Chapter 2759
Who knew that after counting the number of people, it was found that Sergeant Zub was missing. Sokov immediately asked angrily: "Damn it, where did Sergeant Zub go? Shouldn't the second group of soldiers led by him have arrived here long ago?"
Seeing Sokov angry, Chul smiled and explained: "Comrade Captain, I'm sorry, I didn't see Sergeant Zub. Maybe he was unfortunately injured when the Germans fired machine guns, and he fell behind."
"That's impossible." Sokov shook his head and said: "When I ordered to pass through the open area quickly, I saw him. There was no sign of injury at all."
"Lieutenant Konstantin," Sokov called Konstantin in front of him and told him with a stern face: "You take people to find Sergeant Zub immediately. I want to see him alive or dead. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Comrade Captain." Konstantin quickly answered loudly: "I will take people to find him now."
"What's the matter?" At this time, Vlasov and Colonel Del came over, Curiously asked: "What happened here?"
"A soldier is missing." Sokov quickly replied: "I have arranged people to look for him."
When Vlasov learned that a soldier was missing, he did not say anything, but Colonel Del looked at his watch and said anxiously: "Captain Sokov, the gunshots just now may have alarmed the nearby enemies. If we don't move quickly, we may be entangled by the enemy."
Just as Sokov was thinking about how to reply to Colonel Del, Vlasov said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the enemy hasn't come yet. If we lose our soldiers, he may fall into the hands of the enemy. If he is a strong soldier, the enemy will definitely not be able to ask anything from him; but what if he is timid? The whereabouts of all of us may be leaked by him."
Vlasov's words not only surprised Colonel Del, but also scared Sokov into a cold sweat. He thought to himself, yes, if Sergeant Zub was not found, the troops would just leave, and maybe the other side would fall into the hands of the Germans. If Sergeant Zub could not stand the torture of the Germans and gave out the whereabouts of Vlasov and others, the enemy might mobilize people to hunt them down, and it would be difficult to escape.
Considering this, Sokov was more determined to find Sergeant Zub. He called Chulsin to him and told him: "Chursin, take a few people to assist Lieutenant Constantine and others to find the whereabouts of Sergeant Zub."
Not long after Chulsin's group was sent out, a soldier ran over and excitedly reported to Sokov: "Comrade Captain, we found Sergeant Zub."
"Where is he?" Sokov asked impatiently.
"Here." The soldier raised his chin to the back: "Isn't he coming here?"
Sokov looked over along the soldier's line of sight and saw Sergeant Zub. He saw that the other party was carrying an mg34 machine gun on his shoulder, with several bullet belts wrapped around his body, and was running towards his position with excitement on his face.
"Sergeant Zub," seeing Zub coming, Sokov asked with a stern face: "Where have you been and why did you fall behind?"
"Comrade Captain, look." Zub raised his hand and patted the mg3 machine gun on his shoulder, and said excitedly: "I took down the machine gun that the Germans mounted on the motorcycle sidecar. Maybe it can be used in the next march."
Finding out that the other party fell behind was to dismantle the machine gun on the motorcycle sidecar, Sokov swallowed back many of his reproachful words: "Why didn't you say hello to me? I thought you had an accident and sent two groups of people to find your whereabouts."
"I'm sorry, Comrade Captain, I didn't think it through. I won't make similar mistakes again in the future." After admitting his mistake, Sergeant Zub took off a shoulder bag from his shoulder and said excitedly: "Comrade Captain, look, I also found this."
Sokof took the shoulder bag, opened it, and saw an envelope and a folded map inside.
He took out the envelope, opened it, looked at the contents, and reported to Vlasov: "Comrade Commander, the two German soldiers we just killed should be the signalmen delivering the letter. This is an order from the German division headquarters to the troops below, asking them to launch a search to prevent our scattered troops from jumping out of their encirclement."
"I expected it a long time ago." Vlasov nodded and said: "Although the Germans have occupied Kiev, they are not reconciled. They want to annihilate the entire Southwestern Front to reduce the threat they face when attacking Moscow."
