red moscow

Chapter 2776 Liaison Officer

In the dead of night, a military train loaded with troops and technical equipment slowly pulled into the Mtsensk railway station.

Sokov, who was standing on the platform with Potapov, saw several commanders wearing wide-brimmed hats and military coats get off one of the carriages after the military train stopped. After they got off the train, the soldiers who were waiting there immediately led them to Potapov.

When Katukov saw clearly that the person in front of him was Potapov, his face was filled with shock: "Comrade Commander, why are you here?"

"Why can't I be here?"

"I saw a leaflet the Germans dropped on our army's position some time ago, saying that you had become their prisoner."

"Colonel Katukov," Sokov saw Potapov's face change drastically, knowing that this was what he hated the most, he stepped forward and spoke to help him out: "Those are just fake leaflets forged by the Germans to undermine the morale of our army. Now General Potapov has been appointed by the Supreme Command as the commander of the 1st Guards Army, responsible for commanding the troops to defend the Mtsensk area."

After figuring out Potapov's identity, Katukov stood at attention and saluted him: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Katukov, the commander of the 4th Independent Tank Brigade, reports to you that our brigade has been ordered to come to Mtsensk to carry out combat missions. Now the first echelon has arrived successfully. Please give your instructions!"

"The first echelon?" After hearing what Katukov said, Potapov couldn't help but ask curiously: "Colonel Katukov, so your brigade also has a second and third echelon?"

Katukov grinned and explained, "Comrade Commander, our brigade has only two echelons. The first echelon is a fully-organized motorized infantry battalion, an anti-tank artillery battalion, and the 34th mixed battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the second echelon is the 4th Tank Regiment, a 37mm anti-aircraft artillery regiment, an 85mm anti-aircraft artillery battalion, and an airborne battalion. The first echelon has arrived with me now, and the second echelon is still on the way and will arrive here as early as tomorrow afternoon."

"From the intelligence we have, we are about to face Guderian's armored forces." Potapov looked at the tanks fixed on the flatbed truck and asked with a frown: "Colonel Katukov, how many tanks did you bring?"

"Sixteen, Comrade Commander."

"16 vehicles is a little too few, but it's better than nothing."

"The brigade has a total of 45 tanks, most of which are old tanks." Katukov continued to report: "The 4th Tank Regiment is equipped with 29 tanks. When they arrive, we will have enough strength to counter the German armored forces."

It takes time to assemble the troops and unload the tanks. Potapov took the opportunity to introduce Lieutenant Colonel Gu Xin beside him to Katukov: "This is Lieutenant Colonel Gu Xin, the commander of the 36th Motorized Regiment. In the coming days, his troops will fight shoulder to shoulder with you."

"Hello, Colonel Katukov." Gu Xin shook Katukov's hand and said with a smile, "I heard that on the day the war broke out, you had just finished surgery and had a high fever of 40 degrees, but you participated in the defensive operations in Lutsk, Dubno, and Korosten. You are an able and proactive combat organizer, good at organizing tank battles with superior enemy forces."

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Katukov said with a smile after hearing Guxin's praise, "you are really too kind. I am just fulfilling my duty as a soldier."

"This is not the place to talk. Let's go to the stationmaster's office first."

Potapov and his party came to the stationmaster's office.

When the stationmaster saw a group of officers coming in from outside, he immediately realized that they might want to use his office, so he quickly stood up and said to Potapov: "Comrade General, I think you want to use this office. I will make room for you right away."

After the stationmaster left, a staff officer spread the map on the table, and Sokov also took the opportunity to lock the door to prevent anyone from coming in to disturb them.

"Colonel Katukov," Potapov said to Katukov, "Colonel Gushin's 36th Motorized Regiment and the defenders in the city, as well as the comrades from the Tula Artillery School, have already built a defense line west of Mtsensk. In other words, if your brigade's defense line is built far away from the city, it will form a certain defensive depth. What do you think?"

