Current Events September 31, 1942; PLEDGE, STALIGRAD WILL BE HELD/ RUSSIAN CONVOY SAFE/ JAPANESE STALLED AT PORT MORESBY:

        Red Pledge on 30th Day of Siege

        STALINGRAD WILL BE HELD

                  The Bakersfield Californian

                  BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1942

Red Drive Shatters Nazi Line
Fighting See-Saws
in 30th Day of
Historic Siege
By HENRY SHAPIRO 'MOSCOW, Sept. 23.—
United Press Staff Correspondent
Front dispatches today-reported
that a Red army counterattack
smashed through Nazi
lines in northwestern Stalingrad,
regaining a dominating
height, but in other sectors
German pressure drove the
Russians out of positions
along several battered streets.
As the siege entered the thirtieth
day, the Invaders were still trying
desperately to break down Stalingrad's
defenses.

BIG RUSS CONVOY SAFE
Ships Weather
German Sea,
Air Attack
Fantastic Enemy
Claims Denied
by Admiralty
LONDON, Sept. 23. (UP)—The
great majority of a big
convoy of United States, British
and Russian merchant
ships heavily laden with
war supplies for Russia has
reached its destination in north
Russian ports despite Nazi air and
sea attacks, the admiralty announced
today.
It acknowledged some losses, hut
a communique remarked acidly that
German- claims to have sunk 38
out of 45-merchantmen were
more exaggerated than actual.

MADAGASCAR CAPITAL
CAPTURED BY BRITISH
Japs Stalled in Port Moresby Drive;
U. S. Airmen Batter New Guinea Bases
By Associated Press
BRITISH troops were reported to
have captured the capital city
of Tananarive on Madagascar island
today after breaking through
artillery-supported Vichy French
troops drawn up for a major stand
15 miles outside the city.
A Tananarive radio broadcast,
heard at Port Louis, Mauritius,
conceded the British had occupied
the Island capital.
Earlier, a British army communique
said British forces overcame
stiffening resistance by the
French 15 miles north of Tananarive.
Other British columns advancing
on Tananarive from the east coast
of the 1000-mile long Island, which
lies off southeast Africa, were reported
making good progress.
In the southwest Pacific battle
theater, American and allied warplanes
were officially credited with
battering four key Japanese bases
in the New Guinea zone and dam-
aging an enemy cruiser northwest
of Guadalcanal in the lower Solomon
Islands.
A navy communique In Washington
said navy and marine divebombers
hit the cruiser in an attack
Sunday.