Red Moscow

  Chapter 539 New Tank Battalion (2)

The reason why Peter was willing to agree to hand over the batch of products that had not yet been transported to Sokov and the others was that he still had a selfish intention in his heart. He was worried that if the enemy approached the factory building, the tank unit would be able to give himself rescue. So before he hung up the phone, he said to Zinchenko: "Comrade deputy factory director, I have one more condition."

   "Comrade Director," Zinchenko said, "If you have any conditions, please feel free to mention them."

"Comrade deputy factory director, you also know that the wall on the north side of the factory area has collapsed in many places, and the enemy may break into the factory area through these gaps." Peter said: "I hope that when we are in danger, the tanks commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Sokov Troops, come to our rescue."

When Zinchenko heard what Peter said, he quickly covered the microphone with his hand, and asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the factory director said that when there is a danger in any part of the factory area, your tank troops can rush to support it." !"

   "No problem." Sokov heard the conditions, and replied without hesitation: "Our mission is to protect the factory area. With the tanks, we will protect a larger area."

  Received Sokov's reply, Zinchenko let go of his hand covering the microphone, and reported to Peter: "Comrade Director, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov has agreed to your request."

"This is really great." Peter just said this, and suddenly realized that saying this would make his subordinates feel a little panicked, coughed quickly, and continued: "Comrade deputy factory manager, the place where ammunition and fuel are collected , you know it. I’ll call the warehouse later, and you can just go and get it.”

  Vitkov has remained silent since Zinchenko and the others entered the door. At this moment, seeing that the matter had been negotiated, he took the initiative to propose to Sukov: "Comrade Brigadier, I remember that there was a tank company in the brigade, but because we did not have tanks, these tank soldiers were used as infantry. I will return to the horses now. Mayev Gang, try to get these comrades to report to you before dawn tomorrow."

   "Then I will trouble you, Comrade Colonel." Seeing that Vitkov offered to volunteer, Sokov held his hand and said gratefully, "Be careful on the way back."

After Vitkov, Zinchenko and others left one after another, Yakov asked curiously: "Misha, with these more than forty tanks, it is completely possible to form a tank brigade. In this way, the scale of the German attack here It’s too young, you just need to fight back, and you can beat them to pieces.”

"There are tanks, but unfortunately there are not so many tank crews." Sokov said regretfully: "We used to have only one tank company, and there were not many tank crews, and some of them were sacrificed in recent battles. I think the people who come here tomorrow can form a tank platoon, which is pretty good."

Unexpectedly, when Yakov heard what Sokov said, he laughed dumbfoundedly: "Misha, what's wrong with you. With tanks, are you afraid that there will be no one who drives them?" Seeing that Sokov was about to refute, he quickly stopped him: "It's true that your brigade doesn't have that many tanks, but General Chuikov has them! As far as I know, there are quite a few tank brigades in his army organization. After such a long time, the tanks in the tank brigade have been lost. It’s almost there, but there are still a lot of tankers, we can ask him to send some tankers as troops to drive these new tanks again.”

Yakov's words reminded Sokov that yes, he did not have many tankers under his command, but there were some in Chuikov's place. Those tank brigades and even the tank army lost very few tanks in the battle. But the tankers were there. If Cuikov could incorporate those people into his army, wouldn't it be better than making them infantry?

  Thinking of this, Sokov hurriedly called the group army headquarters. After the call was connected, he said to the officer who answered the phone: "Hello, I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, please help me talk to the commander or chief of staff."

   "I'm sorry, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. Comrade Commander is on the phone with Moscow," the officer who answered the phone said politely: "I'll ask the Chief of Staff to answer the phone."

   Soon, Krylov's voice came from the receiver: "I'm Krylov, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, what can you do?"

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sukov knew that Krylov's time was precious, so he didn't go around in circles, but said straight to the point: "At present, I have a batch of tanks in my hand, but I lack tankers. Can the Army Group Command support part of me?"

