Chapter 694 Frontline War Supervisor

   "Chief of Staff," Sokov said to Sidolin: "Call Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko and ask him to come to the headquarters."

   After receiving the call, Papchenko hurried to the command post, and he couldn't wait to salute, so he couldn't wait to ask: "Two division commanders, do you have any combat tasks that you want to give to our regiment to complete?"

   Sokov and Ivanov looked at each other, and both saw smiles in each other's eyes. Sokov looked at Papchenko and said, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you guessed right. We called you here because we have an important task for you to complete."

After Papchenko came to the table, Sokov pointed to the map and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, according to the order of the superior, the 39th Guards Division stationed in the family area of ​​​​the Red October Factory will be on the ground tonight." Move to a new defense zone. The task of your regiment is to take over the defense zone they vacated."

"Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko, I think it is necessary to remind you." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Ivanov continued: "Most of the buildings in the family area were destroyed by enemy artillery fire, and it is difficult to find them. What a decent fortification, if you want to block the enemy's attack, it will be very difficult."

Papchenko originally thought that Sokov called him here because he wanted his troops to be responsible for the defense of the North or South Hills. He never dreamed that the order he received was to take over in the family area of ​​the Red October Factory. Allied Defense. He knew very well in his heart that facing the crazy shelling and bombing of the German army, if there were no solid fortifications, it would mean death.

Seeing that Papchenko did not respond for a long time, Sukov guessed what he was worried about, so he patted him on the shoulder and said calmly: "Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko, don't worry, although the enemy's artillery destroyed the family The surface buildings of the district, but you can rely on the underground buildings to organize your defenses."

   "Underground building?" Papchenko looked at Sokov blankly and asked, "Comrade commander, can you tell me what an underground building is?"

"I once visited the family area of ​​the Red October Factory. Most of the buildings there are four-story brick-concrete buildings. After being shelled and bombed by the enemy, although the buildings above the second floor were destroyed It was destroyed, but the first floor and basement are still intact." Sokov explained to Papchenko: "You can build a new line of defense on the remaining first floor or basement to prevent the enemy from attacking."

"Comrade Commander, if there is no trench connection between each building, it will easily become a situation of fighting on its own." Papchenko waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and carefully expressed his concerns, "To The enemy who has the superiority in strength and equipment can defeat us one by one."

"Don't worry, even if there are no trenches, we can connect all the buildings together." Sukov picked up a pen and paper, and while drawing a quick sketch, he said to Papchenko: "Under each building, there are There is a sewer, and you can use it reasonably."

"Sewer?" Hearing what Sokov said, Papchenko raised his hand and slapped himself on the forehead, and said angrily, "Yes, why did I forget about the sewer. Although the smell inside is a bit unpleasant , but it is more than enough to mobilize troops and transport supplies. In this way, each building is no longer isolated, and where the situation is critical, we can use the sewers to send reinforcements from other areas."

   "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Ivanov coughed heavily after Papchenko finished speaking, and then asked, "Do you have any difficulties?"

"Comrade deputy division commander," Papchenko saw that the division commander took the initiative to ask himself if he had any difficulties, and quickly replied: "After the early battles, our regiment has lost more than half of its personnel, and there are only more than a thousand people left. I hope the division It can add part of our troops to ensure the combat effectiveness of the troops."

Although Sokov had already proposed in advance that the 122nd regiment should be supplemented with Shamrikh's marine battalion, Ivanov did not immediately tell Papchenko the good news, but turned his attention to Sokov. Waiting for him to announce it.

"Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko," seeing Ivanov's gaze, Sokov naturally understood what the other party meant, and said, "The division considers that your regiment's strength has been damaged in the early battle. It has therefore been decided to place Captain Shamrih's Marine Battalion under your command."

After Sokov finished speaking, he wrote a few lines on the paper with a pen, signed his name at the bottom of the paper, and handed it to Papchenko: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, this is to assign the Marine Battalion to you." The order of the command. You go to take over the troops now and get acquainted with the commanders of the marine battalion, it will be helpful for your next battle."

After Papchenko took Sokov's warrant and left, Sidolin smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade commander, I really didn't expect that you would think of using the sewers in the city to support all isolated firepower points." Link it up. Then it's the Germans who are going to be depressed, and they'll soon find out that every building they attack has enough of our troops deployed."

"Using the sewers to mobilize troops and transport supplies can only be hidden from the Germans for a while." Sukov sighed softly and said, "Once the enemy discovers the secret of our sewers, maybe they will use the sewers to deal with us." A sneak attack on the defensive position will be self-defeating."

Regarding Sokov's statement, none of the division leaders present refuted it, because they knew very well in their hearts that once the Germans discovered that the Soviet army used the sewers to mobilize troops and transport supplies, they would soon follow suit. Draw gourds and use the sewers to carry out sneak attacks, then the defenders will be hard to defend.

"Comrade Commander," Anisimov asked cautiously, "if, what I'm talking about is if. If the enemy really uses the sewers to carry out sneak attacks on the buildings defended by the defenders in the city, what can we do to deal with them? ?”

   "There is only one stupid way." Sokov raised a finger and said: "Blow up all the exits of the sewers, and the Germans will not be able to use the sewers to attack us."

"Blowing up the exit of the sewer can indeed prevent the Germans from using the sewer to attack us." Anisimov said with a wry smile: "But in this way, those buildings that are not connected by trenches will become isolated and helpless again. We can fight on our own.”

  Sokov chuckled and said, "Comrade political commissar, don't worry, there are always more solutions than difficulties. After the German army knows the secret of our sewers, it will not be too late to find a way to deal with them."

  ...

