Chapter 1443

  After arranging tonight's night attack, Sokov still felt uneasy. He ordered the director of the communications army to call the front army headquarters again.

  The person who answered the phone this time was no longer Zakharov, but Konev himself. Hearing Sokov's voice, he thought that the other party was looking for the progress of the main force of the Front Army, so he said without hesitation: "Comrade Sokov, if there is any latest progress, I will let General Zakharov inform you in time. If you have nothing to do, don't call casually, so as not to affect other important calls."

"Comrade Commander of the Front Army, you have misunderstood." Seeing that Konev had misunderstood, Sokov quickly explained: "I am calling you because we will launch an attack on the enemy tonight and need your cooperation." .”

"Are you going to attack the enemy tonight?" Konev immediately became interested when he heard what Sokov said, and asked repeatedly: "Where are you planning to attack the enemy, and what kind of help do you need from me? Just say it, as long as it is within my ability, I will try my best to meet your request."

"The assistance I'm asking for is very simple," Sokov replied: "We plan to carry out a nighttime forcible crossing attack at the middle of the Ud River. The troops serving as assault missions are now moving in this direction, in order to avoid being attacked by the enemy. The reconnaissance plane has found their whereabouts, and I request you to send several fighter planes to patrol the airspace there to disperse any possible German reconnaissance planes."

"If you only need the cooperation of a few fighter planes, then there is no big problem." Konev knew that if Sokov's troops did not attack, they would definitely hit the vital points of the German army. He couldn't help asking curiously. : "Comrade Sokov, can you tell me where you plan to attack the enemy?"

  Since he was reporting to Konev, Sokov naturally had no need to conceal it, so he truthfully reported to Konev the location where he planned to carry out the night raid.

After hearing the location Sokov said, Konev hurried to the wall and looked up at the map hanging on it. After he saw the location clearly, he returned to the table again, picked up the phone and said, "So Comrade Kov, the map shows that the area where you plan to carry out the raid is hundreds of meters wide. Even if the German army on the other side is loosely defended, how can you ensure that you will not be spotted by the enemy when crossing the river?"

  Sokov had already guessed that Konev would ask this question, he smiled slightly, and then said: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, have you forgotten the new river crossing equipment in Colonel Yakov's hands?"

"Oh, so you're planning to take a hovercraft." After Konev figured out what Sokov was going to do, the expression on his face became relaxed: "If it's an ordinary river crossing device, these hundreds of meters are a long way to go." It's a problem, but it's nothing to you."

  After a short pause, Konev continued: "Comrade Sokov, I will immediately order the Air Force to dispatch fighter planes to cover your movements from being detected by the enemy. Good luck!"

"Comrade Commander," Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Sameko said excitedly, "I was worried that the 384th Division might be spotted by the enemy's reconnaissance plane when it was marching, which would expose our intentions. Now the front army If the headquarters is willing to dispatch fighter planes to provide cover for our marching troops, the possibility of being detected by the enemy will be greatly reduced."

   "Chief of Staff," Sokov told Sameko: "Immediately send a report to the 384th Division and tell Major General Gritsenko that the superior will soon send fighter planes to provide them with control and cover, so that they can march with confidence."

   Facts have proved that Sokov's concerns are completely justified. As soon as a four-aircraft formation of fighter planes dispatched by the 5th Air Force Army arrived, the German reconnaissance plane appeared.

  The fighter planes that provided air cover for the 384th Division rushed up like hungry wolves when they saw the enemy planes appearing. Before the German pilots figured out why there were Soviet planes here, the reconnaissance plane had been smashed to pieces by the fighter's cannon. Seeing that his plane was completely out of control, the German pilot quickly chose to parachute.

  The commanders and fighters who were marching on the ground immediately cheered when they saw the enemy plane being shot down by their own fighter plane. When the German pilot's parachute unfolded in the air, the commander immediately sent soldiers to catch the parachuting pilot.

