Blood donors are needed urgently to save lives (Emergency Blood Transfusion Service)
A stylised airbrushed head in a helmet is joined by a bent tube of red and pink to the words 'Blood donors are needed urgently to save lives'. The tell for transfer is the design itself: the wounded-soldier image gives the donation request its urgency.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ministry of Health, Emergency Blood Transfusion Service; printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Lowe & Brydone Printers Ltd., London; artist Abram Games (signed 'A. Games')
- 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
- Health, 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)
Ministry of Health, Emergency Blood Transfusion Service; printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Lowe & Brydone Printers Ltd., London; artist Abram Games (signed 'A. Games'). U.S. National Archives, WWII Foreign Posters (NAID 44266294, 44-PF-105).
Text on the object
BLOOD DONORS are needed urgently to save lives EMERGENCY BLOOD TRANSFUSION SERVICE ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH A.GAMES PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY LOWE & BRYDONE PRINTERS LTD., LONDON, N.W.10. 51-2403
