When Sokov set off with the commanders and fighters of the fourth battalion, it was completely dark. At this moment, the German attack on the city had temporarily stopped. Four to five hundred meters away from the factory area of the Red October Tractor Factory, the leading soldiers who were opening the way in front,
Someone ran back and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, Germans have been spotted ahead."
Germans were spotted ahead?! Hearing the report from the foreman, Sokov's heart couldn't help but tremble. How could there be Germans here? Could it be that they had already occupied this area and cut off the factory area from Mamayev Hill?
The connection between them? Thinking of this, he quickly asked: "Have you seen how many enemies there are?"
"No!" The soldier shook his head and replied: "Because it was too dark, we only heard faint voices and the gentle knocking of soldiers' helmets."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Briski came over and whispered in an affirmative tone: "The Germans must have known that we were going to reinforce the Red October Tractor Factory, so they set up an ambush in front of us."
But Sokov expressed doubts about Brisky's speculation: "This is impossible. It was also my temporary decision to bring troops to support the Red October Tractor Factory. How could the Germans know?"
"Perhaps the enemy eavesdropped on the phone call between you and the Army Group Headquarters." Briski said very quickly: "So they sent people to ambush here. So, Comrade Brigadier, you stay here.
, I’ll take someone up there to have a look.”
"No," Sokov shook his head and said, "Let's go up and have a look. If it's really the Germans who are ambushing us in front, we may have to change our marching route."
Briski knew that Sokov was still injured and was unwilling to let him take risks, so he tried his best to dissuade him: "Comrade Brigadier, the front is too dangerous, you should stay here!"
"Comrade Captain, I am the brigade commander, and I have the final say here." Sokov said decisively: "Take a few people and follow me to the front to see what is going on."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sudden rush of footsteps in front of him, and then a surprised voice asked loudly: "Comrades, do you know where the brigade commander and battalion commander are?"
"Hell, who is this guy talking?" Hearing the unscrupulous voice coming from the front, Briskey asked angrily: "Don't he know that this will expose the target? What's more, there may be a German ambush ahead.
.”
"Comrade Battalion Commander," the vanguard who came first to report the news said with some embarrassment after Brisky finished speaking: "It seems to be Corporal Benittyuk, he is the leader of our vanguard group."
From what the leading soldier said, Sokov keenly sensed that things might be different from what he had guessed, and quickly stopped Brischi, who was about to get angry: "Comrade Captain, let Binichuk come here, I want to ask
What on earth is going on."
"What are you still doing here?" Brisky glared at the guard standing in front of him and said, "Why don't you call Corporal Benityuk over quickly and ask what happened?"
Not long after, the foreman brought Binichuk to Sokov and Briski. "Comrade Corporal," Briski asked with some displeasure, "What are you yelling in front of? Do you mean to
To alert the Germans in ambush ahead?"
"We made a mistake, Comrade Battalion Commander, we all made a mistake." Binichuk replied with a smile: "It turns out that the Germans are not in front of us, but the latent posts of the 39th Guards Division. We almost lost our lives and our own.
Our own people started fighting. Fortunately, when we approached their hiding place, a comrade shouted: 'Stop, no one is allowed to come over.' Only then did we realize that the noise we just heard was made by our own people.
"
"Where are the comrades of the Guards Division?" Sokov heard this and interrupted and asked: "Where are they?"
"Comrade Sergeant," Binichuk turned his head and shouted to the back: "Please come here."
Following Binichuk's shout, a soldier wearing a hooded poncho came to Sokov, straightened his body and said: "Hello, comrade commander, which unit are you from?"
Sokov guessed that Binichuk must have told the other party his serial number. The sergeant asked this just to verify it again, so he said without any secret: "We are from the 4th Battalion of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and I am the brigade commander."
Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I want to see your division commander, Comrade Sergeant, can you show me the way?"
"Hello, comrade lieutenant colonel." The sergeant of the Guards said respectfully: "I am very happy to serve as your guide. Please come with me. I will take you and your troops to the division headquarters."
Under the leadership of the Guards sergeant, Sokov and Briski led the troops through the Guards Division's latent posts and defense lines and arrived at the division headquarters. However, it was still far away from the division headquarters building. Sokov and the others
He was stopped by the soldiers of the Guards Division. After whispering a few words to the soldiers on duty, the sergeant came back and politely said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the division headquarters is ahead. Can you please let me know?"
