Chapter 1909 Forced crossing

  The troops of the 41st Guards Division deployed on the right bank are ready for battle. The 126th Regiment, which stayed in the city of Otac, was also mobilizing before departure, preparing to go to the right bank to join the other two regiments, and then attack the German river defense positions together.

   Knowing that the 126th regiment was about to leave, Sokov said to Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I'm going out for a while, and you will be responsible for the affairs of the headquarters."

  Hearing that Sokov was going out, Smirnov's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and he was deeply afraid that the other party would run to some dangerous place again. Once something goes wrong, the consequences will be unimaginable.

"Comrade Commander," Smirnov persuaded, "the big battle is imminent, I think you should stay in the headquarters to command the troops, and don't run around. If any accident happens, I'm afraid no one can bear the responsibility. "

"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't worry, I won't go too far." Sokov knew very well in his heart that with the change of his identity, he might not be as free in his actions in the future. Make it clear to the Chief of Staff so that he won't worry about himself: "No, the 126th Regiment is about to cross the river to the right bank of the Transnistria, and I'll see them off."

  The 126th Regiment's station is only one block away from the headquarters, and there are a large number of patrols along the way. If Sokov really goes there, he really doesn't have to worry about safety. However, out of safety, before Sokov left, Smirnov specifically told him: "Comrade Commander, you must pay attention to your own safety."

   "Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said with a smile: "With Koshkin by my side, I will not be in danger."

   Soon, Sokov arrived at the station of the 126th regiment. At this moment, the troops were busy gathering, and the scene seemed a little flustered. Sokov grabbed a passing soldier and asked, "Where is your commander?"

   Seeing that the person who was asking the question was the commander, the soldiers hurriedly raised their hands to salute, and reported: "Comrade commander, Lieutenant Colonel Harlem, the head of the regiment, is still in his office, assigning combat tasks to the battalion commanders."

   After thanking the other party, Sokov took Koshkin and the soldiers of the guard platoon and walked towards the regiment headquarters.

   When passing a small square, Sokov suddenly saw a company assembled here, and right in front of the company, an officer was talking loudly.

   "Comrade Commander," Koshkin said to Sokov with a smile when he saw this, "this should be a pre-war mobilization."

  Hearing that it was mobilization before the battle, Sokov stopped. He wanted to hear how these commanders mobilized the soldiers before the battle. He said to Koshkin: "Comrade Lieutenant, let's just listen here for a while and listen to how this officer mobilized his subordinates before the battle."

  Sokov glanced at the officer's epaulettes, which bore the rank of lieutenant, and should be the instructor of the company. I only heard him say loudly: "Comrades, I think many people know that I just returned to the team from an injury some time ago and served as an instructor in the company."

  When Sokov heard this, he thought that his guess was really accurate, and the other party was really the instructor of the company.

"My luck is better. The place where I was injured and hospitalized happened to be my hometown." The instructor continued: "After recovering from the injury and being discharged from the hospital, I want to go home to see my mother before returning to the team. After all, since the beginning of the war, I have not I met my mother. When I came to the building where I lived, I looked at the familiar windows and drawn curtains upstairs, and I couldn't help but shed tears."

When he said this, the officer's tears flowed down his cheeks. After wiping the tears off his face with his hands, he continued: "Everyone knows that after the war broke out, residents in many places were evacuated. To the far rear. I don't know if my mother was also evacuated to the rear. To figure this out, I shouted loudly towards the familiar window: 'Mom, I'm back! Your son is back!'

   Unexpectedly, as soon as the voice fell, the sound of opening the window came from upstairs. Not only the windows I was familiar with were opened, but even the windows of the neighbors were all opened. My mother and the mothers of the other fighters poked their heads out of the windows to see if their sons had returned. Except for my mother who was ecstatic, the faces of the rest of the mothers were full of disappointment. "

"Comrade Commander," Sokov suddenly heard someone talking beside him, and turned his head to see that it was a young soldier. He wiped the tears from his face and said to Sokov, "I haven't seen you for many years." It’s my mother, and I don’t know how she is doing now.”

"Comrade soldier," Sokov said to the soldier, putting his hand on the soldier's shoulder, "sometimes no news is good news. My mother was thrown from a German plane when she was working in a factory last year." The bomb went off."

