Red Moscow

  Chapter 762 Caravan crossing the river

  The drivers on the east bank waiting in line to cross the river were a little panicked when they saw the trucks that were the first to get on the bridge, all of which fell into the river. They parked the car by the river, and an elderly driver pleaded with the officer maintaining order: "Comrade commander, can we turn on the lights when we cross the river? Without lights to illuminate the road, we can't see at all." Clear the position of the floating bridge!"

   "No!" The officer on duty replied resolutely: "The superior has an order. In order to prevent the target from being exposed, all vehicles must not turn on their lights when crossing the river."

"If we had walked across this pontoon bridge before, we could drive to the opposite bank based on our own driving experience even if there were no headlights." The old driver said angrily, "It depends on what the bridge looks like now." We drove in the dark, isn't this telling us to die?"

  To be honest, the officers on duty by the bridge did not agree with this order in their hearts, but an order is an order. Since the superior has made such a regulation, the subordinates can only implement it unconditionally. In order to prevent the truck that was about to go on the bridge from making the same mistakes again, after thinking for a while, he said to the old driver: "Comrade driver, can you see if this works? I will send someone to lead the way. You just need to follow the guide and you can drive the car." To the opposite bank. Although the speed may be slower, but it will avoid revealing the target when crossing the bridge."

  The old driver knew that what the officer said was already at the limit of his ability, so he nodded and said, "Okay, Comrade Commander, please arrange someone to guide the way ahead, I will try first."

   While the officer was calling for someone, the old driver walked up to the first car and asked loudly, "Whose car is this?"

  Following the shout, a young man walked out from among the drivers who were discussing together: "Grandpa, this is my car. I wonder what I can do for you?"

The old driver pointed to the underwater pontoon bridge which could not be seen clearly at all, and said to the young driver: "Young man, I just asked the commander, and he said that the superior has ordered that in order to avoid exposing the target, no one can turn on the lights when crossing the bridge." .In order for us to cross the river safely, he plans to send a person to lead the way. As long as our car follows that person, we can drive to the opposite bank smoothly. I have been a driver for more than 30 years, and I have more experience than you. Let me drive the first car."

  The reason why the young driver parked the car by the river was because he saw several cars in front of him falling into the river. Seeing those companions who escaped from the cab by chance, he was frightened, fearing that his car would fall into the river and he would not be able to get out. At this moment, hearing that the elderly driver was willing to take his place and was the first to drive across the river, he quickly reached out to hold the other's hand and said excitedly, "Old man, thank you so much..."

   "Grandpa!" The officer standing by the river arranged the manpower and shouted at the old driver: "The guides have been arranged and we can start."

  The elderly driver opened the door, got into the cab, and started the car. The soldiers who were about to follow the wading water onto the underwater pontoon bridge moved towards the opposite bank when they suddenly saw several red bright spots shaking non-stop on the opposite bank, as if someone was sending a signal.

When the officer on duty saw the signal, he was taken aback for a moment, first called to stop the soldier who stepped on the pontoon bridge with a wooden stick, and then shouted at the elderly driver sitting in the first car: "Master, turn on the lights!" , and drive directly to the opposite bank!"

  The old driver thought he heard it wrong, so he quickly opened the door and asked the officer loudly: "Comrade commander, what is going on? I just said that the superior is not allowed to turn on the lights. How can I turn on the lights now?"

   "I don't know what's going on." The officer replied, "Fortunately, all the vehicles on the other side have to turn on their lights. Come on, old man, stop dawdling, and drive quickly!"

  Since the convoy can turn on the lights while driving, the young driver suddenly gained confidence. He hurried to the front car, replaced the old driver, and drove the truck slowly onto the pontoon bridge, heading towards the opposite bank.

  ...

   Soon after the convoy with lights on drove onto the pontoon bridge, it was discovered by the observation post by the river, and immediately reported the situation to Chief of Staff Krylov. When Krylov learned that the convoy had disobeyed his orders and swaggered across the river with its headlights on regardless of the danger of exposing its target, he couldn't help but become angry from embarrassment. He immediately called Lobov and asked straight to the point: "Comrade General, what's going on, who allowed the convoy to turn on the lights when crossing the river, isn't it afraid of exposing the target?"

