LEAFLET RAIDS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21199, 23 August 1940, Page 6

LEAFLET RAIDS

ITALIANS OVER EGYPT HAMILTON SOLDIER’S COPY QUAINT PHRASEOLOGY CARRYING PLANE SHOT DOWN When propaganda leaflets contain mis-spellings they immediately lose their effectiveness and betray their foreign origin. When Italy raided Egypt with “bomphlets” recently the effect of the raid was additional scorn and mirth when it was found that the enemy could not spell. A copy of the leaflet dropped over Egypt by the Italians in May fell into the possession of a Hamilton soldier, Corporal Basil F. Shepherd, who has forwarded a copy to his father, Mr J. F. Shepherd, of Hamilton. Proof that the leaflet was of Italian origin was secured when the plane which dropped them over Alexandria, Egypt, was later shot down by British defences at Mersa Matruh, about 300 miles away. When washed up on the shore the machine, which was Italian, contained bundles of the leaflets. English and Arabic The leaflet was printed in blue bank paper of approximately foolscap size, in both English and Arabic. Mis-spellings included “as” for has and “tho” for to. In the following copy of the propaganda leaflet the mis-spellings are shown within quotation marks. Englishmen, Egyptians and Arabs of the Western Desert.— France surrenders arms and stops fighting against the Powers of the Axis. The hour of England and her allies “as” struck at last. Italy and Germany will fall on you and punish the obstinate continuators of a ruthless struggle which shall forever mark the decline of Democratic Plutocracies. Englishmen, Egyptians and Arabs of the Western Desert, you slaves of the criminal Government of London, lay down arms, because we will allow no respite “tho” those who will resist.