Red Moscow

It was completely dark when Sokov's troops arrived at the ferry on the Volga. There is still a moon in the sky, so it is not difficult to see the road clearly.

Just when Sokov was considering where to let the troops board the ship, suddenly a soldier ran from not far away and asked loudly while running: "Which department do you belong to, and who is the commander?"

Since he did not reveal his identity, all the soldiers remained silent about his question, and no one answered his question. Samoilov, who was standing next to Sokov, saw someone asking him for the number of his unit. His professional instinct aroused his vigilance, and he quickly said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, I'll go over and ask." , What does that person do?" After receiving Sokov's permission, he quickly ran over.

After seeing Samoilov say a few words to the person, Sokov led the person towards him. "Comrade Second Lieutenant," Samoilov asked when he was only a few steps away from him, "what does the person who followed you do?"

Before Samoilov could answer, the man quickly walked up to Sokov, straightened his body and replied, "Report to Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, my name is Valko, and I am a staff member of the Political Department. When a troop came over, he specially ordered me to come over to find out."

"Director of the Political Department?" Sukov didn't know who the director Valco was referring to, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Valco, I want to ask, the director you mentioned belongs to the front army, Or a group army, or a division-level unit?"

"We belong to the 62nd Army." Hearing Sokov's question, Valko quickly replied, "I followed Comrade Vasiliev, the director of the Political Department, and came here to perform the task. Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, where are you?" a part of."

"It turns out that you are from the Political Department of the Group Army, so we are our own people." Sokov shook each other's hands and said enthusiastically: "I am Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and we are about to cross the river to the city Go, I wonder if you can help us find the ship to transport the troops?"

"The 73rd Infantry Brigade? They weren't stationed at Mamayev Post, how could they appear here?" Valko didn't show any enthusiasm after hearing this number. Instead, he took his hand from Sokov's palm He pulled it out and asked vigilantly, "Who are you?"

Facing the vigilance shown by Valko, Sokov was very satisfied, because the other party actually knew where his troops were stationed. He smiled and said: "Comrade Valko, don't be nervous, we are our own people. The main force of my brigade is indeed stationed at Mamayev Gang, but the troops around me were just added to me by my superiors. You didn't See almost all sailors?"

As soon as the sailors were mentioned, Valko immediately realized that he might have made a mistake. Although the Germans often disguised themselves as Soviet troops to cause some sabotage, they never disguised themselves as sailors. Because no matter how they disguised themselves, they still looked very different from real sailors. It would be easier to pretend to be an army than to pretend to be sailors who were prone to reveal their flaws. However, he still asked cautiously: "Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask, when and where did you cross the river?"

"We landed at the ferry in Red October Town during the daytime." Sokov answered briefly and then asked, "Where is Comrade Director of the Political Department? Take me there to see him immediately."

"Comrade Colonel," Valko looked at the commanders and fighters around him, and said with some embarrassment, "What about your subordinates?"

"Let them stay here temporarily, and I will go with you." Sokov said, calling Vanya, Shamrich, Tenev and others to him, and told them, "Bely and I The colonel is going to leave for a while, and the three of you will be in charge here, you must restrain the troops and don't let the soldiers wander around."

After listening to Sokov's order, the three quickly and loudly agreed.

When Valko heard Sukov talking about Bely's order, he paid special attention to it, and looked around for Bely's figure. Seeing him standing still, Sokov asked a little puzzledly: "Comrade Valko, why don't you lead us the way?" Before he could answer, he turned around and greeted a commander next to him, "Bely Colonel, let's go see the director of the political department together."

Valco looked to the side and saw a silent colonel standing there. He knew Bely, and after staring at him for a moment, he recognized that the other party was indeed Bely, and the stone hanging in his heart fell to the ground, and he immediately said enthusiastically to Sukov: "Comrade colonels, please follow me." Come, I'll take you to the command post."

Valko led the two of them through the soldiers who were sitting and lying on the ground. Along the way, they could see many wooden boats on the ground. Sokov couldn't help but asked curiously: "Comrade Valko, how many wooden boats are there on the ground?" Can it also be used to cross the river?"

Valko turned his head and glanced at Sokov, and replied: "These ships have sent a lot of soldiers and supplies into the city, but they were all damaged to varying degrees, so they were carried to the shore and repaired after dawn."

Valco led the two of them to a semi-underground earth house-style shelter. The sentry standing at the door was about to stop them, but soon recognized Valco who was leading the team, and stepped aside.

The three of them walked into the shelter, and Sokov immediately felt a rush of heat from the room. He searched quickly and saw two braziers burning charcoal by the wall at the entrance, which should be for heating. use. Valko stepped forward and said loudly to a commander standing with his back to the door: "Comrade Director, I have invited Colonel Sokov and Colonel Bely, commanders of the 73rd Infantry Brigade!"

The commander turned around, and Sokov found that the other party was wearing the military rank of a political worker, a brigade-level political commissar, who should be Vasilyev, the director of the Political Department of the Army Group. He hurriedly stepped forward, raised his hand to salute, and said respectfully: "Comrade brigade-level political commissar, Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, is reporting to you that my troops are waiting to cross the river by the river. I will obey your orders." Order, please instruct!"

Vasilyev raised his hand to return the salute, shook Sokov's hand politely, and went straight to Bely next to him, saying enthusiastically: "Colonel Bely, I really didn't expect to be here. Meet you."

"I didn't expect that either, comrade brigade-level political commissar." Bely and Vasilyev had dealt with each other in the headquarters before, so they were naturally more cordial when they met. After the two shook hands, Bely asked curiously, "Why did you appear here?"

