Chapter 1403

   "Colonel Weisbach," Sokov said after listening to the other party's report, he felt that although their current equipment could not compare with his main force, it was not too bad compared with other friendly forces. As long as they are not allowed to perform important combat tasks, there is no need to replenish them with weapons. Therefore, he said to Weissbach: "Although the equipment of your brigade is temporarily inferior to that of other troops in the group army, it is not as good as other troops. Compared with the troops of the Army Group, you are not bad. As far as I know, some recruits don’t even have weapons.”

"You are quite right, Comrade Commander." Weisbach said respectfully: "Actually, we only got these weapons before we set off. There are quite a few recruits in the brigade who don't even know how to use these weapons." .”

"What, Comrade Colonel, what did you say?" Lunev couldn't help interjecting after hearing what Weisbach said, "You said that your superiors issued weapons to you just before you set off. what's going on?"

Weissbach quickly turned to Lunev and explained to him: "Report to Comrade Military Commissar, two-thirds of the commanders and fighters in our brigade have been captured by the German army. After becoming a reserve force, no weapons were issued at all.”

   "That is to say, you were reorganized from the reserve team to the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and the weapons were distributed to your commanders and fighters by your superiors before you were sent to us?"

   "Yes, it is."

   Lunev then asked: "Colonel Weisbach, you have been appointed deputy commander of the infantry brigade. Could it be that you have been captured by the enemy before?"

"No, no, Comrade Military Commissioner, I have never been captured by the enemy." Hearing Lunev's question, Weissbach quickly defended himself and said: "I was originally a regiment commander of the reserve army. The newly formed troops went to the headquarters of the Steppe Front Army and handed over new recruits to them.

When I was going through the formalities, I met General Konev by accident. After chatting with me for a while, he said that after such a long period of fighting, there was a big gap in the middle-level commanders, so he left me to serve as the commander of the reserve team. commander. "

   "So that's the case." Sokov looked at the queue not far away, and asked Weisbach curiously: "Colonel Weisbach, your subordinates are standing very neatly in the queue."

Hearing Sokov's compliment, Weisbach grinned, and then replied: "Comrade Commander, the situation is like this. Although the superiors did not equip us with weapons, we can't be idle either. Lieutenant Colonel Askel, the chief of staff, conducted formation training for the troops. Although it only took two or three days of training, the effect is still obvious, and the soldiers can complete the formation in the shortest time."

   "Good job, Colonel Weissbach." Good to know how to train recruits every day without weapons. At least in the process of lining up just now, Sokov really didn't expect that one-third of this army was recruits, no matter how it looked like a well-trained army, his favor for Weissbach increased again. A few points: "I believe that when you go to the battlefield in the future, you can make even greater achievements."

   While talking, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him. Sokov turned his head and saw that Samoilov ran over with Guchakov.

Guchakov came to Sokov and stood at attention. After raising his hand and saluting, he reported in accordance with the regulations: "Comrade Commander, Major Guchakov, Commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, reports to you that I have been ordered to receive the troops. Please You instruct!"

"Major Guchakov, you are here just in time. Let me introduce you." Sokov pointed to Weisbach and said to Guchakov: "This is your deputy brigade commander, Colonel Weisbach. This is the brigade chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Askel. Comrade commanders, let’s get acquainted, this is your brigade commander, Major Guchakov.”

Hearing that the major in front of them was the brigade commander of the infantry brigade, Weissbach and Askel couldn't help showing surprised expressions on their faces, because the other party's military rank was lower than their own, and a colonel and a lieutenant colonel , to follow the command of a major, isn't it incredible?

  Although their hearts were full of doubts, since Sokov had explained that the major in front of him was the commander of the infantry brigade, the two still raised their hands to salute Guchakov, and reported their names, ranks and positions.

   After getting acquainted with his subordinates, Guchakov turned to Sokov and asked, "Comrade Commander, I have officially accepted the 73rd Infantry Brigade. What is the next combat mission of our brigade?"

