Second World War Posters
Learning Resources
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© IWM (Art.IWM PST 3751)
Why Not Wear Something White Instead?
The blackout caused an increase in road traffic accidents and personal injuries. Fougasse was the pen name of
Cyril Kenneth Bird, a cartoonist for Punch and illustrator for London Underground before and after the Second
World War. He offered his services to the Ministry of Information free of charge, believing his brand of humour
could unite British people in collective action.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 4773)
Go Through Your Wardrobe – Make-Do And Mend
Clothes rationing was introduced in June 1941. The Make Do and Mend campaign was launched by the Board of
Trade in 1942. This poster was illustrated by Donia Nachsen. Originally from Russian Poland, Nachsen whose
style derived from Art Deco. Alongside her poster designs for the Board of Trade and General Post Office she
continued to illustrate books in wartime, and illustrated many works of Russian literature and poetry.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 16992)
Plan And Grow For Winter
In 1939 Britain was reliant on cheap imports of food from overseas, and only 30 per cent of food was homeproduced. The introduction of rationing by the Ministry of Food was therefore inevitable in January 1940. By 1943
there were over 1.4 million allotments, producing over a million tons of vegetables that year.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 2814)
A Clear Plate Means a Clear Conscience – Don’t Take More Thank You Can Eat
James Fitton illustrated several posters for the Ministry of Food from 1942 onwards. Like many other British wartime
posters Fitton’s designs give austerity positive characteristics and are decorative as well as being persuasive. These
devices were not appreciated by all in the design community, with artists like J.B. Nicholson and Henry Moore noting the
absence of any realism capturing the reality of wartime Europe, with millions of refugees and effects of nightly air raids.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 4944)
Milk – The Backbone Of Young Britain
Illustrated by James Fitton for the Ministry of Food, c. 1942. Increasing calcium intake amongst vulnerable sections
of British society was a priority for the Ministry of Food. Milk rations were increased for pregnant women and
children. The initiative’s legacy would be the provision of free milk to schoolchildren from 1946 until 1971.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 2893)
Grow Your Own Food
Abram Games was a freelance poster artist before the war. In 1941 he was conscripted into the army and then
worked in the War Office Public Relations Department. He was appointed Official War Office Poster Artist, and
given almost free hand. He created some of the most outstanding and, at times, controversial posters of the war.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 13874)
In A Raid – Open Your Door To Passers-By
Before the Second World War Tom Purvis designed iconic 1930s posters advertising the railway for London
and North Eastern Railways (LNER). During the war Purvis designed posters for the Ministry of Supply and for
National Savings. This poster was designed to act as a handy reminder to stick on the inside of a door. After
the war he withdrew from commercial poster design to pursue portraiture and religious painting.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 8235)
Don’t Do It, Mother – Leave The Children Where They Are
This poster from 1939 shows the Mother’s doubt about leaving her children evacuated. Hitler appears as a ghostly figure, trying to get
her to take her children home. When this poster was made, heavy bombing of the urban areas of Britain was predicted. The first wave
of evacuation began on 1st September and lasted three days with 1.5 million children leaving, most in school groups. However, as no
bombing happened, during the period known as the Phoney War, almost half of the evacuees had returned home by January 1940.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 14738)
Look What’s Happening To Our Salvage – Join The ‘COGS’
Children were encouraged to help the war effort by collecting metal, paper and rags for recycling. On this poster,
soap cartons have been used in the manufacture of artillery shells. Children could earn the red Junior Salvage
Steward cog badge. The “Cogs” had their own song which began “There’ll Always be a Dustbin” sung to the tune of
“There’ll Always be an England”. Another campaign involving children was “Saucepans for Spitfires”.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 3406)
Wanted For Sabotage
The Squanderbug first appeared in newspaper adverts. Children’s illustrator, Dr Seuss, adapted the image to
promote War Bonds in the USA. The Squanderbug tempted people to be wasteful, which sabotaged Britain’s war
effort. Artist Phillip Boydell designed the creature he originally called a Money Grub for British National Savings
Committee campaigns. They wanted to persuade people to buy savings certificates to finance the war.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 14686)
Bones Are Still Needed
Recycling was very important during the Second World War. Relentless attacks on British and Allied shipping
meant that Britain had to be self-sufficient. The Czech artist Dorrit Dekk was a printmaker, illustrator and designer.
She moved to London from Austria after the 1938 Anschluss and designed many posters, including some for
London Transport.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 14752)
Still More Rags Wanted For Salvage
The artist John Gilroy came from an advertising background, creating the famous 1930’s Guinness adverts
featuring animals from the zoo. The dustman, wearing the distinctive dustman’s hat from the period, features in four
posters by Gilroy for the Ministry of Supply’s salvage drive. Here he is leading a figure made of rags for recycling.
This poster was designed in 1943.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 14688)
Save Waste for War Weapons
The theme of this poster is salvage. Here the cartoons of British civilians on the Home Front are linked to black and white ones of war images.
Paper is repulped to make ammunition, metal is remelted to make tanks and guns and rags are rewoven for uniforms. Everyone on the Home
Front had an important role to play in winning the war.
© IWM (Art.IWM PST 2868)
Salvage Is Vital In Conserving Our Shipping
This is one of a series of posters linked to salvage saving shipping space. In 1942 over 5 million tonnes of Allied shipping was sunk,
much of it by U-boats. A merchant vessel is seen sinking beneath stylised orange waves and a pile of waste metal objects, including
saucepans and tin cans, can be seen in the middle. The salvage drive included removing iron railings and gates from parks and
homes. This poster by Abram Games shows the importance of salvage, something that everyone on the Home Front could do.
Second World War Posters
Learning Resources