Chapter 751: Archives Building (below)

  Chapter 751 Archives Building (Part 2)

   There are still a few hours before dawn, so Sokov will naturally not sit here doing nothing. He ordered the accompanying radio operator: "Send a report to the 39th Guards Division, saying that we were ordered to reinforce them, and now we are lost halfway, please send a guide to meet them."

  Taking advantage of the time when the radio operator sent the report, Belkin said with emotion: "Misha, if General Guriyev really sent us a guide, maybe we can start again without waiting until dawn."

"If we arrive at the archives building before dawn, we will have plenty of time to rebuild the fortifications." Sokov said thoughtfully: "After the enemy's bombing, it is estimated that there are not many fortifications left around the building. There is no strong fortification in such a defensive area, even if we fill it with our lives, we may not be able to hold the position."

"Misha, I want to ask you a question." Belkin was taken aback by Sokov's words. He waited for the other party to finish speaking, and immediately looked to the left and right, and saw that the soldiers closest to him were also around. Five meters away, he lowered his voice and asked, "Do you think we can hold the archives building?"

"Don't you have confidence, Comrade Political Commissar?" Sokov looked at Belkin and said, "You know, the troops we lead are the elite of the whole division. Can you keep it there?"

"You're right, Misha." Sokov's words strengthened Belkin's confidence, "The predecessor of the drawdown regiment was the 73rd Infantry Brigade. This is a unit with outstanding results. We have never lost a battle. .As long as we stick to the archives building, the enemy will never try to occupy it."

"Comrade Political Commissar," Sokov said he was happy to see Belkin regain his confidence, but considering that when he partnered with him, he was mainly engaged in political work, and he was somewhat unfamiliar with military command, so it was necessary for him to help He took the initiative to say: "After the troops arrive at the archives building to set up defenses, I will stay there for a while. If you have any questions about military command, just ask me."

"It's great that you want to stay for a while." Belkin was worried that Sokov would leave the archives building immediately after he settled the troops. I have been a military officer for a long time, without your help, I really don’t know how to command troops to fight street battles with the enemy.”

"Master!" The radio operator returned to Sokov and Belkin with a telegram, and reported to him: "General Guriyev will call back, and he will immediately send a guide, and he will be able to reach us in half an hour at most. here."

   Less than 20 minutes later, the chief of staff of the regiment, Captain Vanya, brought a few people over. He came to Sokov, straightened his body and reported: "Comrade Commander, the guide sent by the 39th Guards Division has arrived."

"Oh, the guide is here!" Sokov glanced at the people behind Vanya. Although the light was too dark to see their faces clearly, he still took a few steps forward, stretched out his hand, and said enthusiastically: "Friends of the friendly army, welcome!"

   "Hello, Colonel Sokov!" One person stepped forward to hold Sokov's hand, shook it vigorously a few times, and said excitedly, "I'm glad to have you here to support us."

  Sokov heard the person's voice very familiar, so he took advantage of the nearby firelight to look closely at the person's face. After seeing it clearly, he couldn't help being surprised: "Commander Chernyshov, why is it you?" It turned out that the person shaking hands with him was actually Chernyshov, political commissar of the 39th Guards Division.

"The division commander was very happy to hear that you personally led the reinforcements, and wanted to meet you in person." Chernyshov explained to Sokov with a smile: "But there are too many things in the division headquarters, and he can't get away. So he entrusted me to welcome you on his behalf."

   After Sokov introduced Belkin to Chernyshov, he called the other party's position and asked: "Comrade regiment-level political commissar, I wonder how far it is from your division headquarters?"

"Not far, the straight-line distance is only two kilometers." Chernyshov replied: "But due to the enemy's bombing, the buildings along the way collapsed, so that the entire terrain has changed. If you are not familiar with the troops here at night It is easy to get lost while marching. So I have brought five guides for you this time."

   "Comrade Commander," in front of Chernyshov, Sokov could no longer call Belkin a political commissar, so he could only say in an official tone: "Since the guide has arrived, let your troops set off immediately."

