Red Moscow

Back at the brigade headquarters, Belkin asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade brigade commander, have you really decided that you will compete with the tank army tomorrow?"

"That's right." Sokov nodded, looked at Belkin with strange eyes, and said, "Since we have already agreed with General Rotmistrov, we must compare."

"Our brigade was reorganized not long ago, and almost all of them are recruits, while most of the commanders and fighters of the tank army are veterans. If you want to compete with them, isn't it clear that you will lose?" Erjin said with some concerns: "If both sides send ten people each, maybe we can still draw enough people from the original Istria camp. But now that the two sides send fifty people each to compete, I'm worried that we will lose." .”

"Since it is a military competition, there must be winners and losers." Regarding Belkin's worries, Sokov said with a smile: "Although our brigade has many recruits, it does not mean that we are weak. Don't forget, today's season The marksmanship of Na and Susanna crushed all the commanders and fighters of the second battalion and the first company. If we win, it can certainly boost morale; even if we lose, it is not a bad thing, it can let our soldiers realize Insufficient...”

Although Sokov showed an indifferent attitude towards this contest, Belkin paid attention to it: "Comrade brigade commander, anyway, this is the first battle between our brigade and our friendly forces after the formation of our brigade. As long as there is a chance to win, I still have to work hard, I will call a few battalion commanders over and discuss with them about the selection of personnel."

When Belkin called several battalion commanders to inform them to come to the brigade headquarters for a meeting, Sokov sat aside and thought: Although there are too many recruits in the brigade, there are still some recruits in the Istrian battalion anyway. Many talented people, if they are drawn out of the army, they will be sure to win tomorrow.

The three battalion commanders rushed to the brigade headquarters soon after receiving the call. Hearing Belkin's statement that there will be a military competition with friendly troops tomorrow, everyone became excited and said: "Comrade political commissar, each of our battalions has more than 1,000 people, and only 50 people will be sent to participate in shooting and stabbing. Is it a little less, there are only a dozen people in each camp, can you see if there are more places?"

What the battalion commanders said stunned Sokov and Belkin. The two originally thought that the battalion commanders would complain to themselves when they heard the news of the competition, saying that they could not spare enough men to participate in the competition. But their reaction was just the opposite, and they hoped to increase some places so that more skilled fighters could participate in the competition.

Sokov thought to himself: If he had known that the battalion commanders had such a positive attitude towards this contest, he would not have agreed with Rotmistrov's proposal to send out fifty men each. At least the number should be increased to one hundred Only talent will do.

Thinking of this, he raised his hand and pressed down, and then said: "Okay, everyone, stop arguing. After you go back, each choose thirty fighters who are proficient in shooting and stabbing, and get ready to participate in the competition."

"Comrade Brigadier," Belgin hastily reminded Sukov when he asked the three battalion commanders to choose 30 people each, "Rotmistrov meant that each of us would send 50 people. If each If the battalion selects thirty men, wouldn't there be ninety?"

"The larger the number of people, the better we can be prepared." Sokov explained to Belkin: "If General Rotmistrov suddenly changes his mind tomorrow and says that each side will have a hundred people for a contest, we need to temporarily deploy people. A nuisance."

"It makes sense, it makes sense." Hearing what Sokov said, Belkin nodded and said, "Since that's the case, each battalion commander will send thirty soldiers to participate in tomorrow's military competition. "

Just as the three battalion commanders saluted and left, Sergesha suddenly ran in from the outside and hurriedly said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, Captain Briski is back, and he is outside the door now."

"Our Fourth Battalion Commander is back." After hearing Sergey's report, Sokov couldn't help showing a smile on his face, and he quickly ordered: "Hurry up and ask him to come in!"

After a while, Briski strode into the headquarters under the leadership of Seryozha. He stopped in front of Sokov and Belkin, raised his hand to salute, and said loudly to Sokov: "Comrade Major, Captain Briski, the leader of the fourth platoon, has been ordered to come, please give instructions!"

Looking at Briski with a tired face and mud spots on his military uniform, Sokov hurriedly stepped forward to hold his hand: "Thank you, Captain Briski. It is because of your active activities in the Tim area , attracted the attention of the German army, and enabled us to successfully capture Kursk. I will report the feats you have established to the Front Army Command and apply for awards for you."

Hearing that Sokov said that he was going to apply for an award for his troops, Briski had a surprised expression on his face. Then he straightened his body and said: "Serve the Soviet motherland!"

"Captain Briski," Belkin asked with concern when he stepped forward to shake hands with Briski, "Have all the soldiers in your platoon returned?"

Briski shook his head and said with a wry smile: "We fought several small-scale battles with the enemy in the Tim area, and there were a lot of casualties. There are less than ten people who came to Kursk with me today."

"Well done, Captain Briski, you and your subordinates are doing well." Belkin grabbed the opponent's hand, shook it vigorously and said, "We will remember the feats you have established."

"Captain Briski, on behalf of the brigade headquarters, I officially announce to you." Sokov waited for Belkin to let go of Briski's hand, and said solemnly: "From now on, you are the fourth commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. Battalion Commander."

"The 73rd Infantry Brigade? Commander of the 4th Battalion?" Briski asked blankly after hearing this: "Comrade Major, what are you talking about, I don't understand!"

"There is nothing to understand." Belgin explained to him with a smile: "After we occupied Kursk, our superiors reorganized our original Istria Battalion into the 73rd Infantry Brigade, led by Sokov Comrade serves as brigade commander, and I serve as brigade political commissar. Also, the rank of brigade commander has been promoted to lieutenant colonel."

After learning the real situation from Belkin, Briski's face became even more smiling, and he took the initiative to extend his hand to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, I congratulate you on your higher rank and duty."