"It's me, Comrade Chief of Staff. I gave the order." Lobov is a responsible person. He didn't shift the responsibility to anyone, but he admitted: "At the beginning, we also strictly implemented the command. According to the Ministry's order, all convoys crossing the bridge are not allowed to turn on their lights. However, because it was too dark, the drivers never crossed the pontoon bridge, so the first few trucks on the bridge overturned into the river. All supplies sank to the bottom of the water."

   "What about the driver?" After listening to Lobov's report, Krylov was taken aback, and quickly asked, "Are they all out of danger?"

   "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, they all escaped danger." Lobov replied: "There is a patrol boat downstream of the pontoon bridge, and they rescued the drivers who fell into the water."

Knowing that all the drivers who fell into the water were rescued, Krylov was also relieved, and he continued to ask: "General Lobov, if you let the convoy cross the river with lights on, aren't you afraid of being discovered by German spies? "

"Comrade Chief of Staff, there is no other way." Lobov said rather helplessly: "We cannot force trucks to turn on the lights when crossing the river just because we are afraid that German spies will find out that a convoy is crossing the river." , This will cause a large number of vehicles and important materials to sink into the water. As long as the convoy can transport a large amount of weapons, ammunition and materials into the city in a short period of time, we can arm more workers and residents and severely Fight against the Faxi Temple invaders."

   After putting down the phone, Krylov reported to Chuikov what happened on the floating bridge. He finally said: "Comrade commander, I am very worried that there are German spies hidden near the pontoon bridge. If they send signal flares to direct the night planes to carry out bombing, what should we do?"

  But after hearing this, Cuikov acted very calmly, as if he was not at all worried that the enemy would send out night flight planes to bomb the pontoon bridge. He said to Krylov lightly: "Chief of Staff, you can call Sokov and ask him if there is anything he can do."

  Chuikov’s words reminded Krylov that this underwater pontoon bridge was proposed by Sokov, and he must have a good idea of ​​how to deal with the German night planes. He quickly picked up the phone and asked the operator to connect to the division headquarters on Mamayev Post.

Sokov had just arranged for Rezakov and others to rest when he suddenly heard the phone on the table ring. He was worried about what happened to the regiment below, so he quickly grabbed the microphone: "I'm Sokov, where are you?" ?”

   "Colonel Sokov, this is Krylov."

"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov was puzzled when he heard Krylov's voice. Now that it's dark today and the fighting in the city has basically subsided, the chief of staff of the group army called himself to meet him. What's the matter? He hurriedly asked respectfully, "What instructions do you have?"

"It's like this, Colonel Sokov." Considering that Sokov is needed to advise him, Krylov believes that there is no need to hide the fact that the pontoon bridge is open to traffic, so he truthfully said: "The underwater pontoon bridge that has just been repaired will be completed tonight." It's officially open to traffic."

   "Oh, the underwater pontoon bridge is open to traffic?!" Sokov couldn't help being overjoyed when he heard the news, and quickly asked, "I don't know how much supplies the convoy has brought to the city?"

"Colonel Sokov, how many supplies are transported into the city? This is a secret that only the commander of the group army is entitled to know. Don't ask around." Krylov was unwilling to disclose the details of the supplies to Sokov, so he left Opened the topic: "I called you because of another important matter."

   "Please tell me, Comrade Chief of Staff." Although Krylov was unwilling to reveal more useful information to himself, Sokov still said in a friendly manner: "I'm listening."

"According to the command of the headquarters, in order to prevent the convoy from exposing the target when crossing the river, all vehicles are not allowed to turn on their lights." Krylov said with some embarrassment: "As a result, the trucks that got on the bridge first, so they couldn't see Clearing the bridge deck, they all fell into the river. General Lobov, the logistics minister commanding by the river, took the risk to turn on the lights of the cars behind in order to prevent more accidents.”

