Copy No. 11
 
      OPTEL No. 14
 
      Information received up to 7 a.m., 2nd December, 1941.
 
      
 
 
(I) A British destroyer and a Drifter, name unknown, shot 
      down two German bombers off the HUMBER yesterday. Two British 
      cruisers with 2 destroyers on the evening of the 1st intercepted 
      and sank one destroyer, one 8,000 ton tanker and one 6,000 ton 
      merchant ship, all South-bound, about 80 miles N.N.W. of TRIPOLI 
      (L). On the evening of the 1st a British cruiser intercepted 
      in the South Atlantic, a vessel of about 11,000 tons which scuttled 
      herself on a warning shot being fired.
 
      
 
 
(II) MILITARY
 
      LIBYA. 30th/1st. The enemy attacked in strength from South-west 
      with tanks and infantry and captured SIDI REOEGH. A counter-attack 
      by our troops was unsuccessful and early on 1st the 15th German 
      armoured Division renewed the attack from the South-west and 
      captured BIR EL HAMED. Our armoured forces counter-attacked the 
      position was very confused.
 
      
 
 
In the frontier area on the morning of the 1st an attack by 
      our troops on enemy positions NorthWest of Libyan 0MAR met with 
      stout resistance. Some progress has been made but the situation 
      is obscure. At first light from the South-east and by mid-day 
      appeared to be in the BIR EL HAMED area where RUSSIA. MOSCOW 
      Sector - Heavy fighting is continuing but no appreciable change 
      has been reported.
 
      
 
 
ROSTOV Sector - Information received establishing that the 
      Russians hold ROSTOV but does not indicate how far to the West 
      of the town the Germans have retreated.
 
      
 
 
(III) AIR OPERATIONS
 
      30th/1st. HAMBURG - 122 aircraft attacked in good weather and 
      dropped 160 tons of H.E. and 9,000 incendiaries. 64 tons of H.E. 
      and 3,500 incendiaries were dropped on EMDEN. Ground haze and 
      searchlight glare prevented definite pin-pointing but many fires 
      were seen at both places.
 
      
 
 
1st and 1st/2nd. Bomber operations cancelled. At dusk Hudsons 
      made several hits on two merchant vessels at KRISTIANSAND.