Burning Moscow

Although the results of this battle can be reported to Vatutin via telegram. But I think there are some things that I should say more clearly on the phone, so I called Tawart Kiradze and asked him to accompany me back to the division headquarters of the 51st Guards Division. I want to pass the special purpose in the division. Telephone line, personally report the battle to Vatutin.

After the call was connected, when I heard Vatutin's voice in the receiver, I immediately said politely: "Hello, Comrade General! I am Oshanina, I have something to report to you immediately."

"It turns out to be Comrade Oshaninna." Vatutin's voice sounded very happy: "I think you call me at this time. You must have good news to tell me!"

"Yes, Comrade General." I thought he would talk to me in a very serious tone when he heard my voice. I didn't expect his tone to be more friendly than ever. I guess he guessed that I was calling him. Report good news. I took a deep breath and said, "Our ambush has ended successfully. We wiped out an armored squadron of the German army and destroyed 12 tanks and 20 armored vehicles. One of them was the latest German Tiger. tank."

"How about our casualties?" Vatutin asked cautiously after I finished speaking.

"Comrade General, since the results of the battle have not yet been counted, I cannot tell you the exact data for the time being." Although I also want to tell Vatutin that there were no casualties in this ambush, we are worried that there will be infantry soldiers from the army. When he rushed down the hill, he accidentally fell or suffered a slight injury such as a slapped foot, so he said cautiously: "But I can tell you with certainty that there is no sacrifice."

"What, not a sacrifice?" Vatutin's voice sounded a little excited.

"Yes," I told the story of the entire battle, and I emphasized it specifically: "Because the Germans were marching. They were hit by our long-range artillery. Once the bombardment was over, they were hidden on the hillside. The new tanks launched an assault from their flanks again. It can be said that they were not able to fight back at all. They were completely wiped out by us."

Hearing me mentioning the new tank, Vatutin's voice became serious again. He solemnly asked: "How does our new tank perform in battle?"

"Awesome performance, Comrade General!" You must know that the T-54/55 tanks from later generations far surpassed all tanks of this period in terms of armor, firepower and mobility. The Tiger tank has an absolute advantage over the Soviet T-34, but against this new type of tank, it is like a short man challenging the giant, and the two are not in the same class at all. "Only the Tiger tank fired a shot, and luckily hit one of our tanks. But the tank that was hit did nothing. Instead, it killed the German Tiger tank with one shot."

After listening to what I said, Vatutin said worriedly: "Comrade Oshanina, I think you should go to the battlefield in person to see the damage of this tank and whether there is a crew, and then ask I report. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade General." After I finished speaking, I asked politely: "Can I go now?"

"Go, go." Vatutin promised very readily, and after specifically instructing: "After you have checked the damage of the new tank, you will report it to me immediately. Remember. Don't use the telegram, just use the phone and I will contact you directly."

I put down the phone and turned my head to look at Tavart Kiradze and Povsky standing behind me. Then he smiled and said to the two of them: "Two, the commander of the front army ordered me to go to the battlefield to check the damage of the tank that was hit by the Germans just now. Would you like to accompany me on a trip?"

"Does this need to be said, Comrade Commander." Upon hearing my question, the two immediately smiled as bright as the sun, and replied in unison: "Of course they are happy."

As we drove to the battlefield, Povsky, who was sitting in the co-pilot's position, turned sideways and said to me with regret: "Comrade Commander. Although our artillery firepower is guided by artillery observers. To the enemy. The armored units of China carried out fire coverage, but because their marching queue was too long. One-third of the tanks and armored vehicles survived such a fierce shelling."

After listening to Povsky’s words, General Tavartkilasze sitting next to me said with a smile: "Comrade Colonel, you are really picky about our artillery. You must know that although the German army has a third One of the tanks and armored vehicles survived the artillery fire, but they have almost lost their combat effectiveness. You have not seen our tank attack, except that the Tiger tank fired one shot, the remaining tanks and armored vehicles even have the opportunity to fire. Nothing. They were all wiped out under the blow of our tanks."

"Comrade General, I don’t agree with you." Although Tavalt Kiradze’s statement is true, Povsky still said unconvinced: "Today the German army was in the process of marching and we suddenly encountered The artillery attack is completely understandable. There is no fighting back. If one day they dispatch hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles to launch a battle formation on the wide plains in front of our defense and launch an assault on our defensive positions. . Do you think we can stop their attack?"

I did not stop the argument between Povsky, the artillery commander, and General Tavartkilasze, because the two people only had different views on some tactical issues, and each expressed their own opinions, and did not say anything badly at each other because of personal preferences. . In this case, I just sat quietly, listening to the chattering between the two with a smile.

After a while, our car stopped suddenly. I looked out the window and saw that I had arrived at the battlefield. I smiled and said to the two who were still arguing: "Okay, stop arguing. The battlefield is here, let's go and see it first." First opened the door and walked down.

Looking around, there are large craters as deep as one person everywhere, and there are still wisps of smoke. The wreckage of the tank or armored vehicle that fell over next to the crater is still burning, and there is a choking and unpleasant smell.

The third battalion commander Major Gilgin discovered our arrival and ran over from a distance. I waited for him to salute and asked, "Major, are there any casualties in your camp?"

"No, none of them." After answering my question, Gilkin went on to report: "My battalion is cleaning the battlefield and captured about 30 prisoners. Most of them are seriously injured. May I ask what should we do? do?"

When I heard Gilkin’s request, I hadn’t figured out how to respond. Tawart Kiradze next to him has begun to give orders to his men: "Major, do you still need to ask for instructions for this kind of thing? Except for those who were not injured or slightly injured. The remaining severely wounded were given a shot, and the other corpses Buried in the ground."

