Accidents with Ammunition
Sixteen small vignettes each name a cause of ammunition accidents, such as 'Tampering for souvenirs' and 'Swank', around a black starburst marked 'BANG!' with quoted excuses. The starburst and the excuse quotes carry the fear appeal: the poster's argument is that each habit ends in an explosion.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- His Majesty's Stationery Office, printed by Fosh & Cross Ltd., London; artist W. A. Rowe (War Office training poster)
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- War and the military, Science and technology
- 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 Fosh & Cross Ltd., London; artist W. A. Rowe (War Office training poster). U.S. National Archives, WWII Foreign Posters (NAID 44266142, 44-PF-62).
Text on the object
ACCIDENTS WITH AMMUNITION ILLEGAL POSSESSION BY TROOPS SLACK CUSTODY NEGLECT TO CLEAR RANGES LEADING TO ILLEGAL POSSESSION BY CIVILIANS TECHNICAL IGNORANCE TAMPERING FOR CURIOSITY TAMPERING FOR SOUVENIRS BRAVADO FAULTY DEMONSTRATION OR ORDERS FIDDLING WISE GUY SWANK CHANCE IT ASK THE EXPERT THEY DON'T ALWAYS FIZZ BEFORE THEY GO OFF REMEMBER CANUTE AMMUNITION IS TO KILL HUNS NOT YOUR PALS "IT SEEMED ALL RIGHT TO ME." "NOBODY TOLD ME." "I WANTED ONE FOR THE MANTLEPIECE." "I'VE OFTEN DONE IT BEFORE." "I ALWAYS DO IT THAT WAY." "IT WENT OFF IN MY HAND." "I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS LOADED." BANG!
