OPTEL No. 40
 
      Information received up to 7 A.M., 3 February, 1942.
 
      
 
 
1. 
NAVAL
 
      Two of H.M. trawlers were sunk by bombs yesterday off the East 
      Coast. One of H.M. submarines
 
      scored a hit on a merchant ship off SICILY on 25/1. A Dutch tanker 
      was torpedoed east of
 
      HALIFAX on the lst/2nd.
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA
. Situation to morning of 2nd showed the 4th Indian 
      Division, less the 7th Brigade, had
 
      successfully withdrawn east of the line CYRENE - EL FAIDIA. The 
      remainder of our forward
 
      troops are disposed south of this line. Enemy mobile forces closely 
      followed up the 4th Indian
 
      Division, but further south have not repeat not attempted to 
      advance beyond the MSUS and
 
      CHARRUBA areas, where our mobile patrols have been in contact. 
      Most of the 7th Indian Brigade
 
      and attached artillery have rejoined although much of this brigade's 
      equipment had to be
 
      destroyed. It is thought that not more than 1,000 of our troops 
      have been captured in the
 
      operations around BENGHAOI. 
 
      
SINGAPORE
. No enemy ground activity. Air raid casualties 
      30th sixty-five killed.
 
      
BURMA
. The Japanese are building rafts near MOULEMEIN 
      for crossing the river SALWEEN.
 
      
RUSSIA
. The spearhead of the Russian drive in the DONETS 
      sector has now advanced to within
 
      less than fifty miles of DNEIPROPETROVSK.
 
      
 
 
3. 
AIR OPERATIONS
 
      WESTERN FRONT
. 2nd. Two Spitfires sent to northwest FRANCE 
      met six Me. 109's. One enemy
 
      aircraft was destroyed and two damaged. One Spitfire was lost. 
      Four Beauforts attacked a
 
      5,000 ton tanker off BREST and estimated at least one hit. Two 
      of them crashed into the sea.
 
      
LIBYA
. 31st/lst. Wellingtons dropped twenty tons of bombs 
      on enemy mechanical transport in the
 
      AGHEILA and JEDABYA areas. Two Fortresses dropped two tons on 
      MISURATA. Nine enemy aircraft
 
      bombed EL ADEM aerodrome destroying one of our aircr %aft severely 
      damaging four and slightly
 
      damaging twelve.
 
      
SINGAPORE
. 31st/lst. 1st and 2nd. Enemy aircraft attacked 
      our aerodromes and the Naval base.
 
      Slight damage was caused at KALPANG aerodrome and SELETAR remains 
      unserviceable. Our troops
 
      and anti-aircraft guns were dive-bombed without damage or casualties.