When Sokov set off with the commanders and fighters of the fourth battalion, it was completely dark. At this moment, the German attack on the city had temporarily stopped. Four to five hundred meters away from the factory area of the Red October Tractor Factory, one of the leading soldiers who was clearing the way ran back and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, Germans have been spotted ahead."
Have you spotted any Germans ahead? ! Hearing the report of the foreman, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little in his heart. How could there be Germans here? Could it be that they had already occupied this area and cut off the connection between the factory area and Mamayev Hill? Thinking of this, he quickly asked: "Have you seen how many enemies there are?"
"No!" The soldier shook his head and replied: "Because it was too dark, we only heard faint voices and the gentle knocking of soldiers' helmets."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Briski came to the side and whispered in a positive tone: "The Germans must have known that we were going to reinforce the Red October Tractor Factory, so they set up an ambush in front of us."
But Sokov expressed doubts about Brisky's speculation: "This is impossible. It was also my temporary decision to bring troops to support the Red October Tractor Factory. How could the Germans know?"
"Perhaps, the enemy eavesdropped on the phone call between you and the Army Group Headquarters." Briski said very quickly: "So they sent people to ambush here. So, Comrade Brigade Commander, you stay here , I’ll take someone up to have a look.”
"No," Sokov shook his head and said, "Let's go up and have a look. If it is really the German army ambushing in front, we may have to change our marching route."
Briski knew that Sokov was still injured and was unwilling to let him take risks, so he tried his best to dissuade him: "Comrade Brigadier, the front is too dangerous, you should stay here!"
"Comrade Captain, I am the brigade commander, and I have the final say here." Sokov said decisively: "Take a few people and follow me to the front to see what is going on."
As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sudden rush of footsteps in front of him, and then a surprised voice asked loudly: "Comrades, do you know where the brigade commander and battalion commander are?"
"Hell, who is this guy talking?" Hearing the unscrupulous voice coming from the front, Brisky asked angrily: "Don't he know that this will expose the target? What's more, there may be Germans ambushing ahead. .”
"Comrade Battalion Commander," the vanguard who came first to report the news said with some embarrassment after Brisky finished speaking: "It seems to be Corporal Benittyuk, he is the leader of our vanguard group."
From what the leading soldier said, Sokov keenly sensed that things might be different from what he had guessed, and quickly stopped Briski, who was about to get angry: "Comrade Captain, let Binichuk come here, I want to ask What’s going on.”
"What are you still doing here?" Brisky glared at the guard standing in front of him and said, "Why don't you call Corporal Binichuk over quickly and ask what happened?"
Not long after, the vanguard brought Binichuk to Sokov and Brisky. "Comrade Corporal," Briski asked with some displeasure, "What are you yelling at in front of you? Do you want to alert the Germans who are ambushing in front of you?"
"We made a mistake, comrade battalion commander, we all made a mistake." Binichuk replied with a smile: "It turns out that the Germans are not in front of us, but the lurking posts of the 39th Guards Division. We almost lost the battle between ourselves and Our own people started fighting. Fortunately, when we approached their hiding place, a comrade shouted: 'Stop, no one is allowed to come over.' Only then did we realize that the noise we just heard was made by our own people. "
"Where are the comrades of the Guards Division?" Sokov heard this and interrupted and asked: "Where are they?"
"Comrade Sergeant," Binichuk turned his head and shouted to the back: "Please come here."
Following Binichuk's shout, a soldier wearing a hooded poncho came to Sokov, straightened his body and said: "Hello, comrade commander, which unit are you in?"
Sokov guessed that Binichuk must have told the other party his serial number. The sergeant asked this just to verify it again, so he said without any secret: "We are from the 4th Battalion of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and I am the brigade commander." Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I want to see your division commander, Comrade Sergeant, can you show me the way?"
"Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." The Guards Sergeant said respectfully: "I am very happy to serve as your guide. Please come with me. I will take you and your troops to the division headquarters."
Under the leadership of the Guards sergeant, Sokov and Brisky led the troops through the latent posts and defense lines of the Guards Division and arrived at the division headquarters. However, they were still far away from the division headquarters building, so Sokov and the others were stopped by the soldiers of the Guards Division. After the sergeant came forward and whispered a few words to the soldiers on duty, he came back and politely said to Sokov: "Commander Comrade comrade, the division headquarters is ahead, do you think you can allow your troops to stay here?"
