'Whatever Part of the Loco We Make, Ours Is a Real War Job', 1942 UK poster: A blue sheet is covered with newspaper cuttings

'Whatever Part of the Loco We Make, Ours Is a Real War Job' (British Ministry of Supply poster)

A blue sheet is covered with newspaper cuttings, all dated 4 November 1942, announcing the 'austerity' locomotive, around a line drawing of the engine; the slogan reads 'Whatever part of the loco we make, ours is a real war job'. The tell for testimonial and bandwagon is the stack of named newspapers, from The Times to the Daily Worker, offered as one chorus that the work matters.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Testimonial Bandwagon

Date: 1942
Period: Second World War
Made by: Ministry of Supply (poster No. 50)
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: Labor, 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)
Ministry of Supply. NARA, Record Group 44.

Text on the object

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

WHATEVER PART OF THE LOCO WE MAKE
OURS IS A REAL WAR JOB
MINISTRY OF SUPPLY No 50.
[Cuttings, partly legible:] THE GLASGOW HERALD, NOVEMBER 4, 1942: AN "AUSTERITY" LOCOMOTIVE / Standard Goods Engine Designed for Home and Overseas
NEWS CHRONICLE, Wednesday, November 4, 1942: Hundreds of Locomotives Being Built To Take Part in Our Invasion
THE TIMES, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4, 1942: NEW RAILWAY ENGINES / CAPACITY FOR USE ON THE CONTINENT / BIG WAR OFFICE ORDER
Daily Telegraph & Morning Post: BRITAIN IS NOW MAKING UTILITY LOCOMOTIVES / SIMPLIFIED TYPE
THE YORKSHIRE OBSERVER: "Austerity" Locos.
DAILY EXPRESS NOVEMBER 4 1942: ENGINES IN KHAKI
DAILY WORKER: 'Austerity' Locos Are Ministry's Best Job
Daily Herald, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1942: 'SECOND FRONT' UTILITY LOCOS
THE SCOTSMAN: New Locomotive
DAILY MAIL, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4: A 'UTILITY' LOCO FOR 2ND FRONT
YORKSHIRE POST, NOV. 4th, 1942: THOUSANDS OF ARMY AUSTERITY ENGINES TO BE BUILT
DAILY MIRROR, Wednesday, November 4, 1942: Khaki utility engines soon
[body text of the cuttings not transcribed]

Only headlines and bylines of the cuttings are transcribed; the small body text is partly cut off.