Task 1: ‘Salvage’ posters

Starter activity

Look at the poster ‘Is your journey really necessary?’ which illustrates this resource. Read the answers to the questions.

  • How does this poster use questions or slogans?

The title of the poster is a direct question to the viewer from a soldier: ‘Is your journey really necessary?’ It is very effective and designed to make anyone stop and think and possibly feel guilty that it would not help the war effort to make a personal rail journey. The railways were essential transport for the military services and supplies.

  • How does it use language to make its message?

The poster uses powerful words. For example, it uses the word ‘really’ and stresses the point by changing the colour of the word in the question posed by the poster. The words emphasise the need to take personal responsibility and support the war effort.

  • How does it appeal to feelings and emotions?

Perhaps the poster aims to make people feel guilty about non-essential travel. Visually the soldier implies a personal appeal as he points to the viewer. This is also an address to the country in its time of need making it an emotional appeal.

  • Why does this poster use different font sizes?

The title question ‘Is your question really necessary’ uses a large sized font and capital letters to grab attention, stop people in their tracks and make them think. A smaller font is used at the bottom for the words Railway Executive Committee who produced the poster.

  • How does this poster use colour to help make their point?

The colour red is used for the word ‘Really’ to make it standout and this colour also signifies a command to ‘stop’. Red, white and blue used in the poster, these colours are perhaps intended to reflect the British flag and inspire a sense of patriotism.

  • Why was this poster produced?

It was part of a series of posters produced by artist and cartoonist Bert Thomas in 1942 for the Railway Executive Committee. This was a government body set up during wartime to control the running of the railways. It was designed to persuade people to think before they travelled. The government wanted to save fuel, including coal and petrol for the war effort. Coal was used for steam trains and petrol for other transport. Coal was also vital for use in factories manufacturing weapons, tools, equipment and other supplies.

Task 1: Examine ‘salvage’ posters during the Second World War

These three posters were used to persuade people to save waste. Use the questions to examine them and explain your answers.

  • How do the posters use slogans or questions? Are they effective?
  • How is language used to convey their message?
  • In what ways do they appeal to feelings and emotions?
  • Do any of the posters use humour, if so, how?
  • Why do the posters use different font sizes?
  • How do the posters use colour to help make their point?
  • Which is the most persuasive poster in your opinion?

[Use these questions to help.]

  • Are the posters aimed at different types of audience (men, women, children or all groups)?
  • How effective would these posters be without their words?
  • Discuss the differences between using visual messaging [colour and artwork] over the written word with a partner.
  • Why was this group of posters produced?
  • Can you find out about any of these war artists?
  • Can you think of any other evidence these posters provide about life during the Second World War?

Source 1

Poster from the Ministry of Information by artist Sidney Conrad Strube entitled ‘The big new round up for the salvage front’, 1939-1949, Catalogue ref: INF 3/148

Image description

Four characters are shown walking in line with a sense of purpose. They include a newspaper with legs, arms and hands with yellow gloves, a bone with legs, arms and hands with yellow gloves and large cloth bag with a head made out from rags. The character wears a hat with ear flaps. He carries a stick with a spotted bundle and wears yellow gloves. The fourth character is a grey-haired soldier from the Home Guard wearing a helmet with a rosette. He carries a yellow cane. In the top left-hand corner behind the characters, there is a notice on the wall which says: ‘Don’t keep slackers in your house’. The caption reads: ‘The big new round up for the salvage front’.

 

Source 2

Poster from the Ministry of Information by artist E. Oliver, entitled: ‘’Salvage saves Shipping’, Catalogue ref: INF 3/207

Image description

A large ship with billowing smoke which is sinking at sea is shown on the horizon to the right. There is a submarine further away on the left. In the foreground there is a lifeboat which bobs about on choppy waters. The lifeboat contains some of the crew and the captain stands and points at the sinking ship. Words in heavy capitals at the bottom of the poster say: ‘Salvage saves shipping.’

Source 3

Poster from the Ministry of Information entitled: ‘Here’s what you do to help’ Catalogue ref: INF 13/148

Image description

On a green background there is the front part of a house with a curtained window and front door. Outside the building is a dustbin with three separate piles of material for salvage. These consist of a bundle of papers, a box containing scrap metal including old pots and pans and a box of bones. The poster is entitled: ‘Here’s what you do to help’. At the bottom of the poster are the words: ‘Every scrap helps towards Victory’.

Transcript

Here’s what you do to help

Balloon bubble attached to dustbin says:
Dustbin should contain neither paper, metal nor bones. They must be separate.

Balloon bubble attached to bundle of paper says:
Paper clean and dry, tied into a parcel. Include cardboard of all kinds.

Balloon bubble attached to box metal scrap says: Put all metal together-rust does not matter. Include tins & other metal boxes.

Balloon bubble attached to box of bones says: Bones are best kept in a lidded tin, but box or bad will do.

Every scrap helps towards victory