OPTEL No. 48
 
      Information received up to 7 A.M. l0th February, 1942.
 
      
 
 
1. 
NAVAL
 
      Photographic reconnaissances on the ninth showed the three German 
      ships still at BREST with four 
 
      destroyers and TIRPITO at TRONDHEIM.
 
      The Free French corvette yesterday reported sunk is still afloat 
      and in tow.
 
      A 9,000 ton Norwegian tanker was torpedoed on the morning of 
      the 9th off North West SCOTLAND but is 
 
      still afloat.
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA
. A column which moved out to attack the enemy on the 
      7th reached a point 13 miles south of TMIMI
 
      on the 8th. Progress was slow owing to the nature of the ground 
      and well-concealed enemy artillery. A
 
      South African Patrol encountered the enemy nine miles west of 
      GAOALA and another patrol reached a point
 
      18 miles south-east of MEKILI without making contact.
 
      
SINGAPORE
. During the night 8th/9th, enemy landed at several 
      points on the north-west coast of 
 
      SINGAPORE ISLAND under cover of very heavy artillery fire, Considerable 
      infiltration was made before
 
      dawn and strong enemy parties had reached the neighborhood TENGAH-BULIM 
      (four miles inland from
 
      northwest shore) by mid-day 9th. A counter-attack at TENGAH by 
      A.I.F. is thought to have been
 
      unsuccessful. Our troops are withdrawing under pressure to a 
      general north-south line SUNGEI
 
      KRANJI-SUNGEI JURONG, about three miles west of BUKIT TIMAH on 
      the SINGAPORE-JOHORE 
 
      BAHRU road. The enemy attack is supported by constant dive-bombing 
      and machine-gunning. Both coast
 
      defence guns at PASIR LABA on the west coast were put out of 
      action by enemy dive-bombing and were
 
      later demolished by our own troops. Northern area has been comparatively 
      quite with intermittent enemy 
 
      artillery fire, particularly directed on PAYA LEBAR and the west 
      end of the naval base. Damage and
 
      casualties slight.
 
      
 
 
3.
AIR OPERATIONS
 
      LIBYA
. 7th/8th. 11 Wellingtans bomb %ed BENGHAOI and BERCA 
      aerodromes and covered successful mine 
 
      laying by other Wellingtons.
 
      8th. Blenheims destroyed one aircraft on the ground at DERNA 
      aerodrome and Kittyhawks acting as escort
 
      destroyed three German fighters in the air. Four Kittyhawks lost, 
      one pilot safe.