OPTEL No. 24.                        
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Following is supplementary 
      resume of operational events covering the period 8th to 15th 
                          January, 1942.                    
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Exceptionally heavy gales 
      were experienced in the North Atlantic. Both the SCHARNHORST 
      and GNEISENAU may have been damaged in recent raids on BREST. 
      The first convoy to BENGHAOI began unloading on 9th. Other western 
      desert convoys are proceeding normally. DERNA is in use as a 
      supply port. A destroyer torpedoed on 12th was successfully towed 
                         into ALEXANDRIA.                   
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                         SUBMARINES                         
                                                            
                                                            
       SIOE="-1" FACE="Courier New">. The westward movement of U-boats 
      across the Atlantic has continued. There are now concentrations 
      south of NEWFOUNDLAND and off NEW ENGLAND coast. A few also are 
      operating in the western approaches to the STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. 
      There is no indication of any in the South Atlantic. Shipping 
      losses were moderate, 8 ships are known to have been sunk during 
      the period, five of them by submarines, two by aircraft and one 
                             by mine.                       
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                           TRADE                            
                                                            
                                                            
       SIOE="-1" FACE="Courier New">. Ships convoyed - 825e Imports 
      during week ending 10th, 682,000 tons, including 318,000 oil 
      imports. Of 32 enemy Merchant Vessels (17 Italian and 15 German) 
      which tried to run the British blockade during 194l, 14 totaling 
      83,700 tons were intercepted, 10 of them being scuttled or sunk 
      and four captured. Of four German ships which crossed the Atlantic 
      from east to west to South American ports, only one succeeded 
                          in returning.                     
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                           LIBYA.                           
                                                            
                                                            
       SIOE="-1" FACE="Courier New"> The Axis forces withdrew from 
      JEDABYA in good time before becoming committed with our main 
      body and are now established in a strong position immediately 
      south and east of % AGHEILA with their armour protecting their 
      right flank they have been joined by the Italian Division formerly 
      in reserve in the TRIPOLI area. They probably have now a fair 
      reserve of supplies, especially oil, brought by lorry or landed 
      from small ships at points along the coast, and may have been 
      reinforced with some tanks from ITALY, their air close support 
      is much stronger than a fortnight ago and their dive-bombers 
      have already caused us casualties. The enemy must realize that 
      there is no other position so strong forward of the TRIPOLI area 
      and, consequently, to surround or dislodge him, we must have 
      a high scale of attack which will the some time to build up. 
      TOBRUK, DERNA and BENGHAOI are in use but unloading is being 
      hindered by bad weather and a shortage of tugs and lighters, 
      weather has been bad and some of our aerodromes are waterlogged. 
     Our supply position is steadily improving, though slowl