OPTEL No. 39
 
      Information received up to 7 A.M., 2nd February, 1942.
 
      
 
 
1. 
NAVAL
 
      1st. One of H. M. destroyers shot down a JU 88 off CORNWALL and 
      one of our corvettes shot
 
      down a Focke Wulf off the west coast of IRELAND.
 
      Two British naval auxiliary vessels were sunk by bombs off the 
      east coast of SUMATRA on the
 
      22nd. A 5,000 ton British merchant vessel was torpedoed 300 miles 
      off CAPE RACE on the 26th.
 
      Survivors have been landed at HALIFAX.
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA
. 31st. An Indian Division was engaged by the enemy 
      in the evening withdrew to
 
      approximately north-south line through SLONTA. Our columns were 
      active in the GHARGUBA area
 
      and to the south, and a South African armoured car regiment drove 
      back small columns in the
 
      locality 15 miles south of CHARRUBA and in the MSUS area. On 
      the morning of the lst, 3
 
      columns of enemy M.T. were reported to be moving east in the 
      MARAWA-CHARRUBA areas.
 
      
SINGAPORE
. 31st/lst. Our artillery carried out harrassing 
      fire on concentration of small
 
      craft and on 1st engaged enemy troops on the mainland.
 
      
NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES
. The Japanese attack in north-west 
      BORNEO is progressing.
 
      
RUSSIA
.  FINLAND and LENINGRAD sectors. Nothing new. LAKE 
      ILMEN - LAKE SELOGER sector.
 
      Further Russian advance southwest of KHOLM and southwest of TOROPETS. 
      Central Sector.
 
      Southwest of OAPADNAYA DVINA Russians have made considerable 
      progress and now hold VELIOH
 
      (50 miles northeast of VITEBSK). Russian attack on BELY has been 
      held but weak Russian
 
      forces including parachutists are astride the SMOLENSK - VYASMA 
      Road and Russian cavalry has
 
      reached BORKOVA area from the north. Northwest of YUKHNOV Russians 
      have reached a point 20
 
      miles E.S.E. of VYASMA. General Mason MacFarlane reported on 
      29th that west of MOSCOW the
 
      line ran north and south through GJATSK and that Russtan advance 
      here  %was meeting with
 
      considerable opposition. Northeast of KURSK German counter attacks 
      successful. DONETS Front.
 
      Further considerable Russian progress. Area of penetration widened 
      and deepened. Main axis
 
      of advance towards PAVDODAR. Indications that large scale German 
      concentric counter attack
 
      about to develop.
 
      
CRIMEA
. German capture of FEDOSIA confirmed. Line now 
      runs north and south across narrowest
 
      part of KERCH ISTHMUS.