"Yes!" Although Gilkin promised readily, his feet didn't move, and he turned his inquiring eyes on me, as if waiting for my further orders.

I felt very uncomfortable when I heard Tawart Kiradze's command, which sounded a little unkind. But after thinking about it, I felt that Tavart Kiradze's order, in this case. Still very correct. After all, most of the severely wounded German soldiers were burned. Even if they were brought back to the prison camp, it was estimated that they would not survive in the end. Instead of letting them waste our army's precious medicines, it is better to give them a shot to relieve them from their pain. Thinking of this, I said to Gilgin, who was still standing in front of us, "Major, what are you doing here? Why don't you go and execute your commander's orders?"

After getting my permission, Gilkin promised and turned around to leave. I suddenly thought of one thing. He quickly stopped him: "Major, do you know where the tank that was hit by the German tank shell is?"

Under the hillside one hundred meters away from Gil Jin Chao. The neatly parked row of tanks pointed, and said, "Comrade Commander, count from here, and the second one is." Having said that, he couldn't help but said with emotion, "It was so close. The German tank hit, and it was destroyed by another tank. I didn't expect that this new type of tank would have nothing to do with it."

When a few of us came to the tank column, the tank soldiers were clearing the turf and dirt on the tank body. Two captains of tank soldiers walked in front of us. Raised his hand to salute and said: "Comrade Commander, Captain Basdukhov (Lukbas), company commander of the 82nd (101) Tank Brigade, reports to you. The tank company has completed its combat mission and is taking a rest. Please instruct!"

When I heard the designations of the two tank brigades, the 82 and 101, I couldn’t help but laugh. Whether he made great achievements. I smiled and nodded at the two of them, and asked, "Where is the tank that was just hit by the Germans?"

The broad-shouldered, chunky Captain Lukebas immediately replied: "Report to the commander that the tank that was hit was a tank of our company. Although the turret was hit by a German tank at close range, there is something wrong. nothing."

I knew that the tank was fine for a long time, but I was worried that some of the crew would be injured by the huge impact of the shell. So when I heard that the tank belonged to the 101st Tank Brigade, I hurriedly asked Lukebas: "Comrade Captain When the tank was shot, were there any casualties to the crew?"

"When the tank was shot, Sergeant Roschukin accidentally hit the head." Lukebas also emphasized in the report: "But the injury is not serious, it has been bandaged."

After listening to Lukebas’ report, out of concern for my subordinates, I also specifically told him: "Call him here, let me see how he is injured?"

When Lukebas heard me saying this, he immediately turned his head and shouted at the busy tank soldiers not far away: "Hey, Sergeant Roschukin, come to me."

Following his shout, a short tank soldier who was clearing the mud jumped from the tank body and trot to come to me. Raised his hand to salute me, and reported to me in a shrill voice: "Hello, Comrade Commander, Tank Sergeant Roschukin is ordered to come, please give instructions!"

Looking at the thin and handsome tank soldier sergeant in front of me, a strange feeling suddenly poured out in my heart. I glanced at his gauze-wrapped forehead, and asked concerned: "Comrade sergeant, are you seriously injured?"

Roschukin smiled and replied, "I just scratched the skin, and the injury is not serious. The hygienist has bandaged me and it will be cured in a few days.

From his smile, I noticed a hint of charm, and the strange feeling in my heart became stronger. After looking at him up and down, I fixed my gaze on his neck, and unexpectedly found that there was no Adam's apple. Seeing this, a strange thought suddenly popped up in my mind, so I said: "Comrade sergeant, I have something to tell you. Come with me."

After I finished speaking, I walked towards the parked jeep and saw Tavartkilasze and Povsky trying to follow up. I quickly raised my hand to stop them, and said politely: "You stay here first, I have The matter should be discussed privately with Comrade Sergeant."

Although Tavart Kirazzi and the others didn't know why I did this, they nodded their heads and stood there honestly without moving their own footsteps.

I took Roschukin to the jeep, and the driver sitting in the car thought I had some instructions, and quickly got out of the car and stood straight beside the jeep. After taking a look at him, I told him: "Comrade driver, the sergeant and I have something to say in private. You should avoid it first.

After the driver raised his hand to salute, he turned and ran away.

When Roschukin and I were left next to the jeep, I looked at him and asked, "Comrade sergeant, tell me, what's your name?"

Roschukin didn't know why I asked, and he replied blankly: "Comrade Reporter Commander, my name is Alexander Rochukin~www.NovelMTL.com~ and I am a tank commander of the 101st Tank Brigade."

I heard his answer, snorted, and then said: "Comrade sergeant, I asked for your real name."

After hearing my question, Roschukin immediately showed a flustered expression on his face, but he still bit the bullet and said to me: "Comrade Commander, I don't know what you are talking about. My name is Alexander Roth. Chu Jin."

I looked around and saw that there was no one nearby, so I sternly said to him: "Okay, Comrade Sergeant, don't keep concealing any more, I can see it. Tell me honestly, your surname is Roschukin Na, what other surname?"

Roschukin was stunned by my words. After a while, she said tremblingly, "Comrade Commander, I don't know how you can tell?"

Seeing that she confessed to the fact that she was a woman, I smiled and said, "Although you cover up well, from your smile just now, I noticed that you are strange. Although it is difficult to find that you are a stranger from your figure. Woman, but with your words and deeds, I can easily see through your identity." At this point, I couldn't help but say with emotion, "Are the soldiers in the tank with you blind? After getting along for so long, you didn't realize that you were a woman?" (To be continued.)