Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
Use less WATER! Less water - more shells, 1939 UK poster: A large photographic tap runs water down the left edge under

Use less WATER! Less water - more shells

A large photographic tap runs water down the left edge under the red headline 'Use less WATER!'. The footer 'LESS WATER - MORE SHELLS' links a household saving to munitions output as a direct trade-off, with no figures given to support it.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Card stacking
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
His Majesty's Stationery Office (British government); 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
Mobilize or secure compliance
Themes
Home front, Economy and finance
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)
His Majesty's Stationery Office; printer J. Weiner Ltd. US National Archives, WWII Foreign Posters (NAID 44267309, 44-PF-491).

Text on the object

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

Use less
WATER!

LESS WATER - MORE SHELLS

Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by J. Weiner Ltd., London, W.C.1. 51-2674

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