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Africa.

Libya.

28. Although a detailed check has not taken place, it appears that, during the operations against Bardia, 2,041 officers and 42,827 other ranks have been captured or killed. The following equipment has also either been taken or destroyed: 368 medium and field guns, 26 heavy A.A. guns, 68 light A.A. guns, 117 light tanks, 13 medium tanks and 708 M.T. vehicles.

The garrison of Tobruk, believed to comprise one Italian division and certain ancillary troops, including 6,000 frontier guards, is still invested by our forces. There is also reason to believe that it has been reinforced by the two Blackshirt generals who retired from Bardia. If Tobruk falls, it is difficult to forecast where the Italians will make their next stand. Two infantry divisions are believed to be located between Derna and Benghazi; these may be used to cover the approaches to Benghazi, where a part of Italian G.H.Q. is now believed to be. There are no indications up to the present time of the arrival of reinforcements in Libya.

Sudan.

29. Our patrols continue active.

East Africa.

30. On the 9th January a force consisting of armoured cars, one infantry battalion and a field battery entered Buna unopposed. They have subsequently returned to Wajir without incident.

Far East.

Thai-Indo-China Hostilities.

31. The hostilities between Thailand and Indo-China have until recently been confined to air action and minor frontier clashes.

On the 8th January however the Thais advanced across the Indo-China frontier into Cambodia, occupied the border town of Poipet, and continued their advance for thirty miles along the Sisophon road. They are also reported to have advanced on Mongkol Borei, the rail-head of the line from Phon Penh, 130 miles west of Saigon. Further south the Thais claim to have reached Peilin, a town just within the Cambodian frontier.

Reconnaissance raids by French troops in the Aranya Prades and Chantaburi sectors have also been reported.

A number of defence measures have been taken by Thailand. An order restricting the liberty of movement of French nationals was issued on the 7th January, martial law was proclaimed in twenty-four districts in North-East and East Thailand on the 8th January and, since the 10th January, a general black-out has been enforced in Bangkok.

Indo-China-Japanese Penetration.

32. French troops have reoccupied the frontier posts between Tongking, the northern province of Indo-China, and China.

The Japanese troops, who number about 6,000 to 8,000, are now confined to Hanoi, Haiphong and the aerodromes in their vicinity, and only a small Japanese commission remains at Langson.

General Review.

AIR SITUATION.

33. Operations by the Home Commands were again restricted by unfavour- able weather conditions, but were on a higher scale than in the previous week. An outstanding feature of the week's operations was a daylight attack on landing grounds in French territory by a formation of bomber aircraft escorted by a large force of fighters. The principal night attacks have been made against the naval port of Wilhelmshaven, the oil plant at Gelsenkirchen and a Hipper class cruiser at Brest. On two occasions targets in Italy were

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