Chapter 419: Retreat (below)

  Chapter 419 Retreat (Part 2)

  The soldier who reported the news hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said: "The buildings on both sides of the street have been bombed. If we want to pass through the ruins, we will definitely be discovered by the enemy."

   "Since we can't pass through there," Chuikov said decisively when he learned that the enemy had already controlled that area, "let's go around through other blocks."

"Comrade Commander," Klimov heard what Chuikov said, and quickly reminded: "We don't know whether other streets are also controlled by the Germans. If you go around and find that you still can't pass, you will be in trouble if you want to go back. gone."

"Then tell me, what should we do? Shall we just rush across the intersection?" Chuikov frowned and asked, "Didn't you hear that the enemy has a tank and a machine gun position at the intersection? The law rushes over."

"I think we can try it, approach the intersection quietly from the destroyed ruins next to it, and then rush over quickly." Klimov said cautiously: "A group of five, passing through the ruins, anyway, everywhere It's all gunfire, as long as we don't move much, the enemy should not be able to find us."

  Chuikov listened to the sound of gunshots and explosions surrounding him one after another, and quickly thought about the plan proposed by Klimov in his mind. At this moment, a soldier ran from behind and hurriedly reported to him: "Comrade Commander, the enemy, later discovered that a large number of enemies are coming towards us."

   "Where is it?" Cuikov couldn't help being surprised when he heard the news, and quickly asked, "How many of them are there?"

   "It's about 200 meters away from us," the soldier said hurriedly, "About one platoon of troops is launching a search formation and coming towards our hiding place. It is estimated that they will arrive here in ten minutes at most."

Chuikov made a decisive decision: "According to what Klimov said, a group of five approached the intersection from the bombed-out building on the side of the street, and then rushed over quickly. Be careful, keep quiet Don't startle the enemy."

  As the order was issued, the team members immediately followed the wall in groups of five and sneaked into the ruins next to the street, and then cautiously approached the intersection. But when the first group rushed over, Cuikov was still in fear, afraid of being discovered by the enemy. But after passing through two groups in a row, they did not attract the attention of the German army. Chuikov finally put his heart back into his stomach. He felt that it should not be a problem to pass the intersection smoothly.

  Chuikov was in the third group. In addition to Klimov and a guard, there were two female operators in the same group. When they ran out of the ruins, bent over and ran across the street quickly, a female soldier accidentally tripped over a stone on the ground and couldn't help but let out an "ah".

  Although her voice was not too loud, unfortunately, the gunshots and explosions all around suddenly quieted down at this moment, making her voice seem particularly abrupt. The German machine gunner who stayed behind the sandbag fortifications immediately looked in the direction of the sound, and saw several black shadows crossing the street quickly. Seeing this situation, he pulled the trigger almost instinctively.

  In the sudden sound of machine guns, there was the scream of the female soldier. Although Chuikov also wanted to save the female soldier, he knew better that in the face of the German machine gun fire, all he could do was protect himself. Seeing that Cuikov was in danger, the soldiers who stayed on the other side of the street immediately fired without hesitation to attract the German machine gun fire and cover Cuikov's escape.

   After Chuikov fled into the ruins across the street in embarrassment, he turned his head and saw that only Klimov and a female signal soldier were left beside him, and the other two should have fallen under the enemy's gunpoint. He glanced at the soldiers across the street who were still exchanging fire with the enemy, gritted his molars and said to Klimov, "Let's go!"

  The last group of five soldiers, in order to cover Chuikov's escape, fired decisively and attracted the enemy's firepower. The German army, who was searching in the distance, heard the intensive gunshots here, and rushed over along the street shouting loudly.

  Chuikov and the others ran forward in the ruins, trying to leave this dangerous area as soon as possible. While running, he suddenly heard someone shouting in a low voice behind the bricks and rubble in front of him: "Klimov, Klimov, is that you?"

