LATEST WAR NEWS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13771, 14 October 1942, Page 3

LATEST WAR NEWS

The following is a summary of the latest war.’news:

RUSSIAN FRONT

In their latest assault on Stalingrad the Germans have, at great cost, achieved a slight advance up one street in the city. It is not yet known if the present assault is a full-scale one.

One of the enemy’s main objectives at present appears to be a big tractor and tank factory in the north of the city. Here, despite, incessant bombing and shell fire, work is still going on. The workers have rifles with them and hand grenades are swinging from their belts. The Russian attacks north-west of the city have carried them across the Don to the west.

Soviet forces are holding their positions on the Black Sea coast and in the Mozdok area Soviet attacks are as much in evidence as defence.

Substantial food shipments have been made to Russia by the United Nations. DEFENCE OF MALTA

The number of Axis planes shot down in one day in the latest attack on Malta is now known to be 25. This brings the total of certainties for the last three days to 40.

In one attack 45 Messerschmitts ran from half that number of Spitfires.

EGYPT

Flying Fortresses scored a probable lilt with a heavy calibre bomb on an enemy merchant ship in Tobruk harbour. SOLOMONS U.S. planes attacked two enemy cruisers north-west of Guadalcanal*. One received a direct hit and was seen to be down by the bows. Damage was also inflicted on the second cruiser. Enemy seaplanes and their bases have also been attacked successfully. On Guadalcanal* U.S. Marines have extended their positions to the west of the north shore of the island. Japanese planes attacking L T .S. forces were compelled to jettison their bombs and eight bombers and four fighters were shot down. Two U.S. fighters were lost. In four weeks ended September 17, the Japanese have lost 133 planes on Guadalcanal*. U.S. losses are 25 planes. No heavy artillery has yet been figed on the island. The Jananese had, said a U.S. .Admiral, landed four big guns but these bad been-' captured before they could be used.

The Japanese have abandoned their seaplane base on the island of Giso as it was untenable, N.Z. inlots are 0»p ,, - <, d , ' n ' wh-h the X. .S. forays in tlm Solo”’ on s.

The America” Admiral «avl it should he ■passive to hold the Solomons and ev”»nd. BURMA Two successful air. attacks were made on Sunday, one on Kalewa and another in which a direct hit was scored on an enemy merchant ship off the coast. CHINA A Japanese attack has been repulsed in Northern China. The enemy suffered many casualties. WEST AFRICA From Sierra Leone comes a report that two unidentified planes flew over the capital, Free to wit; Our fighters went up to intercept them but they made off.