War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1671 Militia Position without Political Commissar

With the sound of turning pages, the metal notebook finally stopped at the latest page, and the metal feather pen quickly drew a pattern.

In this picture, there is an unidentifiable aircraft falling from the sky with thick smoke, and in the middle of the picture is an anti-aircraft artillery firing.

However, when the cannon was gradually completed by the metal feather pen, Wei Ran frowned.

In this picture, this Type 72K 25mm anti-aircraft gun actually has no gun shield!

What about the shield?
Before Wei Ran could react, the metal feather pen had already written lines of text:
Role: Victor, a reporter for Komsomolskaya Pravda
Return mission: successfully warn of at least 4 air raids and survive, assist in destroying at least two enemy aircraft, hunt at least 20 kilograms of fish, take at least six group photos and 10 individual photos.

Scene restrictions: Do not leave the anti-aircraft artillery more than 300 meters

"Gulu."

Wei Ran couldn't help but swallow his saliva in the rising white light. He was not allowed to leave the anti-aircraft artillery more than 300 meters, which basically eliminated the possibility of leaving the island.

The mission of hunting at least 20 kilograms of fish undoubtedly implies that there is a high possibility that there is also a shortage of food here.

As he waited anxiously, props that could be used this time appeared in the white light.

Contrary to his expectations, the first thing that appeared this time was the kerosene lamp, followed by a Rollei twin-lens reflex camera, a Pelikan fountain pen, bearskin mittens, an engineering shovel, a German gravity knife, a lighter, a cigarette case, a pocket warmer set also obtained from Leningrad, and even an airdrop box with a cast iron stove attached.

But this was not the end. Then the large Schneider telescope and the newly acquired food-cutting knife appeared in the white light.

But apart from these, until the white light began to dissipate, he was not even given a hot weapon.

Gradually, he felt the long-lost cold wind blowing in his face and the icy snowflakes hitting his face.

Wei Ran couldn't help but shiver and blinked hard, then he noticed that he seemed to be sitting on a horse-drawn sleigh loaded with supplies.

Leaning forward to look straight ahead, the outline of the small island was faintly visible in the wind and snow in the dim sky. The distance between the two sides was probably only three or four hundred meters at most.

You really don't give me a chance to leave.
Wei Ran muttered to himself, and finally focused his attention on himself.

Contrary to his expectation, although he was not given the sled with the tent and other things this time, what he was wearing at this time was the Mazari robe and the pair of thick Lappish boots that were on the sled.

Lifting up the soft robe, he revealed that he was wearing a pair of Soviet-style quilted cotton trousers on the lower body. The buttocks and knees of the trousers were patched with thick white deerskin.

In addition to this extra warm outfit, he noticed that he was also carrying a canvas sack on his back.

He pulled the sack open and took a look. In addition to a Soviet cloak and a few pieces of foot wraps, the rest of the space was filled with a bag of flour, a bag of candy, a can of coarse salt, and two bottles of Soviet Red Brand vodka.

On top of these things was a red hardcover notebook with the words "Komsomolskaya Pravda" printed in Russian, and a small canvas ammunition bag containing four rolls of film.

"Comrade Victor, the militia position in front is the last line of defense."

At this moment, the driver sitting in the front reminded him, "When you get there, you must always pay attention to the movements in the sky."

"German planes?" Wei Ran asked curiously as he re-tied the canvas pocket bag.

"That's right"

The driver replied, "But it was mainly the bombs they dropped, especially the canned bombs. Half a month ago, I sent Comrade Yuri, a reporter from the Izvestia newspaper, to interview there.

When I went there again a week later, I heard that he was killed in an explosion the next day because he opened a can he found.

So Comrade Victor, you must obey."

Before the driver could finish his words, the unique roar of Stuka bombers was heard in the night sky!
"Sit tight!"

Before the driver finished speaking, he swung the whip in his hand very quickly and shouted at the animals pulling the cart to run for their lives towards the island which was more than 200 meters away!
But no matter how fast this horse-drawn sled is, it can never be as fast as a dive bomber.
When they were less than a hundred meters away from the island, a Stuka began to dive!

"Jump down now!"

Before the groom could finish his words, he jumped off the sled at the same time as Wei Ran, and rolled onto the snow-covered ice surface.

Almost at the same time as the bomber's machine gun began to roar at them, intensive artillery fire suddenly rang out above the island!
Guided by the tracer bullet, Wei Ran, who had fallen to the ground and had no time to get up, was the first to notice that the tail of the bomber was obviously hit by a bullet.

But at the same time, the plane also released a series of unknown things!

After seven gunshots, there was only a pause of one or two seconds, and the roar of anti-aircraft artillery reached his ears again. Guided by the tracer bullet mixed in between, Wei Ran also clearly saw that the Stuka that had completed the bombing had luckily avoided the pursuing shells and began to circle and climb.

At the same time, the other two Stukas also began to dive, but their targets were not Wei Ran or the air defense positions on the island, but the vital lifeline behind them!

