Copy No. 11 OPTEL No. 54 Information received up to 7 a.m., 29th December, 1941. (I) NAVAL Light forces and two infantry assault ships returned yesterday after a successful operation on the Norwegian Coast. Military batteries were demolished and industrial plants destroyed. Ninety-six prisoners were taken and heavy casualties were inflicted on the enemy. Five merchant vessels, two armed trawlers and a tug were destroyed or sunk. Naval casualties were light and army casualties included two officers and fifteen other ranks killed which were not heavy considering the severe opposition in street fighting. A Dutch submarine sank a Japanese destroyer on the 24th near KUCHING. (II) MILITARY LIBYA. Evening 27th. Air reports indicate that the enemy in the JEDABYA area is obtaining supplies and petrol by sea. Latest reports indicate that our armoured forces are well round the enemy's Southern Flank with patrols as far West as MERSA BREGA. Six enemy tanks were destroyed near JEDABYA on the evening of the 27th. Motorised troops were in contact with the enemy's North Eastern flank some fifteen miles from JEDABYA while elements seem to have ventured considerably further into the enemy's position and are reported to have shelled transport three miles North of the town. Air observation report identification difficult owing to our columns being intermixed with the enemy. MALAYA. PERAK . Our troops have withdrawn to positions about twenty miles South of IPOH. BURMA. An attempt to dislodge the enemy from BOKPYIN on the 27th failed. We suffered some casualties but details are not yet known. This place is on the Coast between VICTORIA POINT and MERGUI, there are no roads to it but there is a small landing ground. A small concentration of troops in Siamese uniform with several lorries is reliably reported on the Siamese border in the area of the upper reaches of the MEKONG River. (III) AIR OPERATIONS % WESTERN FRONT. 27th. Beaufighters and Blenheims (including two R.C.A.F.) protecting naval units operating off the Norwegian Coast drove off all enemy aircraft and destroyed two German fighters three bombers and damaged three other aircraft. Three of our aircraft are missing. 27th/28th. DUSSELDORF. 112 tons of H.E. and 11,000 incendiaries were dropped. Many large fires were stared |