OPTEL No. 56
 
      Information received up to 7 A.M., 16th February, 1942.
 
      
 
 
1. 
NAVAL 
There were no casualties in the ship sunk 
      by aircraft on 14th when proceeding to MALTA in
 
      convoy.
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      BURMA.
 While no fresh attacks have developed in the SALWEEN 
      Front there are indications that the
 
      enemy are preparing an attack in the DUYINOECK THATON area.
 
      
 
 
3. 
AIR OPERATIONS
 
      WESTERN FRONT.
 14th/15th. Fifty-one tons of bombs were dropped 
      on MANNHEIM and eleven tons on 
 
      HAVRE, results were generally unobserved owing to cloud. No bombers 
      are missing. Ten R.C.A.F. 
 
      aircraft took part.
 
      15th. A Hudson scored two hits on a 1,200 ton vessel off NORWAY. 
      One Spitfire is missing from an
 
      offensive patrol.
 
      15th/16th. Twenty-six bombers were sent to ST. NAOAIRE, results 
      unobserved owing to cloud. Three
 
      crashed on return. Forty-three enemy aircraft were operating 
      against this country, the majority of them being
 
      engaged against shipping and in sea-mining Off NORTHUMBERLAND. 
      One was destroyed by a
 
      Beaufighter.
 
      
LIBYA. 
14th. Eighteen Kittyhawks engaged more than thirty 
      dive bombers and fighters in the ACROMA 
 
      area, twenty enemy aircraft were shot down, two were probably 
      destroyed and ten more were damaged. 
 
      Our fighters suffered no losses. One Hurricane is missing from 
      reconnaissance.
 
      
SICILY.
 14th. Thirteen Wellingtons dropped a total of 
      twelve tons of bombs on three enemy aerodromes.
 
      Four others attacked the docks at AUGUSTA and SYRACUSE causing 
      fires and explosions.
 
      
MALTA.
 15th. A total of 123 enemy bombers and fighters 
      made three attacks on LUQA aerodrome. Nine 
 
      aircraft on the ground were destroyed or damaged. A total of 
      four enemy aircraft were shot down by fighters
 
      and A.A. fire.
 
      
 
 
4. 
RUSSIA.
 Although fighting has continued on all main 
      sectors, general impression is that there has been 
      very little change in alignment of front. No further information 
      is available regarding the Russian pincer
 
      movement west of MOSCOW. Press reports of considerable Russian 
      progress in this sector are much 
 
      exaggerated. In the DONETS area German counter-attacks have been 
      held up partly owing to thaw.
 
      Indications that Russians are reinforcing both SEVASTOPOL and 
      KERCH.
 
      On l2th General MacFarlane reported that fighting around LENINGRAD 
      had been very severe but Russians
 
      were confident that the city would soon be relieved.