Red Moscow

Terkov chose to set up a division headquarters in Luran Town because he considered Sokov's order to establish a landing field centered on Luran Town. Before the establishment of the division headquarters was completed, he gave orders to the regiments to continue the offensive, trying to expand the area of ​​​​the landing field before the Germans recovered.

Sokov was very pleased with Terkov's positive actions. He said to Sidolin and Ponejielin: "Chief of Staff, Deputy Commander, if there are more people in our army like Telko If a commander like Colonel Fu, before receiving new orders from his superiors, seizes the opportunity to expand the results of the battle in time, so that the situation on the battlefield develops in a direction that is beneficial to our army, our next battle will be much easier to fight. "

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sidolin agreed with Sokov's statement: "The individual commanders below us are dull-minded, too mechanical when executing orders from their superiors, and do not understand the situation on the battlefield. , to adjust the deployment in time, resulting in mediocre results.”

But Ponejielin has a different view: "I think this kind of thing varies from person to person. Not every commander has the ability of Colonel Terkov. Just imagine, if a commander with insufficient ability , misjudged the situation on the battlefield, and stubbornly implemented the wrong tactics, not only will it not help us to win, but it will even have a counterproductive effect, can we still let him adjust the deployment without authorization?"

Ponegerin's words silenced both Sokov and Sidolin. Indeed, due to various reasons, many commanders did not dare to make claims before receiving orders from their superiors, because they were afraid that if something went wrong, they would not be able to bear the corresponding responsibilities.

After a while, Sidolin broke the silence: "Comrade Commander, should we build a pontoon bridge on the Narew River to transport the troops and equipment needed for the landing site?"

"It should be." Sokov nodded, and then told Sidolin: "Remember, the Germans are absolutely unwilling to allow us to establish a landing field on the left bank. They will definitely find a way to drive our troops from the left bank." Let's go. The first thing they have to do is to prevent our army from building a pontoon bridge on the river, so we must do a good job in air defense."

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Sidolin said, "I will dispatch two anti-aircraft artillery regiments to the river to protect the safety of the floating bridge."

Ponedelin reminded Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the tasks of our army group have now been adjusted, and the headquarters will soon leave Brest. In the new combat area, there is not enough anti-aircraft firepower. I am afraid that the headquarters will in danger."

"Comrade Deputy Commander, I understand what you mean." Sokov replied: "The air defense force of the entire group army is no more than three regiments. Now that two regiments are assigned to be responsible for the safety of the pontoon bridge, it will definitely weaken the air defense forces in other areas. But I think it is totally worthwhile to do so. After all, our army headquarters can be established in the forest area, so that the German planes want to bomb, and it is difficult to find the target. But the pontoon bridge is different, it is difficult to hide, the enemy plane It can be bombed with impunity."

"Comrade Commander is right," Sidolin came out and echoed: "Once the pontoon bridge we erected is blown up by German bombers, the soldiers, ammunition and various supplies on the right bank will not be able to be transported across the river, while the wounded on the left bank will be transported to the river." If they don’t come down, it means that the Germans have cut off the main transportation artery, so the troops on the landing site will not last long under the enemy’s onslaught.”

When the three were discussing in full swing, they suddenly received a call from the 120th Division of the Guards.

Sokov took the microphone from the communication staff officer and put it close to his ear. Hearing an unfamiliar voice from inside, he couldn't help but ask, "Hello, I'm Sokov. Who are you?"

"Hello, Comrade Commander." The other party replied politely, "I am Major General Nikitin, a combat advisor sent by the Front Army Command."

"Combat Advisor?!" Sokov heard this unfamiliar position, his face showed a shocked expression, thinking that when he had such a position, why didn't he know it? But now was not the time to delve into the matter, so he tentatively asked, "Where did Colonel Terkov go?"

"Not long ago, he learned that a German military warehouse was found near the 339th Guards Regiment, so he drove over to check it out." Nikitin said on the phone, "I want to ask, the 120th Guards Division received What is the next task?"

"Comrade Major General, the mission is clear." Sokov said in an official tone, "It is to expand your landing area as much as possible based on Luran Town."

