"Here, the Fisky collective farm." Sammeko glanced at the location on the telegram and pointed out the location on the map: "There are a large number of German supply warehouses here. The person responsible for defending this area is West. General Hoffen's 3rd Armored Division."
"The German 3rd Armored Division?" When Sokov heard this German number, he couldn't help but thought, secretly thinking that these two troops were annihilated by the Germans, right? He hesitated for a long time, and finally expressed his worries: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you think it is possible that they were annihilated by the German 3rd Armored Division?"
Sameko also had the same worries as Sokov. He knew very well that some Soviet commanders had limited capabilities. They only knew how to fight fiercely and had no idea what strategies and tactics were. It was not uncommon for one's own troops to be annihilated by the enemy when their forces were equal in strength.
Sokov did not know the situation of the 3rd Armored Division. Before making a decision, he had to understand the combat effectiveness of the division: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you have any information about the 3rd Armored Division?"
"The Intelligence Department should have information about the 3rd Armored Division. I'll ask them to send it over immediately." After Sameko finished speaking, he picked up the phone and called the Intelligence Department: "I'm Sameko. Do you have any information about the 3rd Armored Division of the German Army?" Information about the armored division?...Oh, yes...Comrade Commander wants to see it, so you can send someone over immediately."
After Samek put down the phone, he reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the Intelligence Department does have information about the 3rd Armored Division. I have ordered them to send someone over."
Sokov nodded and then asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you haven't told me yet, what is the number of the missing unit?"
Hearing what Sokov said, Samyko immediately realized that he had forgotten such an important thing, and quickly added: "It's the 300th Infantry Division and a tank brigade under the Seventh Tank Corps."
After hearing this, Sokov just hummed softly, and then ordered Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately notify the Reconnaissance Division to send out capable scouts to conduct reconnaissance in the area, and be sure to find out what happened. .”
Before Sameko finished the call, the director of the Intelligence Division personally sent over the information about the 3rd Armored Division. He came to Sokov, raised his hand in salute, and reported: "Comrade Commander, I have brought you the information you asked for about the 3rd Armored Division."
Sokov took the information from the other party's hand and flipped through it. He saw that the content was too messy and it would take at least half an hour to understand it. He closed the document, looked at the Director of the Intelligence Division and said, "Comrade Director, please briefly introduce the situation."
“Comrade Commander,” the intelligence director reported: “The commander of the German 3rd Armored Division is General Westhofen. Under his command are the 3rd and 394th Panzer Grenadier Regiments, which are the two most powerful regiments in the division.
Three days ago, the 3rd Panzergrenadier Regiment repelled an attack by the 5th Shock Army and the 2nd Guards Army in the village of Polevoye. Our army lost more than 50 tanks and more than 2,000 soldiers..."
Listening to the report of the Director of Intelligence, Sokov became more and more worried. Since a regiment of the German 3rd Armored Division was able to repel the attacks of two Soviet armies three days ago and destroyed more than fifty tanks. and more than 2,000 commanders and combatants, proving that their combat effectiveness is not weak. Now it is not a piece of cake to use an entire division to deal with an infantry division and a tank brigade of the Voronezh Front.
Although his heart was heavy, Sokov tried his best to hide his emotions in front of his subordinates. Instead, he waved his hand to the other party and said, "Comrade Director, you have nothing to do here. You can go back first."
After the intelligence director left, Sokov said to Samyko, who had just finished the phone call: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the situation doesn't look good now. Two friendly troops are missing in the defense zone of the 3rd Armored Division. , it seems that there is a lot of misfortune.”
"Yes, Comrade Commander, I think so too." Although Samyko agreed with Sokov's statement, his heart was still full of doubts: "But what I find strange is that before they were annihilated by the enemy, could they Didn't you report the situation to your superiors through the radio? More than 10,000 people just disappeared for no reason?"
"I think we should wait for the scout's report. Our most important task now is to cross the Oude River at night and establish a new landing site on the east bank."
"You are right, Comrade Commander." Sameko nodded and said: "As long as the 348th Infantry Division can successfully complete its mission, then we will have two landing sites on the east coast. When friendly forces approach Halko When the city falls, we can advance towards the city from both landing sites at the same time, preventing the enemy from concentrating their efforts to stop our advance."
