artillery arc

Chapter 521 Go ahead, tanks!
At noon on October 10, at the 24st Tank Army's assembly area on the east bank of the Valdai River, Army Commander Korodov paced back and forth anxiously.

The liaison officer of the engineering corps comforted them, "We will definitely be able to build the pontoon bridge before the stipulated time. Don't worry."

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

Korodov shook his hands vigorously: "At least it has to 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 are about to be wiped out by the Proshen tankmen.

The war had begun for more than a year, and the Ante tankers had already accepted the fact that they would be defeated in a huge exchange ratio if they encountered the Plosson tank troops.

Even though they knew this, they still chose to drive tanks that no longer had any armor advantage onto the battlefield.

Before the enemy's anti-tank and tank forces react, the most important task of the Ant tank forces now is to kill as many Proson infantry as possible who lack anti-tank means.

That's why Korodov was so anxious. He knew that the sooner they crossed the river, the more time they would have before the enemy armored forces could react.

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

Next to him was a large group marching towards Abawahan, consisting mainly of various auxiliary personnel, hired workers, nurses and so on. All the precious transportation capacity was used to transport the soldiers.

Just as Korodov turned around and began to walk this short distance again for the umpteenth time, a group of nurses happened to pass by.

Of course, she is not the experienced nurse who has trained countless young men in the hail of bullets. There should be a shortage of such nurses on the front line, so they could be assigned a sealed carriage on the train.

These nurses seemed to have just finished their nursing training. Their young faces were filled with fatigue, and it seemed that they would instantly lose the ability to walk if they threw away their crutches.

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

The tired girls looked up at 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 bunch of young boys."

Korodov looked in the direction of the voice and saw a white-haired woman in a priest's cloak, probably the nanny who followed the girls.

But this madam looked familiar. Considering the gold star on her body, I guess he must have seen the photo of her receiving the medal in the newspaper - Korodov thought so.

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

White-haired nanny: "The girls have also been baptized by 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 that of your boy, Lieutenant General Davarishi."

Korodov stroked his cheek and said, "You priests are good at this. I can't argue with you. But it is true that what I said just now was inappropriate."

The white-haired nanny nodded, "I think the girls will accept your apology, Lieutenant General Davarish."

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

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

The white-haired nanny was silent for a few seconds before she turned to the nurses and said, "Girl, stand still."

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

"Mammy": "Girls, take a break. It's a good time to watch these soldiers cross the river."

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

Mammy interrupted the girl. "A good number of them will never come back. A good number. So I want to see them across the river, and you can take a break. Is that ok, Mammy?"

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

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

"To be precise, she's my fiancée. We're just engaged and have a child, but we haven't had a formal wedding yet. However, His Majesty Belinsky seems to think that's not a problem." Lyudmila corrected with a smile.

Korodov was about to say something, but suddenly he saw out of the corner of his eye that his tank driver was lazily leaning against the tank turret, drinking from a flat wine flask. He turned around and scolded, "What are you talking about! You're going to the battle soon! Be serious!"

The tank driver was so startled that he dropped the jug, which bounced off the tank and spilled the vodka in an arc.

Lyudmila caught the wine bottle and handed it to the tank driver: "Here, drink a little to keep your head clear, and don't drive the tank into the river."

The tank driver laughed: "I am the commander and gunner, not the driver."

Lyudmila was a little surprised: "Your tanks have two-man turrets? Isn't it said that this type 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 and saluted Korodov: "General, the engineering corps has repaired the bridge and will conduct a traffic test soon. As long as the test T34 can pass, we can pass."

"Okay, I'll be right there." Korodov said, and then asked Lyudmila, "Would you like to come and watch the test?" Lyudmila shook her head slightly: "I'll be right here, just watching you drive in. Don't worry about me, Lieutenant General Davarich."

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

A moment later, Korodov arrived at the riverside, just as 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 supported the weight of the T34.

The tank was not moving fast and was gradually moving towards the other side.

The navy's 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 around and said to the messenger: "All troops cross the river! Remember to reduce speed, keep a safe distance between vehicles, and ensure that there is only one tank on each section of the pontoon at a time! Anyone who makes a mistake and causes any accident to the pontoon will be punished by military law!"

"Yes!"

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

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

Korodov stood beside the pontoon bridge and watched his soldiers rush to the battlefield.

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

Lyudmila saluted back and said, "You are a lieutenant general, so I should salute you. I would like to wish you a happy hunting, but... I'd rather wish you a victorious return."

"You're back." Korodov smiled. "Come to think of it, there is a new tradition in Abavahan recently. The commander will treat the 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 some dry food here. But Nellie brought some 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. It takes a lot of luck to win against the Proson tank troops with a two-man turret T34."

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

He looked at Lyudmila one last time and nodded slightly.

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

The command tank rushed forward and then gradually accelerated. The clicking sound of the gearbox gears and the roar of the engine covered the sound of the dripping 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 are no longer needed." Lyudmila said softly, continuing to watch the young tankers driving their tanks 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 shooting stars 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 right on the river bank."

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

She began: "Just as the pear blossoms were in full bloom, and soft gauze was floating on the river..."

The girls sang together: "Katyusha stood on the steep shore, and her singing was like the bright spring sunshine."

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

"Hey!" one of the boys shouted, "Are we the ones you sing about your love? But we haven't written you any love letters, have we?"

A girl shouted, "I'm Tanya from the third supplementary nurse group at the field hospital! Write to me!"

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

Lyudmila just looked at him and her tenderly.

(End of this chapter)