ARMOURED CARS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1940, Page 8

ARMOURED CARS

ITALIANS CLAIM

CAPTURE

DENIAL BY BRITISH

(Received July 10, 1.30 v p.m.)

LONDON, July 9.

An Italian communique states: "At least 50 enemy armoured motor vehicles were destroyed in the last few days on the Cyrenaica front. In East Africa our aviators bombed enemy positions in the Wajir zone, Kenya, hitting an ammunition dump. Several English privates were captured in the Turchana zone, Kenya. Following bombing action by our planes pur troops raided Kurmuk, in the AngloEgyptian Sudan, destroying a radio station and a munition dump. Enemy planes raided Massawa, Diredawa, and Zula, causing a total of two deaths, with one person wounded. There was no material damage." ,

Authorities in London, referring to the Italian c.ommunique, state: "With regard to the action which allegedly occurred on the Cyrenaica border the Italian communique avoids mentioning that the British armoured vehicles operated 60 miles inside Italian territory. The reported destruction of 50 cars is untrue as it exceeds the number of British cars participating in the activities. During successful operations in this area British armoured units lost only three or four cars." It is officially stated that the claim in yesterday's Italian communique of the capture of a British tank is untrue.