   On the way to the archives building, Sokov asked Chernyshov about the situation: "Comrade regimental political commissar, how is the situation there?"

"It's not so good, Colonel Sokov." Chernyshov shook his head and said, "We just took over the defense of the 308th Division, and the Germans launched a fierce attack on us. Under the cover of the Air Force, they used All the positions on the west side of the building were captured in 40 minutes. Seeing that the situation was not good, the division commander quickly transferred the 120th Regiment from the direction of the stadium to counterattack the enemy, and regained the lost positions before dark."

"Comrade regiment-level political commissar," through Chernyshov's narration, Sukov realized that the situation of the 39th Guards Division was worse than he knew, and he quickly asked: "How many troops are left in your division?" people?"

"The total number of wounded who can still fight is probably less than a thousand." Chernyshov said with a bitter face: "With this little force, it is a bit powerless to defend two places at the same time. "

"Don't worry, Comrade Political Commissar at the regiment level," Sokov pointed to the front and rear troops with his hand, and said to Chernyshov: "The regiment I brought has more than 1,600 people, and it is not only used to defend the archives. The building is more than adequate, and if the situation in the stadium is tight in the coming battle, we can send people there to help."

   Chernyshov looked at the troops before and after, and then asked Sokov in a low voice: "Comrade Colonel, are there many recruits in this army?"

   "Why do you ask such a question, Comrade Regimental Political Commissar?" Sokov asked curiously.

"How should I put it, the battle in the factory area is much more tragic than that at Mamayev Post." Chernyshov said with some hesitation: "I am worried that the recruits will go to the battlefield for the first time and encounter such a situation." , will be terrified and panicked."

"Don't worry, Comrade Political Commissar at the regiment level." After figuring out what was going on, Sokov gave Chernyshov a reassurance: "This regiment has been adapted from my old army, and almost all the commanders and fighters have With rich combat experience, even if you face the same number of enemies, you will not be defeated."

If someone else said this, Chernyshov would probably have slapped him in the face, and it was one-on-one. It was simply bragging. The six Soviet divisions standing in the factory area were facing the German army. Two infantry divisions and one armored division, and they were still on the defensive, were still beaten by the enemy and overwhelmed.

   But this was said by Sokov, and Chernyshov actually believed it. Because he knew the combat experience of Sokov's commanding troops in areas such as the Red October Factory and Orlovka, let alone one-on-one situations, even when the troops and equipment were at a disadvantage, they often won victories.

  Led by the guide, the troops passed through various ruins and bomb craters, and it took almost half an hour to arrive near the archives building. Since it was not yet dawn, in order not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings, Captain Vanya, who was at the forefront, ordered the troops to stop advancing, and then sent a battalion commander, Captain Vasily, to follow a guide to get in touch with friendly troops.

  The sentinels outside the archives building saw a troop passing through the ruins and coming towards them. They thought it was the enemy coming, and when they were about to issue a battle alarm, they found that the other party stopped. Then, he saw several people walking towards him, and then heard a familiar voice calling himself, and he immediately recognized that it was one of the few soldiers who had just left.

When the commanders and fighters of the downsizing group entered the outer positions of the archives building, although no one spoke, their footsteps still woke up some Guards soldiers who were on the alert. The troops that appeared everywhere ran back to the shelter excitedly, woke up those comrades who were still sleeping, and said excitedly: "Reinforcements, our reinforcements are here!"

Those sleepy-eyed soldiers heard that the reinforcements were coming, and the sleepy bugs had disappeared. They asked, "Where is it, where is it?" For reinforcements that fell from the sky.

  The division headquarters of the 39th Guards Division was located in the basement of the building. When he learned that the troops led by Sokov had arrived, Guriyev greeted them personally. After the two met in the spacious hall full of bricks and rubble, Sokov first stepped forward to salute, and said in a friendly manner: "Comrade General, Colonel Sokov, commander of the 41st Guards Division, has been ordered to go to the To take over your defence."