Klimov felt that the voice sounded familiar, so he quickly grabbed Chuikov and said to him in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, it seems that our people are in front, and they should be the two groups that went there first." Then he Facing the direction the voice came from, he also shouted in a low voice, "It's me, I'm Klimov."

   As soon as he finished speaking, two soldiers came out from behind the rubble. They came to Chuikov and asked with concern, "Comrade Commander, are you all right?"

   "I'm fine." Cuikov recognized the two soldiers in front of him, both were guards from the Protection Command, and quickly asked, "Where are the others?"

  A soldier quickly turned around and pointed to the broken wall not far away: "Comrade Commander, they are all there."

   After continuing on the road, for the sake of safety, Chuikov ordered Klimov to lead two soldiers to scout the road ahead, and he and the rest of them were about 30 meters behind.

  Klimov, who was leading the way, did not take the street, but walked through the ruins of buildings next to the street in order to prevent encountering the enemy again. After walking for some time, he suddenly heard someone asking, "Hey, what part are you from?"

Klimov was startled by the sound, hurriedly dodged and hid behind a pile of rubble with the other two soldiers, pointed the muzzle at the direction of the sound, and asked vigilantly: "Which part are you from?" ?”

A soldier wearing a military poncho and steel helmet walked out from behind a broken wall not far away, and came to the pile of rubble where Klimov and the others were hiding, and said in a low voice: "I am from the 73rd Infantry Brigade. Sniper, my name is Vasily Zaitsev. Which part are you from?"

When Kerimov heard the number of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, it was as if he heard the sound of heaven. He got up and walked around the pile of rubble, came to Vasily, shook his hand and said excitedly: "Comrade Vasily, I'm Klimov, the adjutant of the Army Group Command, it's great to meet you here."

   "Hello, Comrade Commander." Vasily straightened his body and asked politely, "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Because the city was severely damaged, Kerimov couldn't figure out the direction after walking for so long. When he saw someone from Sokov's army, he couldn't wait to ask: "How far is Mamayev Hill from here?" How far?"

   "Less than two kilometers, Comrade Commander." Vasily glanced at Klimov and the two soldiers behind him, and asked curiously, "Are there only three of you?"

"There are still quite a few people behind us." Klimov finished speaking, and turned to tell a soldier: "You immediately go back and report to Comrade Commander, saying that we have encountered snipers from the 73rd Infantry Brigade here. Come here as soon as possible."

Chuikov rushed over quickly, and he stepped forward to hold Vasily's hand and said, "Comrade Vasily, I know you. On the first day you went to the battlefield, you killed a colonel and a major of the German army by sniping. Disrupting their attack on the staff quarters of the station was pretty remarkable."

  Regarding Chuikov’s praise, Vasily grinned, and then said: “Comrade Commander, this is not the place to talk. Maybe the Germans will come over in a while. Let’s leave here first.”

The crowd followed Vasily, shuttling through the labyrinth of bricks and rubble. Chuikov couldn't help feeling secretly that if he hadn't met this sniper Vasily, even if his group barely got rid of the Germans, they would have Get lost in this ruin.

  Led by Vasily, the crowd finally arrived at Sokov's headquarters after half an hour's march. Sokov, who was discussing the daytime combat deployment with Sidolin, couldn't help being stunned when he saw Chuikov walking into the house quickly, and then he walked over quickly and asked in surprise: "Comrade commander, what are you doing?" How did you come here?"

   "Hello, Lieutenant Sokov." Chuikov nodded at Sokov and said, "The army headquarters is surrounded by the enemy, so we can only evacuate the headquarters in batches."

   Sokov glanced behind Chuikov and asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, are you alone? Where are the Military Commissar and Chief of Staff?"

"Comrade Military Commissar and the staff of the headquarters took the inland gunboat from the crossing of the Tsaritsa River and left by water." Cuikov walked to the table and sat down, taking a cup of hot tea on the table and drinking And Jin, then said: "The remaining people in the headquarters, every 20 people form a small team, and left the headquarters in batches. The team led by the chief of staff left the headquarters before me. As for where they are now ,I am not sure as well."

