The Straggler Invites Attack
A drawing shows a bomber formation in cloud with one aircraft lagging behind and fighters marked with crosses closing on it. The caption warns that a straggler loses the support of its formation and becomes 'a prey to enemy concentrated attack', a fear appeal built on the lone aircraft; it is marked 'For official use only', a training diagram.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1941
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- His Majesty's Stationery Office, printed by Jordison & Co., Ltd., London and Middlesbrough; Air Ministry Air Diagram 1296; drawing by 'Flight' (signed)
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Theme
- 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, printed by Jordison & Co., Ltd., London and Middlesbrough; Air Ministry Air Diagram 1296; drawing by 'Flight' (signed). U.S. National Archives, WWII Foreign Posters (NAID 44266174, 44-PF-65p).
Text on the object
THE STRAGGLER INVITES ATTACK If you fall out of a Formation and lag behind, you lose the support of your fellows and are liable to fall a prey to enemy concentrated attack. AIR DIAGRAM 1296 MAY, 1941 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Drawing by Flight PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY JORDISON & CO., LTD., LONDON & MIDDLESBROUGH. 51-6266.
