When the commanders and fighters of several detachments were queuing up to receive rockets, a sentry at the entrance of the tunnel trotted over, stood up in front of Sokov and reported: "Comrade Brigadier, the Chief of Staff just called, please return to the headquarters immediately.
.”
Sokov stared at the soldiers who were receiving rockets and asked without raising his head: "Do you know anything?"
"I don't know." The sentry replied simply.
"Comrade Brigadier," Sidorin knew that Sokov was distributing rockets to the squad here. Since he called to urge Sokov to go back, there must be something important. Vitkov thought of this,
He quickly said to Sokov: "I guess Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin has something important to ask you. You'd better go back to the headquarters first and leave the matters here to me."
Sokov was eager to know what Sidorin wanted to do with him. When he saw Vitkov volunteering, he nodded to him and said politely: "Comrade Deputy Brigadier, I'll leave the matter here to you."
When he learned that Sokov was going to return to the headquarters, Seryosha, who was working as a guard on the side, quickly came over and was about to help Sokov back to the tunnel. But Sokov waved to him and said: "Seryosa, no need.
I can do it on my own. You and your people will continue to stay here to protect the safety of the deputy brigade commander." After saying that, he covered his abdomen with his hands and walked towards the tunnel with some staggering steps.
As soon as he walked into the headquarters, Sokov saw Sidorin answering the phone. He immediately thought that the other party asked him to come back, which must be related to the call he was answering, so he asked in a low voice: "Comrade Chief of Staff,
Who are you talking to on the phone?"
When Sidorin saw Sokov entering, he quickly covered the phone with his hand and replied in the same voice: "It's the commander calling. He wants to know something about you." After saying that, he let go.
He raised his voice and asked into the microphone, "Comrade Commander, the brigade commander is back. Do you want to talk to him?"
When Sokov saw Sidorin handing the microphone to him, he immediately stepped forward and took it: "Hello, Comrade Commander, I am Sokov. Do you have any instructions?"
Chuikov's voice came from the receiver: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I heard Comrade Sidorin say that Colonel Vitkov has escorted the batch of rockets back. You also plan to send those small teams to perform tasks behind the enemy's rear
, they all carry some rockets, is this a thing?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sokov knew about this matter. Even if Sidorin did not report it, Chuikov would learn about the situation sooner or later through specific news channels, so he admitted openly: "I asked each team to
Carrying rockets behind enemy lines is to better attack the enemy."
After Chuikov waited for him to finish speaking, he asked slowly: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, have you ever thought that leaving these rockets on Mamayev Heights might have a greater effect?"
Regarding Chuikov's proposal, Sokov was silent for a moment, and after reorganizing the vocabulary in his mind, he continued: "Comrade Commander, I think about it this way. If a small team that goes deep behind enemy lines carries rockets,
, they can attack enemy barracks, warehouses, transport convoys, headquarters, etc. from a long distance. Since they are far away from the enemy, they can move immediately after completing the mission without worrying about being entangled by the enemy, thus improving the efficiency of the small unit.
Survival rate behind enemy lines.”
Although he said the same thing, Chuikov had heard Sidorin's report not long ago, but for some reason, he had to hear Sokov say it himself before he felt at ease. After Sokov finished speaking, he said
: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I want to ask you a question, and I hope you can answer it truthfully."
Sokov didn't know what question Chuikov wanted to ask, but he also guessed that it must be related to the small team sent to the enemy's rear, so he said calmly: "Excuse me, Comrade Commander."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Chuikov asked: "What kind of impact do you think these small teams will have on the enemy's subsequent offensive deployment when they arrive behind enemy lines?"
"Comrade Commander, according to the intelligence I have, the enemy suffered huge losses in the early offensive. Now they are regrouping their troops and technical equipment to prepare for another fierce attack on Stalingrad." Sokov was confident.
He replied: "Small units that go deep behind enemy lines can use rockets to attack the enemy's transportation lines, destroy roads, railways and bridges, completely disrupting the original deployment of the German army, thereby buying the city's defenders some breathing time.
.”
As the commander of the group army, Chuikov naturally learned through his own news channels that the Supreme Command was formulating a counterattack plan for the Stalingrad area. He knew very well what was needed to completely repel the enemies entrenched in the Stalingrad area.
