Headache for Hitler: It Takes More Than 12 Tons of Coal to Make This Torpedo
A photograph of a torpedo being swung aboard a naval vessel, watched by officers and ratings, sits under the headline 'Headache for Hitler' and the claim that it takes more than 12 tons of coal to make one. The tell is transfer: the coal supply is linked to sinking enemy ships through the speech balloon 'You raise 'em, we'll sink 'em', which sets the sailors' words as a pledge to the miner.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ministry of Fuel and Power; printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Multi Machine Plates Ltd
- 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, Economy and finance
- 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)
UK government poster; National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), WWII Foreign Posters, NAID 44266580.
Text on the object
HEADACHE FOR HITLER IT TAKES MORE THAN 12 TONS of COAL TO MAKE THIS TORPEDO YOU RAISE 'EM WE'LL SINK 'EM ISSUED BY MINISTRY OF FUEL & POWER A.2.3 PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY MULTI MACHINE PLATES LTD. LONDON E.C.4. 51-3348
