After completing the re-equipment of the troops on the south side of the hillside, Gurdiev felt that he was still not at ease, so he sent a fifteen-man reconnaissance team, led by a lieutenant, carrying a radio station five kilometers south of the position. Lurk somewhere outside and closely monitor the enemy's movements.
Regarding Gurdiev's arrangement, Sokov expressed his approval: "Comrade Colonel, you did the right thing. You sent troops to lurk far away from the position. Once the enemy is discovered, they can call the police through the radio in time, so as to provide Comrades who hold their positions buy time to prepare."
Although a reconnaissance team was dispatched, Gurdiev still felt uneasy in his heart, because the position on the south side was too crude. Except for two trenches connected by communication trenches, there were only four or five hurried trenches. The civil firepower point set up contained the captured MG34 machine gun. This kind of firepower configuration is okay against the enemy's infantry, but if the enemy has tanks, it will be impossible to stop them.
He frowned and asked Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, do you think we need to put up barbed wire and lay minefields in front of the position to prevent the Germans from rushing to the position with a single charge."
"Colonel Gurdiev, do you plan to tell the Germans that the position here has been occupied by our army?" Sokov waited for Gurdiev to finish, then sneered and retorted: "If we There is nothing in front of the newly dug trench. Even if German troops appear nearby, they will not feel that it is occupied by our troops. But once they see barbed wire and minefields in front of the position, even fools will know how to hide. The enemy is in the position. Then they will use artillery fire to bombard us. Do you think how many obstacles will be left in front of the position after the intensive bombardment is over?"
"Okay then." Seeing that Sokov insisted not to place any obstacles in front of the position, Gurdiev couldn't say anything else and could only bite the bullet and agreed: "Since you said so, then I will obey your order. , don’t lay any minefields or barbed wire in front of the position.” After saying this, he sighed and added, “I hope the enemy will not see through us.”
When Sokov returned to the headquarters, he saw Bely talking to Askel and asked curiously: "Comrade Captain, you said that your division can arrive here to join us within three hours. But. It's been three hours now, why haven't you seen them appear yet?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Askel couldn't help but blush, and said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, although when I came here, the division commander once said that the troops can catch up with the enemy within three hours. Come here to take over your defense. However, the troops are scattered in different places, and it will take a long time just to assemble them."
In fact, Sokov did not mean to blame Askel. He knew very well that most Soviet troops had backward communications and radio stations were only equipped at the regiment level. To convey orders to the following battalions and companies, orders can only be conveyed through wired telephones or communications troops. It is better if the troops are concentrated. If they are too spread out, it will not be easy to assemble the troops, let alone a few hours, even if it takes more than ten hours.
Just when Sokov was about to ask Askel to send a soldier back to contact him, Guchakov suddenly ran in from outside and said emotionally: "Comrade Brigadier, Third Platoon Commander Second Lieutenant Samoilov and his people came back."
"Oh, Samoylov is back?!" Sokov heard that Samoylov was back, and guessed that the other party must have brought back some important news, and quickly asked: "Where is he?"
Guchakov replied: "I saw several of them crossing the river. Maybe they will be here in a few minutes."
Sokov could still sit still, so he stood up and said to Bely: "Comrade Colonel, let's go out and take a look!"
Several people came to the trench outside and looked down the hillside. Sure enough, they saw Samoilov and several soldiers sitting on a wooden boat, paddling desperately to get to the south bank as quickly as possible.
After waiting for five or six minutes, the wooden boat on which Samoilov and others were riding finally docked at the south bank. But when they got off the boat and walked towards the hillside, Bely suddenly let out a long sigh. Sokov turned to look at Bely and asked curiously: "Colonel Bely, why are you sighing?"
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Bely pointed to the bottom of the hillside and said to Sokov: "I just calculated the time. It took Second Lieutenant Samoylov and the others five or six minutes to row across from the other side. No wonder our army couldn’t attack the position held by a German battalion with one division. I estimate that most of the commanders and fighters died under the enemy’s intensive firepower when crossing the river.”
"You are right." After hearing what Bely said, Sokov also realized the seriousness of the problem. He nodded quickly and said: "Therefore, we must find ways to defend this place and cannot let the enemy take it again. Otherwise, we don’t know how many commanders and fighters would have shed their blood on this land.”
"Comrade Brigadier!" As soon as Samoylov jumped into the trench, he saw Sokov and Bely standing not far away. He quickly walked over, straightened his body and reported: "I'm back!"
"Comrade Second Lieutenant," Sokov asked with some displeasure, thinking that this boy had not been heard from for several hours: "I asked you to look for friendly forces, but you disappeared. Tell me, what is going on? ?”
"That's it, Comrade Brigade Commander." Seeing Sokov's unhappy look, Samoylov quickly explained: "We arrived at the headquarters of the 292nd Division and got in touch with Colonel Korogetsky. , and gave your radio contact number to the commander of the 24th Army. ... Originally, I wanted to return as soon as possible, but Colonel Korogotsky said that we were working too hard, so he left us to rest at his division headquarters... "
Knowing that the other party was coming from the 292nd Division Headquarters, Sokov then asked: "Second Lieutenant Samoylov, did Colonel Korogotsky say when his troops will arrive here?"
"According to the plan, the vanguard sent by Colonel Korogodsky should arrive here. However, a group of German troops was found nearby, and the vanguard temporarily changed its direction to eliminate this enemy." Samoilov told Sokov explained: "The colonel was worried that you were impatient, so he sent us back to report to you."
"Germans appeared nearby?" Sokov quickly asked: "What kind of Germans are they, how many are there, and what kind of weapons are they equipped with?"
"Comrade Brigade Commander, don't worry." Samoilov continued: "I heard from Colonel Korogotsky that there are only about a hundred German soldiers, probably paratroopers who were airdropped to the rear of our army. Except for a few Except for mortars, they are all light weapons and can be easily eliminated."
Although they were just paratroopers equipped with light weapons, Sokov was worried about Yakov and the others. Although there was another battalion and guard battalion beside him, there were so many wounded, which would have some impact on the combat effectiveness of the unit, so he asked nervously: "Second Lieutenant Samoilov, on your way back, did you see Ya Major Koff and the others?"
"No, I didn't see it." Only then did Samoilov realize that Yakov didn't seem to be with Sokov, so he shook his head and said, "Maybe he missed them somewhere."
