The heavy German shelling continued for a full hour.

As soon as the enemy’s shelling was over, Cui Kefu called without waiting for me to get through the front line. His voice seemed a little anxious: "Is it Comrade Oshanina? This is Cui Kefu."

I quickly said politely: "Hello, Comrade Commander."

Cui Koff said: "Have you received the order from General Bilyukov?"

I replied: "Yes, I received the command from the commander of my regiment to retreat and retreat, and retreat two kilometers to build a new position to cover the politicians from the base camp to cross the river. The enemy's shelling of our regiment's position has just ended, and I plan to I want to observe for a while. If the enemy does not launch a ground offensive, I will order the forward troops to withdraw from the position one after another and rush to the new defensive area to build a defensive position."

Cui Kefu asked: "Are the troop casualties high?"

I don't know how to answer this question. Under the intensive artillery fire just now, even if statistics are not available, I can guess that the casualties of the troops will definitely not be small. Hearing that I remained silent, Cui Kefu on the other end of the phone was also silent. Maybe he knew in his heart that his question was a bit redundant.

I took a deep breath and replied: "Comrade Reporter Commander, we have not been in contact with the front for the time being. Because the telephone line between the observation post and the front was repeatedly broken during the German bombardment of our position, we Because of this, I was repeatedly interrupted, so that I could not accurately and timely grasp the situation of the troops.” Having said that, I hesitated a little bit, and still expressed the true thoughts in my heart: “Comrade Commander, I feel that my regiment The current military strength is left to stick to the current position. Perhaps it is the best choice."

Cui Kefu didn't say anything when he heard me say this.

I went on to say: "The army suffered more casualties in the shelling just now, and the presence of a large number of wounded will slow down our retreat. Maybe we didn't wait for us to reach a new position. The attacking enemy has already swarmed to the river. You see whether the task of protecting the political workers crossing the river can be completed by the troops of the 57th Army or the right-wing troops of our regiment."

Cui Kefu said: "No, I don't have the right to command the 57th Army. As for the troops of the 229th and 112th Divisions on the right wing of your regiment, they are engaged in a desperate battle with the enemy on the vast plains. There is no way from the enemy. Withdraw from the fight during entanglement. In contrast, the pressure on the 214th Division is much less. This is the main reason why I have to mobilize your regiment to build defensive positions by the river and cover the river crossing."

This is what Cui Kefu said. If I evade prevarication, I might be sent to a military court, so I can only bite the bullet and promise: "Well then, Comrade Commander. I will arrange troops. Retreat from the current position as soon as possible and quickly turn to the Don River to cover the river crossing operation."

After talking with Cui Kefu, I called Frontier again, but there was no sound in the microphone. When Lu Jin saw the call and a large force, he hurried to the door and yelled outside: "Come on!"

Soon a soldier ran over and saluted Lu Jin. Asked loudly: "Comrade Captain, do you have any instructions?"

"The telephone between the observation post and the frontier is no longer available. You ask the communication platoon to check the line immediately, and the communication must be restored to normal as soon as possible." Lu Jin said to the soldier.

Unexpectedly, after Lu Jin finished speaking, the soldier stood still and lowered his head. Lu Jin said with a displeased look: "What's the matter, Comrade Warrior, why don't you execute the order?"

The soldier raised his head, his voice choked and replied: "Report to Comrade Lieutenant. The commanders and fighters of the communications platoon have all been sacrificed."

"What, what did you say? Comrade soldier, repeat what you said just now." I was shocked when I heard the news, and rushed to the door a few steps. Asked loudly at the soldier.

The soldier was taken aback by me. He stammered nervously and said: "Comrade commander, the fighters of the communications platoon, except for those who stayed on duty at the observation post and the regiment headquarters, the rest of the fighters, including the platoon leader, were on duty. Inside, they were all sacrificed in the enemy's artillery fire while rushing to repair the line."

After Lu Jin heard the soldier repeat the bad news again, the corners of his lips twitched, and he cast his eyes on the distant position. Although it was not dark yet, the smoke that obscured the sky made the sky deep. black. He said to me in a tone-shifted voice: "Comrade Commander, we are still unable to contact Frontier for the time being. So, you stay in the observation station and I will go to Frontier to take a look."

Before I could speak, the phone in the room rang. Before I went to pick it up, I knew that it was definitely not from the front, because the communication platoon people were sacrificed, and no one was going to repair the telephone line. It must have been the call from the higher-level troops. I walked over and picked up the phone and said, "I'm Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, please speak!"

Biyukov's voice came from the microphone: "Commander Oshanina, the enemy's shelling has stopped. How about the casualties of your regiment? Can you immediately withdraw from the position and rush to the new defensive zone?"

"Comrade Commander," I said embarrassingly: "We have interrupted the communication with the front, and we cannot get in touch with the troops on the ground for the time being..."