Colonel Del took out the map from his satchel and unfolded it, with surprise on his face: "Comrade Commander, look, there is actually a map of the Ukrainian region. Now we don't have to worry about getting lost in the forest."
Vlasov hurried over and asked eagerly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, can you see where we are now?"
Colonel Del carefully looked at the map in his hand. Although the ground on it was marked in German, it had no effect on a senior staff officer. Soon he pointed to a place and said to Vlasov: "Comrade Commander, if I am not mistaken, we have now reached the Lokhvitsa region, not far from Romny."
"Great, this is great." After figuring out his location, Vlasov also became excited: "As long as we know our current approximate location, we don't have to worry about getting lost in this damn forest. ”
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Colonel Del nodded and said, "Although we don't have a compass, we rely on those soldiers with experience in jungle life to lead the way. I believe it won't be long before we can walk out of this forest and enter Luo. Mne area.”
Hearing Colonel Del say that he was about to enter the Romney area, Vlasov had a melancholy look on his face. Military Commissar Nikolsky, who had just walked over, saw this and couldn't help but ask: "Comrade Commander, what are you worried about? Are you afraid that the enemy has occupied the Romney area?"
Vlasov looked up at Nikolsky, nodded slowly, and said in a serious tone: "Comrade Military Commissar, you are right, I am worried that Romney has fallen into the hands of the Germans. To We know that the troops attacking Kiev this time were not only troops from the German Army Group South in the west, but also troops from the German Army Group Center in the north. Our Southwest Front Army was attacked from two sides by the enemy, so Romney fell. It’s entirely possible.”
"Then what should we do?" Colonel Del asked Vlasov for instructions: "Send someone to conduct reconnaissance in the Romney area?"
"I don't think it's appropriate." Vlasov rejected Colonel Del's proposal without hesitation: "You know, we are constantly marching in the forest. Even if we send out a reconnaissance team, they may not be able to find our traces when they return. So it would be unwise to send out a reconnaissance team."
"What should we do?" Seeing that Vlasov rejected his proposal, Colonel Del's face was full of anxiety.
"Comrade Commander, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov stepped forward and reminded them: "When we left this time, didn't we still take a radio with us? We might as well contact our superiors to see if they can provide us with it. Useful information.”
"The front headquarters has been annihilated by the Germans, and the rest of the troops have also been dispersed." After hearing this, Colonel Del shook his head and said, "Who should we contact?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov replied: "Although the Front Army Headquarters has been annihilated by the Germans under enemy attacks. But I guess that the Supreme Command will definitely not ignore the Southwest Front Army. I believe they will soon. Establish a new headquarters and appoint respected commanders to re-command this force."
Vlasov took out a cigarette from the cigarette case he took out, handed it to Sokov, and took one himself.
Sokov wants to give him some.
Vlasov did not let it go, but lit the match himself.
"Captain Sokov, do you mean to let us contact the new front headquarters?"
"Yes." Sokov nodded and said: "The best way to safely return to our defense area is to get in touch with the front army headquarters and confirm the areas controlled by both the enemy and ourselves, so that we can jump out by the way. Encirclement.”
Vlasov took two puffs of cigarette, threw it on the ground, and then ordered Colonel Del: "Chief of Staff, ask the communications staff to contact the front army headquarters."
Ten minutes later, the radio station with its antenna set up began to send telegrams to the front headquarters.
Soon, the New Front Army Headquarters received a radio signal from the 37th Group Army.
A staff officer handed the just-received telegram to the chief of staff, "Comrade Chief of Staff, this is the radio call we just received. After repeated confirmation by us, it is the radio station of General Vlasov's 37th Group Army."
Timoshenko, who was talking to Khrushchev, heard the voice of his staff and immediately stopped talking and came over and asked: "What did you say? You received Vlasov's radio signal. Is this true? ?”