   When the German reconnaissance plane appeared, Major General Gritsenko couldn't help frowning, and quickly ordered the operator to call the headquarters to report the appearance of the German reconnaissance plane in the sky.

Sokov learned that the troops encountered a German reconnaissance plane on the way, and felt panicked. If the reconnaissance plane found the troops marching on the ground and fed back the news, then his battle plan for tonight would probably be very difficult. Adjust accordingly.

  So the first thing he did when he put down the telegram was to tell Sameko: "Chief of Staff, call Major General Gritsenko back. If there is any latest situation, report to me in time."

Just when Sameko promised to ask the operator to send a report to Gritsenko again, a communications staff officer hurried over and reported excitedly to Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the 384th Division sent The telegram, the enemy reconnaissance plane that appeared above the marching team has been shot down by our fighter plane." After speaking, he handed the telegram in his hand to Sameko.

   Sokov took advantage of Sameko's time to read the telegram, looked at the staff officer and asked: "Did the enemy's reconnaissance plane crash? Is the pilot on board dead or alive?"

   Fortunately, the staff officer had read the contents of the telegram before he could answer Sokov's question: "The enemy plane was shot down by our fighter plane, and the pilot has parachuted. Now the ground troops have dispatched manpower and are conducting a search."

  The staff officer had just finished his report, and Sameko also read the contents of the telegram. He nodded at Sokov, indicating that what the staff officer said was correct. Although the German reconnaissance plane was shot down, as long as the pilot is alive but not dead or dead, he is always a huge threat. Maybe the opponent saw the marching troops on the ground. As long as he fled back to the German defense zone and reported this information to the above, then the enemy would know that Sokov's troops might be in a certain area and would take military action. Strengthening the defenses there negates the success of the battle plan.

   It was with this in mind that Sokov solemnly told the staff: "Comrade staff, call back and tell Major General Gritsenko that once you find the German pilot, report to the headquarters immediately."

   "Yes!" The staff officer agreed loudly, turned and returned to the communication area, preparing to send a report to the 384th Division.

"Comrade Commander, don't worry too much." After the staff officer left, Sameko comforted Sokov: "Although the enemy pilot parachuted, he may have an accident during landing, such as falling into a swamp. Drowning, or directly crashing into a big tree and being killed. Even if he landed safely, the 384th Division has sent personnel to search the place where he landed, and it is not easy for him to escape."

   Sokov disagreed with Sameko's statement. He remembered that his plane was shot down by an enemy plane a few days ago. Soon after the forced landing, a large group of German troops also came to search, but they were repulsed by themselves. If this German pilot was able to fight like he was at the time, it is still unknown whether he can be caught.

  When Sokov and Sameko were frowning, Lunev's voice suddenly came from the door: "Comrade Commander, are you here?"

  Sokov stood up quickly, and said to Lunev who had just walked in: "Comrade Military Commissar, I am here, what can I do?"

   "It's like this, Comrade Commander." Lunev complained to Sokov: "I cooperated with local comrades and took over the management of the city, and found that there are many problems that need to be solved urgently."

"what is the problem?"

"The water and electricity in the city have been stopped." Lunev said to Sokov: "Without electricity, you can still light candles for lighting. But if there is no water, it will have a negative impact on the lives of residents in the city. Therefore , I intend to second the engineering unit and let them repair the pipelines damaged by the Germans so that the water supply in the city can be restored as soon as possible.”

"Comrade Commander, the engineering troops have more important tasks to perform, and I'm afraid they won't be able to spare manpower to repair the pipelines damaged by the enemy." Sameko said with some embarrassment to Sokov: "Look, how to solve this problem?" What about the matter?"

"No, the engineering troops cannot be mobilized at this time." After Sokov finished speaking, he saw the puzzled expression on Lunev's face, and quickly added: "They will soon set up an army on the Oud River. The bridge, if there is not enough manpower, the pontoon bridge cannot be erected in the shortest time."

"Floating bridge, what floating bridge?" Lunev didn't know what Sokov and Sameko meant, and asked strangely: "Hasn't the bridge on the Oud River been occupied by our army? Why do we need to send engineers?" How about building a floating bridge?"