"To each other, Comrade Briski." Sokov said while shaking hands with each other: "Those who have also obtained higher military ranks and positions, and you. From now on, you are not only the commander of the fourth battalion, but also the The military rank will be promoted to captain. Based on your performance, I could have awarded you a higher military rank, but unfortunately, with my authority, I can only decide the promotion of the military rank of officers below the school level."

Although he was only promoted to the rank of captain, Briski still felt like drinking honey in his heart. After a short pause, he asked again: "Comrade Brigadier, may I ask where my troops are?"

"That's right, Captain Briski." Sokov replied, "The newly formed Fourth Battalion has more than a thousand people and is currently stationed in the city center. I will ask Sergei to take you to receive it later. force."

"More than a thousand?" Briski couldn't help being taken aback when he heard the number. According to his thinking, the Istria Battalion has just been expanded into an infantry brigade, and it would be nice to have more than a thousand people. He is called the Battalion Commander, and there are only two hundred people under him at best. He did not expect that his fourth battalion actually has a thousand many people. He was very surprised and said: "The number is really quite a lot, almost equivalent to the number of an infantry regiment."

"Although there are a lot of people, almost all of them are recruits with little combat effectiveness." Sokov said to Briski: "Therefore, the people you bring back should be added to the army as soon as possible, and let them serve as squad members according to their abilities. The duty of a platoon leader."

Many of Briski's subordinates were originally officers with rich combat experience and a certain level of command. It would be a waste to let them be soldiers. Knowing that these subordinates could serve as squad platoon leaders at this moment, Briski couldn't help being overjoyed, and quickly replied loudly: "Understood, Comrade Brigadier. I will add them to the army later."

Just when Sokov was about to ask Seryosha to take Briski away, Briski suddenly asked: "Comrade Brigadier, when I just came here, I happened to meet three company commanders leaving the headquarters. With a serious face, is something wrong?"

"Three company commanders?" Sokov was taken aback when he heard what Briski said, and then realized that he was talking about Vanya, Andrei and others. The other party probably didn't know that these three were now battalion commanders. , and said casually: "You are talking about Vanya and the others, right? They are now battalion commanders just like you."

"That's right, it's the three battalion commanders." Briski nodded quickly, and repeated the question just now: "Comrade brigade commander, can you tell me what happened? Look at them, what happened?" Not too young!"

"That's right, Captain Briski." Seeing that Briski was so curious, Belkin told Briski about tomorrow's battle with Rotmistrov's tank army, and finally said: "They may be considering which cadres and fighters should be transferred to participate in tomorrow's competition."

Knowing that tomorrow he will compete with Rotmistrov's tank army, Briski was a little impatient. He had just become a battalion commander and wanted to perform well in front of Sokov, so he hurriedly Said: "Comrade Brigadier, what about our fourth battalion? How many people should be transferred to participate in this competition?"

Sokov said: "Lieutenant Briski, since we didn't expect you to rush back today, we will temporarily not draw any manpower from your fourth battalion for this contest. You can organize your manpower to watch the battle at the scene. gone."

"Then how do we do it?" Seeing that Sokov planned to exclude his fourth battalion from the contest team, Briski was a little anxious: "Since our fourth battalion is a member of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, a contest like this, How can you not participate?"

"You just came back, and you are not familiar with the troops." Sokov understood Briski's mood, but considering that the other party was not familiar with his troops, he said euphemistically: "You are not familiar with the commanders and fighters in the battalion. How do you mobilize manpower to participate in the battle? I think your battalion doesn't need to participate in this competition."

"Comrade Brigadier." Seeing that Sokov rejected his proposal without hesitation, Briski immediately said with a serious expression: "Although I have not officially taken over the Fourth Battalion, the subordinates I brought back, among them There are sharpshooters and stabbing masters, let them participate in the competition, I think it should still be possible."

Briski's words reminded Sokov that fighters who can jump out of the enemy's encirclement with Briski should have a high level of skill and tactics. If they are given two places, there may be unexpected gains. Thinking of this, Sokov asked: "Comrade Captain, tell me, how many soldiers can you draw from the soldiers who came back with you to participate in the competition?"

"There is one sharpshooter. When he broke through the encirclement a few days ago, he killed several machine gunners of the German army at a distance of 200 meters, so that we could successfully break through the enemy's blocking position." Briski heard that he could make his own When his subordinates joined the battle, they immediately began to introduce suitable candidates to Sukov: "As for the stabbing, there are also two people. During this period of battle, no less than twenty enemies died under their bayonets. .”

Belkin couldn't help but smile when he heard what Briski said. He turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade Brigadier, if what Lieutenant Briski said is true, then I think these three fighters can participate in the competition."

"Okay, Captain Briski." Although Rotmistrov proposed fifty people from each faction, in Sokov's heart, he still thought that the more fighters participating, the better. If it is true that only fifty people will be drawn, in case Rotmistrov has a whim, what kind of play-offs will be held, and where will he go to draw people in a hurry. Therefore, when he heard that there were such capable people under Briski, he immediately agreed: "Since you think your subordinates are capable of participating in such a contest, let them participate tomorrow. Now, you follow Lieutenant Seryozha first." Go to the fourth battalion to receive troops."

Watching Briski's back disappear from the door, Belkin said with emotion: "Comrade Brigadier, didn't you say a few days ago that you wanted your superior to send you a chief of staff?"

"Yes, that's what I said." Belkin's words were only half spoken, but Sokov immediately guessed what he wanted to express: "Comrade Commissar, do you think Captain Briski is suitable for this chief of staff? job?"

"Yes, I think it's better to select a suitable candidate from within than to be appointed by the superior to be the chief of staff of the brigade." Belkin replied affirmatively: "Compared with the other battalion commanders, he has no intention of being the most suitable. candidates."