Chapter 521: Forward, Tanks!

At noon on October 24, at the assembly area of ​​the 51st Tank Army on the east bank of the Valdai River, Army Commander Korodov paced back and forth anxiously.

The liaison officer of the engineering corps comforted him: "We will definitely build the pontoon bridge before the specified time, so please be patient."

"I know you can. But I hope to cross the bridge earlier! The anti-tank and tank troops of the Proson people are very elite. If we go there earlier to launch an attack, we can catch them off guard! When they react and concentrate their tank troops to counterattack, we will... we will!"

Korodov shook his hand vigorously: "In any case, it must be earlier!"

He didn't finish his words after all.

In fact, all the tank officers present knew what the next sentence would be: We will be eliminated by the Proson tankers.

The war has been going on for more than a year, and the Ante tankers have accepted that they will be beaten by a huge exchange ratio when they encounter the Proson tank troops.

They still chose to drive tanks that no longer have any armored advantages to the battlefield even though they knew this.

Before the enemy's anti-tank and tank units react, the most important task of the Ante tank unit is to kill as many Proson infantrymen who lack anti-tank means as possible.

That's why Korodov is so anxious. He knows that the sooner he crosses the river, the more time he will have before the enemy's armored units react.

He continued to pace back and forth in front of the command vehicle, and his boots were already covered with mud.

Next to him was a large group marching towards Abavahan, mainly various auxiliary personnel, hired workers, nurses, etc., and the precious transportation capacity was all used to transport soldiers.

Just as Korodov turned around and started to walk this short distance again for the umpteenth time, a group of nurses just passed by.

Of course, they were not the experienced nurses who had trained countless young men in the hail of bullets. That kind of nurse should be in short supply on the front line, and they could be assigned a sealed car on the train.

These nurses seemed to have just finished their nursing training, and their young faces were full of fatigue, as if they would lose the ability to walk instantly if they threw away the crutches they were leaning on.

Korodov glanced at the nurses and suddenly sighed: "Aren't these all little girls? Even they are going to the battlefield?"

The tired girls raised their heads when they heard the voice, but no one answered Korodov.

At this time, a question came from the back of the nurses' line: "Lieutenant General Davarish, your tank soldiers are also a group of young boys."

Korodov looked in the direction of the voice and saw a white-haired woman with a priest's cloak, who might be the nanny following the girls.

But this nanny looked a little familiar. Combined with the gold star on her body, it was probably the photo of her receiving the medal in the newspaper - Korodov thought so.

"My soldiers look young," Korodov said, "but they have been baptized by the fire of war."

White-haired nanny: "The girls have also been baptized by the fire of war. The day after we came out of Yebao, they lost their best friends and sisters in the air raid. They were scared, but still decided to come to the front. Their courage is no less than your boy, Lieutenant General Davarich."

Korodov touched his cheek: "You priests are good at this. I can't argue with you, but it is true that my speech just now was inappropriate."

White-haired nanny nodded: "I think the girls will accept your apology, Lieutenant General Davarich."

She looked at the engineering troops who were building the bridge and asked: "Are you going to cross the river here?"

"Yes, the naval infantry controlled the beachhead on the other side. We will go over after the engineers' pontoon bridge is built. It is said that the engineers are using the pontoon bridge supported by the United States, which can withstand the weight of T34." Korodov introduced.

The white-haired nanny was silent for a few seconds before turning her head and saying to the nurses: "Girls, stand still."

The nurses who were still moving slowly stopped and looked at the white-haired nanny in confusion.

"Mammy": "Girls, take a break, just in time to watch these soldiers cross the river."

A girl asked puzzledly: "Why? Just crossing the river..."

The nanny interrupted the girl: "A considerable number of them can't come back. A considerable number. So I want to watch them cross the river, and you can also take a break. Is that okay, nanny?"

At this time, the real leader of the nurses, the wrinkled nanny appeared: "Of course, Ms. Vasilyevna."

Korodov suddenly gasped: "You are Ms. Lyudmila Vasilyevna Rokossov! You are the general's wife!"

"To be precise, it's a fiancée. We are just engaged and have a child, but the formal wedding has not yet been held, but His Majesty Belinsky seems to think this is not a problem." Lyudmila corrected with a smile.

Korodov was about to say something, but suddenly he saw his tanker leaning against the tank turret in a careless manner, drinking from a flat wine flask. He turned his head and scolded: "What are you talking about! You are going to fight soon! Be serious!"

The tanker was startled and dropped the wine flask, which bounced on the tank body and the vodka spilled in an arc.

