When Sokov's troops arrived at the ferry on the Volga River, it was completely dark. There is still a moon in the sky, so we can't see the road clearly.
Just when Sokov was thinking about where to let the troops board the ship, a soldier suddenly ran from a short distance away and asked loudly as he ran: "Which section are you in and who is the commander?"
Since he did not identify himself, all the soldiers remained silent in response to his questions, and no one answered his questions. Standing next to Sokov, Samoylov saw someone asking for the number of his unit. His professional instinct aroused his alert. He quickly said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, I'll go over and ask." , what does that person do?" After receiving Sokov's permission, he ran over quickly.
After Sokov saw Samoilov saying a few words to the person, he led the person towards him. "Comrade Second Lieutenant," he asked when Samoilov was only a few steps away from him, "What does the person who followed you here do?"
Before Samoylov could answer, the man quickly walked up to Sokov, straightened his body and replied: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, my name is Varko, I am a staff member of the Political Department, Comrade Director, see When a troop came over, they specially ordered me to come over and find out more."
"Director of the Political Department?" Sokov didn't know who the director Valko was referring to, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Valko, I would like to ask if the director you are talking about is from the front army. Or a group army, or a division-level unit?"
"We are from the 62nd Army." Valko heard Sokov's question and quickly replied: "We followed the director of the Political Department, Comrade Vasilyev, to perform the mission here. Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, where are you? a part of."
"It turns out that you are from the political department of the group army, so we are one of our own." Sokov shook the other person's hand and said enthusiastically: "I am Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. We are about to cross the river to the city. Go, I wonder if you can help us find a ship to transport troops?"
"The 73rd Infantry Brigade? They are not stationed at Mamayev Heights, how could they be here?" After hearing this number, Valko did not show any enthusiasm. On the contrary, he took his hand from Sokov's palm. He pulled out and asked warily: "Who are you?"
Faced with the vigilance shown by Valko, Sokov was very satisfied, because the other party actually knew where his troops were stationed. He smiled and said: "Comrade Varko, don't be nervous, we are our own people. The main force of my brigade is indeed stationed at Mamayev Heights, but the troops around me were all just added to me by my superiors. You don't have Did you see that they are almost all sailors?"
When it came to sailors, Valko immediately realized that he might have made a mistake. Although the Germans often disguised themselves as Soviet troops to cause some damage, they had never disguised themselves as sailors. Because no matter how they disguise themselves, they still look very different from real sailors. Rather than pretending to be sailors who can easily expose their flaws, it is easier to pretend to be an army. However, he still asked cautiously: "Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask, when and where did you cross the river?"
"We landed at the Red October Town ferry during the day." After a brief reply, Sokov asked: "Where is Comrade Director of the Political Department? Take me over to see him immediately."
"Comrade Colonel," Valko looked at the commanders and soldiers around him and said with some embarrassment, "What about your subordinates?"
"Let them stay here for the time being, and I will go with you." Sokov said, calling Vanya, Shamrih, Tenev and others in front of him, and told them: "Bely and I The colonel is leaving for a while, so the three of you will be responsible for this place. You must restrain the troops and don't let the soldiers wander around."
After listening to Sokov's order, the three people quickly agreed loudly.
When Valko heard Sokov talking about Bely's order, he paid special attention to it and looked around for Bely's figure. Seeing him standing still, Sokov asked with some confusion: "Comrade Varko, why don't you lead us?" Without waiting for his answer, he turned around and greeted a commander next to him, "Bely Colonel, let’s go to see the Director of the Political Department together.”
Valko looked to the side and saw clearly a silent colonel standing there. He knew Bely, and after just staring for a moment, he recognized that the other person was indeed Bely. The stone hanging in his heart fell to the ground, and he immediately said enthusiastically to Sokov: "Comrade Colonels, please follow me. Come, I will take you to the headquarters."
Valko led the two men through the soldiers sitting and lying on the ground. Along the way, many wooden boats could be seen on the ground. Sokov couldn't help but asked curiously: "Comrade Valko, these wooden boats Can it also be used to cross the river?"
Valko turned to look at Sokov and replied: "These ships once brought a lot of soldiers and supplies into the city, but they were all damaged to varying degrees, so they were brought to the shore and repaired after dawn."
Valko led the two of them to a semi-underground earthen house-style shelter. The sentry standing at the door was about to stop them, but he quickly recognized Valko who was leading the team and stepped aside.
The three of them walked into the shelter. Sokov immediately felt a heat coming from the room. He quickly searched and saw two braziers burning charcoal placed on the wall at the entrance, which should be for heating. use. Valko took a step forward and said loudly to a commander standing with his back to the door: "Comrade Director, I have invited the commanders of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, Colonel Sokov and Colonel Bely!"
The commander turned around, and Sokov discovered that the commander was wearing the rank of a political worker. He was a brigade-level political commissar. He should be Vasilyev, the director of the political department of the group army. He quickly stepped forward, raised his hand in salute, and said respectfully: "Comrade Brigade Political Commissar, Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, is reporting to you that my troops are waiting to cross the river by the river. I obey your orders. Order, please give instructions!”
Vasilyev raised his hand in return, shook hands with Sokov politely, and then ran straight to Bely beside him, and said enthusiastically: "Colonel Bely, I really didn't expect that he could be here. Meet you."
"I didn't expect that, Comrade Brigade Political Commissar." Bely and Vasilyev had dealt with each other in the headquarters before, so they were naturally cordial when they met. After the two shook hands, Bely asked curiously: "Why do you appear here?"
"Some time ago, due to preparations for counterattacks, the work here at the ferry became heavy." Vasilyev explained to Bely: "Commander Chuikov was worried that there would be unnecessary chaos here, so he asked me to come over to coordinate the command. Yes, I remember that the commander sent you to the Red October Factory to assist Lieutenant Colonel Sokov in the defense, why did you appear here?"
