Chapter 21 Worrying

Regarding the question raised by Malashenko, Nikolai, who knew that there was no need to hide it at this moment, immediately opened his mouth and told the truth after a short pause.

"The accompanying motorized rifle company suffered heavy casualties, sir. The company commander, Captain Sergey, and the political instructor, Lieutenant Dabov, were killed. More than 70% of the subordinate squads suffered casualties, and they have basically lost their combat capability."

After hearing such a report from Nikolai, Malashenko couldn't help but be stunned even though he asked himself whether he was mentally prepared.

"The casualties reached 70%!? All the company commanders and instructors died!? How could this happen?"

Although Malashenko, who encountered a German air attack for the first time, never expected that those gods of death falling from the sky would have such terrifying power, the fact is the fact after all.

While speaking in an unbelievable whisper, he saw the burning wreckage of vehicles and the corpses of Red Army soldiers strewn across the fields within his field of vision. He roughly gathered in his mind the total casualties of his leading troops. Malashenko couldn't help but have a hint of retreat.

In the case of such heavy casualties, even if the impact of morale issues is not taken into account, in terms of the remaining combat strength of the troops, once they encounter the German vanguard, the final result is bound to be a slim chance of winning, and being killed by the Germans will either be caught. The fate in the prison camp was obviously something Malashenko was unwilling to accept.

But to take a step back, if Malashenko leads the remaining vanguard troops to stand by and stand still or directly retreats to the follow-up large forces, then this so-called "disobedience of orders" and "ignorance of military discipline" Behavior is likely to bring unnecessary trouble to yourself or even kill you.

Although the Soviet Army, in the midsummer period of June, has not yet promulgated and implemented the set of Order No. 270 issued by the Supreme Leader of the Soviet Union, Comrade Stalin, the families of the Red Army soldiers in the rear do not have to worry about their families dying one day. The internal affairs troops who made a sudden visit to the house were forcibly arrested in the name of relatives of the traitors.

However, Malashenko, who was well aware of the serious dogmatism within the Soviet army, clearly realized that the Red Army he was in at the moment was far less easy to talk to than the Western Allies. He suffered a defeat and fled in defeat without mentioning his armor. , such a scapegoat that sounds huge is not something that a little captain like Malashenko can withstand.

If you move forward, you will run the risk of being captured or even losing your soul to the West.

He retreated, waiting for him either to be shot by Commissar Petrov or to be sent to a military court for trial.

Sitting on the stone while wearing rough clothes, he kept thinking over and over in his mind, weighing the current bad situation, which execution plan should be adopted. After thinking about it for a long time, Malashenko finally made up his mind. Then he seemed to have made up his mind and started. He straightened up on the stone under his butt.

"Rescue the wounded and supplies, leaving a minimum number of soldiers to transport the wounded to the rear. The remaining troops must regroup in the shortest possible time. We bear the great oath of the Red Army soldiers and the heavy responsibility entrusted by the people. We must not just do this. Easily overwhelmed by those crispy intruders, we must continue to move forward according to the original order!"

While he was preaching extremely passionate cheering slogans, he was silently thinking about other things in his heart.

The most essential purpose of Malashenko, who has never strayed from his roots, is still to find ways to survive in this cruel Patriotic War.

While giving the order to the remaining troops under his command to continue advancing, Malashenko, who had already planned the follow-up plan, saw the squad leaders, platoon commanders, and vehicle commanders who had originally gathered around him waiting for orders to lead the way. After Ming left, he immediately pulled Nikolai, the mechanical and electrical engineer in his crew, and walked aside and spoke in a low voice in a tone that only the two of them could hear.

"Nicolai, immediately send a telegram to the division headquarters and report the news that we have suffered heavy casualties from German air attacks."

“Let’s just say that despite encountering difficulties, obstacles and certain setbacks, Captain Malashenko was determined to carry forward the spirit of our Soviet Red Army soldiers who were not afraid of hardships and faced difficulties, and led the troops in accordance with the orders in accordance with the oath sworn under the military flag and the party flag. Continue to advance in the direction of the spicy invaders. If possible, please ask the division headquarters to quickly send follow-up troops to support. "

After pricking up his ears and listening carefully to Malashenko's narration, Nikolai, who seemed to understand something in a daze, nodded slightly and then showed a sincere smile to Malashenko that everyone knew. .

"I understand, sir. I understand what you mean. I'm going to send a telegram to the division headquarters right away!"

"Well, remember to be quick, and the wording must be as consistent and rigorous as I just said. Our current situation is very pessimistic, so every inconspicuous detail must be cautious, go ahead."

Seeing Nikolai, the electromechanical man in his crew, trotting away, Malashenko could not help but sigh. He could only hope that the superior division headquarters would not mistake the telegram he sent as fart. Said to himself.

"I hope the two big guys, Petrov and Chernyev, don't treat me as an abandoned son. Otherwise, my little captain will really die and be at the end of his rope." ”

About half an hour later, almost at the same time that Malashenko's command T3476 tank numbered 177 started to move, a clear radio wave also began to head straight towards the rear where Malashenko was heading. go.

About forty kilometers behind Malashenko's leading troops, the Soviet 20th Tank Division, carrying a lot of heavy equipment and supplies piecemeal, was slowly crawling forward on the ground.

The endless cross-country dirt road in the prairie, coupled with the bad weather that had just rained heavily two days ago, has turned the soft grassland into a mud pit, which is disgusting and disgusting.

Tanks, anti-aircraft guns, towed howitzers, trucks

Almost all mechanical vehicles became extremely sluggish under these poor walking conditions. Some tank road wheels that were stuck in the mud would even directly cause the tank to break down on the spot. The field maintenance troops, who were originally relatively idle, are now struggling with the mud with all their strength in an attempt to rescue these steel behemoths trapped in the mud pit.

Looking at the terrible and slow scene in front of him, he couldn't help but frown. In order to complete the dispatch order issued by the military headquarters, the anxious Chernyaev almost tried his best to make his troops advance as fast as possible. stand up.

But judging from the current situation, the acting commander of the 20th Tank Division seems to be temporarily at a disadvantage in the tit-for-tat confrontation with the poor walking conditions.