Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
Post Office Telegraphists at War Work - Telegraph Less, 1939 UK poster: A woman in an orange blouse works a teleprinter

Post Office Telegraphists at War Work - Telegraph Less

A woman in an orange blouse works a teleprinter keyboard, with telegram forms stamped 'PRIORITY' beside her, under the words 'Post Office Telegraphists at war work' and 'TELEGRAPH LESS.' The tell is the link between the telegraphist's war work and the request to send fewer telegrams: the public is asked to cut its own use to free the service for priority traffic.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Transfer
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
General Post Office (GPO crest); artist Donia Nachshen; printed for H.M. Stationery Office by St. Michael's Press 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
Home front, Labor
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
Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
General Post Office (GPO crest), c. 1939-1945. U.S. National Archives, Record Group 44 (NARA ID 44266919).

Text on the object

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

DONIA NACHSHEN

Post Office
Telegraphists
at war work

TELEGRAPH LESS.

PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY ST. MICHAEL'S PRESS LTD. LONDON. 51-3925.
P.R.D. 316.

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