Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
To the Merchant Navy - Thank You!, 1939 UK poster: Two smiling men in civilian hats give thumbs-up before a busy dockside

To the Merchant Navy - Thank You!

Two smiling men in civilian hats give thumbs-up before a busy dockside, with the Red Ensign and a Merchant Navy 'MN' badge. The tell for transfer is the MN badge and ensign lending prestige to the thanks; for glittering generalities, 'Thank you!' stands in for any stated task or measure.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

TransferGlittering generalities
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
Unattributed British issue; printed in England by Henry Hildesley Ltd., London (51/3955)
Region
Western and Central Europe
Country
United Kingdom
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Churchill Government
Leader
Winston Churchill
Audience
Domestic public
Purpose
Commemorate
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
Held by NARA, Unrestricted; UK wartime print of uncertain rights, hosted by owner decision
Unattributed British issue; printed in England by Henry Hildesley Ltd., London (51/3955). National Archives and Records Administration, 44-PF-474.

Text on the object

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

TO THE MERCHANT NAVY
Thank you!

MN

PRINTED IN ENGLAND by Henry Hildesley Ltd. London. 51/3955

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