Royal Navy 1942 Poster Warship Week fund raising Ad. original

Description

Original 1942 WW2 Royal Navy HMSO poster. 

This is not a copy or reproduction.

30×20ins. 75×50 cm. Double Crown size poster.

In fair condition with slight damage to edges as shown in photos,  2 small holes as marked with a circle in images. 

Dry stored since 1942

Light foxing to obverse & fold marks which are now slowly fading.

Information as printed on lower edge of
War Fund Poster 177 
{ W.F.P}

' W. F. P. 177 issued by the National Savings  Committee, London,   the Scottish Savings Committee, Edinburgh and the Ulster Savings Committee, Belfast.           PRINTED BY HM STATIONARY OFFICE BY FOSH & CROSS LTD. ,  LONDON    ( 51/1036 ) '

Free P&P. or collect & view.
Posted to you in cardboard tube for safe delivery Royal Mail 48hr.

Can collect Stanton Harcourt OX29 or Woodstock.

Discount for collection.

Any questions, history or information on item please contact me.

Thanks for your interest.

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History

  British Warship Weeks 
were National savings campaigns during WW2 with the aim of a Royal Navy ship being adopted by a civilian community. 

During the early parts of the war the Royal Navy not only had lost many capital ships but was facing increasing pressure to provide escorts for convoys in the Atlantic. 

While there was no shortage of sailors, ships sunk by enemy action had to be replaced.

When a ship had been adopted by a community local charities, churches and schools would provide the crews of the adopted vessel with gloves, woollen socks, balaclavas and food parcels. 

Children & young ladies would write letters and send cards to the crew.

When possible officers and men from the adopted ship would visit the local community. 

To celebrate their visit a parade would be organised in their honour.

The ship's commanding officer would exchange plaques, objects and photographs with the city or town that reached the target set, and an adoption would begin. The number of warships adopted was over 1,200 including battleships, cruisers, destroyers and armed trawlers.

A level of savings would be set to raise enough money to provide the cost of building a particular naval ship. 

The aim was for cities to raise enough to adopt battleships and aircraft carriers while towns and villages would focus on cruisers and destroyers. 

Smaller towns and villages would be set a lower figure. 

Once the target money was saved for the ship, the community would adopt the ship and its crew.

A community wold sponsor a ship through individual savings in government bonds and national savings certificates. The campaigns were organised by the National War Savings Committee with the support of the Admiralty. There were a total of 1,178 warship weeks organised during the campaign, involving a total of 1,273 districts. 

A press announcement quoted the adoption of eight battleships, four carriers, forty-nine cruisers, three hundred and one destroyers, twenty-five submarines, one hundred and sixty-four corvettes and frigates and two hundred and eighty-eight smaller vessels such as minesweepers .

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Ad ID: 1499336042