"Because of preparing for the counterattack some time ago, the work here at the ferry has become onerous." Vasilyev explained to Bely: "Commander Chuikov was worried that there would be unnecessary chaos here, so he asked me to come and coordinate the command. Yes Yes, I remember that the commander sent you to the Red October factory to assist Lieutenant Colonel Sokov in defending, how could you appear here?"

When Bely heard Vasiliev's question, he quickly explained how his troops participated in the counterattack, went out to Orlovka with Sokov's troops, and how they broke through to the north and occupied the unnamed highlands of the German army. The meeting of the friendly troops who rushed over told Vasilyev in detail.

After Bely finished speaking, Vasilyev looked at Sokov and asked with a smile: "Comrade Sokov, if I remember correctly, you should be a lieutenant colonel?"

"That's right, comrade brigade-level political commissar." Sokov nodded slightly, and then explained: "I just obtained the rank of colonel a few hours ago. An acknowledgment, a recognition of those feats I've built."

"It's amazing," Vasilyev came over and took Sokov's hand again, and said with a smile on his face: "Comrade Sokov, you are a colonel at a young age, and it seems that your future is bright. Then he greeted Sokov and Bely, "You must be tired after driving so far, please sit down first."

After sitting down, Sokov looked up at Vasilyev and asked, "Comrade brigade-level political commissar, I would like to ask, when can we arrange for us to cross the river?"

"How many of you are there?" Vasilyev asked.

"I brought more than 1,500 people this time." Sokov replied, "As well as the weapons, equipment and necessary supplies they carried."

"The barges here at the ferry were all sunk by the German air force and artillery, and the only thing left was the small steamer." Vasilyev said with some embarrassment when he learned that Sokov was leading more than 1,500 people: " These small steamers can only carry more than three hundred people at most, with so many of you, at least five small steamers are needed..."

"Comrade brigade-level political commissar, five small steamers are not enough." As soon as Vasilyev finished speaking, a major standing opposite him went on to say: "If these soldiers are all unarmed, then five small steamers It should be possible to transport them all at once. But they still carry weapons, ammunition and various military supplies, at least a small steamer is needed."

"Lieutenant Colonel Spasov," Vasilyev asked another officer sitting at the table, "You are in charge of dispatching the ships. When can you arrange for Colonel Sokov's troops to cross the river?"

Lieutenant Colonel Spasov looked at the notepad in front of him, and replied: "Comrade brigade-level political commissar, the timetable for crossing the river is already full, and we will not be able to arrange for Colonel Sokov until after dark tomorrow at the earliest." Troops across the river."

"What, wait until tomorrow night?" Spasov surprised both Sokov and Vasilyev.

Sokov quickly waved his hand at the other party and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Spasov, we are rushing into the city to strengthen the defense of Mamayev Hill, we absolutely cannot wait until tomorrow night. Can you think of a way to let my Troops crossing the river overnight?"

According to Sokov's thinking, since he has said so, Lieutenant Colonel Spasov will definitely try to find a few small steamers for himself, so that the troops can cross the Volga River in the shortest time. Unexpectedly, Spasov shook his head, put on a business-like face, and said: "I'm sorry, Colonel Sokov, I repeat, the timetable for crossing the river is already full, and I can't do anything for you until it gets dark tomorrow." You provide the boats to cross the river."

"But Lieutenant Colonel Spasov, if our troops cannot reach Mamayev Hill before dawn tomorrow, then once the Germans launch a fierce attack, the remaining troops on the hill may not be able to hold their positions." Let the other party change their minds and deliberately make the problem serious: "If the position is lost because the reinforcements did not arrive on time, then who should be responsible for this?"

"Colonel Sokov is right, we have to cross the river overnight." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Bely chimed in and said, "You all know that Mamayev Hill is the commanding height of the whole city. The Germans have occupied it, and with a few cannons they can block the transportation lines and crossings of the Volga, and the situation will become even more unfavorable to us."

Hearing Sokov and Bely make the problem so serious, Vasilyev sighed and said to Spasov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you think of a way, and you must prepare for Colonel Sokov and the others. Enough ships."

Unexpectedly, Spasov was still reticent, he spread his hands, shrugged his shoulders and said: "I have already said that the schedule for crossing the river is already full, and no one wants to jump in line, otherwise it will cause trouble." The chaos interfered with our arrangements for crossing the river."

Seeing that Lieutenant Colonel Spasov was so stubborn, Sokov couldn't help feeling angry, but he couldn't slap Vasiliev in front of him, so he could only ask politely: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you said there are not enough people?" Boats, but on the way here, I saw a lot of wooden boats on the shore, even if a boat can only carry 20 people, we can transport hundreds of people across the river at one time."

Vasiliev did not expect that there were boats on the shore, so he cast a puzzled look at Spasov. Seeing Vasilyev looking at him, Spasov quickly waved his hand and said, "Comrade brigade political commissar, you don't know, those wooden boats were damaged by German artillery fire while crossing the river, and they need to be repaired after dawn. to be put back into use.”

"It turned out to be a broken wooden boat." After listening to Spasov's explanation, Vasilyev showed a regretful expression on his face. He turned to Sokov and Bely and said, "Both colonels, those Wooden boats cannot be used, and if you try to cross the river by force, it may sink in the middle of the river. For your safety, I think you should wait until tomorrow night to cross the river."

"Comrade brigade-level political commissar, please order someone to hand over those wooden boats to us." Sokov was unwilling to stay on the shore for a day and a night, so he took the initiative to propose to Vasilyev: "The subordinates I brought over , are almost all sailors, and there must be people among them who know how to repair ships. After you hand over the wooden boat to us, I will send someone to repair it as soon as possible, and we should be able to cross the river."