   "Tank? What tank?" Krylov couldn't help being surprised when he heard Sokov mentioning the tank: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, where did the tank you mentioned come from?"

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov hurriedly explained to Krylov: "In the Red October Tractor Factory, there are more than forty tanks that have just rolled off the assembly line, and they were going to be sent to the other side of the river. , but because the ships transported too many people and materials during this period, they have not been transported out for the time being. Therefore, after obtaining the permission of the factory director Peter, I plan to use these tanks. Now that the tanks are available, they can be driven and operated There are no tank crews for the tank, so I can only ask you and the commander comrade for help."

After learning about the origin of the tank, Krylov looked at his notepad, and then said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the 42nd Independent Tank Brigade of Lieutenant Colonel Batrakov was in the early battle. , the tanks were completely lost. At present, the brigade commander and political commissar led the brigade command organization to the other side of the Volga River to receive new troops. They left more than 70 tankers behind, serving as guards at the headquarters of the group army headquarters. Since you Tankers are needed now, so I'll send them there right away."

Knowing that Krylov was going to send more than 70 tankers to himself, Sokov couldn't help feeling ecstatic. Once these people arrived, there would be almost 20 more tanks ready to go into battle. The husband thanked: "Thank you, Comrade Chief of Staff, on behalf of the commanders and fighters of the whole brigade, thank you!"

  Chuikov, who had just been on the phone with Moscow, saw that Krylov was on the phone with a happy expression on his face. He couldn't help asking curiously, "Comrade Chief of Staff, who are you talking to?"

"It's Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." Krylov looked up at Chuikov and said, "He said he got more than 40 tanks, but unfortunately there were not enough tank crews, so I planned to send Lieutenant Colonel Batrakov's tank crew Send them all over."

After hearing this, Chuikov murmured, "Lieutenant Colonel Batrakov has only over 70 tank soldiers, that is to say, he can only operate 20 tanks. No, the number is too small, and we have to find a way to replenish them." A little tanker."

After being reminded by Chuikov, Krylov's eyes suddenly brightened: "By the way, Comrade Commander, how could I have forgotten him. Colonel Bely's 84th Tank Brigade suffered heavy losses in the counterattack in early September. Now that there are less than ten tanks left, do you think it is possible to draw manpower from his brigade to strengthen Sokov?"

After carefully considering Krylov's proposal, Chuikov said, "Actually, the best way is to assign these forty-odd tanks to Colonel Bely's command. After all, he is a professional tank commander... "

When Chuikov said this, Sokov on the other end of the phone went crazy, and he called the army headquarters. He wanted some tank soldiers. Even people and tanks have to pass here. This is really a steal.

   Just when Sokov was extremely anxious, he suddenly heard Chuikov say: "Chief of Staff, I think so, you can ask Sokov how many tankers there are, and if there are insufficient manpower, they will be transferred from Colonel Bely."

  Krylov nodded, and asked into the microphone: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, the commander asks you, how many available tankers do you have?"

  Sokov calculated in his mind for a moment, and replied: "There are about 20 people. Adding you to more than 70 people, there are about 25 tanks that can be activated."

  After hearing the data Sokov said, Krylov couldn't help asking curiously: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I would like to ask, where do you plan to get the fuel and ammunition needed for these tanks?"

"There are in the factory." Sokov knew that these things could not be hidden from Chuikov and the others, so he answered truthfully: "Comrade Zinchenko, the deputy director of the factory, has already taken people to collect ammunition and fuel. , our tank force can be formed."

   Krylov continued to ask: "What designation are you going to give this army?"

   "Let's call it the Tank Battalion."

   "The size of your tank battalion is not small." Krylov heard Sokov say this, and said with a smile: "The number of tanks is almost catching up with a tank brigade."

After Krylov put down the phone, Chuikov said thoughtfully, "Comrade Chief of Staff, I have an idea. Since Colonel Bely's tank brigade is no longer in name, let him go to the Red October Tractor Factory. Form a new battalion of tanks using his existing forces and tanks."

