Copy No. 11 OPTEL No. 19 Information received up to 7 a.m., 4th December, 1941. (I) NAVAL Attacks on Shipping - 2nd. Norwegian ship of medium tonnage torpedoed and sunk East of GIBRALTAR. Third p.m. British ship of small tonnage mined and sunk in BRISTOL CHANNEL. (II) MILITARY LIBYA. 2nd. (Additional to 0PTEL No. 18). Our patrols reported area from BARDIA to twenty-five miles to West clear of enemy. German armoured cars were encountered in GAMBUT area. Night 2nd/3rd. Italian troops, probably Ariete Division reported area BIR COLETA (six miles South of GAMBUT) morning 3rd. Enemy motor transport reported moving East along TRIGH CAPUOOO (EL ADEM-SOLLUM road). About fifty motor transport had reached SISI AOEIO and about one thousand motor transport were following a few miles behind, being harassed by our mobile columns. A detachment of the enemy was also reported digging in at EL GOBI. RUSSIA . MOSC0W Sector. In their North East and Eastward advance from the Sector immediately South of TULA, the Germans have forced a salient reaching the railway rushing South East from XASCHIRA at a point some eighty miles East South East of TULA. ROSTOV Sector. There are indications that the German forces have moved back to the TAGANROG area. (III) AIR OPERATIONS A Beaufort attacked a three thousand ton merchant vessel off STAVANGER and set it on fire. 3rd/4th. No offensive operations owing to widespread fog. LIBYA . Night 1st/2nd. Wellingtons dropped seventeen tons of bombs on objectives at BENGHAOI and DERNA and on motor transport on the DERNA -CIRENE Road. Hits were obtained on buildings at DERNA and on the motor transport, but at BENGHAOI results could not be observed owing to bad weather. 2nd. Operations were severely restricted by rain and low cloud, but South African Marylands scored hits on buildings at BARDIA, and Hurricanes destroyed one enemy aircraft and damaged fourt %een on the ground at JEDABAYA and MERSA BREGA (forth three miles South West of JEDABAYA). During these operations we lost five fighters. (IV) G.A.F. 3rd and 3rd/4th. Activity against United Kingdom negligible. |