Telegram despatched from London on the evening of August 8th.
 
      
 
 
Naval.
 Yesterday evening British ship 7,000 tons with 
      752 naval and military details for Gibraltar escorted by destroyer, 
      torpedoed off Northwest Ireland and sank three hours later. Nearly 
      all ship's company got away in boats and rafts.
 
      
 
 
Four motor torpedo boats carried out offensive reconnaissance 
      off French Northeast Coast.
 
      
 
 
2. 
Military
.
 
      
 
 
Somaliland.
 Enemy strength reported in yesterday's 
      summary referred only to center column. Estimated enemy troops 
      concentrated in immediate vicinity of Somali frontier at beginning 
      of operations on August 4th 18,000.
 
      
 
 
On August 5th Italian column entered Oeila unopposed and same 
      day strong enemy force estimated at four/five thousand troops, 
      twenty light field guns 120 L/A and 30/40 machine guns occupied 
      Hargeisa. Our delaying force fell back with slight losses, having 
      inflicted severe casualties including three tanks out of twelve. 
      Following morning 0adweina occupied by Italian force of 2,000 
      infantry with guns and A.F.V.'s. Small motorised force of Somali 
      Camel Corps harassed enemy without loss. Air reconnaissance afternoon 
      of August 6th reported no enemy movement east of Hargeisa.