When I heard that I could arrange suitable positions for the commanders who broke out according to my wish, I couldn't help but feel ecstatic. I clearly know that people who can escape from the encirclement of the enemy have no problem except for their loyalty, and through cruel battles, they have accumulated a wealth of combat experience, whether they will be commanders or ordinary people in the future. Soldiers can all become the backbone of combat in the army.

Thinking of this, I turned my head and asked Kirilov: "Comrade Military Commissioner, I don't know where the other comrades are?"

"In a nearby military camp." When Kirilov answered me, he took a special look at Bezikov, who had been silent since I came in, and said gratefully: "Comrade Chief of Staff personally helped us. Arranged."

I glanced at Bezikov with some surprise, and said that he was still very reliable. I hadn't told him yet. He had thought that I would go ahead. So I smiled and said to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you have done a good job, thank you!"

Bezikov smiled and said: "Comrade Commander, this is what I should do. Besides, Kirilov used to greet me many times when he was in the Central Committee, and he was considered an old friend of mine. Up."

People are familiar with things well. This was the first thought I came up with after listening to Bezikov's words. I did not verify the credibility of this statement with Kirilov, but directly instructed Bezikov: "Comrade Colonel, take me to see our commanders. And Comrades, Commissariat, and Akhromeev The major goes with him."

Seeing that we were leaving, Danilov, who was not named by me, was a little anxious. He hurriedly asked: "Comrade Commander, what about me?"

"Comrade Deputy Commander, you don't have to go." I thought of seeing my subordinates later, if they saw a commander with the same rank as mine. It is estimated that the scene of the meeting will appear awkward. It is for this reason that I don't want to let Danilov go with him, but I still have to do the superficial articles that should be done. I smiled and explained to him: "If we all leave, if there is anything. You can't even find a person in charge. You should stay in the headquarters and take care of the daily work. We can't go anyway. How long will I be back in a while."

Although Danilov heard what I meant by refusal, he couldn't refute it with such a high-sounding voice. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and promised: "Well, since this is the case. Then I will stay with the commander. In the ministry."

From the location of the headquarters to the barracks, it was only ten minutes away, so I didn't take a car, but walked there. On the way, I asked Akhromeyev who was walking beside him: "Major, the commander who broke out with you, who else is there? Are there many commanders in the 79th Infantry Corps?"

Hearing my question, Akhromeyev's footsteps stopped for a moment, but he quickly followed me. He said: "Comrade Commander, because our part is dominated by the original independent division, the prominent commanders are all old people from the former independent division. The rest of the 79th Army's commanders and fighters were not caught during the breakout. To break up is to follow General Romanov to break through to the northwest."

Although Akhromeyev said tactfully, I understand in my heart that in the days of the defense of Kiev, whether it was the 79th Infantry Corps, Lebarko’s Tank Army, or the few guards, the casualties were The situation must be very dire. The plane sent by the Supreme Command brought only a few senior commanders, including Rebarko. Whether the rest can escape the danger or not can only be resigned.

But we came to the playground of the barracks, and Bezikov called an officer on duty in the barracks. After explaining a few words to him, he walked to my side. He whispered to me: "Lida, wait a moment here, those commanders will come out and gather soon."

Seeing that he had arranged it well, I didn't say anything. I just nodded. At the same time, I moved my eyes to the officer on duty just now, wanting to see how he called out the commanders in the barracks.

The officer on duty ran all the way to the outside of a row of wooden bungalows on the other side of the playground, stopped, and after standing still, he took out a whistle and blew it vigorously. As his whistle sounded, the closed wooden doors of the bungalow suddenly opened, and hordes of commanders and soldiers ran out from inside. Most of them wear old-style military uniforms, and their military ranks are still those that are not on the collar.

When they formed four neat rows, the officer on duty turned and ran back. After standing at attention and saluting in front of me, he reported loudly: "Comrade Commander, the troops have been assembled, please give instructions!"

I nodded and smiled at the officer on duty, then raised my leg and walked towards the officers and men who had finished the line. I came to this gang who had been circling behind enemy lines for more than a month, and finally returned to our defense zone, in front of the ragged commanders. After stopping, I first raised my hand to pay them a solemn military salute, and at the same time sincerely sentimental. Said: "Hello comrades!"

"Hello, Comrade Commander!" Since I was the commander of the Dnieper battle cluster when I left Kiev, these commanders habitually call me the commander.

"Comrades commanders and fighters, on behalf of all commanders and fighters of the 6th Guards Army, I welcome you back." After saying this, I took a step forward and shook hands with the commanders in the queue.

The commanders and fighters were exhausted after a long journey, but they still tried to stand upright in the queue. When I shook hands with them, although most of the faces I saw were unfamiliar faces, I still saw many people familiar to me: Captain Travkin, deputy commander of the reconnaissance battalion; members of the guerrillas-tanks of the former Russian Special Military Region The survivors of the 22nd Brigade, company commander Captain Shamrih, political instructor Shabvarenko, tank company deputy commander Lieutenant Yakuda.

When I shook hands with everyone one by one and returned to the front of the queue, I asked Akhromeyev: "Comrade Major, are all the people here?"

Akhromeyev glanced at the queue, then turned his head and said to me: "Comrade Commander, we have a total of 139 people successfully broke through, including me and the military commissioner, there are only 125 people. As for the remaining 14 Personally, Colonel Bezikov arranged to stay with Lieutenant Colonel Sederikov, the commander of a regiment, and Major Basmanov, the commander of the guard battalion."

I heard that Sederikov also succeeded in breaking out. I am even more overjoyed, knowing that among the heads of the independent division, I am most optimistic about him. Anyway, all divisions in the group army now lack commanders. I can arrange for him to serve as a commander in one of the troops.