"It is certainly important to establish a new landing site on the east bank of the Oude River. But we still have to try to figure out the whereabouts of the two missing troops before that."
Sokov's mind was still thinking about the two missing troops. Although the Reconnaissance Office would send out capable scouts as soon as possible to figure out the mystery of the missing friendly troops, Sokov's heart was still uneasy. He picked up the phone and called The headquarters of the 73rd Infantry Brigade was dialed.
"Hello, this is Sokov, let Guchakov answer the phone."
"Comrade Commander, I am Guchakov. What instructions do you have?"
"Come to my headquarters immediately. I have an important task to assign to you." Sokov felt that some things were difficult to say on the phone and wanted to tell Guchakov in person, so he told him: "Come here When the time comes, bring the newly appointed commander of the first battalion, Captain Mikhailov."
Guchakov listened to Sokov's request to take Mikhailov with him. He was stunned for a moment and then asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, are you talking about the new deputy brigade commander?"
"Yes, that's him." Sokov said with some displeasure: "Major Guchakov, what did you do? Could it be that you can't even figure out your own commander?"
"Comrade Commander, you misunderstood." Guchakov quickly explained: "Captain Mikhailev has just served as the commander of the first battalion for a short time. I did not expect that you would assign him a task so soon."
"Okay, time is tight, don't talk nonsense." Sokov said to Guchakov: "You two come over immediately."
Guchakov knew that Sokov would not call him personally if he had nothing important to do. After putting down the phone, he immediately sent someone to call Captain Mikhailev and took him to Sokov's headquarters.
The two came to the headquarters and saw Sokov and Samek standing in front of the table, leaning over the map above. Guchakov quickly stepped forward and raised his hand to report: "Comrade Commander, Major Guchakov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, has arrived under your order. Please give me instructions!"
"Comrade Major, come to me, and I will explain your mission to you." After Sokov said this, he saw Guchakov walking towards him, but Mikhailov was still standing there. Then he added, "And you, Comrade Captain, please come to me as well."
After the two people came to him, Sokov said to them with a serious expression: "I called you here because I have a difficult task that I have to give you to complete."
He picked up the red and blue pencils on the table, drew a circle at the location of Fisky Collective Farm, and said to the two of them: "The two units of the Voronezh Front lost contact with their headquarters here. I will give you Our mission is to rush to the area immediately and figure out the mystery of the missing friendly troops.”
After Guchakov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he tilted his neck and asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, can I ask the numbers of the German troops stationed in this area?"
"It's the German 3rd Armored Division." Since Sokov wanted to hand over such a difficult task to Guchakov, he regarded him as a trustworthy person, so naturally he would not hide anything from him: "The two divisions of this division Three days ago, near the village of Polevoye, we repelled the attacks of two friendly armies, destroyed more than 50 tanks, and caused the sacrifice of more than 2,000 commanders and soldiers of our army."
Hearing what Sokov said, Guchakov couldn't help but take a breath. The attacks of the two armies were repelled by a German armored division. Then his own infantry brigade might not be enough to stop others. sewn. However, out of trust in Sokov, he felt that the commander would not let his men die, so he asked with a normal expression: "Comrade Commander, what is the mission of our brigade?"
"Let me correct you, I am not going to transfer your entire brigade to the vicinity of Fesky Collective Farm." When Sokov said this, he looked at Mikhailov aside: "I plan to send Captain Mikhailov A battalion of our team will go to the area to figure out the mystery of the missing friendly troops. If necessary, we will also search for survivors nearby."
"Captain Mikhailov," Sokov asked Mikhailov after briefly introducing the mission: "Are you confident that you can complete this mission?"
"Comrade Commander, please rest assured." Mikhailov, who had just been promoted by Sokov, was filled with gratitude to Sokov. Even if he was asked to go up the mountain of swords and into the sea of fire, he would not even frown, let alone just bring him with him. As the troops went to conduct reconnaissance near the Feski collective farm, they vowed: "On behalf of the First Battalion, I would like to express my position to you. All our officers and soldiers will never betray your trust and guarantee to complete this arduous and glorious task."
