London, June 12, The first war communique issued by the Italian High Command mentions only aerial activity, including air raids on Malta. There was not a word about operations by Italian land forces.
After stating that at midnight on June 10 the prearranged disposition of Italian land, sea and air forces was carried out in perfect order, the communique claims that "at dawn and sunset, bombing units of the Italian air force, escorted by fighter formations, violently bombed military establishments in Malta with evident results."
All Italian planes are said to have returned to their bases. Other units, the communique adds, undertook reconnaissance flights over Italian territory and ports in North Africa—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.