Bely listened to Vasilyev's question and quickly told how his troops participated in the counterattack, how they accompanied Sokov's troops to Orlovka, how they broke through to the north and occupied the unknown German high ground, and how they came from the north. The friendly forces who arrived told Vasilyev in detail about the rendezvous.
After Vasilyev waited for Bely to finish speaking, he looked at Sokov and asked with a smile: "Comrade Sokov, if I remember correctly, you should be a lieutenant colonel, right?"
"That's right, Comrade Brigade Political Commissar." Sokov nodded slightly, and then explained: "I just obtained the rank of colonel a few hours ago. Commander Yeremenko told me that this was a reward from my superiors. A recognition of the merits that I have built.”
"It's amazing," Vasilyev came over and held Sokov's hand again, smiling and said: "Comrade Sokov, you have become a colonel at a young age. It seems that your future is infinitely bright. Then he called to Sokov and Bely, "You must be tired after traveling such a long way. Please sit down first."
After Sokov sat down, he looked up at Vasilyev and asked: "Comrade Brigade Political Commissar, I would like to ask when can we arrange to cross the river?"
"How many of you are there?" Vasilyev asked.
"I brought more than 1,500 people this time." Sokov replied: "As well as the weapons, equipment and necessary supplies they carried."
"The barges here at the ferry were all sunk by the German air force and artillery, and the only ones left were small steamers." Vasilyev said with some embarrassment when he learned that Sokov was bringing more than 1,500 people with him. These small steamers can only carry more than three hundred people at most. With so many of you, you need at least five small steamers..."
"Comrade Brigade Political Commissar, five small steamers are not enough." As soon as Vasilyev finished speaking, a major standing opposite him continued: "If these soldiers are all bare-handed, then five small steamers will not be enough." It should be possible to transport them all at once. But they also carry weapons, ammunition and various military supplies with them, so at least a small steamer is needed."
"Lieutenant Colonel Spasov," Vasilyev looked at another officer sitting at the table and asked, "You are in charge of ship dispatch. When can you arrange for Colonel Sokov's troops to cross the river?"
Lieutenant Colonel Spasov looked at the notepad in front of him and replied: "Comrade Brigade Political Commissar, the timetable for crossing the river is already full. Colonel Sokov can't be arranged until after dark tomorrow at the earliest. Troops crossing the river.”
"What, wait until tomorrow night?" Spasov surprised both Sokov and Vasilyev.
Sokov quickly waved his hand at the other party and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Spasov, we are rushing into the city to strengthen the defense of Mamayev Heights, and we absolutely cannot wait until tomorrow night. Can you think of some way to let me The troops crossed the river overnight?"
According to Sokov's idea, since he has said so, Lieutenant Colonel Spasov will definitely find ways to get himself a few small steamers so that the troops can cross the Volga River in the shortest time. Unexpectedly, Spasov shook his head and said with a businesslike face: "I'm sorry, Colonel Sokov. Let me say it again, the timetable for crossing the river is already full. I won't be able to do it before dark tomorrow." You provide the boats to cross the river.”
"But Lieutenant Colonel Spasov, if our troops cannot reach Mamayev Hill before dawn tomorrow, then once the Germans launch a fierce attack, the remaining troops on the hill may not be able to hold their positions." Sokov said in order Let the other party change their mind and deliberately make the problem serious: "If the position is lost because reinforcements did not arrive on time, then who should be responsible for this responsibility?"
"Colonel Sokov is right, we have to cross the river overnight." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Bely joined in and said: "You all know that Mamayev Hill is the commanding height of the city. If we let The Germans have occupied it, and they only need to put up a few cannons to block the transportation lines and crossings of the Volga River, and the situation will become even more unfavorable to us."
Hearing that Sokov and Bely described the problem so seriously, Vasilyev sighed and said to Spasov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, please think of a way and be sure to prepare it for Colonel Sokov and the others." Enough ships.”
Unexpectedly, Spasov was still unable to get in. He spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders and said: "I have already said that the schedule for crossing the river is already full. No one can jump in the queue, otherwise it will cause trouble. The chaos interfered with our arrangements for crossing the river."
Seeing Lieutenant Colonel Spasov being so stubborn, Sokov couldn't help but feel angry, but he couldn't slap him in front of Vasilyev, so he could only ask politely: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you said there are not enough." Boats, but on the way here just now, I saw a lot of wooden boats on the shore. Even if one boat can carry twenty people, we can transport hundreds of people across the river at a time."
Vasilyev did not expect that there was a boat on the shore, so he cast a doubtful look at Spasov. Seeing Vasilyev looking at him, Spasov quickly waved his hand and said: "Comrade Brigade Political Commissar, you don't know that those wooden boats were damaged by German artillery fire when they were crossing the river. They need to wait until dawn to repair them. before it can be put back into use.”
"It turned out to be a damaged wooden boat." After listening to Spasov's explanation, Vasilyev showed a regretful expression on his face. He turned to Sokov and Bely and said: "Two comrades, colonels, those Wooden boats cannot be used. If you forcefully cross the river, they may sink in the center of the river. For your safety, I think we should wait until tomorrow night to cross the river."
"Comrade Brigade Political Commissar, please order someone to hand over those wooden boats to us." Sokov was not willing to stay on the shore for a day and a night, so he took the initiative to ask Vasilyev: "The subordinates I brought here , almost all of them are sailors, and their lieutenants must have people who know how to repair ships. After you hand over the wooden ship to us, I will have someone repair it as soon as possible, and we should be able to cross the river."
