Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
A British Anti-Aircraft Battery in Action, 1939 UK poster: Gun crews in steel helmets work anti-aircraft guns firing into

A British Anti-Aircraft Battery in Action

Gun crews in steel helmets work anti-aircraft guns firing into a searchlit night sky, beneath the line 'More than 590 German raiders have been destroyed by anti-aircraft fire over Britain.' The tell is the single kill figure with no period, no denominator of raids and no losses stated.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Card stacking
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
Artist James Gardner (initials 'P.J.'); no issuing body printed
Region
Western and Central Europe
Country
United Kingdom
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Churchill Government
Leader
Winston Churchill
Audience
Domestic public
Purpose
Reassure
Themes
War and the military, Home front
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 (UK wartime publication)
Artist James Gardner (initials 'P.J.'); no issuing body printed. National Archives and Records Administration, 44-PF-43.

Text on the object

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

A British Anti-aircraft Battery in action.  More than 590 German raiders have been destroyed by
anti-aircraft fire over Britain.

[signature:] JAMES GARDNER
[initials:] P.J.

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