Shortly after the 16th Army occupied Voloklamsk, the troops of the 30th Army heading south also reached the outskirts of Kalmanovo and completed the siege of the city. Sokov, who was active in this area, also received orders from his superiors to lead the Istrian battalion to cooperate with friendly forces to capture the city.
Just as Sokov was gathering his troops, Deputy Political Battalion Commander Belkin hurried over and said to him: "Comrade Battalion Commander, I have just received the latest order from my superiors. Take a look." As he said that, he put his hands A telegram from inside was handed over.
Sokov took the phone and looked at it, and was stunned. Therefore, instead of instructing them how to cooperate with friendly forces to capture Kalmanovo, they were ordered to lead his troops south immediately and reach Kaluga within three days.
Seeing this telegram, Sokov asked Belkin in surprise: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, what is going on? Why did our superiors suddenly order us to go south and rush to Kaluga?" He asked, It was because he didn't understand why his superiors issued such an inexplicable order to have his troops rush to a city 400 kilometers away within three days.
"I don't know," Belkin said, shaking his head. "When I first saw this telegram, I thought the operator had made a mistake in translating it. I asked him to translate it again, and after confirming that the telegram sent by his superiors was correct, I just came here to report to you.”
After confirming that the order from his superiors to lead his troops to Kaluga was correct, Sokov began to give orders: "Deputy battalion commander, I will leave the guard platoon to you. You are responsible for contacting friendly forces and notifying us of our upcoming transfer. They simultaneously handed over the prisoner of war camps and logistics warehouses, as well as the prisoners held in these two locations, to friendly forces. Saveyev!"
When Third Company Commander Saviev heard Sokov calling his order, he quickly agreed loudly, left the queue, trotted to stand in front of Sokov and stood at attention, waiting for him to give the order.
"You immediately take the third company to prepare the sleds," Sokov looked at Saviev and said: "Remember, we have to travel for at least three days. In addition to weapons and ammunition, we must carry enough food. Got it. ?"
"Understood!" Saveyev agreed loudly, turned around and ran away.
An hour later, more than a hundred sleds, pulled by horses, left the logistics warehouse, entered the vast forest, and headed towards Kaluga in the south. Asya, who was sitting on the same sled as Sokov, turned to look at the sled team behind her, and asked with some confusion: "Misha, aren't we asked to cooperate with friendly forces to attack Kalmanovo? How come in the blink of an eye, Let’s go to Kaluga again, what’s going on?”
Sokov shook his head while chewing hard black bread and said: "I don't know, the telegram didn't say anything, it just ordered me to rush to Kaluga as soon as possible."
"Why on earth?" Asia held her chin with both hands and thought hard: "Seeing that the battle to attack Kalmanovo started again, but they quietly pulled us back, what on earth is this? What's the reason?" After she said this, she got no response from Sokov. When she turned around, she found that he was already sleeping on the sled with half a piece of uneaten bread in his mouth.
After three days of long journey, the Istria camp finally arrived near Kaluga. As soon as they arrived at the suburbs, they were stopped by a patrol. The second lieutenant leading the team rushed to Sokov who was sitting on the sled and asked: "Comrade Lieutenant, which unit are you in?"
Sokov was about to correct the second lieutenant, saying that he was not a lieutenant but a captain, but when he lowered his head and saw that the collar badge of the military coat he was wearing was inlaid with the rank of lieutenant, he chuckled twice and replied: "Comrade second lieutenant, We are from the Istria Battalion of the 16th Army, and we were ordered to rush to Kaluga and report to the headquarters."
"Are you the Istria Battalion?" Hearing this number, the second lieutenant showed a surprised expression on his face: "Colonel Malinen gave us a greeting. If we find your arrival, we will report to him immediately. You guys stay here for a while Wait a moment, I will report to my superiors, and after getting permission, I can let you enter the city."
There happened to be a checkpoint nearby and there was a phone to contact the headquarters, so the second lieutenant took the initiative to make a call. Not long after, the second lieutenant ran back and said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant, I have made contact with the army headquarters. Colonel Malinin ordered your battalion commander, Captain Sokov, to see him. By the way, your battalion commander Where did he grow up, and why haven’t I seen him appear?”
Sokov pointed to his nose and said to the second lieutenant: "Comrade second lieutenant, isn't he right in front of you?"
