While the first battalion commander Vanya was counting the results of the battle, the chief of staff Sidorin called Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, we are opening the entrances to the tunnels that were closed not long ago. I have a suggestion, I don't know whether to say it or not.
What should I say?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, if you have any questions, just tell me."
"It's like this. Since there is no ventilation device in the tunnel, the air is hot, dirty, and smelly. Especially in order to prevent the enemy from discovering the tunnel, we temporarily closed all the entrances. At this moment, the air in the tunnel is almost suffocating.
." Sidorin said cautiously: "So I suggest that our soldiers take turns to go outside the cave to breathe fresh air."
Sidorin's words made Sokov break into a cold sweat. Fortunately, the entrance was not closed for long, otherwise the soldiers staying in the tunnel would have suffocated in the tunnel before they had time to exchange fire with the enemy. So he hurriedly said
: "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately ask the soldiers to come out from the east entrance and go outside to breathe fresh air."
Belkin, who was sitting aside, heard the exchange between Sokov and Sidorin. He waited for Sokov to put down the phone and immediately said: "Comrade Brigadier, what we did this time is really risky.
If the tunnel had not been closed for only a few hours, the nearly two thousand commanders and soldiers in the tunnel might have died of suffocation. By then, not to mention destroying one enemy battalion, even if two battalions or even a regiment were wiped out, it would be too much for us.
It is a huge irreparable loss."
"Comrade Political Commissar, you are right." After today's battle, Sokov realized that there are still many problems in the tunnel fortifications. The first is the ventilation problem mentioned by Sidorin and Belgin. If this problem is not solved
, then once the German army relies on their powerful firepower and superior troops to occupy the surface position of Mamayev Heights again, as long as they seal the entrance to the tunnel, in less than a day, the commanders and soldiers staying in the tunnel will not be able to escape and suffocate to death.
Therefore, he decided to improve the ventilation system in the tunnel while there was still time: "I will discuss with Major Ozor later to see how we can improve the ventilation situation in the tunnel."
…………
The results of the war were calculated. A total of 809 people were annihilated in the German infantry battalion. Among them, 692 were shot and killed, and 117 were captured. From the battalion commander down to ordinary soldiers, no one escaped.
Sokov returned to the headquarters. After seeing the statistics of the battle results, he nodded slightly, and then asked Sidorin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what are the casualties of our army?"
"31 people were sacrificed and 57 were injured." Sidorin quickly replied: "In fact, in the early battles, our army's casualties were almost negligible. They were mainly casualties caused by the sudden shelling by the Germans and their failure to conceal themselves in time.
."
Although Sokov also wanted to minimize the casualties of his troops, some casualties were inevitable due to the enemy's powerful firepower. After laying down the results report, he asked Sidorin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what have we achieved?"
Have you reported the results of the battle to the Army Group Headquarters?"
"Not yet!" Sidorin shook his head and said, "I just got the results statistics, and you came back."
Seeing that Sidorin had not yet had time to report, Sokov decided to call Chuikov himself. As soon as the call came through, he heard a hoarse female voice: "Hello, this is the Army Group Headquarters. Who are you looking for?"
Sokov recognized that the speaker was Yelena Bakalevich, the duty telephone operator of the group army, and said quickly: "Hello, Yelena, I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov. I have something urgent to call the commander."
officer or chief of staff.”
"I'm sorry, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." Yelena politely replied: "Comrade Chief of Staff is answering an important call. As for the commander, he just left the headquarters and went to an unknown place. What do you have?
Do you need me to convey the matter to you?"
"That's it, Yelena, the results achieved by our brigade in the battle early this morning have been calculated." Sokov said politely: "I will tell you the specific data, please wait a moment.
Relay to Commander or Chief of Staff."
After Sokov hurriedly reported the data, he made another call to the City Defense Committee. He said to the attendant who answered the phone: "Hello, I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov from Mamayev Heights. Please help us find Ozo."
Major."
Unexpectedly, after the watchman waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he said apologetically: "Sorry, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, Major Ozor is not here."
"Not there?!" Sokov asked in surprise: "Where did he go? When will he come back?"
"He followed the city defense commander to the outskirts of Mining to inspect the fortifications." The duty officer replied politely: "As for when he will be back, I don't know yet."
"Unlucky, really unlucky." Sokov put down the phone and said to Sidorin: "Report the results to the commander and chief of staff. One has gone out, and the other is taking important calls; call Major Ozor,
He also went outside the city to inspect the fortifications, and it is unknown when he will return."
Just as Sokov was complaining, the phone on the table suddenly rang. Sokov quickly reached out and grabbed the phone, put it to his ear and said, "I'm Sokov."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." The voice of Army Chief of Staff Krylov came from the receiver: "I am Krylov."
"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov thought that Krylov called him to verify the battle results he just reported, so he quickly said: "Have you seen all the battle results I reported?"
"You see, you did a great job." Krylov simply praised him and then said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I'm calling you because I have an important task for you.
Finish."
Hearing that another mission was coming, Sokov quickly concentrated his attention and asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what kind of mission is it?"
"It's like this. We have a female scout named Maria Vedenyeva who obtained a piece of top-secret information behind the enemy's rear. But when she sent us a telegram, as soon as the word "top secret" appeared in the telegram, suddenly
was interrupted, and then there was no news." Krylov said on the phone: "Now I give you a special task: immediately send capable subordinates to the Xiaorososhka area to find this missing woman.
Scout, we must find her. If she has been sacrificed, we must also find a way to bring back the information she obtained. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff." After Sokov waited for the other party to finish speaking, he immediately expressed his position to him and said: "I will immediately send someone to find Maria Vedenyeva, and I will definitely bring back the top-secret information she obtained.