Copy No. 11 OPTEL No. 26 Information received up to 7 a.m. 8 December, 1941. (I) NAVAL PACIFIC. At 2030 G.M.T. 7th 18 aircraft attacked SINGAPORE but no repitition no Naval damage was done. In attack on PEARL HARBOUR the U.S. Battleship OKLAHOMA capsized, a destroyer in the dock was blown up and U.S. Battleship TENNESSEE, a destroyer and a minelayer were set on fire. 4 aerodromes were attacked and hangars and some A/C on the ground were set on fire. The power stations were also hit but not repetition not put out of action. Heavy casualties to personnel are reported. 1 submarine and at least 2 enemy A/C were destroyed. MEDITERRANEAN. On afternoon 7th a naval sloop was seriously damaged by bomb and an armed boarding vessel was mined in TOBRUK harbour. On 1st a British submarine sank a 2,400 ton Italian ship northbound about 65 miles North of PANTELLARIA. A Canadian corvette has been sunk in collision 150 miles West of CAPE RACE. A medium sized British merchant vessel in northbound coastal convoy was mined off East Coast on afternoon 7th. (II) MILITARY LIBYA. 6th. The 15th German armoured Division escaped by infantry move against EL GOBI from the North West. 21st German armoured Division with remnants of Italian Ariete division remained at JURA East of EL ADEM with a line of dug-in anti-tank guns stretching south towards EL GOBI between 2 armoured divisions. In evening the enemy (made) an attack on one of our formations west of EL GOBI but it did not develop. 7th in the morning enemy tanks, probably comprising both 15th and 21st armoured divisions, were still reported west of EL GOBI, apparently being engaged by our armoured and unarmoured troops. The enemy appeared to be on the defensive. In the frontier area the enemy was still holding a defended area around BARDIA, a strong point between SOLLUM and SIDI OMAR and HALFAYA position. Patrols from TOBRUK joined up at SIDI REOEGH with armour %ed car patrols which had advanced from South. 18 abandoned German tanks and much material including wireless equipment were found in this area. |