Red Moscow

When Sokov walked out of the headquarters with brisk steps, Samoilov and Guchakov, who had been waiting impatiently outside, greeted them and asked curiously: "Comrade Brigadier , What is the important matter that the commander and the military commissioner want from you?"

Seeing people coming and going in the corridor, Sokov felt that it was not a place to talk, so he said to the two, "It's not convenient to talk here, let's leave first and talk while walking on the road."

The three of them left the building where the headquarters was located, walked along the street not far outside the city, and suddenly heard a familiar voice shouting: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, do you still remember me?"

Sokov turned his head and looked in the direction of the sound, and saw two trucks parked on the side of the road, and an officer and several soldiers were standing beside one of the trucks. "Comrade Brigadier," Samoilov leaned closer to Sokov's ear and said, "It's the driver Sayes who just sent us here."

"Aha, Sayers, my friend." Sokov raised his hand and waved at Sayers twice, asking curiously, "What are you doing here?"

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Sayers saw that Sokov recognized him, and hurried over, and said emotionally, "I'll wait for you here."

"Waiting for us?" Sokov asked in surprise, "What are you waiting for us here?"

Before Sayers could answer, the officer standing by the car had already walked up to Sokov, raised his hand to salute him, and reported politely: "Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I am the 753rd Lieutenant Badukhov, captain of the convoy."

After Sokov raised his hand to return the salute, he reached out to the other party, shook hands, and asked curiously: "Comrade Lieutenant, what are you and your subordinates doing here?" Having said that, he quickly glanced at Thayer With a glance at Si, he asked in a teasing tone, "Couldn't it be waiting for us here too?"

Sokov's words caused laughter from Samoilov and Guchakov, but after the laughter stopped, Lieutenant Badukhov said solemnly: "You guessed right, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. I and I Your subordinates are indeed waiting for you here."

"Wait for me?" Seeing that the lieutenant and Sayers said the same words, Sokov couldn't help asking curiously: "What are you waiting for me?"

"That's right, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Badukhov said respectfully: "Our transport team originally belonged to the Southeastern Front Army. After the number of the troops defending Stalingrad was changed, we were incorporated into the Don River Front Army. It has been carrying out transportation tasks in the defense zone of the Stalingrad Front Army. During the transportation process during these months, due to constant shelling and bombing by enemy planes, the transportation team that originally had sixty trucks now has only These two."

Sokov only knew that during the Battle of Stalingrad, the troops fighting at the front suffered heavy losses, but he did not expect that the convoy responsible for transportation in the rear also suffered the same fate. He didn't know how to persuade the other party, so he could only say dryly: "Lieutenant Badukhov, you have worked hard!"

"As long as we can defeat the enemy, we will have no complaints no matter how hard or tired we are." Badukhov said with some embarrassment: "I am waiting for you here today, because I have something to ask you for."

"What do you want me to do?" Sokov thought to himself that I have no affiliation with the company, what are you asking me for? Although I thought so in my heart, I still said politely: "Comrade Lieutenant, if you have anything to do, just ask. As long as I can do it, I will definitely help you."

"Due to the serious loss of our transport team, from mid-September, the logistics force here will no longer arrange any transport tasks for us. Only when the transport force is really tight, we will be temporarily dispatched to help." Bardukhov He said to Sokov with a sincere attitude: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, my subordinates and I are all from Stalingrad. We can't bear the situation that others are working hard to defeat the enemy, but we can only do nothing. Therefore , on behalf of the remaining subordinates, I beg you to accept us and lead us to fight against the enemy."

"Comrade Brigadier," Samoilov saw that the other party offered to join his army, and quickly approached Sokov and whispered in Sokov's ear: "Although they only have two trucks, they can take part in our next march." In the middle, help us deliver weapons and ammunition, you can accept them."

Samoilov's proposal was exactly what Sokov wanted. They carried a lot of captured weapons, ammunition and supplies. If they could be transported by vehicles, it would reduce the burden on the soldiers when they marched. Thinking of this, Sokov nodded to Badukhov, then extended his hand to him and said friendlyly: "Lieutenant Badukhov, welcome to join our army."

"Great, this is really great." Bardukhov grabbed Sukov's hand and shook it vigorously a few times, then turned around and shouted cheerfully to several subordinates who surrounded him: "Comrades, you all listen Come on, from now on we're organized again."