Mikhailev's statement made Sokov very satisfied. He reached out to shake hands with the other party and said with a smile: "Comrade Captain, since you are so confident, I will wait here for news of your victory."
After accepting the mission, Guchakov and Mikheyev immediately returned to their troops and began to assemble a battalion, hoping to get to the Fisky collective farm as soon as possible to figure out the mystery of the missing friendly troops.
But before they set off, the director of the reconnaissance department sent Sokov and Samek the intelligence sent back by the scouts. The intelligence above was very simple. The scouts were hiding near the Fiski collective farm. Through telescope observation, they found a large number of friendly corpses lying on the ground inside and outside the collective farm. There were also some intact tanks nearby, parked in random directions on the farm. Outside. "Here, the Fisky collective farm." Sammeko glanced at the location on the telegram and pointed out the location on the map: "There are a large number of German supply warehouses here. The person responsible for defending this area is West. General Hoffen's 3rd Armored Division."
"The German 3rd Armored Division?" When Sokov heard this German number, he couldn't help but thought, secretly thinking that these two troops were annihilated by the Germans, right? He hesitated for a long time, and finally expressed his worries: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you think it is possible that they were annihilated by the German 3rd Armored Division?"
Sameko also had the same worries as Sokov. He knew very well that some Soviet commanders had limited capabilities. They only knew how to fight fiercely and had no idea what strategies and tactics were. It was not uncommon for one's own troops to be annihilated by the enemy when their forces were equal in strength.
Sokov did not know the situation of the 3rd Armored Division. Before making a decision, he had to understand the combat effectiveness of the division: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you have any information about the 3rd Armored Division?"
"The Intelligence Department should have information about the 3rd Armored Division. I'll ask them to send it over immediately." After Sameko finished speaking, he picked up the phone and called the Intelligence Department: "I'm Sameko. Do you have any information about the 3rd Armored Division of the German Army?" Information about the armored division?...Oh, yes...Comrade Commander wants to see it, so you can send someone over immediately."
After Samek put down the phone, he reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the Intelligence Department does have information about the 3rd Armored Division. I have ordered them to send someone over."
Sokov nodded and then asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you haven't told me yet, what is the number of the missing unit?"
Hearing what Sokov said, Samyko immediately realized that he had forgotten such an important thing, and quickly added: "It's the 300th Infantry Division and a tank brigade under the Seventh Tank Corps."
After hearing this, Sokov just hummed softly, and then ordered Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately notify the Reconnaissance Division to send out capable scouts to conduct reconnaissance in the area, and be sure to find out what happened. .”
Before Sameko finished the call, the director of the Intelligence Division personally sent over the information about the 3rd Armored Division. He came to Sokov, raised his hand in salute, and reported: "Comrade Commander, I have brought you the information you asked for about the 3rd Armored Division."
Sokov took the information from the other party's hand and flipped through it. He saw that the content was too messy and it would take at least half an hour to understand it. He closed the document, looked at the Director of the Intelligence Division and said, "Comrade Director, please briefly introduce the situation."
“Comrade Commander,” the intelligence director reported: “The commander of the German 3rd Armored Division is General Westhofen. Under his command are the 3rd and 394th Panzer Grenadier Regiments, which are the two most powerful regiments in the division.
Three days ago, the 3rd Panzergrenadier Regiment repelled an attack by the 5th Shock Army and the 2nd Guards Army in the village of Polevoye. Our army lost more than 50 tanks and more than 2,000 soldiers..."
Listening to the report of the Director of Intelligence, Sokov became more and more worried. Since a regiment of the German 3rd Armored Division was able to repel the attacks of two Soviet armies three days ago and destroyed more than fifty tanks. and more than 2,000 commanders and combatants, proving that their combat effectiveness is not weak. Now it is not a piece of cake to use an entire division to deal with an infantry division and a tank brigade of the Voronezh Front.
Although his heart was heavy, Sokov tried his best to hide his emotions in front of his subordinates. Instead, he waved his hand to the other party and said, "Comrade Director, you have nothing to do here. You can go back first."
