OPTEL No. 66
 
      
Following is supplementary restume of operational events 
      covering the period 12th - 19th February, 1942. 
 
      
 
 
1.
 NAVAL
 
      
Two convoys, one each way, between ALEXANDRIA and MALTA were 
      repeatedly attacked by enemy 
 
      aircraft. The westbound convoy was twice attacked off LIBYA on 
      13th and one ship was damaged but
 
      has since reached port. On 14th during the change-over of escorts 
      when the convoys met 250 miles east of
 
      MALTA, all ships were in action against aircraft mainly directed 
      against the westbound convoy whose
 
      remaining two ships were severely damaged and later had to be 
      sunk. There was no damage to ships of the
 
      eastbound convoy. Five enemy aircraft were certainly and four 
      more probably destroyed,the majority by
 
      the air escort. An enemy Naval Force which had apparently attempted 
      to intercept these convoys was
 
       attacked successfully by Naval Albacores. 
 
      (See Optel No. 57). Shipping was heavily bombed in the SINGAPORE 
      area prior to the fall of the city on
 
      the 15th. Submarine activity has been more widely dispersed than 
      of late. There was a heavy attack, 
 
      thought to have been made by at least three U-boats upon tankers 
      in the DUTCH WEST INDIES.
 
      Shipping casualties elsewhere have not been heavy. Our submarines 
      caused loss of over 14,000 tons of
 
      enemy shipping in MEDITERRANEAN and damage to others during the 
      week. During the week ending
 
      18th 902 ships were convoyed. Imports into the U. K. from ships 
      in convoy during the week ending 14th
 
      were 1,015,000 tons including 506,000 tons of oil. Imports for 
      december, 1941, exclusive of tanker 
 
      imports amounted to 2,761,OO0 tons.
 
      
 
 
DUNKERQUE has arrived at TOULON. The main Japanese Fleet appears 
      to be in the Western Mandated 
 
      Islands Area. A new 16" battleship The "KII" has 
      joined the Fleet. The aircraft carriers have been 
 
      replenishing with aircraft in JAPAN. Two 8" cruisers have 
      b %een transferred to the Southern Fleet to
 
      replace casualties. The Southern Fleet is widely dispersed and 
      operating south of MALAYA in the
 
      MACASSAR STRAITS, the FLORES SEA and in the PHILIPPINES. The 
      first Canadian built merchant
 
      ship, 7,000 tons ordered by the British Government, arrived with 
      cargo in the UK on the 6th having been
 
      completed six months ahead of schedule.
 
      
 
 
2. 
MILITARY
 
      LIBYA.
 The object of General Rommel's operation with his 
      three Armoured Columns between 14th and
 
      16th can only be guessed. It has been sugested