Hearing Potapov's words, Katukov did not show any annoyance on his face. Instead, he took the initiative to tell Potapov: "I think Orel may have fallen into the hands of the Germans, so I plan to move the defense line as close to the city as possible and block the German army along both sides of the road from Orel to Tula."

Potapov stared at the map for a while, then nodded slowly and said approvingly: "Colonel Katukov, you have thought it through very carefully. If your brigade's defense line is deployed near Orel, our defense depth will be as long as dozens of kilometers, enough to delay the enemy for a considerable period of time."

After Potapov finished speaking, Gu Xin said with a complicated expression: "Comrade Commander, if the Independent Tank Brigade is deployed near Orel, it will be too far from our existing defense line. If the Germans go around behind them, the tank brigade will be in danger of being surrounded."

"It's okay, Lieutenant Colonel Gu Xin." Unexpectedly, Katukov smiled and said, "We are a tank brigade, and we are more mobile. Even if the Germans go around to the rear, our tanks can tear open their blockade as soon as they attack."

"Katukov, once the unloading is complete, you will set off overnight," Potapov said to Katukov, "Try to reach the designated area as early as possible so that you will have enough time to build a new line of defense."

"No problem, Comrade Commander." Katukov remembered something important and asked Potapov: "How can we contact the military headquarters?"

"Captain Sokov." After Katukov finished speaking, Potapov turned around and called Sokov to his side, and began to assign him a task: "You will take two signalmen and a radio, and follow Katukov's tank brigade as a liaison officer. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Sokov was very happy to see Potapov arranged for him to follow Katukov's tank brigade. In this way, he could see with his own eyes how Katukov became a god in the Battle of Mtsensk.

Sokov wanted to follow Katukov's troops, but Katukov was unwilling to take Sokov with him. According to his previous experience, these officers from the headquarters had no skills and only knew how to give random orders, making the troops a mess.

"Comrade Commander," Katukov said awkwardly, "I don't think it's necessary to set up any liaison officers. We have ways to keep in touch with the military at all times."

Hearing what Katukov said, Potapov turned to Sokov and said, "Captain Sokov, it seems that Colonel Katukov doesn't want you to serve as a liaison officer and follow him. What do you think?"

Sokov knew that the battle of Mtsensk was a good opportunity for him to gain experience points, so he was naturally unwilling to give up easily. He quickly said, "I ask you to allow me to go to the 4th Independent Tank Brigade and fight alongside Colonel Katukov."

"You see, Colonel Katukov," Potapov said to Katukov with a smile, "Captain Sokov is very eager to join your unit, so you should not refuse. I remind you that maybe you will thank me for my decision in the future." Since Potapov has said so much, if Katukov still objects, it would be tactless. Helplessly, Katukov could only nod and said insincerely, "Then let Captain Sokov serve as a liaison officer and be stationed in our tank brigade."

"By the way, there are a few tanks in the city. They are all old T-26s. You can take them with you."

Hearing Potapov's words, Lieutenant Colonel Gu Xin quickly interrupted and said, "Comrade Commander, we placed those tanks on the position as fixed fire points. If we transfer them to the tank brigade, our defense will be weakened."

"Lieutenant Colonel Guxin, I knew Colonel Katukov long before the war. He is an excellent tank commander." Potapov looked at Lieutenant Colonel Guxin and said earnestly: "Let him command these old tanks, and they will play a greater role. Don't you agree, Captain Sokov?"

"That's right, Comrade Commander." In order to dispel Katukov's resistance to him, Sokov deliberately followed Potapov's words and said, "I believe that with the addition of the tank brigade, we will be able to stop the enemy's advance."

When Sokov followed Katukov out of the stationmaster's office, he deliberately approached the livid Katukov and said with a smile: "Comrade Colonel, from now on, we are comrades fighting side by side. Let's shake hands first." As he said that, he extended his hand to the other party.

Two hours later, the first echelon of the tank brigade moved westward along the Tula-Orel road.