After calling Trafkin, Shamrich, and Shabvalenko out of the queue, I ordered the rest of the commanders to return to the dormitory to continue their rest.

Once back to the headquarters. I asked Bezikov to call Bely and asked him to come over immediately, saying that I would arrange some assistants for him. On the way back, Bezikov heard me talk about the origins of the people of Shamrih, so when he heard this order from me, he immediately called without ambiguity.

Taking advantage of Bezikov’s call, I announced to everyone in front of Danilov: "Comrades. I have not known you for a short time, and I know you more or less, so I plan to follow Your abilities come to assign work for you. You have no objections, do you?"

I know that my last sentence is a bit superfluous. In a highly hierarchical team like the Soviet Army, what the superiors say, the subordinates only have to obey, and they have no right to bargain. The reason I say this is nothing more than to get their attention.

"No." Several people standing in front of us replied in unison.

"Well, since everyone has no objections. Then I will start assigning the work." After I said this, I began to roll the call: "Major Akhromeev."

"Here!" Akhromeyev promised loudly, taking a step forward.

"Currently there is a shortage of commanders at all levels in the group army. In order to facilitate the command of operations, I appoint you as the commander of the group army's operations department, responsible for assisting the chief of staff Colonel Bezikov." Appointed Akhromeyev as The Director of Operations is very helpful to me in commanding troops in the future.

Then, Captain Trafkin was appointed by me as the battalion commander of the group army reconnaissance battalion. The order I gave him is very simple, that is, after getting acquainted with the troops, immediately start reconnaissance activities against the German army.

After I gave the appointment of Akhromeyev and Travkin, I stopped. No further arrangements were made for the positions of Shamrih and others. After they looked at each other strangely, they all cast their eyes on me.

Because I plan to arrange three people to the 33rd Tank Army. Before Colonel Belé arrived, I temporarily did not announce the appointment of the three of them. I pretended not to see the eyes of the three. Instead, he turned his head and asked Kirilov: "Comrade Military Commissioner, I don't know how many heads of the independent division, apart from Sederikov, who else has come to stand out with you?"

Kirilov thought for a while, then raised his head and asked Akhromeyev who was standing next to him: "Major, besides Lieutenant Colonel Sergeikov, have you seen other commanders break through?"

Akhromeyev shook his head and replied, "Comrade Military Commissioner, have you forgotten. We, together with the First Regiment, the Fourth Regiment, and a part of General Vachuk, were holding on to the east of Kiev. When the Germans occupied After we passed the bridge on the Dnieper River, the connection between us and the main force was severed. During the breakout, Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar took the initiative to lead his four regiments to stay and block us from pursuing troops at the back door."

"Where are the second and third regiments?" As soon as Akhromeyev finished speaking, I asked impatiently: "Their two regiments, with at least five or six thousand people, will not be easily wiped out by the Germans. , There will always be so many people rushing out, right?"

When I asked this, I was somewhat lucky. But Akhromeyev’s answer disillusioned me: "Comrade Commander, I understand what you mean. Although the second and third regiments have a lot of troops, it is a pity that most of their officers and fighters are our army. When lingering behind enemy lines, those who replenish their troops have limited combat effectiveness. Facing the fierce German offensive, their defense zone was the first to be captured by the Germans."

Although Akhromeyev's words are unacceptable, I know that they are true. At that time, I led the 79th Infantry Corps to circulate behind the enemy. In order to make up for the battle damage, I added a large number of soldiers in several larger cities. These cities fell one after another shortly after the start of the war, so except for a few recruits who had experience as militias, the remaining recruits had no military attempts. It's a bit powerless.

I sighed regretfully, and turned my gaze back to the neglected Shamrih and others. I looked at them and said, "You were all tank soldiers before. Although you have been a guerrilla for a few years, I think if you have the opportunity, you might still want to return to your old business and go back and continue to be a tank soldier, right?"

After hearing what I said, Shamrich and others looked at each other a few times, and their faces showed joy. Shamrich took a step forward and said loudly to me: "Comrade Commander, you are too right. We all want to return to the tank unit in our dreams. As long as you can let us become tank soldiers again, even if we are an ordinary tank soldier. Warriors, we are all willing."

"Yes, Comrade Commander." After hearing Shamrih's statement, Shabvalenko and Yakuda also echoed in unison: "We are willing to start with soldiers."

The attitude of the three of them made me very satisfied. I smiled and replied: "Comrade three commanders~lightnovelpub.net~If you just want to be soldiers in the tank unit, I will not agree." At this point, I intentionally paused until I saw the expressions on the faces of the three people dimmed, and then continued, "With your abilities and rich combat experience, even if you become a tank battalion commander, it’s not a problem, so why not? Do you want to start from the warrior?"

Sharm-rich and they all laughed embarrassedly when I said this. After laughing, Shamrich scratched the back of his head and said to me: "Comrade Commander, you may not know our feelings for the tank troops. Although we have been working in guerrillas in the past two years, there is not a single day that we don’t want to. Go back to the tank unit. You say, is that right?" His last sentence was directed at Shabvalenko and the others.

"Yes, the company commander is right." Shabvalenko and the others, as Shamrich's partner and deputy, immediately shouted out without hesitation when they heard this question.

"Since the three of you are willing to return to the tank unit." I said as I stood up, I really announced to them: "It just happens that the 33rd tank corps newly formed by Colonel Bere lacks a commander, so you go to his unit. Right."

"Colonel Beley?!" When he heard me say this name, Shamrich frowned for a moment, and then suddenly exclaimed in surprise: "I didn't expect that we could be his subordinates again. This That's great." (To be continued.)