Lyudmila caught the wine flask and handed it to the tanker with her hand raised: "Take it, drink less to keep your mind clear, and don't drive the tank into the river."

The tanker smiled: "I am the commander and gunner, not the driver."

Lyudmila was a little surprised: "Your tank is still a two-person turret? Isn't it said that this kind of tank has low combat efficiency?"

Korodov looked embarrassed: "We don't have many T34Ws."

Lyudmila's expression became more complicated.

At this time, the liaison officer of the engineering corps ran over to salute Korodov: "General, the engineering corps has repaired the bridge and will conduct a traffic test soon. As long as the T34 under test can pass, we can pass."

"Okay, I'll come right away." Korodov said, and asked Lyudmila, "Will you come to watch the test together?"

Lyudmila shook her head slightly: "I'm here, just watch you drive in. Don't worry about me, Lieutenant General Davarich."

Korodov nodded and made a "lead the way" gesture to the engineering liaison officer.

A moment later, Korodov arrived at the river, and the T34 under test drove onto the pontoon bridge. The pontoon bridge provided by the United States sank a lot at once, but it still bore the weight of the T34.

The tank was not driving fast and gradually drove to the other side.

The navy ships had already sailed downstream in advance, and the sailors gathered on the deck to watch the test.

When the tank reached the other side, a flare was launched.

Korodov clenched his fist and shouted, "Good!"

He turned back and said to the messenger, "The whole army crosses the river! Pay attention to reducing speed, keep the distance between vehicles, and ensure that there is only one tank on each section of the pontoon at the same time! Whoever makes a mistake and causes any trouble on the pontoon will be punished by military law!"

"Yes!"

Soon, Korodov's order was executed - the 51st Tank Army was ready to cross the river, and the formation was specially arranged for crossing the river. The tankers also assigned the order of crossing the river.

A few minutes after the order was issued, the first tank drove onto the pontoon.

Korodov has been standing next to the pontoon, watching his soldiers rush to the battlefield.

When the first T34 regiment had completely left, he turned back to his command tank and saluted Mrs. Rokosov: "I'm leaving too, ma'am."

Lyudmila saluted back and said: "You are a lieutenant general, I should salute you. I really want to wish you a happy hunting, but... I still wish you a victorious return."

"Return." Korodov smiled, "Speaking of which, Abavahan has a tradition recently. The commander will invite officers who are going to the front to dinner. Unfortunately, as an old subordinate of the general, I don't have this benefit."

Lyudmila: "I only have a little dry food here. But Nellie brought coffee, how about you drink some before you go?"

Korodov shook his head: "No, maybe I'll have better luck if I don't eat. It takes a lot of luck to win against the Proson tank troops with a two-man turret T34."

After that, he climbed onto the tank, got into the turret, took off the general's big hat, put on a tank leather hat with anti-collision strips, and put on headphones.

He looked at Lyudmila for the last time and nodded gently.

Then he pressed the microphone on his throat and shouted: "Tanks, move forward!"

He commanded the tank to rush forward, and then gradually accelerated. The click of the gearbox gears and the roar of the engine covered the sound of the rain.

————

Lyudmila stood there and watched Korodov go away.

At this time, Nellie came over with a coffee can: "Madam? I brought the coffee."

"They don't need it." Lyudmila said softly, and continued to watch the young tankers drive the tank towards the pontoon bridge.

Nellie also watched them go, and suddenly said: "Their hearts are calling them to go to the turbulent distance."

Lyudmila: "Yes."

After that, she hummed softly: "Listen to the roar of the wind and snow, watch the meteors flying~"

At this time, one of the nurses said: "Shouldn't we sing Katyusha at this time?"

Lyudmila looked at her: "Katyusha?"

The freckle-faced young girl nodded: "Yes, you see, we are standing on the river bank."

Lyudmila widened her eyes, looked at the Valdai River, and then laughed: "Yes, we are standing on the river bank. Come, let's sing together."

As she said, she started: "Just when the pear blossoms are blooming all over the sky, the river is floating with soft gauze..."

The girls sang together: "Katyusha stands on the steep bank, and her singing is like the bright spring light."

The singing made the soldiers on the tanks turn their heads and look at these same young girls.

"Hey!" a young man shouted, "Are we the ones you sing about your love? But we didn't write you love letters?"

A girl shouted, "I am Tanya from the third supplementary nurse group of the field hospital! Write to me!"

"Tania! I remember!" The young man who got the girl's name waved his hand excitedly.

Lyudmila just looked at him and her tenderly.