Continuance or Prohibition? 1920s New Zealand Campaign Poster

Circa 1920 New Zealand Continuance poster

And boy did it fail in the United States...  and they did vote for continuance in New Zealand - although there were still some dry licensing districts for years afterwards.

Salute the Soldier, Back the Attack - World War II Propaganda Poster

World War II Victory Loan poster, New Zealand

Back Them Up - Protect New Zealand - World War II Propaganda Poster

New Zealand National Savings Bond Issue - World War II Poster

Back The Attack - Victory Loan - World War II Propaganda Poster

New Zealand World War II War Bonds Poster

Back Them Up - The Hudson & U-570 - World War II Propaganda Poster

Back Them Up! National Savings Bond Poster, World War II

The war had to be financed by all means possible so in addition to taxation and war loans from allies, the public was exhorted to scrape together a few coppers, silver coins would be nicer, and support the war effort through national savings bonds. Such thrift had the additional benefit of suppressing consumption at home. Besides, with war time shortages and priority given to war industries, who could find anything to buy with their weekly pay packet, anyway?

A little research reveals that the Lockheed Hudson of 269 Squadron British Coastal Command pictured in the poster captured the German U 570 U-boat submarine on 27 August, 1941. The crew of the Hudson spotted a U-boat on the surface off Iceland, dropping 4 depth charges on it as it attempted to dive, damaging it so that it re-surfaced. After a good raking with machine gun fire, the U-boat captain surrendered. Next day the crew were removed and the vessel boarded to recover whatever documents that could be useful to the war effort and to attempt to save the submarine for further examination. The U-570 was subsequently towed into harbour in Iceland then taken to the UK after repairs. It yielded a wealth of invaluable technical information to the Allies on the operation of U-boats.

U-570 had a very short wartime service, commissioned in May or June 1941 it was effectively decommissioned by the late August attack. Allied investigators concluded the submarine actually could have evaded its circling British captors overnight by submerging and sailing away but a panicked and inexperienced crew, already troubled by severe sea sickness, lacked the knowledge and capability to do so. The U-570 crew earned the dubious distinction of being the only U-boat crew to surrender in World War II..

A wealth of information - photos, plans, and reports on the U-570 capture and examination of its design and operation can be found at U-boat Archive.

Speed Up Production! - WW II War Propaganda Poster

World War II Propaganda Poster - Speed Up Production, artist Marcus King

The effort on the home front to keep the troops supplied on the various battlefronts was essential so a little motivation by poster was the order of the day.

Don't Talk - New Zealand World War II Propaganda Poster

Don't Talk - New Zealand World War II Propaganda Poster

 

Today - in a world of constant babble with people incessantly texting, tweeting, phoning, and emailing - it's hard to imagine just what the wartime experience of self- and imposed censorship would be like."Loose lips, sinks ships" as they said. 

No Matter Where You Hang Out - New Zealand War Propaganda Poster

World War II New Zealand War Propaganda poster.

One of my personal favourites in war propaganda posters. Take a tinkle on Hitler, Mum's the word!

Prize Seats for World Cup Rugby in New Zealand?

Play the Game, NZ Department of Health Poster, circa 1940s -50s.

Gone are the days you could watch a game this way. With the cake tin style space ships that serve as stadia (stadiums) today you'd be hard pushed to find a paling fence to look over or peek through a knot hole. 

And "play the game, any game"... today might be an invitation to become a full time couch potato playing video games. Time for a new slogan.

Maori Dental Health Poster #2 - New Zealand Department of Health - circa 1950s

Maori Dental Hygiene poster, NZ Department of Health, circa 1950s

Okay, everyone, circular motions, front and back, and all the way to the baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack....

Spit & rinse, carry on.

Maori Dental Health Poster - New Zealand Department of Health - circa 1950s

Dental Care Poster, NZ Department of Health, circa 1950s

Health care posters pitched to the Maori community in the 1950s to promote good dental hygiene. Not such a good idea though to share your food with a horse, you don't know what kind of microbial life may be in the horse's mouth... and it might just decided to lean over a bit further and sample a toe! Oh, just realized that would be a case of foot in mouth disease - someone better call Biosecurity and a podiatrist.

Want That Milk In A Bucket? New Zealand Health Poster - 1940s

NZ Health Poster, 1940s

Would you like that in a big bucket? How about a straw? Grow big bovine molars & you'll be able to chew your way through any pasture for years to come. No need for fancy salads.

Chew Hard - New Zealand Health Poster - 1940s

NZ Department of Health Poster, 1940s

Chew hard, by all means, but gnawing on a bone like Keith might induce cracking & chipping of your teeth as well as the odd low growl, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

New Zealand Apples - Patriotic Poster - circa 1930s

New Zealand Apples - Patriotic Poster - circa 1930s

Look, I still don't think you've got the picture: eat more apples, it's the patriotic thing to do. Now be a good Kiwi and eat up! Indeed, it's the right British thing to do! 'nother, apple?!

Gravenstein Apples, The Dessert Apple - Poster - circa 1930s

Gravenstein Apples, The Dessert Apple - Poster - circa 1930s

How about a nice apple pie for pudding? You work on making the pastry, I'll peel, slice and cook the apples.

Buy Your Apples By the Case - Poster - circa 1930s

Buy Your Apples By the Case - Poster - circa 1930s

 

Look with all the productivity gains made by orchardists and the drop in prices caused by the Great Slump, you need to step up and buy a case of apples. Ask your stationmaster at the local railway station how to order.

Apple & Pear Poster - Ask for Dominion Mark Fruit - circa 1930s

Apple & Pear Poster - Ask for Dominion Mark Fruit - circa 1930s

 

And it wouldn't hurt you to eat some of that stone fruit from central Otago either...

 Health poster promoting more fruit in the diet, 1920s, artist Joseph Moran

One of the public health lessons of the First World War was that the nation's young men were not as healthy and fit as the myth of the fighting British race suggested. But they were healthy & fit enough to serve as cannon fodder. In the interwar period, fruit was promoted as a way of improving health and fitness. It didn't hurt that it also sold cases of apples and pears produced by Kiwi growers.

National Patriotic Apple Show 1918 Poster

Poster for National Patriotic Apple Show held in Auckland, May 1918.

You needed more than a case of apples to maintain your health on the battlefields of the Somme, Ypres, Verdun and the like. You were too worried about a fatal case of lead poisoning to give a fig (mixed metaphor) about an apple a day keeping the doctor away. Besides, a fresh apple was likely nowhere to be found.

Caroline Bay, Timaru, New Zealand - Travel Poster Art, 1930s

 

Caroline Bay, Timaru, New Zealand travel poster, 1936-1937

Where I'd rather be right now...

Though apparently this summer has been cool & cloudy in Canterbury, so these lyrics may be apt:

"Goodbye Caroline Skies

Now my friends are gone

This bay has washed away 

And so's the fun."

Caroline Skies, The Exponents.

Ah, the end of summer, a melancholic time... so enjoy the summer moment when it comes.