   Weissbach and Askel had heard about Sokov's deeds before they came to the 27th Army, and they knew very well that as long as this army participated in the battle, it would definitely be inseparable from its achievements. Hearing Guchakov ask Sokov about the combat mission at this moment, the curiosity of the two immediately aroused. They were eager to know what kind of combat mission Sokov gave the infantry brigade.

   Sokov was very satisfied with Guchakov's positive attitude. However, not long after the opponent withdrew from the frontier, he was still somewhat injured, how could he be sent to the battlefield so quickly, so he raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder, and said kindly: "Don't worry, Major Guchakov. I plan not to arrange combat missions for you in the next week, but let you and the commanders and fighters of the infantry brigade get to know each other, so that you can better command the troops to fight against the enemy when you go to the battlefield."

   Hearing that the troops would not have any combat missions in the next week, Weissbach couldn't help feeling a little anxious. I came to the 27th Army to make meritorious deeds. Now that the attack on Kharkov is imminent, but let my army rest, isn't this tantamount to giving others the opportunity to make meritorious deeds?

"Comrade Commander," the impatient Weissbach stepped forward and said to Sokov: "Although our infantry brigade has many recruits, two-thirds of them are veterans. Combat missions can be accepted immediately. Comrade commander, please think carefully about it."

"I don't need to think about it, Colonel Weisbach." Sokov replied simply: "Although two-thirds of the commanders and fighters in the infantry brigade are veterans with combat experience, due to the special nature of this unit, You cannot go into battle immediately. I will assign you combat missions only after Major Guchakov has fully familiarized himself with the troops."

  After Sokov finished speaking, he did not give Weisbach a chance to continue asking questions, so he took Lunev and Sergey and left here.

  Looking at the back of Sokov leaving, Weisbach asked Guchakov with some concern: "Comrade Brigadier, do you think the commander has a prejudice against our unit?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Isn't that obvious?" Weisbach said with a wry smile, "Two-thirds of the commanders and fighters in the brigade were once captured by the Germans. They are all cowards, otherwise how could they have been captured by the Germans and survived shamelessly."

"Colonel Weisbach," Guchakov said with a livid face after Weisbach finished speaking, "The situation you mentioned may exist in other troops, but it is impossible within the 27th Army. Whether a commander uses a commander depends on his ability, not any other factors. Today, among the commanders and fighters of the 27th Army, there are as many as 20,000 to 30,000 who have been prisoners. Who is being discriminated against."

Knowing that 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers of the 27th Army had been captured by the Germans, Weisbach broke out in a cold sweat: "Comrade Brigadier, this kind of thing is not a joke. If there are really two or three The Wanzhi soldier was once a prisoner of the Germans, did the superiors ignore it?"

"How can you be joking, Comrade Colonel?" Guchakov said with some displeasure: "To incorporate the 20,000 to 30,000 officers and fighters rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp into the army, Comrade Commander has obtained permission from his superiors. Also, I have also been captured by the Germans twice, but Comrade Commander still entrusts me with important tasks, so the things you are worried about do not exist at all."

   "Okay, Comrade Colonel, stop talking about such boring things." Guchakov said to Weissbach: "Please take me to meet the soldiers."

Weissbach was still immersed in the fact that Guchakov had been captured by the German army twice, so that he did not hear what Guchakov said. Waking up with a start, he quickly asked, "What's the matter?"

  Askel pouted at the back of Guchakov, who was walking towards the troops, and said, "Comrade Brigadier just said, let you introduce him to the soldiers."

  ...

  After Sokov and Lunev returned to the headquarters, Sameko immediately greeted him and asked, "Comrade Commander, Comrade Military Commissioner, you are back! Have you seen that unit?"

"See you!" Sokov nodded, and said briefly: "The brigade has a total strength of 2,300 people, and its equipment is similar to that of friendly troops. Two-thirds of the commanders and fighters are veterans with rich combat experience. Wait for Guchako When the husband knows the commanders and fighters at all levels and can control the entire army, he can assign tasks to them."