"Comrade Commander, Bely is a colonel, and Sokov is just a lieutenant colonel." Krylov said with some embarrassment: "It's justified for you to let a colonel accept the command of a lieutenant colonel. I don’t think it’s appropriate for a brigade commander to become a battalion commander.”

  Chuikov did not use his authority to forcefully pass the appointment, but said to Krylov in a negotiating tone: "How about we call Colonel Bely and ask him what he means?"

   Krylov knew very well that having a tank unit at this time would be very helpful for the next battle, so he immediately called Colonel Bely and asked him to come to the army headquarters.

   In the last counterattack in Bely, not to mention the heavy losses of the troops, even the tank he was riding in was destroyed by the German artillery fire, and he was also wounded. Hearing that Krylov was looking for something urgent for him, he rushed over without saying a word.

  Cuikov saw that Bely came in, with bandages exposed under his big-brimmed hat, and asked with concern: "Comrade Colonel, how is your injury?"

"Except for the occasional dizziness, it's nothing serious." Bely knew that Cuikov and the others would not call him here for no reason, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, what is the importance of calling me here?" something?"

"That's right, Comrade Colonel." Chuikov told Bely after he sat down, "We just got a batch of tanks, but we don't have enough tankers. I want to ask you if you can draw them from your brigade. Some of the tankers went over?"

   "What, got a batch of tanks?!" Bely stood up excitedly when he heard this. Due to the excessive movement, he felt dizzy for a while, but fortunately he held the edge of the table in time, so he didn't fall to the ground.

   "Are you all right, Colonel Bely?" Chuikov quickly helped him sit down again, and asked with concern: "How about you hand over the work in the brigade to the deputy brigade commander, and you should go to the other side of the Volga River to recuperate."

"Comrade Commander, my injury is not serious." Bely waved his hand at Chuikov, and did not talk about his injury, but specifically asked about the urban areas of the tanks: "You just said that our army got a batch of tanks. What exactly is going on?"

   "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, Commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, do you know him?" Cuikov was afraid that Bely would not know Sokov, and specially reminded him, "It is the unit that sticks to Mamayev Post."

"I know, of course I know." Biely nodded and replied, "I met him once at the meeting to deploy the counterattack in early September." At this point, Biely asked tentatively, "Could it be him Did your troops get tanks?"

   "Yes, Comrade Colonel." Chuikov nodded and said, "There are more than forty tanks, but because there are not enough tankers, he called me to ask for help."

   "Comrade Commander, I have a request." Knowing that there were more than 40 tanks, Bely couldn't sit still any longer. He stood up and said, "Please add these tanks to our brigade."

   "Why?" Chuikov asked briefly.

"The 73rd Infantry Brigade is deployed on Mamayev Hill, where the terrain is not suitable for the use of tanks." Bely said confidently: "Our brigade is in the factory area, and the terrain here is very suitable for the deployment and use of tank troops. "

   "Comrade Colonel, you made a mistake." Hearing this, Krylov couldn't help interjecting, "These tanks are not used on Mamayev Gang, but in the factory area."

"Commander, chief of staff, what's going on?" Bely felt a little confused when he heard this: "Aren't they holding on to Mamayev Post? Why are they using tanks in the factory area? Yes, where did they get these tanks? What types of tanks are they?"

Facing a series of questions raised by Bely, Cuikov chuckled and said, "Comrade Colonel, you have quite a lot of questions. Let me answer you one by one now. That's right, the main force of the 73rd Infantry Brigade is in the Stick to Mamayev Post, but the brigade commander, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, is now leading a battalion to stick to the assembly workshop of the Red October Tractor Factory. These tanks are the latest products of the factory, because they cannot be transported to the other side of the river for the time being. It was requisitioned by Sokov and the others."

   "In this way, they are all T-34 tanks." Although Cuikov did not mention the models of those tanks, with Bely's professional skills, he naturally knew that these newly produced tanks were all T-34 tanks. He took the initiative to propose to Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, I have a request, and I don't know whether to say it or not."

  (end of this chapter)