Sokov understood the caution shown by the Guards sergeant. He nodded and said, "Okay, Comrade Sergeant, I will bring a guard over, okay?"
Hearing that Sokov only brought one guard, the Guards sergeant nodded quickly: "Okay. Please come with me, Comrade Commander, I will take you to see the division commander."
Sokov asked Briski to stay in control of the troops, and he followed the Guards sergeant towards the building where the division headquarters was located. On the way, the sergeant said apologetically to Sokov: "Comrade commander, I just asked about the tactics on duty. He said that the division commander went to inspect the 112th Guards Regiment half an hour ago. Only political commissar Cherny Schauf is at the command post."
Chernyshov! When he heard this name, Sokov immediately thought of the commander of the 11th Guards Division whom he knew during the Moscow Defense War. He couldn't help but think to himself: It's strange, the military chief and the political cadre are two different people. system, how could General Chernyshov become a political commissar?
With such questions, Sokov came to the headquarters of the Guards Division. The sergeant leading the team asked Sokov to wait at the door for a moment while he went in to report. Not long after, the sergeant came out, made an invitation gesture to Sokov, and said with a smile: "Comrade commander, please come in. Comrade political commissar is waiting for you inside."
After thanking the Guards sergeant, Sokov stepped into the headquarters. As soon as he walked into the headquarters, a burly political worker came up to him and said with a smile on his face: "Is this Lieutenant Colonel Sokov? Let me introduce myself. I am Chernysho, political commissar of the 39th Guards Division. Husband, on behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the Guards Division, I welcome you!"
When he learned that the person in front of him was the division political commissar Chernyshev, Sokov knew that he had made a mistake. This commander was not the Chernyshev he knew at all. He just had the same surname. He shook hands with the other party and asked casually: "Comrade Political Commissar, I would like to ask where the division commander is?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, it's an unlucky time for you to come." Chernyshov replied: "The division commander went to the 112th Guards Regiment to inspect the defense, and may not come back until tomorrow morning. If you are willing to wait, you can To be able to see him.”
The purpose of Sokov coming here is to assist the workers in the factory to strengthen the defense of the factory area. Coming here to see Guryev is just a formality, and it is not necessary to meet him. Since Guryev was not here at the moment, he did not want to waste any more time, so he tactfully said to Chernyshev: "Comrade Political Commissar, the order I received is to assist the workers in the factory to strengthen their defense. Since Comrade Division Commander is not here, Then I won’t bother you.”
Seeing Sokov leaving so simply, Chernyshov could not help but be stunned for a moment, but he quickly recovered, caught up with Sokov, and walked outside with him, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel , it is about three kilometers from our place to the factory building. In the past, there were factory cars that could drive directly there. But now," at this point, he bent down and patted his legs with both hands, and continued, " You can only walk through it on your own feet."
Seeing Sokov come out of the building, Briski hurriedly greeted him and asked with concern: "Comrade Brigade Commander, how is the situation? What did the division political commissar say?"
Sokov smiled bitterly and replied: "The division commander is not here and the political commissar is not in charge of the military. What else can he say? Okay, don't talk about it anymore. This is still three kilometers away from the factory building where we are going. Let the soldiers We rushed over as quickly as possible to set up defenses, lest when the Germans began to attack, we didn’t even have decent fortifications.”
After less than a quarter of an hour's rest, he had to start again. Sokov was worried that the soldiers would complain. But as the order was given, the soldiers who were sitting on the ground and resting stood up one after another, quickly formed four columns, and under the leadership of commanders at all levels, strode towards the factory building in the distance. .
After walking about half the way, we encountered a worker patrol. Perhaps it was because the Germans had once broken into the factory during the day, so that the leader of the team was nervous. As soon as he saw an army appearing in front, he immediately ordered the patrol to disperse and find a place to hide, ready to fire at any time. .
Seeing that the patrol ahead was hiding, Sokov was worried that if he continued to lead the troops forward, it would cause unnecessary misunderstandings, so he ordered the troops to stop and walked forward alone, not far from where the worker patrol was hiding. He stopped about ten meters away and said loudly: "Comrade workers, don't be nervous. I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. I was ordered to bring people here to strengthen defense."
When the captain heard what Sokov said, he slowly stood up from his hiding place, and while walking towards Sokov, he asked cautiously: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, are you really here to help us strengthen our defense?" ?"
