Wasted Clothing, Equipment is Another Ship Lost
A large downward arrow ends in a photographed soldier in full kit, while a sinking ship lies across the word WASTED in the sea above. The slogan equates wasted clothing and equipment with a ship lost, a fear appeal built on the loss of shipping, and closes with a plain instruction to take care of equipment.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1939
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- His Majesty's Stationery Office (printed by Elm Press, N.R.P. Co. Ltd); artist Abram Games
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Churchill Government
- Leader
- Winston Churchill
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- War and the military, Economy and finance
- 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; artist Abram Games. U.S. National Archives, Record Group 44.
Text on the object
WASTED CLOTHING, EQUIPMENT IS ANOTHER SHIP LOST TAKE CARE OF YOUR EQUIPMENT AND IT WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by Elm Press (N.R.P. Co., Ltd.). 51-1958 C.G.E. P.R.2 56 A GAMES