"Hello, comrades! Let me introduce myself. I am Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade." Sokov let go of Badukhov's hand and said to the motor soldiers who surrounded him: "On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the infantry brigade, I welcome you to join."

Seeing Sokov surrounded by motor soldiers, Samoilov couldn't help muttering in a low voice: "Did the brigade commander make a mistake? He is clearly a lieutenant colonel. Why did he tell others that he is a colonel? "

Guchakov, who has never spoken, considers the problem much more comprehensively than Samoilov. He sneered, and then whispered to Samoilov: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, don't you understand that our brigade commander must have just been promoted to colonel, and you didn't see him walk out of the headquarters?" , with smiles on their eyebrows."

After being reminded by Guchakov, Samoilov felt that it made sense. Sokov would never lie about this kind of thing. Otherwise, when these auto soldiers arrived at Mamayev Post, they would When Sokov was not a colonel, but only a lieutenant colonel, it had an impact on his reputation.

With two trucks, it will be much easier for Sokov and the others to return to Red October Town. In less than ten minutes, the truck stopped at the location where the troops were assembled. After getting off the car, Sokov shouted at Bely who was standing not far away: "Colonel Bely, let the soldiers put all the extra weapons and ammunition on the truck."

When Bely heard Sokov's order, he hurried over and asked with some concern: "Comrade Brigadier, is it appropriate to put all the extra ammunition on the truck? If they were on the way, what kind of transportation task would they receive?" , we have to unload the ammunition again."

"Don't worry, Colonel Bely, what you are worried about will not happen." Sokov said to Bely with a smile: "These two trucks belong to our infantry brigade."

"Comrade Brigadier, what's going on here?" Hearing what Sokov said, Bely had a puzzled expression on his face: "Why do you say that these two trucks belong to us?"

Sokov triumphantly told Bely the origin of the truck, then lowered his voice and said: "Colonel Bely, I have one more thing to tell you. In order to commend my military exploits, the superior not only awarded me a red flag Medal, and a promotion to my rank. I'm a colonel now, like you."

"Is this all true?" Knowing that Sokov was promoted to the military rank and received a medal, Bely was sincerely happy for him, and quickly stretched out his hand to him, and said with a smile: "Comrade Brigadier, please accept me." Congratulations, congratulations on your higher military rank and a valuable Order of the Red Banner."

"Colonel Bely," Sukov felt a little guilty when he thought that Bely had made a lot of achievements in the battle during this period of time, but he didn't get any rewards. He said apologetically: " I feel that this medal and military rank are well deserved. The reason why we have achieved such great results is due to the vast number of commanders and fighters..."

Before Sokov could finish speaking, Bely interrupted him, "Comrade Brigadier Commander, I can't say anything, if we weren't under your command, it would be basically impossible for us to achieve such great results. I carefully recalled every battle you commanded, and felt that even if I commanded myself, I would never be able to do better than you. Therefore, you deserve the medals and military ranks awarded by your superiors."

While the two were talking, Shamrih ran over and asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Brigadier, I would like to ask, when will our troops leave?"

Sokov pointed to the truck not far away with his hand, and replied: "We can start when the soldiers put all the extra ammunition on the truck. Try to reach the next ferry before dark, so that we can Then we can cross the Volga River at night and enter Mamayev Kurgan."

Shamrih looked at the location of the truck, saw that there were a lot of weapons and ammunition piled up on it, and knew that he would be able to leave soon, so he quickly greeted Sokov, and ran back to gather the team to prepare for departure .

After the surplus weapons, ammunition and supplies were piled up on the truck and the troops were assembled, Sokov immediately waved his hand and said loudly, "Let's go!"

When the troops lined up in a four-way column and walked forward along the street with neat steps, Sokov also prepared to march with them on foot. But the captain of the transportation, Badukhov, pulled him and begged: "There are still more than ten kilometers from here to the next river crossing. You should take our car."

It is of course a good thing to have a car, but all the commanders and fighters are marching. As the supreme commander, I am riding in a car, which feels a bit inappropriate. Bely, who was standing by the side, saw Sokov's embarrassment, and took the initiative to help him out: "Comrade Brigadier, I have rheumatism, and my legs and feet hurt badly when I walk for the past two days. I want to march by car. I wonder if you can help me?" Agree? By the way, I still have something to discuss with you, why don't we take the car together?"