After returning the headphones and the sender to the communications trooper, I said to the fat Lieutenant Colonel standing next to me: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the newly formed regiment has cleared the enemies in the west and south of the city. Except for leaving a company outside the city to monitor the movements of the German army, the rest of the troops have turned east to attack the German army that blocked the 201st Regiment's way forward."

As soon as I finished speaking, Baksov, who had a grim face, immediately ordered the fat Lieutenant Colonel: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, once our troops recover Butowo, you should set up the command center in the city. Remember, you must seize the time to build more fortifications. This time, Bhutov fell because we lacked strong fortifications. As a result, we were bombarded by German planes and bombarded with cannons. Our troops on the position were knocked out and turned dizzy."

The fat lieutenant colonel quickly straightened his body and assured Baksov and me: "Commander, division commander, please rest assured that our 201st Regiment can definitely keep the Germans firmly outside the city within the specified time."

Seeing the fat Lieutenant Colonel's serious look, I couldn't help laughing, and then comforted him, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, don't be nervous, I will leave the newly formed regiment in the city and cooperate with your troops to fight. Although this regiment has just been formed, the regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel Sergeikov has participated in the Stalingrad defense battle and the Kiev defense battle, and has rich experience in street fighting. With his help, your chances of defending the city will be greatly improved."

When the fat Lieutenant Colonel listened to me, he kept nodding his head, expressing his agreement with my statement. At this moment, a telephone set on the wooden table rang. Baksov grabbed the microphone and put it in his ear, and said loudly: "Hey, I am Baksov, where are you?"

After listening for a while, he handed the microphone to me and said, "Comrade Commander, it's your phone number."

"My phone?" As I took the phone from him, I asked casually: "Who is looking for me?"

Baksov quickly whispered: "The phone was called by the deputy commander. He seemed to be very anxious when he heard his tone. It seemed that there was something important to find you."

I guess Danilov was so anxious to find me. It must have been Vatujing who called the Group Army Command to ask if he had recovered Butowo. So before the other party could speak, I said first: "Hey, comrade, the 67th Guards Division and the newly formed regiment are currently fighting. It is estimated that it will not take long to recover Butowo."

Danilov heard my voice and was silent for a while before answering: "Comrade Commander. I am not looking for you about Butowo, but there is another important thing to look for you."

When I heard that there was something important, I couldn't help but become nervous. If even Danilov could not handle it on the spot, it would have been a very serious matter, so I asked tremblingly: "What's the matter?"

"Comrade Commander, the current situation is very bad, and our first line of defense is in danger." Danilov said in a serious tone: "Although the 51st Guard Division stubbornly blocked the German attack, the No. 2 and No. 3 positions in the division's defense zone were all lost, and the main force of the division has shrunk to No. 1 position and is ready to continue to deal with the German army there."

Danilov's words surprised me. I thought that after giving up several irrelevant defensive positions, the German army would drive straight through these gaps and had no time to take care of our important defensive support points, but I didn't expect that they did not act according to my plan and actually seized two important defensive positions in the defense zone of the 51st Guard Division. Thinking of this, I asked nervously: "Has the tunnels on the Highlands No. 2 and No. 3 have been occupied by the German army?" I was worried that after the German army discovered the tunnel, they would develop a way to deal with the tunnels at the latest time. Then, the role we built on the highlands in various places would be greatly reduced.

"As far as I know," said Danilov a little hesitantly: "On the two lost high grounds, our soldiers were still holding on to the tunnels, and the Germans only occupied surface positions."

I heard Danilov say this and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, then said easily: "It turns out that the tunnel is still in the hands of our army, so I'm relieved. Deputy Commander, I believe that the commanders and fighters who are standing in the tunnel will definitely support our army's counterattack."

"But the German army occupied the surface position. As long as we sealed a few tunnel entrances, our commanders and fighters inside would be in danger." Although Danilov heard what I said, he still said with concern: "Or what, I will ask General Tavalt Kiraze to call him and order the troops in the tunnel to break through overnight?"

"No, no need to break through, my deputy commander." I was afraid that he would be impulsive and really give such an order to the 51st Division of the Guards, and quickly stopped him and said: "As long as our soldiers still stick to the tunnel, the German army would be carrying a big defense burden. In order to prevent us from tracing their retreat, they would inevitably leave enough troops on the high ground as a warning. In this way, the troops they can use to attack the second line of defense will be greatly reduced."

Danilov heard my words convincingly, but he did not refute. He then said: "In addition, the defense zone of the 52nd Guards Division was also attacked by the German army. In order to strengthen their defense, I have sent them the newly arrived 96th Tank Brigade."

"The 96th Tank Brigade?" I did not blame Danilov for his unauthorized mobilization of troops without asking for instructions, but just asked lightly: "Didn't they be attacked by German air forces during their march?"

"The air strike did not encounter it, but they had just entered the defense zone of the 52nd Guards Division and encountered an armoured squad of the German army. After a battle, they destroyed eleven German tanks, and our side had no other losses except for the track of one tank being interrupted." Speaking of this, he suddenly said mysteriously: "Comrade Commander, guess which German unit was attacking the 52nd Guards Division?"

"Skeleton Division?!" I said the number of this German army without thinking, but at the same time I was shocked. I didn't expect that an ace team like the Skeleton Division appeared in the troops attacking the defense line of our army. The next battle would be more cruel than I thought.

"That's right, it's the Skeleton Division." After confirming my guess, Danilov said solemnly: "Comrade Commander, the combat effectiveness of the Skeleton Division is far superior to that of us. I have no confidence in the 52nd Guard Division defending the position. Do you see if you draw a division from our reserve team and go to support the 52nd Guard Division?"

