---
title: We Shall Not Fail... ("We cut the coal." Winston Churchill, 31 October 1942)
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/britain-we-shall-not-fail-we-cut-the-coal-1942/
description: A photographic portrait of Winston Churchill fills the upper left over a crowd of men in a hall, above a long red quotation dated 31 October 1942.
section: Collection
---

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3. We Shall Not Fail...

[![We Shall Not Fail..., 1942 UK poster: A photographic portrait of Winston Churchill fills the upper left over a crowd of men](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/britain-we-shall-not-fail-we-cut-the-coal-1942.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/britain-we-shall-not-fail-we-cut-the-coal-1942.jpg)

# We Shall Not Fail... ("We cut the coal." Winston Churchill, 31 October 1942)

A photographic portrait of Winston Churchill fills the upper left over a crowd of men in a hall, above a long red quotation dated 31 October 1942. The quotation lists fighter pilots, submariners, Eighth Army soldiers and merchant seamen, then gives the reader the line 'We cut the coal': the prime minister's name vouches for the message (testimonial) and the service roles lend their prestige to coal mining (transfer).

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Testimonial](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/testimonial/) [Transfer](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/transfer/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
“We shall not fail, and then some day, when children ask: What did you do to win this inheritance for us and to make our name so respected among men?” one will say: “I was a Fighter Pilot,” another will say: “I was in the Submarine Service,” another: “I marched with the Eighth Army,” a fourth will say: “None of you could have lived without the convoys and the Merchant Seamen,” and you, in your turn will say, with equal pride and with equal right: “WE CUT THE COAL.”
Winston Churchill
OCTOBER 31st, 1942
ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF FUEL AND POWER
PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY MULTI MACHINE PLATES LTD. LONDON E.C.4. 51-2945
```

[← 'A Grã-Bretanha, Defensora da Liberdade' (British poster in Portuguese)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/britain-defender-of-liberty-portuguese-1942/) [You Raise 'Em - We'll Shoot 'Em Down (12 cwts. of coal go to make 1 minute's supply of shells for these guns) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/britain-you-raise-em-well-shoot-em-down-1942/)

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