordered the machine gun to shoot at the engineers on the other side." Lyudnikov replied: "But the enemy quickly mobilized several tanks and lined up along the river. As long as they saw
As soon as we fired, we opened fire immediately. Two or three of our machine gun firepower points have been destroyed in succession, so I can only order to temporarily stop shooting."
Hearing that the Germans had begun to build pontoon bridges, and that the 138th Division was unable to use any means to stop the enemy's bridge-building operations under enemy artillery fire, Chuikov couldn't help but become anxious. He said into the microphone: "I understand, Colonel
Comrade, I order you to do everything possible to prevent the enemy from crossing the river, and I will try my best to provide you with artillery support."
After putting down the phone, Chuikov ordered Klimov: "Comrade Lieutenant, immediately find a way to find General Dmitriev. We need his artillery now to prevent the German army from building a bridge on the Aksay River."