"Are you Captain Sokov? But why does your collar badge have the rank of lieutenant..." Before the second lieutenant finished speaking, he suddenly thought that because the troops were constantly fighting, many commanders who were promoted always wore their original military ranks. He quickly raised his hand and saluted Sokov, and said respectfully: "Hello, Captain Sokov, please forgive me for not recognizing you just now?"
Sokov raised his hand in return and asked the second lieutenant with a smile: "Comrade second lieutenant, can my men and I enter the city now?"
Unexpectedly, the second lieutenant shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Comrade Lieutenant, your troops can't enter the city yet. The chief of staff ordered you and your political deputy battalion commander to go to the headquarters to see him immediately. He will arrange new arrangements for you." combat mission."
Although Sokov had already guessed that his superiors were so eager to transfer his troops to Kaluga because they had an important combat mission, he did not expect that the troops who had just traveled a long distance could not even enter the city and were going to carry out the mission again. New combat missions. However, the orders from superiors were orders, and no one had the right to change them. Sokov had no choice but to order the troops to rest outside the city and go to the headquarters in the city alone.
Although the sentry standing guard at the entrance of the command department did not recognize Sokov, when he heard his name, he quickly urged: "So you are Captain Sokov! Comrade Chief of Staff has been waiting for you inside for a long time. Come in quickly. .”
After thanking the sentry, Sokov strode into the headquarters. After passing through a group of busy telegraph soldiers, he saw Malinin who was standing in front of the table looking at a map. He quickly stepped forward and said loudly: "Staff Comrade Commander, Captain Sokov, the commander of the Istria Battalion, has been ordered to come, please give instructions!"
Hearing Sokov's voice, Malinin raised his head, smiled and said to him: "Captain Sokov, you are here. Please sit down, I will assign you a new combat mission right away."
After Sokov sat down, he looked around and found that apart from the busy staff and communications troops, there was no trace of Rokossovsky and Lobachev in the headquarters. He couldn't help but curiously asked Malinin: " Comrade Chief of Staff, why aren’t the commander and military commissar here?”
"They went back to the front headquarters in Moscow. It is estimated that they will not be back until tomorrow." After Malinin briefly explained Rokossovsky's whereabouts, he placed a piece of paper in front of Sokov and said to him: "Captain Sokov, the German army invested a large number of troops in the direction of Zizdra a few days ago, occupying the large railway hub of Sushinich and cutting off the transportation line of the left wing of the front army.
In order to prevent them from being encircled by the German army, the head of the front army ordered us to hand over the original troops to friendly forces and rush to Susinich to receive the new troops. After completing all this, we immediately launched an attack on Susinich. Re-open the army's transportation lines. And your battalion, as the main attacking battalion of the entire army, will be the first to participate in this battle. "
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov asked tentatively after Malinin finished speaking: "I would like to ask how many troops are participating in the attack, and whether we can receive artillery support during the attack?"
"After we came to Kaluga, we received the 322nd, 323rd, 324th and 328th infantry divisions and a tank brigade from General Golikov, the former commander of the 10th Army. In addition, our superiors also sent us The 11th Guards Division." Malinin said to Sokov: "The artillery regiment commanded by General Kazakov, director of artillery of the group army, has been deployed near Sushinich. They will carry out operations on the German positions before the attack. An hour of bombardment.”
After introducing the situation, Malinin asked Sokov: "Comrade Captain, have all your troops arrived outside the city?"
"Yes, they are on standby outside the city." When Sokov was reporting to Malinin, he suddenly had an idea and thought that if he said something nice to him, he might be able to let his troops enter the city to rest for a night, so he quickly said carefully: " Comrade Chief of Staff, you should know that my troops have just traveled a long distance and the commanders and soldiers are very tired. Do you think we can allow them to go to the city to rest for one night before setting off again tomorrow?"
"No," Ma Lining shook his head after hearing this, "This is 90 kilometers away from Susinich. The road is not easy to walk. You need to set off immediately so that you can get to the designated location as soon as possible."
"I understand, Comrade Chief of Staff." After Sokov stood up and said this, he raised his hand to his forehead and asked, "Do you allow me to leave?"
"I agree, you can go back to the army now." Malinen nodded and said in a friendly tone: "Misha, I wish you good luck!"