The strength and technical equipment were astonishing, and it would take a very long time to complete such an assembly. Therefore, what he was most worried about was whether he had the strength to defend the city before the base camp prepared for a counterattack.
After listening to Sokov's statement, he was full of expectations for the results that the small team behind enemy lines could achieve. After being silent for a while, he said into the microphone: "Okay, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, since you are interested in
The team is so confident, then I will wait for the good news you report to me."
Sidorin watched Sokov put down the phone and asked with some concern: "Comrade Brigade Commander, do you really think that the actions of the small team behind enemy lines can completely disrupt the deployment of the German army?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, I have such confidence." Hearing Sidorin's question, Sokov smiled faintly and then replied: "Although the number of troops we sent behind enemy lines is limited, the measures they have taken
This action can delay the German army's general attack on Stalingrad, giving us more time to prepare for defense."
…………
Among the four teams that sneaked into the enemy's rear, the first one to fight the enemy was the team commanded by Second Lieutenant Fisher from the 1st Battalion. They were marching westward along a simple road, and a soldier who was exploring the road in front ran back
Report to him: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, a convoy was spotted on the road ahead, heading towards us."
"How far is it from us?" After hearing the report, Fisher immediately asked a series of questions: "How long does it take to get here?"
The soldier quickly replied: "We saw the car lights on the highway. Judging from the speed at which the convoy is moving, they will meet us in ten minutes at most."
Fisher looked at the nearby terrain, and then gave an order to the soldiers around him: "Immediately seize the commanding heights on the right side of the road and establish a launching position." Then he ordered the soldier, "Go back and continue to observe, see if there is anything new.
Please report the situation to me immediately."
As the order was given, the soldiers of the squad rushed to the hillside on the right side of the road, and helped the gunner set up the tripod and set up the launcher.
After doing all this, the soldiers standing on the hillside saw the convoy in the distance. The gunner counted the car lights in the distance, and then asked Fisher: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, the enemy has about thirty trucks.
There are several tanks driving side by side with the convoy. Do you think, how many rockets are we going to fire?"
Fisher thought for a while and then replied: "We brought three launch tubes, and two salvos should be enough."
"Two volleys?!" After hearing Fisher's arrangement, the artilleryman said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, if you can knock out half of the enemy's vehicles with two volleys, it's not bad. Do you think we should add another round?"
"
"No," Fischer ruthlessly rejected the artillery's request: "We have just entered the enemy's rear, and there are still many battles to fight in the future. We cannot shoot out all the rockets and just fire two salvos.
Regardless of the outcome of the battle, we will move immediately after launching the missile."
Seeing Fisher's resolute attitude, the artilleryman knew that nothing he said would be of any use. He could only return to the gun position, adjust the position of the launch tube, and aim at the convoy approaching in the distance. After completing the aiming, he looked up at Fisher for instructions.
Said: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, preparations for rocket launch have been completed. Can it be launched? Please give instructions?!"
"Launch!" Fisher gave the launch order without hesitation.
The artilleryman agreed resoundingly, and then pressed the launch button. Three rockets flew out of the launcher, dragging their long flame tails and flying towards the convoy in the distance. Before the rockets could focus on the target, Fisher
I shouted to the soldiers standing nearby: "What are you still doing? Why don't you hurry up and help load it?"
Just as the soldiers gathered around to load the rockets, the three rockets fired earlier had already landed in the middle of the German convoy, setting off three dazzling balls of fire, followed by earth-shattering explosions. The artillerymen paid no attention at all.
Looking at his results, he pressed the launch button again and completed his second salvo.
Seeing that the road in the distance had turned into a sea of fire, Fisher quickly ordered the soldiers: "Hurry up and put the launch tube away. We will move immediately. When the enemy recovers and surrounds us, we will not be able to leave."
The fire on the road reflected the sky before dawn. In the light of the fire, seven or eight German trucks staggered on the road and exploded into flames. The road near the explosion point was strewn with German corpses. Due to the powerful power of the rockets,
Even the two or two tanks near the explosion point were not spared. The entire body was burned in flames, and none of the tank crew inside escaped.