   After dark, Sokov came to the family area of ​​the Red October Factory with the 122nd Regiment to take over the defense of the 39th Guards Division. Seeing that the friendly troops were retreating in an orderly manner, he took Papchenko to Guriyev's headquarters.

  Under the guidance of the soldiers, the two of them came to the headquarters of the 39th Guards Division and met Guriyev who had not had time to transfer. When Guriyev saw Sokov walking into his headquarters, he was taken aback for a moment, then stepped forward to hold his hand, and asked curiously, "Colonel Sokov, why are you here in person?"

"Hello, Comrade General." Although the two have the same position, Guriyev's military rank is higher than that of Sokov, so Sokov replied respectfully: "The superior ordered my troops to take over your defense. Commander, you must check the terrain first, it will be helpful for the next battle."

"Comrade Commissar," Guriyev waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and then said to the commissar Chernyshov who was packing up: "You and the chief of staff will move with the division first, and I will report to Sokov. Hand over the defense before leaving."

Chernyshov walked up to Sokov, stretched out his hand to shake him, and then said with a smile: "Colonel Sokov, when we met last time, you were the lieutenant colonel of the infantry brigade. After a month, you are already the colonel and commander of the Guards Division. Maybe when our army defeats the enemy attacking Stalingrad, you will be able to become a general."

   Chernyshev exchanged a few words with Sokov, and then took most of the division staff to transfer, while Guriyev pointed to the map and introduced to Sokov the defensive zone of the 39th Guards Division. After the narration, he turned the map over and wrote on the back with red and blue pencils: "Hand over the defensive position of the family area of ​​the Red October Factory to the 41st Guards Division. Commander: Guriyev."

Knowing that this was a handover ceremony commonly used by the Soviet army, Sokov waited for Guriyev to finish writing, took the pencil in his hand, and wrote below: "The 41st Guards Division succeeded the 39th Guards Defense of the division. Commander: Colonel Sokov."

  Guriyev rolled up the map after Sokov finished writing. After he handed the map to Sokov, he held his hand tightly and said with a solemn expression: "Colonel Sokov, I have handed over to you every inch of the defensive position assigned to our division by the superior. I hope you will continue to hold it and keep the Germans away from the Volga."

   "Don't worry, Comrade General." Sokov nodded vigorously and said, "As long as our 41st Guards Division sticks here, we will never let the enemy move forward."

After sending Guriyev and several of his guards away, Sokov took the map into Papchenko's hand and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, from now on, the family area of ​​the Red October Factory Your regiment will be officially responsible for the defense. You have to assure me that as long as there is one living person, the enemy will absolutely not be able to completely occupy this place."

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander, we will never..." Papchenko had just finished speaking halfway, when he suddenly realized that what Sokov said seemed to have some language problems, and quickly reminded him: "Comrade Commander, did you say something wrong?" Now, we will not let the enemy enter the family area at all, how could they completely occupy this place?"

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I'm not wrong." Sokov waved his hand at Papchenko and said, "We only have the strength of one regiment. No matter how we defend, there will always be some areas that will be occupied by the enemy. If something happens In this case, you have to decide whether to launch a counterattack based on the actual situation and take back the lost area. If you can’t take it back, let the troops stick to the occupied positions and continue to fight the Germans so that they can’t be at ease. Pushing forward to the factory area and the Volga River. Do you understand?"

"I understand, I will immediately order the troops to enter their respective defense areas." After Papchenko finished these two sentences, he tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade commander, this place is too dangerous, you should return to Mamaye as soon as possible." Go to Fugang."

   "No hurry, no hurry," Sokov said with a smile, waving his hands, "I plan to wait until dawn to see how the Germans attack here."

  Hearing that Sokov was going to watch the battle here, Papchenko couldn't help feeling anxious: "Comrade Commander, if the battle starts here, I don't think your safety can be guaranteed, so you should go back to the division headquarters overnight."

"Lieutenant Colonel Papchenko," Sokov knew in his heart that Papchenko said this out of concern for himself, but as a division commander, if he doesn't even know the situation in his own defense zone, what can he do? command operations? Therefore, he politely rejected Papchenko's kindness, "I am not a recruit for the first time on the battlefield, and I don't know how to preserve myself on the battlefield. Don't worry, I will stay here and will not cause you any trouble , I will return to Mamayev Post as soon as I have seen the way the Germans are attacking."

Now that Sokov had already talked about this, Papchenko knew that it would be pointless to persuade him any more, so he could only nod his head and said bravely: "Comrade commander, since you want to stay and watch the battle, I suggest you Set up the observation post in a relatively safe place so that your safety can be guaranteed."

The reason why Sokov wanted to stay was not to be a hero. He really wanted to find out how the enemy attacked the family area. Although he could understand the situation of the enemy's attack through Papchenko's report, he still Didn't see it directly. He believed that as long as his observation post was not directly hit by enemy artillery fire, the three rows of soldiers led by Samoilov would be enough to ensure his own safety.

  Sokov took Samoilov through the ruined family area, trying to find a suitable place to build his own observation post. Seeing their figures, the soldiers who were setting up the defense were all whispering: "Did you see it? The person who just passed seems to be our division commander?"

   "What, our teacher? No way, how could he come to such a dangerous place?"

"Is there anything impossible?" A soldier who knew Sokov said convincingly: "I saw with my own eyes that the division commander and the regimental commander left Mamayev Gang. He appeared here. What is so strange? .”

Sokov did not hear the private discussions of the soldiers. After some investigation, he finally found a building that was still intact, and stopped and said to Samoilov: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, let me take a look at it." The observation post should be here."

  (end of this chapter)