I have to say that during the war, the old man who always procrastinated things was sometimes quite efficient. At dawn the next day, Ozor led a group of construction workers and two carts of shovels and pickaxes to Mamayev Hill, preparing to start building fortifications here.
The workers had all arrived. As the master, Sokov had absolutely no reason to continue sleeping in the tent. He could only curse Ozor in his heart while forcing a smile on his face to come out to greet him. He held the other party's hand and said with a smile: "Comrade Major, I didn't expect you to come so early. It's really hard work."
Ozor grinned, and then proposed his own conditions to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I plan to arrange manpower to clear the bushes and weeds on Mamayev Hill today, and then start the construction work of the fortifications." . But I only have more than a hundred people under my command. Do you think you can lend me some soldiers to help me?"
Since Ozor was helping to repair his own fortifications, Sokov was naturally not stingy and quickly ordered Seryosha who was following him: "Seryosa, immediately send someone to inform the four battalion commanders and ask them to come to me immediately. .”
After Seryosha ran away, Sokov said to Ozor in a consultative tone: "Comrade Major, I want to discuss something with you. You see that the entire Mamayev Hills is so large, and the area above it must be Clearing shrubs and weeds is such a big project. Even if I send two thousand people to help you, it won't be completed in a day or two."
Ozor is also a smart man. When he heard what Sokov said, he asked tentatively: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you mean to start building fortifications directly without clearing the bushes and weeds on the hill?"
"Yes, that's what I mean. If the bushes and weeds are not cleared away, it can also serve as a concealment. Otherwise, the German reconnaissance planes will be able to detect our fortifications on the hills from a long distance in the air." After finishing his thoughts, Sokov asked: "Wouldn't this make the construction more difficult for you?"
"No, no," Ozor shook his head and replied: "The purpose of clearing the bushes and weeds on the hills in advance is just to make the built fortifications more eye-catching..."
"No, no, no, no, no, Major Ozor, the fortifications you built must not be too eye-catching." Hearing this, Sokov quickly waved his hand to interrupt what he was saying, "If the Germans can spot it at a glance, then If we come down, our fortifications will become targets for their shelling and bombing, so it’s better to stay hidden, the more hidden the better.”
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Ozor recorded Sokov's request in a notebook, and then asked: "Also, you said that you want to build two or three tunnels between the north and south slopes. I don't know what we should do. What method of construction will be adopted?”
Ozor's words stunned Sokov. He was not a construction engineer in the army and naturally knew nothing about construction. He grinned and asked a little embarrassedly: "Comrade Major, don't you know how to build tunnels?" What are the construction methods?"
As soon as Sokov asked about his professional skills, Ozor immediately started talking more: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, there are three construction methods for building tunnels: open excavation, cover excavation and cover excavation. ." When Ozor said this, he paused intentionally for a moment to observe the other party's expression. Seeing Sokov's confused look, he knew that the other party was an out-and-out layman, so he continued, "Ming The excavation method refers to a construction method that excavates the ground, excavates the earth and stone from top to bottom to the design elevation, then constructs sequentially from the bottom to the top to complete the main structure of the tunnel, and finally backfills the foundation pit or restores the ground. Advantages of this excavation method , the construction technology is simple, fast and economical; the disadvantage is that it is easily discovered by German reconnaissance aircraft during the construction process."
After hearing about the first construction method, Sokov asked noncommittally: "What about the cover excavation method and the undercover excavation method?"
Ozor said: "The cover excavation method is to excavate from the ground down to a certain depth, then seal the top, and the rest of the lower work is constructed under the closed top cover. The main structure can be constructed along the way or in reverse... "
"Wait a minute, Comrade Major." Sokov was not interested in the cover method. He only heard half of what Ozor was saying and couldn't wait to interrupt what was behind Ozor. As for the rest of the underground excavation method, even if Ozor didn't say it, Sokov knew that it needed to be constructed underground, but he still asked casually: "We won't consider the cover excavation method. You'd better talk about the underground excavation method." Let’s dig.”
Ozor nodded and began to introduce the tunnel cover and excavation method to Sokov: "The undercover excavation method is a tunnel construction method that does not excavate the ground under certain conditions, but excavates and builds the lining structure underground. In Near the Volga River, it is more difficult to implement this construction method because it will involve a series of work such as drainage and soil removal." After introducing the three construction methods, Ozor looked at Sokov and asked, " Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I wonder which method you plan to use for construction?
"Comrade Major, didn't I say that we need to build two or three tunnels?" Sokov said carefully: "Then we can use two tunnels to be constructed at the same time, one using the open excavation method and the other using the underground excavation method. Let's see where it goes. Whichever construction method is more efficient will be used for the remaining tunnel."
While the two were discussing the construction plan, the four battalion commanders who had been notified trotted over behind Seryosha. They stood in a row in front of Sokov, raised their hands in salute, and then stood at attention, waiting for Sokov's order. After raising his hand to return the salute, Sokov said: "Comrade battalion commanders, I called you here because Major Ozor is ready to start construction on Mamayev Hill, but he does not have enough manpower. Therefore, I plan to dispatch 500 people from each of your battalions to cooperate with him in the construction. Are there any questions?"
"No problem!" the four battalion commanders replied neatly.
Sokov continued: "You have to tell the soldiers that the fortifications they built are the ones we will use in future defensive operations. There must be no sloppiness in the quality. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" the four battalion commanders replied neatly again.
When the four battalion commanders went back to dispatch manpower, Sokov specifically said to Ozor: "Comrade Major, if you don't have enough manpower, just ask. Our brigade has nearly 5,000 men, and I can add more manpower for you at any time."
Ozor originally thought that Sokov could transfer two to three hundred people to him at best. Even if it was good, he unexpectedly gave him two thousand people as soon as he opened his mouth. Hearing what the other party said, he quickly and politely replied: "That's enough, comrade Lieutenant Colonel. The area of Mamayev Heights is limited. If there are more people, it will be difficult to use."
Sokov originally wanted Ozor to build tunnels and tunnels after building surface fortifications. But he swallowed the words before he spoke. He thought that he was a layman in architecture, and the construction of fortifications should be left to professionals. So he smiled and said to Ozor: "Comrade Major, I will leave the defense fortifications of Mamaev Hill to you. How to repair it and how to deploy the manpower are all up to you. I will let you do it." My subordinates will fully cooperate with you."
