Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
Give thanks to the everyday heroes of Britain's Merchant Navy, 1939 UK poster: A tinted photograph shows a convoy of merchant

Give thanks to the everyday heroes of Britain's Merchant Navy

A tinted photograph shows a convoy of merchant ships seen from an escort's bow and gun. 'Everyday heroes' pairs a virtue word (glittering generalities) with ordinary-worker framing (plain folks); the poster gives no figures or specific deeds.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Glittering generalitiesPlain folks
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
H.M. Stationery Office (issuing department not named on the poster); printed by J. Weiner Ltd, London
Region
Western and Central Europe
Country
United Kingdom
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Churchill Government
Leader
Winston Churchill
Audience
Domestic public
Purpose
Persuade or win support
Themes
War and the military, Home front
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)
H.M. Stationery Office, printed by J. Weiner Ltd. NARA, World War II Foreign Posters, 44-PF-189.

Text on the object

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

Give thanks to the everyday heroes of
BRITAIN'S MERCHANT NAVY
PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY J. WEINER LTD., LONDON, W.C.1. 51-9906

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