He's in the Silent Service - Are You?
A weathered naval officer in a peaked cap looks into the distance holding binoculars, above the line 'He's in the Silent Service - are you?' and an instruction never to mention arrivals, sailings, cargoes or destinations. The officer's authority is lent to the instruction (transfer), and the question invites the viewer to join the group already keeping quiet (bandwagon).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- His Majesty's Stationery Office, printed by Stafford & Co. Ltd, Netherfield, Nottingham
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- War and the military, Security and surveillance, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- 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 (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
His Majesty's Stationery Office, printed by Stafford & Co. Ltd, Netherfield, Nottingham. National Archives and Records Administration, WWII Foreign Posters (NAID 44266578, 44-PF-205).
Text on the object
HE'S IN THE SILENT SERVICE - ARE YOU? Never mention arrivals, sailings, cargoes or destinations to anybody. PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Stafford & Co., Ltd., Netherfield, Nottingham. 51 - 1032