"Comrade Military Commissar, in addition to several infantry divisions, our army also has tank and artillery divisions. If so many troops cross the river through only one bridge, it will definitely cause congestion on the bridge." Sokov explained: " Once the enemy finds that our army is crossing the bridge and launches intensive artillery attacks, it may cause huge casualties to our army."

  Sokov explained this, and Lunev immediately understood what it meant. However, he still asked unwillingly: "Comrade Commander, if the engineering troops cannot be used, who will repair the damaged water pipes in the city and restore the water supply to the residents in the city? You know, not everyone can think about it." Find a way to find water."

"Don't worry, Comrade Military Commissar." Seeing Lunev's anxious expression, Sokov quickly comforted him and said, "Although our engineering soldiers cannot be used, you can mobilize the residents of the city. I believe that some of them must There are a large number of plumbers, and they are probably more suitable than our engineering troops to repair damaged water pipes."

"Comrade Commander," who knows that Lunev still stubbornly said to Sokov after listening to it: "I think it is very difficult to recruit plumbers in the city. Let our engineering soldiers do it. Let’s settle this matter.” He worried that Sokov would bring up the old matter again, saying that dispatching engineers to repair the pipeline would affect the erection of the pontoon bridge, and added specifically: “We have just liberated the city, and the residents in the city still have If there is a certain resistance, if workers are recruited at this time, I am afraid it will not have much effect."

  Sokov showed a look of astonishment on his face: "Comrade Military Commissar, isn't this our land? Why do the residents of the city resist us when we liberated the city?"

Lunev sighed and said with a wry smile: "Our army captured Kharkov at the beginning of the year. At that time, many residents came out to assist our army, such as setting up a militia team and a medical team to help our army maintain the city. order, and rescue the soldiers and civilians at hand."

   "Isn't this very good, why is there resistance to us now?"

"After the city fell at the beginning of the year, the enemy not only slaughtered the wounded and sick of our army in the city, but also mercilessly killed those who helped us and assisted us." Lunev said: "The cruelty of the enemy, It terrified a lot of people, and they feared that if they came out to help us again, they would suffer the same fate when the Germans came back."

Sokov was silent, thinking to himself, if he was an ordinary resident, seeing so many residents being killed by the Germans for helping the Soviet army, when the Soviet army came to recruit him to do a certain job, I will definitely choose to escape. Unless someone can make a promise to them and let them understand that the Germans will not come back, even if they help the Soviet army to do anything, they will not bring any danger to themselves.

   "Comrade Military Commissioner, how many people can you recruit now?"

   "With the help of local comrades, it shouldn't be a big problem to recruit fifty or sixty people."

   "It's not bad to have fifty or sixty people." Sokov offered, "Can we gather some more people? I want to talk to them, maybe after the talk, I can change their ideas."

   "Can it work?" Lunev asked with a little confidence.

   "No problem." Sokov said confidently: "I assure you, I am absolutely sure to convince these people that they are willing to work for us."

Lunev and Sokov have been partners for more than half a year, and they know his character very well, knowing that since he said it, it can definitely be fulfilled, so he nodded vigorously: "Comrade commander, I believe you have such ability .Then I will go to the local comrades now and ask them to gather more people to listen to your speech.”

   "Go, go." Sokov urged, "I can do ideological work for them while I'm still free. If I get busy, I won't be able to get out even if I want to go."

Lunev took a few steps towards the door, then stopped suddenly, turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade Commander, can you see if you can transfer another unit to my use, which will be more conducive to my development in the city?" Work."

   There is no reason for Sokov not to agree to Lunev's request. It immediately occurred to him that the weakest of the army's security forces was Lieutenant Serelkov's security company. Although their performance on the battlefield may be worse, it should be more than enough to maintain order in the city, "Comrade Military Commissar, I will hand over Lieutenant Serelkov's guard company to you. If there is anything, you can just tell them. "

  (end of this chapter)