In the early morning of the 29th, there was still an hour before the artillery preparations started. The commanders and fighters of the Istria Battalion entered the attack position early, braving the cold and waiting for the artillery bombardment to begin.
Sokov stayed in his command post and said to several company commanders surrounding him: "Comrades, company commanders, the German troop distribution map brought back by Corporal Pavel and the minefield road map drawn by Second Lieutenant Vasya, Does everyone remember it?"
"Remember!" several company commanders replied in unison.
"Report!" The company commanders had just finished expressing their stance when a voice shouting a report suddenly came from the door. Before Sokov could speak, people outside had opened the door curtain and broke into the command post.
Sokov frowned, and when he was about to criticize this daring guy, he unexpectedly discovered that the person who rushed in was Pavel, so he asked in a gentle tone: "Comrade Corporal, what's the matter?"
"Comrade Battalion Commander," Pavel said to Sokov in a voice that changed slightly with excitement: "According to our reconnaissance, the enemy is retreating."
"What, the enemy is retreating?" What Pavel said surprised Sokov. His first reaction was that Pavel had made a mistake. According to convention, the Germans should fortify themselves in the city, so He asked Pavel tentatively: "Comrade Corporal, have you made a mistake? How could the Germans retreat?"
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, the company commanders also said: "Yes, how is this possible? Once the Germans retreat, doesn't it mean that they gave us the city for nothing? This must be a mistake."
Hearing everyone saying that they had made a mistake, Pavel became a little anxious: "Comrade Commander, I am not wrong. I saw with my own eyes that the enemy was gradually withdrawing from their positions and retreating towards the city, so I came to report .”
Just when everyone was questioning Pavel, Sokov was thinking in his heart: Pavel is a scout with rich experience and should not make such a stupid mistake. Thinking of this, he raised his hands and pressed them down, saying loudly: "Quiet, comrades, please keep quiet."
After calm returned to the command post, he asked Pavel: "Comrade Corporal, are you sure the enemies outside the city are retreating towards the city?"
"Yes, Comrade Battalion Commander." Pavel nodded and said affirmatively: "I saw with my own eyes that the enemy had withdrawn from their positions and was withdrawing into the city in batches. I am willing to risk my life to assure you that what I said Everything is true."
"This important information needs to be reported to the division headquarters immediately." Sokov walked to the table, grabbed the crank of the phone and shook it a few times, picked up the phone and put it to his ear, and said loudly: "Signal soldier, here. I'll take over the division headquarters."
"Wait a minute, comrade battalion commander, don't make the call yet." Belkin, who never expressed his position easily in meetings, suddenly grabbed Sokov and said to him seriously: "The Army Headquarters attaches great importance to today's offensive. , so Commander General Rokossovsky, Artillery Commander General Kazakov, and Armored Forces Master General Orel are all now at the headquarters of the 11th Guards Division. If you refer to this unconfirmed news , reported to the division headquarters, it will inevitably affect the judgment of the group army chief."
"Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander," Sokov held the microphone and looked at Belgin and asked, "What do you think we should do?"
"I suggest sending someone to verify immediately," Belkin replied: "After figuring out what is going on, it is not too late to report to the division headquarters."
"No, Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, there is no time. In a few dozen minutes, our artillery will bombard the enemy's position." Sokov glanced at Pavel standing next to him and said, "Bavel Corporal Weir is a scout with rich experience, and I believe what he said is true. What we have to do next is to send people to conduct reconnaissance on the enemy's positions and report to the division headquarters what happened here. "
As soon as Pavel was sent on a reconnaissance mission, General Chernyshev's voice came from the receiver: "I am Chernyshev, where are you?"
"Hello, comrade division commander. I am Captain Sokov." When the matter came to a close, Sokov decided to risk his life. He said loudly into the microphone: "I just received a report from the scouts. The German troops in front of us are attacking. The organization evacuated its position and gradually returned to the city."
"What, the enemy is withdrawing from their position?" This shocking news not only shocked Chernyshev, but also Rokossovsky, Kazakov and others found it incredible. Rokossov When Sky heard what Chernyshev said, he grabbed the microphone directly from his hand and asked loudly: "Captain Sokov, are everything you said true?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Hearing Rokossovsky's voice coming from the receiver, Sokov hurriedly said in a positive tone: "My scouts saw with their own eyes that the enemy withdrew from their positions and He retreated to the city. He is a scout with rich reconnaissance experience, and I fully believe that his report is accurate."
After Rokossovsky waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he did not express any opinion, but asked noncommittally: "Have you taken any measures?"
"I have sent scouts to carry out reconnaissance on the German positions and the city." Sokov quickly reported to Rokossovsky: "The whole battalion is ready to attack. Once we find that the enemy has really retreated, we will We will launch an attack on Susinich without artillery support."
"I understand, Captain Sokov." Rokossovsky said unhurriedly: "If there are any changes at the front, you must report to me in time."
"Understood!" Sokov replied loudly.
After Rokossovsky put down the phone, he said to Orel: "Comrade Orel, you immediately send a tank company to the offensive starting position of the Istria Battalion to cooperate with any actions they may take."
Before Pavel, who was sent out for reconnaissance, returned, soldiers brought several residents of the city. Looking at these residents who had just escaped from the city, Sokov asked curiously: "Comrades, how did you get out of the city?"
"How else could we escape? Of course we escaped from the city." An old man with a gray goatee said: "The Germans were packing their things and preparing to leave the city. There was panic everywhere, so we took the opportunity to escape. "
"Yes," as soon as the old man finished speaking, a fat lady immediately added: "The two German soldiers who lived in my house took away all the food in the house and left in a big way. Now the city is in chaos. Now, the Germans living in every house are gathering in the street with large and small bags, apparently ready to escape."
Sokov asked several residents about the situation in the city, and the answers they received were similar. He smiled at everyone and nodded, and then said: "Comrades, you have entered our army's defense area. You are safe now. I will send you to the back to rest. When the battle is over, you can return Home." After saying that, he asked people to take these residents to another place to rest.
Returning to the command post, Sokov said to everyone with a solemn expression: "Comrade commanders, it seems that the Germans are going to escape. We must not let these fascist gangsters, who do all kinds of evil, escape from our city so easily. . I now order the 1st and 2nd companies to immediately attack the enemy's positions according to the original plan; the 3rd company and the machine gun company to move towards the city along the highway and eliminate all the enemies you encounter!"
