COPY NO. 11
 
      25th December, 1941.
 
      OPTEL No. 49
 
      
 
 
Information received up to 7 a.m., 24 December, 1941.
 
      
 
 
1. 
NAVAL
 
      Reconnaissance of BREST yesterday showed that the GNEISENAU had 
      left drydock and gone to 453 torpedo boat station. SCHARNHORST 
      and PRINO EUGEN were still in dock. The Dutch submarine 0.16 
      which sank four Japanese troopships on the 12th, blew up after 
      entering one of our minefields on her way to SINGAPORE, on the 
      12th. A 6500 ton Russian Tanker was torpedoed and sunk near the 
      Dardanelles on the 10th. A small Belgian Merchant vessel and 
      a medium sized Greek ship were both sunk by mines off the East 
      Coast on the 23rd and 22nd respectively, and on the 23rd a Greek 
      ship of similar size was mined off YARMOUTH and has been beached. 
      A small British Merchant ship was sunk by U-Boat East of TOBRUK 
      yesterday. 
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA
 On the night 21/22nd a long range desert patrol destroyed 
      37 enemy aircraft at JEDABYA. On 22nd our patrols harassed enemy 
      infantry and columns of M.T. in the area East and South of SOLUM. 
      After driving off a German force of 35 tanks and 150 M.T. they 
      captured ANTELAT. In the North our Column directed on BENGHAOI 
      continued its advance West of EL KARRUBA, 500 prisoners have 
      been taken in this area.
 
      
 
 
On 23rd an enemy column near MAGRUN 45 miles South of BENGHAOI 
      was engaged and retreated in disorder leaving fifty German prisoners. 
      Enemy reported destroying aircraft on MAGRUN aerodrome. A total 
      of 92 German and 53 Italian M.13 tanks had been destroyed or 
      found destroyed by R.E. up to 13th. Enemy still appears to be 
      trying to hold BENGHASI until he has evacuated more equipment 
      and stores. Our advance has been delayed owing to bad going and 
      maintenance difficulties. These are now being overcome and every 
      effort is being directed towards preventing the enemy escaping 
      and then destroying him.
 
      
 
 
MALAYA.
 23rd, North West, our forces now hold the line 
      of the PERAK River. North East, % our forces from KELANTAN have 
      been withdrawn to the RAUB-BENTONG area. The enemy's line of 
      advance is limited to a single railway and there is no information 
      as yet of any pressure.