OPTEL No. 65
 
      Information received up to 7 A.M., 24th February, 1942.
 
      
 
 
1. 
NAVAL
 
      C. in C. Home Fleet with main units including aircraft carrier 
      has arrived at SCAPA from 
 
      operations off NORWAY. Early on 23rd torpedo carrying aircraft 
      made a sweep down the Norwegian Coast to locate and attack enemy 
      warships on passage to TRONDHEIM. Search hampered by severe snow 
      storm and nothing seen. Three aircraft missing.
 
      
 
 
At six A.M. 23rd one of H.M. submarines on patrol off the 
      Norwegian Coast sighted a pocket battleship with a cruiser and 
      three destroyers steaming on an Easterly course and attacked 
      from a range of 1,500 yards. She claims one possible hit each 
      on the pocket battleship and on one of the destroyers. When she 
      surfaced later in poor visibility she saw nothing.
 
      
 
 
On the 23rd one of H.M. submarines attacked three merchant 
      vessels of about 9,000 tons escorted by destroyers, off TRIPOLI 
      (L). She estimates three possible hits. Two of H.M. gunboats 
      were lost in the SINGAPORE area on the 24th. Two hundred survivors 
      have been picked up.
 
      
 
 
A Russian ship was uneuccessfully attacked by a Japanese submarine 
      on the 21st between KARACHI and COLUMBO. A British 9,000 ton 
      tanker has been torpedoed and set on fire by U-boat South of 
      HALLIFAX and a British 6,000 ton cargo vessel was shelled by 
      U-boat on 23rd in same locality. Two U.S. merchant ships have 
      been torpedoed in the vicinity of TRINIDAD and a U.S. tanker 
      was torpedoed on the 21st/22nd but is still afloat. Four more 
      ships, names not given, were sunk by submarines in the same area 
      on the same and following nights.
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA.
 During the 22nd enemy resistance to our patrols increased 
      and tactical reconnaissance 
 
      reported considerable enemy movement of M.T. accompanied by tanks 
      towards TMIMI from the area South East of DERNA.
 
      
BURMA. 
The withdrawal of the 17th Indian Division across 
      the River SITTANG began at dawn on 
 
      the 22nd, valuable support being rendered by the R.A.F. The withdrawal 
      was stronger opposed and 
 
      there has been heavy fighting on the East of the River. The bridge 
      at MOKPALIN was blown early 
 
      on the 22nd to prevent it falling into enemy hands and it is 
      feared that two Brigades of the Division have been overwhelmed 
     %  and will be unable to make good their retirement over the River. 
      Fighting throughout has been reinforced and is now estimated 
      at two Divisions. One Squadron of our armoured Brigade reached 
      PEGU on 22nd.