"Hello, Colonel Sokov!" Guriyev held up Sokov's hand after returning the salute, and said excitedly: "The superior ordered us to stick to the archives building and the stadium. I am worried about the strength of the troops. It’s not enough. Now that you are here to take over the defense, I feel relieved.”

   After finishing speaking, he turned to Chief of Staff Zalijuk who was standing behind him and said, "Chief of Staff, immediately hand over the defense to comrades in the friendly army, and hand over our defense maps to them."

  Zalijuk, who was named, quickly agreed, and then tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Colonel, who should I hand over the defense to?"

Sokov quickly pushed Belkin who was standing next to him, and said to him: "Lieutenant Colonel Zalijuk, this is the commander of the downsizing regiment and deputy battalion political commissar who is here to take over your defense, Comrade Belgin, you Just turn over the defense to him."

   Knowing that the political worker in front of him is the commander of the army who came to take over the defense, Zalijuk couldn't help showing a surprised expression on his face. But fortunately, he knows that this is an extraordinary period, and it is not surprising that a political worker will be the military chief officer. He quickly made a gesture of invitation to Belkin and said politely: "Comrade commander, please follow me." Go to the division headquarters, and I will officially hand over the defense to you."

After Zalityuk left with the leaders of the downsized regiment, including Berkin, Vanya, and Dmitry, Sokov took the initiative to propose to Guriyev: "Comrade General, if you have any difficulties in the future, please feel free to let me know." Bring it up, and I will ask Captain Belkin to help you when the time comes."

  Guriyev glanced at the troops standing outside the building, saw a large black area, and asked curiously: "Colonel Sokov, how many people have you brought?"

"More than 1,600 people... No, if you include the guard platoon that escorted me, there should be 1,700 people." After Sokov finished talking about the specific strength of the troops, he asked Guriyev with a smile: "Comrade General , I wonder if there are enough people?"

"Enough is enough." Guriyev was taken aback when he learned that Sokov had brought 1,700 people, and then said a little embarrassedly: "Colonel Sokov, to tell you the truth, I The strength of the entire division is not as large as your regiment."

"Comrade General," Sokov worried that Guriyev would ask the same question as Chernyshov again, so he took the initiative to say: "These troops are all based on the old foundation of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and almost all of them have rich combat experience. veterans. Although there is only one regiment, they can definitely play the role of a division.”

"As for what you said, Colonel Sokov, I agree very much." When Guriyev learned that the people who came were all veterans, he suddenly felt confident: "With your army sticking to the archives building, I will All the forces can be concentrated in the direction of the stadium and fully resist the German attack."

  The two chatted for a while, and saw Zalijuk come out of the basement. He came to Guriyev and said respectfully: "Comrade Commander, the defense has been officially handed over, and we can transfer the division headquarters to a new place."

  Guriyev stretched out his hand to Sokov and said with a smile: "Colonel Sokov, then we will see you again. I hope to hear more good news from you. Good luck!"

  ...

   After Guriyev and a group of commanders of his division left, Sokov took Samoilov into the basement and came to Guriyev's original headquarters.

   Seeing the busy scene in the headquarters, he asked, "Commander Belkin, since you have officially taken over the defense, why haven't you sent troops to take over the defensive positions of the friendly forces?"

   "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." Hearing Sokov's question, Chief of Staff Vanya hurried forward to talk: "It was my negligence. I am discussing with the regimental commander how to deploy the defense."

"There is nothing to discuss." Sokov said impatiently: "Order your troops to enter the outer positions and buildings respectively, and rely on the existing fortifications to arrange defenses. If the fortifications have been destroyed by the enemy's bombing If it is destroyed, we must hurry up and repair it, otherwise when the enemy launches an attack, we will suffer a big loss if we do not have reliable fortifications to rely on."

   "Yes!" Vanya quickly replied: "I'm going to assign tasks to the two battalion commanders, asking them to bring their respective troops to the designated defensive positions, and hurry up to repair and strengthen the fortifications."

  (end of this chapter)