Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
"Stay Put" This Summer, 1939 UK poster: Two photographs are paired

"Stay Put" This Summer

Two photographs are paired: seashells on sand ('Not these shells..') above artillery shells on a factory line ('... but THESE'), with text asking the public to spend summer holidays at home. The tell is the pun on 'shells', which links giving up the seaside holiday to munitions output; the request itself is stated plainly.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Transfer
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
Railway Executive Committee; printed in England by McCorquodale & Co. Ltd., London (No. 558)
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
Home front, Economy and finance
Event
World War II
Regime
Churchill wartime government
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
Held by NARA, Unrestricted; hosted by owner decision (British wartime poster, no rights statement)
Railway Executive Committee; printed in England by McCorquodale & Co. Ltd., London (No. 558), National Archives and Records Administration, 44-PF-306.

Text on the object

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

Not these shells..
... but THESE
"STAY PUT" THIS SUMMER
In peace-time the Railways welcome holiday crowds.
This summer holidays should be spent
at home.
RAILWAY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
No. 558
PRINTED IN ENGLAND BY McCORQUODALE & CO. LTD., LONDON

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