Your troops stay here?"
Sokov understood the caution shown by the sergeant of the Guards. He nodded and said: "Okay, comrade sergeant, I will bring a guard over, okay?"
Hearing that Sokov only brought one guard, the Guards sergeant nodded quickly: "Okay. Please come with me, Comrade Commander, I will take you to see the division commander."
Sokov asked Brisky to stay in control of the troops, and he followed the Guards sergeant toward the building where the division headquarters was located. On the way, the sergeant apologized to Sokov and said: "Comrade commander, I just asked
Regarding the tactics on duty, he said that the division commander went to inspect the 112th Guards Regiment half an hour ago, and only political commissar Chernyshev was at the headquarters."
Chernyshev! When he heard this name, Sokov immediately thought of the commander of the 11th Guards Division he knew during the Moscow Defense War. He couldn't help but think to himself: It's really strange. The military chief and the
Political cadres are two different systems. How did General Chernyshev become a political commissar?
With such questions, Sokov came to the headquarters of the Guards Division. The sergeant leading the team asked Sokov to wait at the door for a moment before he went in to report. Not long after, the sergeant came out and asked Sokov
The husband made an invitation gesture and said with a smile: "Comrade commander, please come in. Comrade political commissar is waiting for you inside."
After thanking the sergeant of the Guards, Sokov walked into the headquarters. As soon as he walked into the headquarters, a burly political worker came up to him and said with a smile on his face: "It's Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, right?"
?Let me introduce myself. I am Chernyshev, political commissar of the 39th Guards Division. On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the Guards Division, I welcome you!"
When he learned that the person in front of him was the division political commissar Chernyshev, Sokov knew that he had made a mistake. This commander was not the Chernyshev he knew at all. He just had the same surname. He shook hands with him.
He shook hands and asked casually: "Comrade Political Commissar, I would like to ask where the division commander is?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, it's really an unfortunate time for you to come." Chernyshov replied: "The division commander went to the 112th Guards Regiment to inspect the defense, and he may not be able to come back until tomorrow morning. If you are willing to wait, you can
I can see him."
The purpose of Sokov's coming here is to help the factory workers strengthen the defense of the factory area. Coming here to see Guryev is just a formality, and it is not necessary to see him. Since Guryev is not here at the moment, he will not
I was willing to waste more time, so I politely said to Chernyshev: "Comrade political commissar, the order I received is to assist the workers in the factory to strengthen their defense. Since the comrade division commander is not here, I won't bother you."
Seeing Sokov leaving so simply, Chernyshov could not help but be stunned for a moment, but he quickly recovered, caught up with Sokov, and walked outside with him, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel
"It's about three kilometers from our place to the factory building. In the past, factory cars could drive directly there. But now," at this point, he bent down and patted his legs with both hands, and continued, "
You can only walk through it on your own feet."
Seeing Sokov coming out of the building, Briski hurriedly greeted him and asked with concern: "Comrade Brigadier, how is the situation? What did the division political commissar say?"
Sokov smiled bitterly and replied: "The division commander is not here and the political commissar is not in charge of the military. What else can he say? Okay, don't talk about it anymore. This is still three kilometers away from the factory building where we are going. Let the soldiers
We rushed over as quickly as possible to set up defenses, lest when the Germans began to attack, we wouldn't even have decent fortifications."
After resting for less than a quarter of an hour, Sokov was worried that the soldiers would complain when they had to start again. But as the order was issued, the soldiers who were sitting on the ground to rest stood up one after another and quickly formed a four-way column.
Under the leadership of commanders at all levels, we strode towards the factory building in the distance.
After walking about half the distance, we encountered a workers' patrol. Maybe it was because the Germans had broken into the factory area during the day, so the leader of the team was nervous. As soon as he saw an army appearing in front of him, he immediately
Order the patrol to disperse on the spot and find a place to hide, ready to fire at any time.
Seeing that the patrol ahead was hiding, Sokov was worried that if he continued to lead the troops forward, unnecessary misunderstandings would be caused, so he ordered the troops to stop and walked forward alone, not far from where the worker patrol was hiding.
He stopped about ten meters away and said loudly: "Comrade workers, don't be nervous. I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. I was ordered to bring people here to strengthen defense."
When the captain heard what Sokov said, he stood up slowly from his hiding place. While walking towards Sokov, he asked cautiously: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, are you really here to help us strengthen our defense?"