  Sokov's words surprised Sameko: "Why, Comrade Commander, I hear what you mean, don't you plan to assign them combat missions recently?"

"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Seeing Sameko's puzzled expression, Sokov quickly explained to him: "There is something I haven't had time to tell you. Before this unit set off to come to us, It was hastily armed."

   "Ah, Comrade Commander, are you saying that if General Konev does not assign this unit to us, the commanders and fighters of the brigade may not have weapons until now?"

"That's right, that's true." Sokov said in a positive tone: "Didn't I say that two-thirds of the commanders and fighters in this army are veterans? The reason why these veterans are not reused is completely Because they had all been captured by the Germans."

"My God." Although Sameko knew that many officers and soldiers in this new army had been captured by the Germans, he did not expect such a large proportion. He said in surprise: "No wonder General Konev By not arming them, you subconsciously distrust them."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Seeing that Sameko had discovered the crux of the problem, Sokov continued: "Now you understand why I didn't plan to assign them combat missions within a week, and urged Major Guchakov Take the time to familiarize yourself with the reasons for the troops, right?"

   "Well, Comrade Commander, I understand what you mean." When Sameko said this, he suddenly sighed and said in a regretful tone: "In this way, our original plan has been disrupted."

   "Plan, what plan?" Sokov asked with a look of surprise: "Comrade Chief of Staff, can you tell me, did my arrangement disrupt your plan?"

"It's like this, Comrade Commander." Now that Sokov asked, Sameko explained to him: "Before you and Comrade Military Commissar left, didn't you order me to call Colonel Koida, the commander of the 188th Division? , ordered him to dispatch troops to rescue the Italian prisoners being held?"

   "Yes, I did give you such an order before I left." Sokov asked back: "By the way, how did Colonel Koyda reply, and when can his troops leave?"

"I'm afraid he won't be able to carry out our order in a short time." After Sameko finished speaking, without waiting for Sokov to ask again, he took the initiative to say: "Seeing that his troops are about to take down Kazakhya Compass Town , but enemy reinforcements have arrived and are counterattacking them."

"What, the enemy launched a counterattack in Kazakhya Compass Town?" Sokov became anxious when he heard it: "Then what is the situation now, can they withstand the enemy?" He thought to himself that he had promised Zhukov that the troops It is only a matter of time before Kazakia Compass Town is captured. If the 188th Division in the town is driven out by the enemy's counterattack forces, the situation will be bad.

"It should be possible." Sameko replied: "After I learned about the situation of the 188th Division, I called General Fomenko and ordered his 84th Division to go into battle immediately. It is necessary to assist the 188th Division to eliminate reinforcements. Enemies, firmly defend Kazakia Compass Town."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you have arranged it very well." According to the original order, Fomenko's troops should have been stationed in Kazakhya Compass Town at this moment, but because Fomenko kept saying that after the troops captured October Town, some Exhausted and in need of rest, so far the main force of the division has remained stationary in Octobertown: "You also have to tell General Fomenko that if his delay delays the plane and the 188th Division is taken from the enemy If he is driven out of the town, then his teacher will be the end."

"Understood." Sameko waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and immediately said loudly: "I will immediately convey your meaning to General Fomenko and order his troops to quickly advance to Kazakhya Compass Town. Assist the 188th Division to eliminate the enemies in the town."

  The next topic went back to the rescue of Italian prisoners of war. Sameko asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, since there are not many German troops holding on to the prisoner-of-war camps, do you think it possible to send the Guchakov Brigade to carry out this task?"

"No, absolutely not." To Sameko's proposal, Sokov refused without hesitation: "I just announced to Guchakov and his deputy that within the next week, no They assign combat missions. If it doesn’t take long, I will backtrack and damage my prestige in the army.”

  Seeing that Sokov firmly disagreed with the use of the Guchakov brigade, Sameko had no choice but to retreat: "Then which troops do you think should be sent to complete this task?"

  (end of this chapter)