"Comrade Commander, I understand what you mean." Nikitin said: "Now we have only one division on the left bank. The enemy has found that our strength is insufficient. Now they are gathering troops and preparing to launch a counterattack to the landing site. We need support."

"Don't worry, General Nikitin." Sokov said into the microphone: "I will not let you fight alone. By tonight at the latest, as long as the pontoon bridge on the Narew River is erected, the troops, weapons and equipment The materials will be continuously transported to the landing site on the left bank."

"That's really great..." Nikitin hadn't finished speaking when the sound of an explosion suddenly came from the receiver.

Sukov was startled, and quickly asked, "Comrade Major General, what happened to you?"

"Bombardment, bombardment, Comrade Commander," Nikitin replied, "the enemy is firing at the town of Luzan."

Knowing that Luran Town was shelled by the German army, Sokov asked with concern: "Is the location of the division headquarters safe?"

"The division headquarters is located in the church in the middle of the town." Nikitin said, "If the enemy's shelling is more violent, I will order everyone to temporarily move to the basement to avoid the shelling."

Sokov heard the louder and louder rumble coming from the receiver, and hurriedly urged Nikitin: "Comrade Major General, don't dawdle, quickly take people to the basement, what's the matter, wait until the German shelling is over." Say it again."

After putting down the phone, Sokov asked Sidolin: "Chief of Staff, I wonder if our artillery can suppress the German artillery on the left bank of the Narew River?"

"No, Comrade Commander. The range is not enough." Sidolin shook his head and said, "Even if our artillery is deployed by the river, it can only reach a distance of seven or eight kilometers from the opposite bank, and the enemy bombarded the artillery positions in Luran Town. , it must be outside this range, even if we carry out shelling, we can't do anything to the enemy's artillery positions."

"I think the artillery positions should be moved forward." Pornejelin said: "Even if the German artillery positions cannot be hit, when the German infantry and tanks attack Luran Town, they can still be blocked and fired. Relieve the pressure on the defenders."

"I think it is possible." Sokov very much agrees with Ponegerin's statement: "It is absolutely necessary to move the artillery position forward. No matter whether the enemy's artillery can be hit or not, at least the left bank troops can give more support when expanding the landing field. Provide them with the necessary artillery support."

The German bombardment of Luran town stopped after forty minutes. After the shelling stopped, the German army may have not assembled enough tanks and infantry, so they did not take the opportunity to attack Luran Town. The defenders in the town also took the opportunity to put out the burning fire and rescue the wounded from the ruins.

When he was very busy, a soldier ran over to find Nikitin and said loudly: "Comrade General, it's not good, something happened to the division commander."

Hearing what the soldier said, Nikitin couldn't help being shocked, and then asked, "Where is Colonel Terkov, and what happened to him?"

"Report to Comrade General," the soldier who came to report raised his voice and said loudly: "The division commander's car was bombarded by the German army on the way back to the town, and it seems to have been destroyed."

It was learned that Terkov was shelled by the Germans on the way back, and the vehicle he was riding in was destroyed. No matter whether it was Major General Nikitin or the chief of staff at the side, they all turned pale with shock, and quickly asked, "Where is the division commander's car, hurry up and take us there to have a look."

Soon, the soldier led a few people to the outside of the town, pointed to a jeep leaning to one side in the distance and said, "Here, that's the teacher's car!"

Nikitin looked in the direction of the soldier's finger, and saw that it was a deformed jeep with blood on the door, and it was quiet inside, and there were no injured people around, only someone seemed to be in the driver's seat Lie there.

Seeing this, Nikitin ran towards the jeep without saying a word. And the chief of staff trotted along behind him, wanting to see how the division commander was doing.

When everyone came to the car, they saw that the door of the car had fallen to the side, and the driver in the car, whose face was covered with blood, was lying on the steering wheel, not knowing whether he was alive or dead.

Before he could hesitate, the chief of staff grabbed the car door, trying to use his strength to pull the driver out. Unexpectedly, the car door twisted and deformed, and the sharp metal edge immediately left a wound on his hand, and blood gushed out immediately.

