Page 26 - Excerpts from the diary
P. 26

I do not receive letters, but I write much.



           08.19.1944

           Last time it was not necessary to work and at night we returned back to a company. On a position left 7 min.
           which are deeply dug out (2 meters) a crack. Yesterday, however, I received a task again and was directed with
           calculation from three people here that was with me earlier. I well managed to study surnames. Characters too
           everyone
           Mikh  the commander of calculation, the most balanced and quiet, executive Red Army man. Shapovalov is
           restive as the very young horse which is wanted to be saddled all the time, but seems to me that in most cases  in
           words. I observed him at an artillery attack and was convinced that he strong loves life and would never
           agree with it to leave. And the day before he said to me that he will go (I sent him to a company) in the afternoon
           on top of the courses of messages  so strongly they bothered him. Then I still thought on him that he is capable of
           such madness, but now I am firmly convinced in the return. The third  Martynov, having taken away the quiet and
           sensitive attitude towards fighters for my part, decided even to be rude to me and to be impudent with me,
           believing that it will go with impunity.
           They are fighters, are very angered on officers of arms that he is not interested in their needs and requests and
           decided to vent acting through Martynov on me all the rage. But I let know that they not take me for that. Yes, I
           am kind, polite with fighters, but if it is necessary I strict. They it understood and now between us the friendly
           relations.
           On the eve of leaving here I received letters from Beby, Ania Korotkina and two from the father. I could not read
           them at once. Only today. About them the speech will go later.
           Directing me here, the company commander mentioned an award and so forth, etc. Forbade to do adjustment fire,
           forbade to shoot at artillery preparation  only when everything abates and separations from the opponent, only
           will appear if the opponent counterattacks. Promised a hundred mines, but in practice I received them less.
           Together with family hidden, here the total made 97 min.
           Dug niches for mines and grenades, established a mortar, loaded mines, prepared. Put the sentry, the rest decided
           to allow to have a rest till the dawn. There were two o'clock in the morning. I long could not fall asleep and only
           when the morning haze began to disseminate gradually an evening haze, I was woken by the first shots of
           artillery  dozed off. Made the order to fighters to be on call. It was impossible to observe: the earth of a boning,
           beginning with 200 meters from me in a circle dense snowwhite fog.
           Artillery preparation was short and with big intervals, strong gun and machinegun jabber began then. 20 minutes
           and everything abated. I began to shoot at the German trenches, guessing that ours did not reach there. Mines laid
           down well. One, however, fell in water. Shot on a kilometer distance, and in practice it seemed that to trenches of
           the German 700800 meters.
           The deputy commander of the Karatayev battalion setting at night a task to me, said that there only 300400
           meters. He absolutely was mistaken and it is good that I did not obey him.
           Min 20 let out. Left firing, decided to find out a situation. It was deplorable. Artillery preparation only broke
           operation. On The infantry already was near trenches. Germans expected nothing and shot up. Groans wounded
           by the artillery startled Germans, and they opened strong fire, at first gun and machinegun, then artillery. This
           was especially strong at our OP. Everything shuddered from a roar. Sappers by inexperience started up a smoke
           screen at a head wind and it carried a chemistry smell in our side. Someone from fighters told that gases. I
           supported this opinion (without hoping for consciousness on the ave [...]) in order that in case of a landslide of
           walls, we could breathe under a thick layer of the earth ready at ruptures of shells and mines just about to fall
           upon us. Walls were showered, whole pieces of clay to us on backs fell. We lay one on one in gas masks, in
           helmets, ready to accept everything that the illfated destiny at this heavy moment was only capable to present to
           us. And it played us, listened as our hearts at shots fade as knock and shudder at a gap, at squeal of the scattering
           splinters.
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