Fortunately, at this moment, two intensive artillery fires were launched from another island, which narrowly blocked the nose area of ​​one of the planes with the exploding shells.

In the camera lens that Wei Ran almost subconsciously took out and raised, the bomber, which was spinning and emitting thick smoke, hastily dropped its mounted bombs, and then circled hard, trying to leave the airspace.

The other bomber, which was not hit, flew straight to the rear of the island, dropped a series of bombs, and then quickly climbed and flew farther and farther amid the barrage of bullets.

As Wei Ran watched, the first plane that was hit staggered away, the second plane flew far away with thick smoke, and finally plunged into the cold Lake Ladoga, while the third plane left the airspace in a swagger. For a moment, the only things in sight were the smoke and flames that rose into the sky after the explosions of the last two planes, which were either hastily or calmly dropped, or the water splashes that could not be seen at this distance, and the broken ice.

Sighing weakly, Wei Ran turned his head to look at the alert groom, but with just one glance, he realized something was wrong.

Wei Ran hurriedly got up and stumbled towards the other party. When he got closer, he found that the groom, whose name he had not even had time to ask, had been shot in the chest by the machine gun of the first bomber, almost breaking into two pieces.
"Sorry, I should have asked your name first."

Wei Ran muttered apologetically, helped the other person turn over with an expressionless face, carefully wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and helped him carefully straighten his collar. Then he raised the camera and took the last photo of this skinny young man in this world.

After feeling around on his body, the only personal item I could find was a key hanging around his neck with a leather strap.

Sighing again, Wei Ran picked up the whip, walked towards the horse-drawn sleigh that had run several hundred meters away, and pulled it back to the side of the coachman.

After searching on the sled for a while, they found only four boxes of 25mm anti-aircraft gun ammunition, a barrel of kerosene, and a wooden box with only a small amount of medicine.

In this wooden box, which was about the size of a shoe box in later times, there were a few triangular letters that could be counted.

After putting the lid back on, Wei Ran untied the sack, took out his Soviet cloak from it, wrapped the still warm body of the young groom, and carefully lifted him onto the sledge.
Gently flicking the whip, Wei Ran shouted at the horse to continue running towards the small island more than a hundred meters away.

As the distance got closer and closer, the horse-drawn sleigh finally climbed onto the island, and he also saw the sentry tower built in the crown of a pine tree at the edge of the woods on the island.

In the open space between the watchtower and the shore of the island, a circular artillery position with gaps was built with ice and snow.

The only anti-aircraft gun in this artillery position, which was built with ice and snow and covered with pine branches to prevent slipping, was parked.

At this time, several people were busy covering the cannon with white sheets. These thin figures who wrapped themselves very tightly did not seem surprised by Wei Ran's appearance, and they could not be said to be enthusiastic or cold.

Continuing to look around, Wei Ran finally saw a dugout with lights on in the forest on the other side of the watchtower.

"Where is the political commissar of this position?" Wei Ran asked loudly to the people who were busy covering the anti-aircraft artillery.

“There are no commissars here”

One of the soldiers turned around and saluted Wei Ran in a non-standard way, and replied in a pleasant female voice, "Our political commissar died a week ago. We currently have no political commissar in this position."

Wei Ran raised his hand in return and asked, "Who will lead the battle here now?"

"Go there, where the light is."

The female soldier raised her hand and pointed at the dugout with the light on. "Uncle Seryosha is currently directing our battle, but he is busy bandaging the wounded and probably doesn't have time to see you."

“I brought some medicine.”

As Wei Ran spoke, he shook the reins and shouted at the horse-drawn sleigh to run over.

Seeing this, the female soldier reacted quickly and jumped onto the sled, then noticed the groom covered by a cloak.

After lifting her cloak and taking a look, the female soldier sighed and said very calmly, "Brother Vanya also died."

"Do you know him?" Wei Ran asked, "What about you? What's your name?"

"Joniya"

The female soldier replied, "Call me Giannia. Brother Vanya is our postman, our transporter of ammunition, wounded soldiers and prisoners, and our fourth transporter."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ran's breathing slowed down. He didn't expect that this was already the fourth one.

"What about you? Who are you? Our new political commissar? Or the doctor we need? Or our fifth transporter?"

“I’m Victor from.”

"A reporter from Komsomolskaya Pravda?" Jiao Niya asked in surprise.

"You know me?" Wei Ran looked at the other person in surprise.

"of course I know"

Jiao Niya immediately replied, "Last time when Vanya sent us ammunition, he mentioned that a journalist comrade who had returned from Leningrad would come to interview us soon. We have been waiting for a long time and thought you would not come."

"He also said that I came back from Leningrad?" Wei Ran was even more surprised.

"certainly"

Jiao Niya had already jumped off the sled while speaking, "I'll go tell Uncle Xie Liao the good news!"

"Let's go together"

As Wei Ran spoke, he shouted to the animals to stop, then picked up the not-so-big wooden box, and followed Jiao Niya into the lighted dugout amid the screams.