Katukov was in the same jeep with his chief of staff and political commissar.

"Comrade Brigade Commander," the chief of staff saw that Katukov looked unhappy and couldn't help asking curiously, "Are you still worried about the liaison officer?"

"Yes." Katukov did not deny what the chief of staff said, but nodded and said, "I don't know what the commander is thinking. He has to send a grassroots officer who knows nothing to my troops to give orders. If the battle plan I formulated is rejected by him, should this plan be implemented or not? Even if we get the support of the commander through communication tools, I am afraid we will miss the opportunity to fight."

"How about we discuss with Comrade Commander whether to dismiss this liaison officer?"

But as soon as the chief of staff spoke, he was immediately opposed by the political commissar: "Comrade Chief of Staff, if the army commander could be convinced by us, he would not have sent this liaison officer. Since he is here, we must show him the necessary respect. As long as we can coax him well, we don't have to worry about him ruining our combat plan."

"The commissar is right." Katukov agreed with the commissar's words: "Let's do it this way. At least we should be polite to him on the surface and prevent him from doing anything weird."

The next morning, the first team arrived at the designated area.

When the troops began to build fortifications on the spot, Katukov called a meeting of officers above the company level to discuss what to do next.

After the meeting started, the chief of staff introduced the current situation to the commanders present. Perhaps in order to make Sokov look ridiculous, he deliberately asked him: "Captain Sokov, you are the liaison officer sent by the military. I wonder what you think of the next combat deployment?"

Sokov, who had originally planned to just listen, did not expect the chief of staff to let him talk about the next combat deployment. He was stunned at first, but then he thought that this was a good opportunity. As long as the plan he made was approved by Katukov, he would have a firm foothold in the tank brigade.

Thinking of this, he said: "From the intelligence we have, Orel has fallen into the hands of the Germans. We are building fortifications here to prevent sudden attacks by the Germans. In order to avoid this situation, I suggest sending two reconnaissance teams to the direction of Orel..."

"Captain Sokov," the chief of staff interrupted Sokov's next words after hearing this: "You are probably talking about the reconnaissance team, right?"

"No, not a reconnaissance team, but a reconnaissance unit." Sokov shook his head and continued, "I have just said that the Germans may have occupied Orel. Sending only two reconnaissance teams will not be of much use. But if we send a reconnaissance unit, we will be able to fight even if we encounter a large number of enemies."

"Comrade Commander," the chief of staff felt that he could no longer refute Sokov, so he could only look at Katukov for help: "What do you think?"

I thought Katukov would help me smooth things over, but he nodded and said unexpectedly: "I think Captain Sokov's suggestion is very good. We should indeed send two reconnaissance teams to Orel to prevent a sudden attack by the Germans."

Then, Katukov began to give orders: "Captain Gusev, you take an infantry company and ten tanks and immediately rush to the direction of Orel to conduct reconnaissance. If you find any enemy movement, immediately build defenses and block them."

Captain Gusev, who was called, immediately stepped out of the crowd and answered loudly, "Yes, Comrade Brigade Commander."

Katukov nodded and named another commander: "Captain Burda."

"Here!" A short captain came out.

"Your mission is the same as Captain Gusev's. Take eight tanks and an infantry company and conduct reconnaissance near Orel." Katukov said with a serious expression: "If you find any unusual movement of the enemy, you must be prepared to stop them on the spot. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

Katukov said to the two commanders: "Time is running out. Go back and gather your men and get ready to set off."

After the two men left, Katukov continued, "If nothing unexpected happens, our current location is the defense zone where our brigade blocks the German army. Everyone should return to their respective units immediately and urge the soldiers to repair the fortifications as soon as possible. You must remember that the Germans don't have much time left for us."

After the meeting, Katukov looked at Sokov and said in an approving tone: "Captain Sokov, I never thought that your ideas coincided with mine. I misjudged you at the station. I apologize to you here and beg for your forgiveness."

(End of this chapter)