"General Lobov is right." Sokov agreed with Lobov's approach, "The drivers probably have never driven this kind of underwater pontoon, not to mention the dark night, even if they drive during the day, they are probably afraid. Therefore, it was the most correct thing for them to drive on the pontoon with the lights on."

"You are right. Driving with the lights on can indeed speed up the speed of vehicles crossing the river, but at the same time it also increases the risk of exposure." Krylov said: "We are worried that the German spies lurking on the Volga River will find our convoy. After crossing the river, I will contact the German night flight plane to bomb the pontoon bridge and the convoy on the bridge. Comrade Commander asked me to call you and ask if you have any good solutions."

   Seeing that Krylov made such a big circle, and it turned out that he was looking for his own advice, Sokov really couldn't laugh or cry. But since the superior leader took the initiative to ask himself, if he didn't give an ideal answer, the other party probably wouldn't agree. Fortunately, he, who came from later generations, already had various corresponding countermeasures in mind, so he replied confidently: "Comrade Chief of Staff, this matter is easy to handle. We only need to build an air defense post."

  "Air defense post?!" Hearing this new term, Krylov asked curiously: "Colonel Sokov, can you tell me what it means?"

   "The so-called air defense post is to set up observation posts close to the enemy's position. Once they hear the sound of enemy planes, they will call the police or fire guns, so that they can gain enough warning time for the convoy crossing the river."

"Interesting, this air defense post is really interesting." After listening to Sokov's introduction, Krylov showed a smile on his face. He nodded and said, "Then I will discuss with Comrade Commander and put Anti-aircraft posts are established. If you can really save the convoy from being bombed by the German night planes, you have done a great job."

Sokov has long been immune to Krylov's verbal praise. He is thinking in his heart: Now his troops, except for the downsizing regiment, the rest of the regiments use Soviet-style weapons, which is terrible on the battlefield. There is no way to capture it, and we can only rely on supplies from the rear. Since I have given Krylov such a good idea, can I get more benefits from him?

  Thinking of this, Sokov asked cautiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff, after the convoy transports the supplies into the city, can you add some weapons, ammunition, food and medicine to our division?"

"Huh?!" Krylov asked in surprise: "Colonel Sokov, if I remember correctly, almost all the equipment used by your troops was seized from the Germans, and you never asked your superiors for it." Why, the sun came out from the west today, and you also asked me for equipment?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, that's right. My troops used to use German-style weapons, which can be seized from the battlefield." Sokov didn't know whether Krylov was joking or said these words in a serious manner. Neng laughed and said: "However, the 41st Guards Division that rushed to Mamayev Gang later was equipped with all Soviet-style equipment. I can't go to the enemy to seize this weapon and ammunition. I can only ask you to send us some batch."

Regarding Sokov's request, Krylov seriously considered it for a while, and then said: "Colonel Sokov, our logistics department has rented a batch of underground warehouses at the Red October Factory to store goods that are transported into the city. Ammunition and supplies. When General Lobov returns, I will ask him to distribute a batch of ammunition and supplies to you."

As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he said excitedly to Ivanov who was still sitting on the left: "Comrade deputy division commander, I have some good news for you. I just talked with Chief of Staff Krylov. After the materials from the shore are transported into the city, give us a priority to replenish a batch of ammunition and supplies. In this way, our troops will not have to worry about running out of ammunition and food."

Ivanov thought that the supplies mentioned by Sokov were transported into the city by sailors through ships, so he hurriedly said to Sokov: "In the past, after the ammunition and supplies were brought from the other side, the logistics department of the group army had to fight I called the troops and told them to go and collect them. But recently, I found that the situation has changed. Each division and brigade has a special manpower at the ferry. The ammunition and supplies were quickly transported to the forward position. You see, how many people should I send to the ferry to wait for the ammunition and supplies to be transported?"

"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you don't need to go to the ferry. All the ammunition and materials that the superiors want to distribute to us are there." Sokov waited for Ivanov to finish speaking, and then continued: "The materials transported into the city by the convoy, It will be stored in the underground warehouse of the Red October factory, which is very close to our defense zone and is very convenient to carry."

  (end of this chapter)