Private Scrap builds a bomber (exhibition)
A cheerful figure made of household scrap (a hot-water bottle, tins, a fork, a spanner) wears a helmet before a bomber, announcing a free exhibition at Charing Cross Underground station. The tell for plain-folks is the cartoon 'Private Scrap' built from ordinary kitchen discards, which presents giving scrap as a soldier-like act anyone can take part in.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Ministry of Supply, produced by the Ministry of Information, printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Multi Machine Plates Ltd.; artist G. Cullen
- 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, 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)
Ministry of Supply / Ministry of Information / H.M. Stationery Office; artist G. Cullen, c. 1939-1945. U.S. National Archives, RG 44.
Text on the object
exhibition PRIVATE SCRAP builds a bomber CHARING CROSS UNDERGROUND STATION · MAY 18TH TO JUNE 14TH 9.30 A.M. TO 7.30 P.M. · SUNDAYS INCLUDED · ADMISSION FREE Produced for the Ministry of Supply by the Ministry of Information G. CULLEN PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY MULTI MACHINE PLATES LTD. LONDON E.C.4. 51-3567
