A Postmark Betrayed this H.Q. ... Use the Army Post Office
A large Tanbridge postmark dated 21 Jan 1942 glows red over a heap of military kit, with black bombs falling away from it. The headline says a postmark betrayed a headquarters, and the fear appeal is the implied bombing that follows from a revealed location; the remedy offered is the Army Post Office, whose field postmark is shown small.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- His Majesty's Stationery Office (printed by Stafford & Co. Ltd, Netherfield, Nottingham); artist Abram Games
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Security and surveillance, War and the military
- 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; artist Abram Games. U.S. National Archives, Record Group 44.
Text on the object
A POSTMARK BETRAYED THIS H.Q.… USE THE ARMY POST OFFICE TANBRIDGE 2 PM 21 JAN 1942 B FIELD POST OFFICE 21 JA 42 Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Stafford & Co. Ltd., Netherfield, Nottingham. 51-4932 P.R.65 A. GAMES
