OPTEL No. 63
 
      Information received up to 7 A.M., 22nd February, 1942.
 
      
 
 
1. 
NAVAL 
 
      An enemy force reported as two battleships, 3 cruisers and destroyers 
      steering north was sighted on 21st
 
      by a Hudson aircraft on reconnaissance at 11.15 A.M. off the 
      west coast of DENMARK. At 7.28 this 
 
      morning Beaufighter reported 2 battleships and 3 destroyers about 
      15 miles north-west of STAVARNGER
 
      steering north-east. 2 striking forces of Beauforts were despatched 
      yesterday afternoon but niether force
 
      reached its objective owing to extremely bad visibility. A 5,000 
      ton Greek vessel was sunk yesterday by
 
      mine off HARWICH. A British 8,000 ton tanker was shelled and 
      torpedoed on 21st off TRINIDAD has 
 
      been abandoned. A 4,000 ton British motor ship has been bombed 
      and beached off 
 
      WYNDHAM (AUSTRALIA).
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA
. Our patrols have been active in the TMIMI-MEKILI area 
      and as far as MSUS. Air recconissance 
 
      revealed about 2,000 enemy motor vehicles in the DERNA-CAMUSA 
      area.
 
      
BURMA.
 Severe fighting behind the river BILIN continues, 
      casualties have been heavy on both sides. Our 
 
      main positions are intact.
 
      
 
 
3. 
AIR OPERATIONS
 
      WESTERN FRONT.
 21st. Our fighters on shipping reconnaissance 
      attacked a 3,000 ton vessel at 
 
      BOULOGNE, a 1,000 ton vessel of FECAMP and an A.A. ship off CALAIS. 
      Spitfires damaged a German 
 
      bomber over LIVERPOOL BAY.
 
      21st/22nd. Forty-two aircraft were sent on roving commissions 
      over north-west GERMANY and 6 others
 
      were mine laying. Weather was good over the RUHR. 3 aircraft 
      are missing.
 
      
LIBYA.
 20th. Bad weather restricted operations. A German 
      bomber was probably destroyed near 
 
      MERSA MATRUH.
 
      
MALTA.
 20th/21st. and 21st. A total of 55 enemy aircraft 
      attacked our aerodromes. Damage was caused
 
      to a hangar at KALAFRANA and 2 barracks at HAL FAR and LUQA. 
      1 aircraft on the g %round was
 
      destroyed and 7 more were damaged. 1 German bomber was probably 
      destroyed by our fighters.