The bridge must be destroyed as soon as possible.”
“The weather is no good, Nikolai Vladimirovich. Low clouds and rain. Aviators don't expect improvement for another couple of days.”
“We're like blind men,” Feklenko grumbled unhappily, “at least the scouts brought this Hauptmann, the map was updated at once. Is he from the 125th Infantry Division, by the way? So they're moving them from Uman to us too.”
“The Germans keep increasing the number of infantry on the bridgehead. The scouts also saw light artillery. It was being moved by boats from Ulitochnyi Island.”
“Well, we're getting stronger too,” Feklenko objected, “We did get some reserves, though it was a little late. We will not be able to eliminate the bridgehead, but now, if the Germans hit us with their infantry toward Guderian, we will hold them off. We must hold them.”
“And if they move tanks?” cautiously asked the chief of staff.
“How? Without a bridge, it is possible, of course, to deliver a few tanks to the bridgehead, but on the scale of the proposed offensive it is not serious.”
“The scouts insist that the Germans are preparing to build a large bridge. They have no proof, just vague premonitions, but during the interrogation the prisoner confirmed that he saw numerous engineer units on the west bank and a significant accumulation of pontoons and construction materials that could be used to build a crossing.”
The Army Commander thought about it.
“Well, okay, even so… What will they move over the bridge? Heavy artillery? They don't have any tanks here, not even on the west bank. As long as there was flying weather, air reconnaissance did not report enemy tank units.”
“I don't know, Nikolai Vladimirovich,” said the chief of staff, “But I can say one thing: if the Germans are going to build a bridge, it means they will have something to move over it.”
“You and me, Vitaly Nikolaevich, seem to be reading the tea-leaves,” the Army Commander shook his head.
“Lieutenant Colonel Semenov reported to me that a proposal was received from the scouts of the 300th Division. They want to go back to where they took the Hauptmann, but with other goals.”
“So let them operate. Such an operation does not require approval in the army headquarters,” Feklenko was surprised.
“They want to go on a raid for a few days and take a portable radio transmitter with them. They will sit on the bank of the river or on one of the small islands, and keep watch. If the Germans start building the crossing, they will report the exact coordinates of the bridge and offer to hit it with howitzers of special power. But to correct the fire they need to establish cooperation with the artillery regiment of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command, and no one will talk to them there without your order.”
“It's a big risk,” Feklenko hesitated, “To reach the Dnieper, the artillerymen would have to pull the B-4 howitzers almost to the very front line. As soon as they open fire, the Germans will start a counter-battery fight, and the artillerymen will have to shoot for a long time – it is not easy to hit at such a distance, even with the help of a spotter.”
“The commander of a separate reconnaissance company of the 300th Division, Captain Shcheglov, states that if Junior Lieutenant Nagulin corrects the fire, hits will follow quickly.”
“Is that so?” Sarcasm was clearly audible in the voice of the Army Commander. “And who is this Nagulin? A great artilleryman who went to serve in the intelligence service for some reason?”
“That's how I reacted when I heard about the plan, too,” the chief of staff shrugged. “But then… Anyway, just in case, I asked the Special Department what they had on this Nagulin.”
“And?” Feklenko was interested.
“He and Captain Shcheglov came to us from Lieutenant-General Muzychenko's Sixth Army; they broke out of the pocket as part of the staff column. There are no details, but it seems this Nagulin showed himself very well there. And, according to the officers of the Special Department, it was he who captured the Hauptmann by attacking the boat carrying the officer and by cutting off the guards.”
“Well, if he's so good, let the Captain write up a presentation to the award for him – he honestly deserves it. But that doesn't answer my question.”
“That's not all, Comrade Commander. A secret order came from the front's Special Department. I was introduced to it. The Junior Lieutenant, it turns out, is not so simple. Our Special Department officers were instructed to keep an eye on him, but not to touch him. It is specifically stated that Nagulin should not be hindered in his initiatives. Within reasonable limits, of course. He seems to have distinguished himself quite a bit there, near Uman. It was something that impressed even high NKVD officials. Many men from the Sixth Army arrived with the last reinforcements to the 300th Division. Major Gunko asked them some neat questions about Nagulin. Everyone claims that he is a great marksman, just phenomenal. And he hits with the same accuracy from any weapon, including anti-aircraft guns. They say Nagulin shot down several planes before their eyes.”
“Well, you can't believe all these stories unconditionally…” said Feklenko thoughtfully. “But it looks like he's really not an ordinary fighter. And I will not hide the fact that you, Vitaly Nikolayevich, have puzzled me quite a bit with this bridge for tanks. All right, Comrade Chief of Staff, prepare the order, I'll sign it. Let the scouts act, they will have howitzers of special power.”
Chapter 5
I slept the rest of the day off after returning to the division. Shcheglov and the rest of the raid participants were also able to rest, but it seems that I was the only one who managed to sleep for so long. Apparently, my comrades tried not to bother me, remembering my injury, even if it was necessary.
It was late in the evening when the Captain woke me up after all.
“Junior Lieutenant,” he said softly, touching my shoulder, “You and I are called to the division commander. Be ready in ten minutes.”
When we entered the staff dugout and Shcheglov reported our arrival, Colonel Kuznetsov nodded silently and pointed us to a bench by a large table, on which the maps were laid out.
“I don't know what your German was saying, but Army HQ got very nervous,” said the Colonel. “The Army Commander approved your initiative. I have received orders to give you every assistance in organizing a new reconnaissance raid, more profound than the previous one. Three divisions of B-4 howitzers of special power are involved in the operation. Tomorrow at dawn, go to the artillerymen to establish cooperation. You've been given a new type of radio transmitter from the army depot and an instructor to train your radio operators, Captain. You're going on a mission tomorrow night. By the morning I need a plan of the operation – the place of crossing the front line, the route of movement through the German rear, the time of communication sessions, in general, everything that is required in such cases. If you need divisional artillery assistance or demonstrative action in any area, indicate that, too. Any questions?”
“Negative,” Shcheglov replied, with a brief glance at me. “Permission to go prepare the operation plan, Comrade Colonel.”
“Go,”said the division commander, “I advise you to treat this case with the utmost care. You've made such a mess that if your raid turns out to be a flop…”
“We will approach the case with the utmost care!” the Captain answered