   "Comrade Commander," the soldier clenched his fists and said to Sokov, "Don't worry, we will severely attack the German invaders and avenge your mother and those compatriots who died!"

I only heard the instructor in the distance continue to say: "Comrades, I know that you all miss your mother in your heart, and your mother is also looking forward to your safe return. We are going to fight a big war soon. After this battle is over , I think there are many fighters who may not be able to come back..."

"Comrade Commander," Sokov was interrupted by a voice as soon as he heard this. He turned his head and saw that it was Lieutenant Colonel Harlem, the commander of the 126th regiment. He trotted up to Sokov, a little out of breath He asked, "Why did you come here?"

   "Knowing that you are going to go to war, I came here specially to see you." Sokov pointed to the instructor who was doing pre-war mobilization in the distance with his hand, and asked, "Who is that officer?"

After taking a look, Duharin replied, "Comrade Commander, that is Lieutenant Valko, the instructor of the 2nd Battalion and 5th Company." He didn't understand why Sokov asked his subordinates, thinking that the other party had done something wrong, Hurry up to smooth things over, "He has not been a company instructor for a long time, and his level may not be high. If he offends you in any way, please forgive him."

"Comrade Duharin, you said his level is not high?!" Sokov smiled and said: "On the contrary, I think his theoretical level is very high. Look at the soldiers of this company, after listening to his pre-battle After the mobilization, the morale immediately became high, and I believe that in the next battle, great results will be achieved."

After seeing off the 126th regiment, Sokov, on his way back to the headquarters, suddenly remembered that he hadn't listened to Valko's mobilization speech just now, so he asked Koshkin curiously: "Comrade lieutenant, that Valko said something later. what?"

Koshkin didn't expect Sokov to ask this question suddenly, and after thinking for a long time, he replied: "He told the soldiers that if they want to go back to see their mother, they must hit the German devils hard in battle, and at the same time , but also learn to protect yourself and know how to achieve the greatest victory at the least cost."

After Sokov heard this, his impression of Lieutenant Valko deepened, and he thought to himself: "Nowadays, there is a shortage of excellent commanders everywhere. If Lieutenant Valko can survive this battle , then we can arrange for him to go to which battalion to serve as an instructor."

  When Sokov returned to the headquarters, you couldn’t help but be a little surprised, Smir. In his impression, every time Sokov left the headquarters, he would not see anyone for a few hours or a few days at most. In the case of coming back in less than an hour after going out this time, it is simply that the sun has come out from the west.

   "Comrade Commander, are you back so soon?"

   Facing Smirnov's surprise, Sokov replied calmly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, didn't I say that I went out to send the 126th Regiment to the expedition? Now that they have already set off, I will naturally come back."

  After a short pause, he asked again: "Has the 98th Guards Division launched an attack on the enemy's river defense position?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Smirnov nodded and replied, "They launched an attack on the flank of the German army's river defense position ten minutes ago. General Tsarev's artillery provided them with long-range artillery support. , destroy the enemy's fortifications, and suppress those points of fire that threaten to attack."

   "Good job." Hearing that the troops' offensive had already begun, Sokov couldn't help but nodded. According to his vision, the 98th Guards Division launched a sudden attack from the flank of the river fortification, which would definitely catch the Germans by surprise. Coupled with the artillery support of the group army, breaking through the enemy's position is only a matter of time.

   But the attack on the right bank was only part of the overall attack plan. Sokov then asked: "What about the 254th Division on the left bank, are they ready to attack?"

   "I haven't had time to call Colonel Shechtman." Hearing Sokov's question, Smirnov replied with some embarrassment: "So I don't know what's going on there for the time being."

  Sokov didn't talk nonsense, and directly asked the director of the communications corps to connect to the headquarters of the 254th Division.

  As soon as the call was made, Sokov heard Shechtman's voice from the receiver, and asked bluntly, "Colonel Shechtman, the offensive on the right bank has begun. How are you preparing?"

   "Report to Comrade Commander." Shechtman quickly replied: "Colonel Prochenko's 762nd Regiment has reached the river with a small boat, and is about to carry out a forced crossing as soon as the boat is launched."

"Comrade Colonel, let me remind you." Sokov said into the microphone: "Every minute on the battlefield is precious. You tell Colonel Prochenko to speed up the river crossing before the Germans come to their senses , across the Transnistria."

