OPTEL NO. 9.                        
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Information received up 
                  to 7.10 A.M. 8th January 1942.            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                   1.COMBINED OPERATIONS.                   
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Light forces raided Helle 
      Fjord between Bergen and Trondheim on the night of the 6th/7th 
      and sank a medium sized Merchant Ship and two trawlers off Floro 
      and shelled a German canning factory. Fighter protection and 
      reconnaissance were provided by Coastal Command. During raid 
      Whttley aircraft successfully attacked Sola aerodrome Stavanger. 
      Little opposition was encountered and our ships suffered neither 
     damage nor casualties. All our aircraft returned safely
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                         2. NAVAL.                          
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                     Nothing to report.                     
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                        3.MILITARY.                         
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                           Libya.                           
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Bad weather had hindered 
      operations. On the morning of the 7th our patrols reported that 
      Jedabya was clear of the enemy. Our troops are following up but 
      visibility is very poor. In the frontier area on the 5th/6th 
      the Transvaal Scottish occupied a ridge of the escarpment two 
                 miles south of Sollum Barracks.            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                          Malaya.                           
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
Our forces in the Eastern 
      Sector have withdrawn west of the Pahang River to the area Raub-Bentong. 
      In the West, owing to heavy pressure throughout the 7th by enemy 
      infantry supported by about thirty tanks, our troops have withdrawn 
      South of the Slim River. In the Xuala Selangor area, situation 
                          is unchanged.                     
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                            4.                              
                      AIR OPERATIONS.                       
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
                                                            
                       Western Front.                       
                                                            
                                                            
 
                                                            
 
 
                                                            
6th/Tth. 36 tons of high 
      explosive were dropped at Brest where bursts were seen near the 
      dry docks. One of our aircraft failed to return and another crashed 
      but five of crew safe. A Hudson scored two hits on a 2,500 tons 
      Merchant vessel off the Dutch Coast. Six other aircraft of coastal 
      command made individual attacks on single Merchant vessels in 
      the Bergen area but in most instances results were unobserved 
      owing to intense anti-aircraft and searchlight activity. Two 
 Hudson are missing and one enemy aircraft was probably dest