"Comrade Commander," Sidolin saw his old superior coming, and hurried over to salute. After a brief exchange of greetings, he tentatively asked: "Look, do you need to arrive at Mamayev Post safely?" Report the news to the Front Army Headquarters. In this way, even after the Chief of Staff and the Military Commissioner arrive at the new headquarters, they will be able to know your whereabouts in time."

"Lieutenant Colonel Sidolin, you are right." Cuikov immediately had the female radio operator who was waiting outside be called in, and told her, "Elena, immediately send a report to the headquarters of the Front Army, saying that I have successfully We have arrived at Mamayev Post. If Krylov or Gurov ask, please let them know."

  Taking advantage of the time when Yelena sent the report, Sidolin asked Chuikov cautiously: "Comrade Commander, is your journey going well?"

   "We had an exchange of fire with the enemy on the way, and seven comrades were sacrificed." Chuikov said solemnly: "If it wasn't for a coincidence that we encountered Vasily who was lurking, we probably would still be wandering around in that area."

   "Comrade Brigadier, you have heard it, it was Vasily who brought the commander and the others here." Hearing this, Belkin immediately suggested to Sokov: "We should give him credit!"

Regarding Belkin's proposal, Sokov nodded slightly, and said, "Comrade Commissar, in addition to crediting him, I think he can also be awarded a military rank." He pondered for a moment, then added, "Give him the rank of sergeant, You have no objection?"

   "I agree!" After Belkin nodded in agreement, he turned to Sidolin and asked, "Chief of Staff, what do you think?"

"I agree with the brigade commander's proposal to award the rank of sergeant to the soldier Vasily." Seeing that Sokov and Belgin had reached an agreement on this matter, Sidolin would naturally not object, and suggested: "I suggest Vasily will lead the sniper team."

   "Comrades," Chuikov asked after the room returned to calm, "How is the situation here?"

"Comrade commander, please allow me to report to you." Sidolin respectfully reported to Chuikov in accordance with the regulations: "The enemy's attacks on us during the day have all been repelled. According to our statistics, The number of enemies killed was about 900, and there were no fewer than this number of wounded."

   "It was a good fight." Hearing the results of the battle, Cuikov nodded with a smile, and then asked, "How about your casualties? If the enemy continues to attack tomorrow, will you be able to hold it?"

Regarding Chuikov's question, Sidolin did not answer immediately, but turned his head and glanced at Sokov next to him, and then said cautiously: "Comrade commander, the enemy used 305mm heavy artillery today to attack Mamayev Gang. It destroyed the surface fortifications of Nangang, and caused a lot of casualties to the commanders and fighters standing in the fortifications. If they continue to bombard with heavy artillery tomorrow, I don’t know whether our fortifications can withstand their shelling.”

"305mm heavy artillery?!" Although it was mentioned in the battle results reported by the infantry brigade that the Germans had used artillery of this caliber, at that time the battle in other areas was critical, and Cuikov was already devastated. What caliber of artillery was used on Mamayev Gang. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "An artillery of this caliber should be a rail gun. Presumably the enemy will not have many shells. I think it is unlikely that we will use this artillery to bombard you tomorrow."

"Comrade Commander," Sidolin grinned after Chuikov finished speaking, and then said, "If the enemy doesn't use this kind of artillery tomorrow, I think we should have no problem holding our position. During the daytime battle During the battle, the enemy suffered nearly 2,000 casualties, while our casualties were only more than 700. Even if we fight hard, we can still win the final victory."

"There are still too few troops in the city," Cuikov said with a sigh: "Especially after today's battle, except for your brigade, all the organizational systems have been disrupted, and we cannot implement effective command at all." .It seems that it is necessary for me to ask my superiors to send reinforcements."

  (end of this chapter)