OPTEL No. 46
 
      
 
 
Information received up to 7 A.M., 8th February, 1942.
 
      
 
 
NAVAL ATTACKS ON SHIPPING
 
      
By raider 5th/6th. Small Panamanian ship attacked 83C miles 
      North East of BERMUDA. 25 survivors.
 
      By submarine 7th. British vessel, 6,500 tons, reported being 
      shelled off HALIFAX. Survivors 
 
      have been landed at LISBON from a 9,000 ton Norwegian tanker 
      outward bound in convoy for ARUBA.
 
      By air, EMPRESS OF JAPAN 26,000 tons, DUCHESS OF BEDFORD, 20,000 
      tons and U.S. WAKEFIELD, 
 
      42,000 tons, damaged at SINGAPORE on 30th. At PADANG, NETHERLANDS 
      EAST INDIES, on 29th 
 
      January, 13,900 tons of Dutch shipping were sunk.
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA
. On the 6th, our armoured car patrols were operating 
      on the general line TENGEDER to 40 
 
      miles due South while Infantry patrols to MEKILI and the area 
      midway between MEKILI and MSUS 
 
      reported no enemy movement. On the GAOALA front the enemy are 
      digging in.
 
      
BURMA
. The situation has been mainly quiet but there have 
      been enemy concentrations of barges 
 
      and considerable activity in the KADO area South of PAAN.
 
      
SINGAPORE
. On the 7th, the enemy shelled our positions 
      frequently but ineffectively, An A.I.F. 
 
      boat patrol suffered slight casualties. One enemy craft with 
      30 men was sunk by our machine 
 
      gun fire.
 
      
RUSSIA
. The Russians are meeting with increased resistance 
      in the KURSK area and in their 
 
      advance towards DNIEPROPETROVSK.
 
      
 
 
3. 
AIR OPERATIONS
 
      
7th. 3 of our aircraft are missing from a mine laying operation. 
      One German fighter was 
 
      destroyed during the day.
 
      
LIBYA
. 5th. Two squadrons of Blenheims scored many direct 
      hits on M.T. in the MARTUBA area. It 
 
      is estimated that about 100 vehicles were destroyed or damaged 
      during the day.
 
      5th/6th. 24 Wellingtons bombed BENGHAOI and covered a successful 
      mine-laying operation by other 
 
      airoraft. Two  %Liberators from EGYPT dropped 7 tons of bombs on 
      TRIPOLI docks.
 
      6th. Our fighters continued their attack on enemy motor transport. 
      3 Blenheims sent to attack 
 
      two ships unloading at BUERAT EL HSUN were shot down during their 
      return.