"No, I will definitely not, my deputy commander." I refused Danilov's proposal without thinking. I explained to him: "You also know that our defense is too wide, and no one can predict which area the German army will break through. If the limited forces are equally distributed behind the long defense line, then the overall defense will appear weak. Once the fight starts, there will be a danger of being defeated by the German army. Although the German army currently occupies two of our positions, they will inevitably divide their troops to defend for the safety of the rear. Faced with the weakened Germans, I believe that the strength of the second line of defense is enough to crush all their offensive attempts."

"But I think a commander of the group army should be in charge of the 52nd Guards Division, so that it can strengthen the confidence of the guards soldiers in fighting the German attack." After saying his thoughts, Danilov volunteered to me: "Comrade Commander, why not do this? You go back to the group army headquarters to take charge of the overall situation, and I will go to the 52nd Guards Division and command the troops with Colonel Nekrasov."

After a little thought about Danilov's proposal, I decisively refused. I said clearly: "According to your proposal, we both have to pass through areas where there are German troops. It is too dangerous to do so. Whether you or me, if there is any accident, the troops will fall into chaos."

After hearing this, Danilov said with a wry smile: "Comrade Commander, since you have such a thorough view of the problem, I will stay in the headquarters to handle the internal affairs of the group army on your behalf."

After putting down the phone, I said goodbye to Baksov: "Comrade Colonel. I'm going to another defense zone soon. If you have any difficulties, I might as well bring them up together while I'm here."

Baksov thought for a while and then shook his head and said, "Report to Comrade Commander, although we are facing many problems now, please rest assured that you will firmly defend Bhuttovo within the specified time limit."

After leaving the defense zone of the 67th Guard Division, the jeep we were riding in drove towards the 52nd Guard Division. On the way, Bukov asked cautiously: "Comrade Commander, are we not going back to the headquarters?"

I shook my head and replied, "Really speaking, after the matter here is over, we should go directly to the Army Command. However, the defense zone of the 51st Guard Division has been occupied by the German army, and the situation of the 52nd Guard Division is also very bad. Let's hurry over now so that the commanders and fighters there can be confident to continue fighting."

As soon as I said this, a scream suddenly came from the air. Almost at the same time, the jeep suddenly turned sharply to the left. If I hadn't grabbed the handle in time, I would have probably been thrown out of the car by huge inertia. Then I heard a shocking explosion not far away from me, and the carport was pounding by the soil falling from the air.

"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!!" Bukov, who reacted, screamed repeatedly, "Drive the car away quickly and don't stay here, otherwise we will be blown into powder by shells."

As soon as the driver stepped on the accelerator, the jeep we were riding rushed forward quickly. With his superb skills, he cleverly avoided the German bombardment again and again, and came to the defense area of ​​the 52nd Division of the Guards without any danger.

As soon as I walked into the headquarters of the 52nd Division of the Guards, listening to the sound of gunfires from outside, I asked Nekrasov straight to the point: "Comrade Colonel, what's going on outside? Is the German offensive still continuing?"

Nekrasov shook his head and said slowly: "We have repelled the German attack, but our casualties are also serious. If our engineers had not taken the risk of laying mines in front of the No. 4 position, the No. 4 position would have fallen back into the hands of the Germans."

"Where is the brigade commander of the 96th Tank Brigade?" I asked.

"The Tank Brigade took decisive attack, destroyed several German targets, and returned to the fortifications behind our defense zone to rest so that when there was anything, they could attack quickly." After reporting to me about the Tank Brigade's situation, Nekrasov also asked me: "Comrade Commander, can you replenish some troops? You must know that after fighting with the Germans for a day today, my troops suffered heavy casualties..."

Before he could finish speaking, I raised my hand and interrupted the words behind him, saying bluntly: "Replenish the troops, within a week, don't even think about it. We should use these troops in more important defensive areas."

Nekrasov asked with a gloomy face: "Comrade Commander, isn't the battle here intense enough?"

"Comrade Colonel," I said dissatisfiedly, seeing that he was a little stubborn, "The battle has just begun now, and there are many big and bad battles to fight next. If the reserve team is put into battle too early, then when we really need people, there will be no force to use."

I did not get into this issue with him anymore, but changed the topic and asked: "Comrade Colonel, have you made the enemy number on the opposite side clear? Are you sure it is a Skeleton Division?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Hearing my question, Nekrasov answered affirmatively: "We not only interrogated the captured German officers and soldiers, but also inspected the bodies left by the German army on the battlefield. It soon became clear that the German troops attacking us were the SS's Skeleton Division, one of the three main forces."

"How is the situation in the No. 5 and No. 6 position?" I asked, "With their strength, can we defend these high grounds?"

"Comrade Commander, I promise you that we will firmly hold the positions and will never let them fall into the hands of the German army." Nekrasov said to me with a serious expression: "And I heard that the previous commander of the Skeleton Division died at the hands of the troops you commanded. I hope I can have the honor of killing the second commander of the Skeleton Division."

From Nekrasov's words, I heard his confidence, so I happily said to him: "Comrade Colonel, since we can kill the first division commander of the Skeleton Division, we also have the ability to kill its second division commander. You can convey this to each commander and fighter through political workers at all levels to enhance their confidence in victory."

My words made Nekrasov a little uneasy. He looked around and saw that his other subordinates were a distance away from us and were all busy with their own work. He didn't notice us, and asked in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, do you really think we can defeat the German Skeleton Division?" (~^~)
Chapter completed!