"What?" Bilyukov interrupted me. "Since the communication is interrupted, why don't you let the communicator go to repair the line? You know, if the fighter plane is missed, you and I will go to the military court."

"Comrade commander, please listen to my explanation." I quickly argued: "In order to ensure the contact between the regiment headquarters and the front, the soldiers of the communications platoon braved the enemy's violent artillery fire time and time again to repair those bombs. The broken telephone line resulted in all glorious sacrifices."

Listening to what I said, Biliukov fell silent. Hearing him not speaking, I quickly added: "Comrade Commander, please allow me to go to the front to check the specific situation. Captain Lu Jin stays in the observation post to keep in touch with you."

"I allow." Bilyukov agreed readily, and at the same time told me: "Please remember the order: quickly gather the troops and retreat to the Don River to build new fortifications."

I said hello to Lu Jin and walked out of the observation post and walked along the trenches to the front. Just a few steps away. I heard Lu Jin yelling loudly from behind: "The guard platoon, come over to two squads, and follow the leader to the front, remember. We must protect her life. This order cannot be changed."

Because I was anxious to learn about the frontier troops, I was not walking, but trotting along the trenches. The soldiers from the guard platoon followed me like a marathon.

When I rushed to the second line of defense, I happened to encounter the commanders who came out of the hidden department. I took a soldier passing by. Asked loudly: "Where is your battalion commander?"

The soldier glanced at the rank on my collar, hurriedly stood at attention and saluted, then pointed to a passage next to him, and said: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, if you walk 30 meters along this road, you will see one The hidden department half buried in the ground, there is the newly established battalion command post."

I came to the battalion command post according to the instructions of the soldiers. When I walked into the shelter, the second battalion commander was holding the telephone and shouting desperately, and saw me enter the door. He hurriedly left the phone and saluted me: "Hello, comrade commander. Why did you get here?"

I gave a gift and asked, "Second Battalion Commander, how are the casualties in your battalion?"

The second battalion commander hurriedly replied: "Report to comrade commander that the casualties of the troops have just been counted. There were nearly two hundred casualties, and there are almost so many remaining combatants.

I didn’t talk nonsense with him, and gave a straightforward order: "The second battalion commander, just received the order from the superior, our regiment will immediately withdraw from the position. Go to the Don River to build a new defensive position and cover the friendly forces crossing the river. You will organize immediately The troops are transferred, go to the regiment observation post to find Captain Lukin to accept the mission."

The second battalion commander estimated that he was accustomed to obeying orders, and without even asking the reason for the retreat, he readily agreed.

When he heard that I was going to the first battalion position next, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Quickly persuaded me: "Comrade commander, there may be shells that have not exploded on the way to the first battalion. If you pass, you will encounter danger. Let me send a correspondent to help you convey the order."

I said, "Second Battalion Commander. You don't need to worry about my safety, please organize your troops to retreat immediately."

On the way to the first line of defense, I thought to myself that the two-hundred people of the second battalion, plus the seventh company and the guard platoon, could put together five or six hundred people. For a field blockade, our regiment's strength is barely enough. However, all of the ammunition stored near the regiment command post could not be transported away. It seems that we can only blow up all of them when we leave, and we definitely cannot afford the Germans.

As a result, when I walked to the first battalion defense zone, I found that the situation was much worse than I thought. Due to heavy shelling from the enemy, the trenches here were razed to the ground, and no one moving figure was visible on the entire position.

I stopped and shouted anxiously at the empty position: "Is there anyone else? Is there anyone on the ground?"

The guards following me also shouted in unison: "Are there anyone? Is there anyone alive?"

With our shouts, the floating soil on the ground moved ~lightnovelpub.net~With little effort, more than a dozen soldiers came out from the ground. Seeing comrades in arms appeared, the guards ran up to help them get out of the mud.

A few minutes later, in front of me, more than forty soldiers lined up in two neat rows. Standing at the far left of the queue was the original company commander and the current battalion commander. I walked up to him, looked at the bandage on his head, and asked with concern: "One Battalion Commander, are your injuries serious?"

Unexpectedly, he replied loudly: "Report to the commander, the remaining commanders of the first battalion are here. I assure you, as long as there is one person in the first battalion, the enemy will never be allowed to move forward."

At this time, the sergeant standing next to him whispered to me: "Comrade commander, the battalion commander's ears are deafened."

After listening to the soldier's explanation, I couldn't help being stunned. Only then did I understand why a battalion commander would answer the wrong question just now. I said to the sergeant: "I ordered the first battalion to withdraw from the position immediately and the whole battalion to turn in to the Don River to accept a new combat mission."

ps:

My heartfelt thanks to the book friends: Chu Xiangshui, the dead Haechi, and Mao Hao! , T00030003, precious monthly votes cast by peterzyj.