Chapter 114 Searching for the missing plane (Part 2)

  The search team walked in the forest for a day, but found nothing. Seeing that it was getting late, Sokov ordered the troops to stop, camp on the spot, and continue searching after dawn the next day.

  The soldiers are around the camp. A half-person-high circular snow wall was built. The purpose of doing this is firstly to block the biting cold wind, and secondly, even if the enemy sneaks up at night, there is still a fortification that can be relied on for combat.

  As soon as the team’s radio was turned on, it received a call from the unnamed highland. Sokov took over the earphone and microphone from the radio operator, and started talking to Belkin who stayed in the battalion command post: "Comrade deputy battalion commander, this is Sokov. What's the latest situation with you?" ?"

"Comrade battalion commander," Belkin's anxious voice came from the headset: "When I sent someone to the city to pick up the radio, the division headquarters informed us that the missing plane was about twenty miles southeast of our station." About one kilometer. I was afraid that you were going in the wrong direction, so I ordered the operator to keep calling you."

"Thank you, Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander." Belkin's words made Sokov secretly relieved, and he said in his heart: Fortunately, there is Matrosov in the first echelon, otherwise follow the route he set , the squad took the wrong path during the day. He quickly said into the microphone: "Our search route today is going in the southeast direction. If we are lucky, we should be able to find the missing plane tomorrow."

  Before ending the call, Sokov asked again: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, how is the situation in Susinich?"

"What else?" Belgin replied with a wry smile: "According to Corporal Maxim's report, the enemy is bombarding the city non-stop, so that our commanders and fighters have to dig trenches and build shelters, so that the troops will be reduced." Take a loss."

Sokov asked Zelya and Oleg to be found, and said to them: "Comrades, I just talked to the deputy battalion commander. According to the latest information, the plane we are looking for may be only a few kilometers away from us." Kilometers away. So tomorrow will be a very critical day..."

  He had just said this when he was suddenly interrupted by the radio operator: "Comrade Battalion Commander, someone is sending us a report."

  Hearing what the radio operator said, Sokov thought to himself: I just talked to Belkin, why did he start sending the report again, is there something urgent? Quickly ordered the operator: "Comrade operator, receive the report immediately!"

  Because Sokov was eager to know the content of the telegram, he did not continue to give the task to Zelya and Oleg, but stood aside, quietly watching the operator receive the telegram. When he took the telegram from the operator and read the contents clearly, he couldn't help being surprised. It said: "My reconnaissance team found a plane of ours that was forced to land. When rescuing the people on board, there was an accident with the German army. The exchange of fire has ended. Now more than half of the team members have been lost, please support." Signed: Griza.

  Zelia, who was standing next to him, tilted his head to see clearly the content of the telegram, and said a little excitedly: "Comrade Battalion Commander, Grisa's reconnaissance team has found the missing plane. It's really great."

  Sokov nodded after hearing this, put the telegram in his pocket, and ordered the operator: "Call Grisa back immediately and ask him to report their location."

  Zhelia took advantage of the radio operator's transmission and asked Sokov, "Comrade Battalion Commander, since the pilot has been found, please let me lead the team to meet them."

"Don't worry, Sergeant Zelya." Sokov waved his hand at Zelya, and said, "We still don't know where Griza is, and whether there are German troops around them, so we can't act rashly." , let’s wait until his call back arrives.”

Grisa's reply arrived very soon. The telegram said that the reconnaissance team encountered the German army after rescuing the occupants of the plane. After a fierce battle, there were only two crew members left in the team. The Germans are under siege somewhere.

   According to the telegram, Sokov quickly found out their location on the map, which was less than five kilometers away from his campsite. It stands to reason that after knowing the location of Griza and the others, Sokov should immediately lead people to rescue them. However, considering that the number of German troops was several times greater than their own, and that they were in the dark, if they rushed over rashly, it was very likely that they would break into the encirclement of the German troops.

Zelya and Griza had a good personal relationship. Seeing that Sokov did not make any decisions after reading the telegram, he urged: "Comrade Battalion Commander, since we know where Griza and the others are, we should go as soon as possible." Rescue them, or they risk total annihilation."

"Comrade Sergeant," Sokov said sternly, looking at Zhelya, "you only think about the danger of their entire army being wiped out, why don't you think about us? What should we do if we have fallen into the enemy's trap?" Seeing that Zelia was rendered speechless by his own words, Sokov continued, "Go back and rest first. We will rush over to support them tomorrow morning. "

   Seeing that Sokov had already spoken to this extent, Zhelia knew that there was no point in arguing any longer, so she raised her hand and saluted him, and left with Oleg.

  After Zelya and Oleg left, Sokov ordered the radio operator: "Send a report to Griza again, saying that reinforcements are on the way, so they must hold out until noon tomorrow."

   At five o'clock in the morning the next day, Sokov led his troops and marched towards the place where Griza and the others were besieged. After the troops walked for about three or four kilometers, Oleg, who was leading the way, sent Matrosov to report that a German sentry was found in the forest ahead, and asked for instructions on what to do.

After listening to Matrosov's report, Sokov quickly issued an order to the second echelon: "Stop advancing and stand by!" Then he took a machine gunner and followed Matrosov to the front .

  Oleg and another soldier were lying behind a snow-covered bush, vigilantly monitoring the enemies in the distance. Seeing Sokov and the others coming up from behind, he quickly moved his body to the side and reported in a low voice, "Comrade Battalion Commander, there is a German sentry two hundred meters ahead."

   Sokov quickly raised his binoculars and looked forward through the gaps in the bushes. Sure enough, he saw a German soldier in a military coat, a helmet, and a rifle walking back and forth in front of him. He put down the binoculars and asked Oleg in a low voice: "The enemy didn't notice you, did they?"

"No." Oleg said in an affirmative tone: "I have carefully observed that there is a blanket wrapped in the German's steel helmet to keep out the cold, which will have a certain impact on his hearing. I think he must not have noticed it. us."

  Sokov paused for a moment, and then asked: "Oleg, can you confirm that our missing plane is in that direction?"

   "It's hard to say." Oleg said with some embarrassment: "I just observed carefully with a telescope, and I didn't find the plane in the forest."

"Comrade battalion commander, look at our heads." Matrosov pointed to the trees above his head, and said to Sokov: "The snow on the treetops is gone, it should be the air when the plane was forced to land. The waves knocked it down. Although I can't confirm the exact location of the plane, I can assure you that the plane we are looking for is within a radius of one kilometer."

  (end of this chapter)