Sokov did not speak, but turned to look at Samyko and winked at him.
Samyko nodded with understanding, then coughed slightly, and said to Guchakov seriously: "Comrade Major, because the battalion you command has now become an empty number, this means that you I can no longer hold the position of battalion commander, do you understand?"
Although Guchakov had already guessed this outcome, he still felt extremely heavy when he heard Samyko say this. He replied in a low voice: "Understood."
"We will adjust your duties. Do you have any objections?"
Hearing what Samek said, Major Bunch and Seryosha standing aside had expressions of surprise on their faces. They thought that Sokov would find a way to replenish the troops for the first battalion, but unexpectedly he directly announced Guchakov was no longer allowed to serve as battalion commander, and there was no mention of whether to restore the first battalion.
Guchakov replied without changing his face: "I resolutely obey the arrangements of my superiors. As long as I can stay in the combat unit, even if I am only a company commander or even a platoon leader."
Seeing that Samyko was still teasing Guchakov, Sokov quickly waved his hand to stop him: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, stop teasing Major Guchakov, let's get down to business."
Guchakov couldn't help but be stunned, is the chief of staff making fun of me? But, what is going on, what can I do to tease you?
"Major Guchakov," Sokov did not immediately explain to Guchakov what was going on, but asked instead: "Do you remember what the unit number was when we entered Stalingrad?"
Guchakov grinned, "Comrade Commander, how can we forget this? You know, when we were in Stalingrad, we were an invincible force that terrified the enemy. Even in the later stages of the defense war, our brigade was merged into The 41st Guards Division, but I will always remember this glorious designation - the 73rd Infantry Brigade."
"You are right, Comrade Major." Thinking back to the glorious days of the past, a sense of pride arose in Sokov's heart: "The 73rd Infantry Brigade is indeed a heroic unit that has achieved brilliant results. The disappearance is indeed a regrettable thing.”
"It's strange that Comrade Commander suddenly told me what the 73rd Infantry Brigade does?" Guchakov muttered in his heart: "Does the superior plan to rebuild this unit?"
Just as he thought of this, he heard Sokov say: "Comrade Major, let me tell you good news. I have just been notified by Commander Konev that he intends to rebuild the 73rd Infantry Brigade and place it under the command of our army group. "
"Comrade Commander, this is great." As the commander of the old 73rd Infantry Brigade, Guchakov couldn't help but be overjoyed when he heard such news, and took the initiative to propose to Sokov: "If the superiors re-establish the Infantry Brigade 73rd Brigade, can you send me to this unit? I still say the same thing, even if I am a company commander or even a platoon leader."
"No." Sokov waited for the other party to finish, then said with a smile: "If you are transferred to the 73rd Infantry Brigade, I will definitely not let you be the company commander or platoon leader. That would be too unfair."
Before Guchakov could recover, Seryosha rushed to the side and asked: "Comrade Commander, do you plan to let Major Guchakov continue to be the battalion commander?"
"No, Captain Seryosha." Sokov shook his head at Seryosha and replied: "I will not let him be the battalion commander."
Seryosha thought with a confused look on his face: Let Guchakov join the rebuilt 73rd Infantry Brigade. Not only will he not be allowed to be the battalion commander, he will not even be given the position of platoon commander. What else will he be asked to do? You can't let a major become an ordinary soldier, right?
Guchakov was also stunned, thinking to himself, could it be that because he had destroyed all the troops this time, the commander, in order to punish him, deliberately sent him to the rebuilt 73rd Infantry Brigade as a soldier?
"Comrade Guchakov, on behalf of the Army Headquarters, I now formally inform you that from now on, you will become the commander of the re-established 73rd Infantry Brigade." Sokov said with a solemn expression: "Your formal appointment letter, Will arrive at our base with the troops."
For a moment, there was no sound except the beep beep of the telegraph operator on the other side of the room. Not long after, Guchakov's heavy breathing sounded like an ox in the room. It was obvious that he was also shocked by this unexpected news.
Being unexpectedly appointed brigade commander, Guchakov's excitement was indescribable. He originally thought that he had destroyed all the troops. After returning to the headquarters, the best outcome was that Sokov arranged for him to serve as the guard company commander in the headquarters like Seryosha. If you want to go to the battlefield, you may have to wait a long time.
But now it seems that as long as he officially takes office, he will have a lot of time to go to the battlefield in the future, and there will also be many opportunities to make meritorious deeds. After all, the role a brigade can play on the battlefield is far greater than that of a battalion.
"Comrade Commander," Guchakov tentatively asked Sokov after his mood calmed down: "Did my superiors really appoint me to serve as the commander of the rebuilt 73rd Infantry Brigade?"
"Of course." Sokov nodded and said affirmatively: "Your position was personally arranged by Commander Konev. Can this be false?"
Guchakov understood Sokov's character and knew that he could not deceive him about such a thing, so the position of brigade commander was a certainty. After confirming the news, he quickly stepped into the role of brigade commander: "Comrade Commander, I would like to ask where the soldiers, weapons and ammunition of the 73rd Infantry Brigade come from?"
"You don't have to worry about the soldiers." Sokov explained to Guchakov: "Last time, our army liberated many prisoner of war camps and rescued tens of thousands of commanders and fighters. At that time, we added tens of thousands of people, but Commander Konev still kept some of them and organized them with the new recruits as the reserve force of the front army headquarters. Now the designation of this reserve force has been changed to the 73rd Infantry Brigade. As for weapons and ammunition, , they have already been allocated when the reserve team was first formed, and as soon as they arrive at our station, they can basically go into battle."