But the chief of staff didn't have time to pay attention to such minor injuries. After taking a deep breath, he grabbed the driver and pulled him out of the car with all his strength.

Seeing that the driver was pulled out by the chief of staff, Nikitin helped him put the driver on the ground, stretched out his hand to the driver's nose and tried it, and said: "There is still air." Then he stood up and looked around Shouted, "Hygienist, where is the hygienist?"

"Here, Comrade General." Not far away, a health worker who had just bandaged the wounded, heard Nikitin's shout, immediately trotted over, straightened his body and asked, "What instructions do you have?"

Nikitin pointed to the driver lying on the ground with his hand: "His injury is not serious, you should treat him quickly. Also," he pointed to the chief of staff and said, "Comrade chief of staff's hand is injured. You bandage him up first."

"My injury doesn't matter," said the chief of staff, "Let's rescue the driver first, we need to learn from him where the division commander is."

Hearing what the chief of staff said, Nikitin stood up again, went to the car and looked inside the car. He saw Terkov lying reclined in the back row at a glance, and quickly turned around and shouted to the outside: "Come on, the division commander is here, help me carry Colonel Telkov out."

Two soldiers walked by, leaned into the jeep, lifted Terkov, who was reclined on the back seat, out of the jeep, and carefully placed it on the ground.

Terkov was injured, which was a great event, and after Nikitin had him carried back to the division headquarters, he called Sokov again: "Comrade commander, I have bad news for you. "

After hearing this, Sokov was full of anxiety, but he still forced himself to ask calmly: "Comrade Major General, what happened to you, just tell me, as long as it is within my ability, I will find a way to help you." solve."

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Nikitin said: "The division commander, Colonel Terkov, was on his way back from inspecting the work. He was shelled by the German army and he himself was seriously injured."

"What, Terkov is injured?" Sokov was taken aback when he heard that, and quickly asked, "Is the injury serious?"

"serious!"

Sokov was silent for a moment, then asked cautiously: "Can you continue to command troops to fight?"

Nikitin glanced at Terkov lying on the stretcher, shook his head and replied: "No, Comrade Commander, he is still unconscious and cannot command troops at all."

After listening to Sokov, he ordered the other party to say: "Comrade Major General, I now appoint you as the acting division commander of the 120th Guards Division. As for Colonel Terkov, you immediately send someone to send them to the army headquarters by boat. Our military doctors will treat him urgently."

"Comrade Commander." Nikitin did not immediately accept Sokov's appointment, but suggested to the other party: "I think the division commander is injured, and it is undoubtedly the most appropriate for the chief of staff to take over the commander's post. And I He is just a combat advisor, how can he act as a division commander?"

"Comrade Major General," Sokov felt somewhat displeased seeing Nikitin evading his appointment. But he suppressed the anger in his heart and said: 'This is my order, not a request. For orders from superiors, they can only be executed unconditionally, without any room for bargaining. Understand? '

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Since Sukov said such harsh words, Nikitin knew that it was obviously unrealistic to evade, so he just waited and said helplessly: "Then I will temporarily take over as the acting commander of the 120th Guards Division." Once I have a suitable candidate, I will abdicate and make way for the virtuous."

Seeing that Nikitin agreed to the position of acting division commander, Sukov worried that he would not know how to carry out the next work, so he took the initiative to say: "Comrade General, since you have taken over the position of acting division commander, I will tell you Next task."

"Please tell me, Comrade Commander." Nikitin said respectfully, "I'm listening."

"The task is still the same as before." Sokov said: "The task of your division is to hold on to the existing defensive positions while looking for suitable fighters to expand the size of the landing field. Maybe your current strength is a little weak, but please Don't worry, you are not fighting alone, the reinforcements I sent will arrive at the designated location after dark."

Nikitin, who was just a combat advisor, had a change of mind. As a combat consultant, he only needs to put forward his own opinions and suggestions on the combat plan formulated by the division commander, and has no right to directly command the troops. But now that the division commander is injured, he has become the acting division commander. What he has to consider is not only to defend the landing field, but also to find suitable fighters to further expand the landing field on the left bank.

"Comrade Commander, please rest assured that I will faithfully carry out your orders!"