'You Build 'Em We'll Fight 'Em, Says Weyburn Officer' (Canadian Department of Munitions and Supply)
A photograph of a young naval officer sits beneath a typed letter on Naval Service letterhead, addressed to the shipbuilders of HMCS Weyburn after her loss and asking them to build another. The named gunnery officer speaks directly to the workers as a first-hand witness (testimonial) in the informal language of a shared job (plain folks).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Government of Canada, Department of Munitions and Supply, with a letter on Department of National Defence (Naval Service) letterhead
- Region
- North America
- Country
- Canada
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Mackenzie King Government
- Leader
- William Lyon Mackenzie King
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Labor, War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (Canadian Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
Government of Canada, Department of Munitions and Supply; letter by Lt. P. S. Milsom, RCNVR. U.S. National Archives, NAID 44267933 (44-PF-736).
Text on the object
Department of National Defence Naval Service Ottawa, Canada. IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE N.S. TO THE MEN WHO BUILT H.M.C.S. WEYBURN I wonder just how you felt when they announced that H.M.C.S. Weyburn, the ship you built, had been lost in the Mediterranean. Perhaps I know. You recall, I am sure, the time and effort you spent in Weyburn's construction - the extra hours and trouble you put in making her "just so". You pictured her impressive launching ceremony and remember that bitter November day when she passed her acceptance trials and with a skeleton crew of naval officers and ratings headed down to the sea. From that day on you probably had little time to think of the Weyburn. You had other ships to build. For me it was different. You see, I was one on that skeleton crew and I sailed and fought with Weyburn until her end. I was the last man to abandon her and survive. You who built Weyburn and we the crew who sailed her found it hard to lose so gallant a ship. Against submarines in the North Atlantic and aircraft in the Med. she had certainly done her bit. But there is yet so much to do and we must have another ship in which to do it. Build us another ship now - one every bit as sturdy as the Weyburn. You know, we're a pretty good combination. You build 'em, we fight 'em. That's a partnership that Jerry is daily and painfully finding he can't beat. It's up to you and it's up to us. Let's get cracking! [signature:] P. S. Milsom Lieutenant, R.C.N.V.R. Gunnery Officer H.Q. 1010 500M--3-42 (3966) N.S. 815-7-1010 MEMO WE BUILT FOR H.M.C.S. WEYBURN You build 'em we'll fight 'em SAYS WEYBURN OFFICER THIS MESSAGE IS ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MUNITION AND SUPPLY FOR CANADA