   "Understood, Comrade Commander." Shechtman replied: "I will immediately convey your order to Colonel Prochenko."

   Soon, the 762nd Regiment, under the command of Colonel Prochenko, began a forced crossing operation.

  The Germans, who were a little confused by the artillery fire from the 98th Guards Division and the Army Group, suddenly discovered that the Soviet army on the left bank was starting to cross the river. They immediately mobilized some mortars to block the river with machine gun fire to prevent the Soviet army from crossing the river.

  For a while, the water surface of the Dniester River boiled like a boiling pot, and water columns rose into the sky one by one. From time to time, small boats were hit by artillery shells, and the fragments of the hull and the corpses of soldiers were lifted into the air by the air waves, and fell heavily into the river, where they were washed away by the rushing water.

   Some small boats were also overturned by the water column, and all the soldiers on board fell into the water, and some of them were immediately washed away by the river. The rest of them swam desperately to the nearby boat, and after being rescued aboard, they continued to rush to the other side without hesitation.

   In this way, the 762nd regiment successfully landed on the right bank after losing more than 30 small boats and more than 200 soldiers. The heavy machine gunners immediately dragged their machine guns off the ship, found a suitable place, established a machine gun position, fired at the enemy's firepower, and covered their comrades to land.

  Many small boats were still more than ten meters away from the shore, and the infantry on board jumped off the boat one after another, wading towards the shore. Once ashore, they charged towards the enemy positions, preparing to wrest them from the Germans under cover of machine gun fire.

Colonel Prochenko was originally watching the battle on the left bank, and saw that his subordinates had landed on the right bank and were fighting for positions with the enemy. He couldn't stay still, and quickly issued an order to the soldiers next to him: "Prepare a boat for me, I'm going to the other side."

Hearing that Prochenko was going to the opposite bank, Vanya, the chief of staff of the regiment, quickly reminded him: "Comrade commander, the battle on the other bank is still going on. If you go over at this moment, you may be in danger. In my opinion, it is better to wait for our After the warriors have gained a firm foothold, it is not too late for you to cross the river."

But Colonel Prochenko rolled his eyes and said to Vanya: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you feel frightened by the enemy's shells and machine gun bullets? Soldiers are bleeding and dying in front. They are not afraid of death. We do Are the commanders inferior to the soldiers?"

   After finishing speaking, he quickly walked out of the observation post and walked towards the river.

  When I came to the river, there happened to be a small boat returning from the opposite bank, and Colonel Prochenko jumped on it. Before he could order the boat to sail, a shell landed in the water not far away and exploded, causing Prochenko to fall directly into the water from the jet of water.

  Vanya, who followed closely, paled in shock, and hurriedly shouted to the side: "The leader has fallen into the water, hurry up and save someone."

  The soldiers around heard the shouts of the political commissar, and rushed to the river, ready to go into the water to rescue the regiment leader who fell into the water. But they didn't expect that as soon as they got to the shore, they saw the wet Prochenko emerging from the water.

  Seeing Colonel Prochenko emerge from the water, Vanya felt more at ease, but he still shouted at the other party: "Comrade commander, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Prochenko raised his hand and wiped the river water on his face, waved his hand at Vanya, and said with a smile: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I forgot to tell you, I used to be a sailor, so shallow Water won't kill me."

   After finishing speaking, Prochenko climbed into the boat again, and shouted at the stunned soldiers on board: "What are you still doing, hurry up and row to the other side."

But before the boat left the shore, Vanya climbed into the boat and said to Colonel Prochenko: "Comrade commander, don't forget that I am your chief of staff. On the battlefield, no matter whether the commander appears Wherever you are, as the Chief of Staff, I will always be by your side."

Hearing what Vanya said, Prochenko, who originally wanted to drive him off the ship, changed his mind: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, since you said so, let's go to the other side together." He made a gesture and ordered him loudly: "Comrade soldier, set sail!"

  The soldier agreed loudly, then rowed his oars desperately, and drove the boat towards the right bank where the battle was in full swing. It may be because the head of the regiment and the chief of staff are on his own boat. At this moment, he is full of courage, and the water jets shooting up into the sky nearby have not affected the speed of the boat at all.

  (end of this chapter)