I learned that the rebuilt 73rd Infantry Brigade was adapted from a reserve team of the Front Army Headquarters. The commanders and fighters in the unit were composed of rescued prisoners of war and newly recruited recruits. Guchakov was very satisfied in his heart. As long as the troops were not all new recruits, they could quickly form combat effectiveness and be sent to the battlefield in the shortest possible time.
"What about the commander?" Guchakov asked: "I want to know, who are my deputies?"
"I don't know the specific situation." Sokov thought that when he called Konev, the other party did not tell him at all what standards the commanders at all levels in the army were arranged according to: "I only know that the deputy brigade commander The chief is a colonel."
"What, the deputy brigade commander is a colonel?" Guchakov was shocked: "Comrade Commander, I am only a major, but I have to command a colonel. Is this appropriate?"
"There is nothing inappropriate, Major Guchakov." Seeing that Guchakov looked very worried, Sokov quickly comforted him and said: "In this world, strength will always speak. With your military exploits and My commanding ability is fully qualified for the position of brigade commander. As for the issue of low military rank, you can forget about it. You know, my military rank is not as high as that of the military commissar, but this does not affect our cooperation at all."
Sokov's words made Guchakov feel much more at ease. He nodded and said: "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will definitely have a good relationship with the deputy brigade commander."
"Comrade Major, I remember you just said that Captain Narva, the commander of the first company, and Captain Yegor, the commander of the second company, are both still alive. Am I right?"
"Yes, they are both alive." After Guchakov gave Sokov a positive answer, he asked tentatively: "Can I take them both to the new unit?"
"Of course, Comrade Major." Sokov said reasonably: "Since you are the brigade commander, you can be completely responsible for what kind of manpower you deploy in your army."
When Guchakov heard that Sokov agreed to his proposal, he couldn't help but feel happy. He looked at Seryosha standing aside, and after thinking for a long time, he tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, Captain Seryosha fought alongside us today, and I want him to go with me to the new unit." , I wonder if you allow it?”
Sokov looked towards Seryosha to see what he thought of the matter. Seeing Seryosha looking eager to try, he seemed to really want to go to the Guchakov Brigade. He thought for a while, then shook his head and objected: "Major Guchakov, no, I can't give Seryosha to you. Only with him in the guard force will I feel at ease."
The reason why Sokov used such a lame excuse to try to keep Seryosha was simple: the risk factor on the battlefield was very high. If Seryosha is really allowed to serve as an official in the Guchakov Brigade, based on the intensity of the current battle, Seryosha will definitely not survive more than two months. Therefore, he simply denied Guchakov's request.
Seryosha never dreamed that Sokov would reject his request to join the new army so cleanly. For a moment, he felt particularly aggrieved. Although he and Sokov were good friends, in the current situation, he could only choose to remain silent to avoid damaging Sokov's prestige in the army.
Seeing Guchakov's disappointed look, Sokov added: "Those soldiers who came back with you from Kazachya Compass Town should be considered the backbone of the battle. I can go with you this time. New troops, depending on their abilities, can be made squad leaders or platoon leaders.”
Sokov still had his reasons for arranging it this way. In any case, many members of the rebuilt 73rd Infantry Brigade came from prisoner of war camps. Although they passed the screening review, they were still not taken seriously.
"What, the deputy brigade commander is a colonel?" Guchakov was shocked: "Comrade Commander, I am only a major, but I have to command a colonel. Is this appropriate?"
"There is nothing inappropriate, Major Guchakov." Seeing that Guchakov looked very worried, Sokov quickly comforted him and said: "In this world, strength will always speak. With your military exploits and My commanding ability is fully qualified for the position of brigade commander. As for the issue of low military rank, you can forget about it. You know, my military rank is not as high as that of the military commissar, but this does not affect our cooperation at all."
Sokov's words made Guchakov feel much more at ease. He nodded and said: "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will definitely have a good relationship with the deputy brigade commander."
"Comrade Major, I remember you just said that Captain Narva, the commander of the first company, and Captain Yegor, the commander of the second company, are both still alive. Am I right?"
"Yes, they are both alive." After Guchakov gave Sokov a positive answer, he asked tentatively: "Can I take them both to the new unit?"
"Of course, Comrade Major." Sokov said reasonably: "Since you are the brigade commander, you can be completely responsible for what kind of manpower you deploy in your army."
When Guchakov heard that Sokov agreed to his proposal, he couldn't help but feel happy. He looked at Seryosha standing aside, and after thinking for a long time, he tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, Captain Seryosha fought alongside us today, and I want him to go with me to the new unit." , I wonder if you allow it?”
Sokov looked towards Seryosha to see what he thought of the matter. Seeing Seryosha looking eager to try, he seemed to really want to go to the Guchakov Brigade. He thought for a while, then shook his head and objected: "Major Guchakov, no, I can't give Seryosha to you. Only with him in the guard force will I feel at ease."
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The reason why Sokov used such a lame excuse to try to keep Seryosha was simple: the risk factor on the battlefield was very high. If Seryosha is really allowed to serve as an official in the Guchakov Brigade, based on the intensity of the current battle, Seryosha will definitely not survive more than two months. Therefore, he simply denied Guchakov's request.
Seryosha never dreamed that Sokov would reject his request to join the new army so cleanly. For a moment, he felt particularly aggrieved. Although he and Sokov were good friends, in the current situation, he could only choose to remain silent to avoid damaging Sokov's prestige in the army.
Seeing the disappointed look on Guchakov's face, Sokov added: "Those soldiers who came back from Kazachiya Compass Town with you should be considered the backbone of the battle. I can go with you this time. New troops, depending on their abilities, can be made squad leaders or platoon leaders.”
Sokov still had his reasons for arranging it this way. In any case, many members of the rebuilt 73rd Infantry Brigade came from prisoner of war camps. Although they passed the screening review, they were still not taken seriously.