"Yes, Comrade Marshal." The staff officer quickly and respectfully reported to Timoshenko: "We have repeatedly confirmed that the radio signal is indeed from General Vlasov's headquarters."
“Ask them where they are today.”
"Wait a minute." Khrushchev came over and said to his staff: "Send them a telegram and ask them what their communication code is." In order to dispel Timoshenko's doubts, he also took the initiative to explain: "Marshal Comrade, the 37th Army no longer exists. Now a radio station belonging to the Army suddenly appears. Don’t you think it’s suspicious?”
Upon hearing this, Timoshenko felt that what Khrushchev said was very reasonable, and he could not rule out that the enemy would use the captured radio station to make a fuss. He quickly ordered his staff: "As Comrade Military Commissioner said, send them a telegram and ask them to report the communication code."
A few minutes later, the communications staff came over again to report: "Comrade Marshal, the other party has sent the communication code. After repeated verification, it can be confirmed that it is indeed the radio station belonging to the 37th Group Army."
The staff officer's words made both Timoshenko and Khrushchev heave a sigh of relief: "God bless, we have finally made contact with them."
Timoshenko pointed his hand at the staff officer and ordered him: "Send a telegram to Vlasov immediately and ask for their location."
After the staff left, Timoshenko rubbed his hands excitedly and said repeatedly: "Great, this is great. With the whereabouts of General Vlasov, I won't have to wait until Comrade Stalin asks about it." Worried."
"Comrade Marshal, don't be too happy too soon." Khrushchev reminded Timoshenko: "At present, we can only prove that the radio station that contacted us belongs to the 37th Army Headquarters. But Vlasov Whether General Vlasov will follow this radio station is still unknown. Even if General Vlasov does follow this radio station, whether they can escape from the German encirclement is also a headache. "
Timoshenko scratched his bald head and said irritably: "Comrade Military Commissar, you are right. What we can confirm so far is that this radio station belongs to the 37th Army Headquarters and whether Vlasov is still alive. , is still an unknown number." After saying this, he turned his head and looked at the location of the radio station, wanting to see if the communications consultant had received a call back from the other party.
"Comrade Marshal, don't be anxious." Seeing Timoshenko's confused look, Khrushchev comforted him and said, "I'm afraid it will take a while before we receive a call back from him. Let's study it now. If Rasov is really following this radio station, what measures should we take to rescue him from the German encirclement.”
Timoshenko looked at Khrushchev and asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you have any good ideas?"
"In addition to letting the forward troops respond, there is another way." Khrushchev said: "That is to find the exact location of Vlasov, and then send a plane to pick him out."
Upon hearing Khrushchev's proposal, Timoshenko showed a thoughtful expression on his face: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you think that if I send a plane to pick up Vlasov, will he leave with the plane? You know, Peter Lavsky refused to leave the encirclement on the plane I sent, and he died in the breakout operation. "
Khrushchev understood that the Petravsky whom Timoshenko was talking about was the commander of the 63rd Infantry Corps. Because he had achieved good results in Belarus and recovered many cities occupied by the German army, he was promoted from colonel to colonel by Stalin. Lieutenant General. Later, the unit was encircled by the German army. In order to protect Petravski, Timoshenko, then commander of the Western Front, and Zhukov, the representative of the base camp, decided to appoint Petravski as the commander of the 22nd Army and sent The plane went to pick him up.
Unexpectedly, after receiving the order, Petravsky did not evacuate with the plane sent by Timoshenko. He only asked the health workers to take some seriously injured people and leave the German encirclement by plane. However, he himself picked up his rifle and led his commanders and soldiers to break through. Unfortunately, he was shot and died during the battle.
When Khrushchev heard Timoshenko mention Petravsky, he couldn't help sighing and said: "We have already sacrificed one General Petravsky, and we cannot sacrifice another General Vlasov. This is our army." A huge loss. If Vlasov’s location is confirmed, a plane must be sent to pick him up. In order to prevent him from being unwilling to retreat with the plane, it is best for an important commander to go and persuade him.”