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Daddy, what did You do in the Great War? British Military Recruitment Poster, WW1
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Daddy, what did You do in the Great War? British Military Recruitment Poster, WW1
Recruitment poster, Daddy, what did You do in the Great War? Colour lithograph, after Savile Lumley, published by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, Poster No 79, designed and printed by Johnson, Riddle and Company Limited, 1915. A guilt-stricken father sits in an armchair with his daughter on his knee while his son plays with toy soldiers. Date: 1915
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Media ID 14158199
© The National Army Museum / Mary Evans Picture Library
Armchair Comfort Committee Daddy Duty Guilt Johnson Knee Lumley Parliamentary Plays Recruiting Recruitment Riddle Savile Shame Stricken
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This poignant recruitment poster from 1915, titled 'Daddy, what did You do in the Great War?' depicts a father in an armchair, deeply engrossed in thought as his young daughter looks up at him with curiosity and his son plays with toy soldiers at his feet. The haunting question posed by the title echoes the guilt and uncertainty felt by many fathers during World War I, as they weighed the duty to protect their country against the desire to stay at home and keep their families safe. Published by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee and designed and printed by Johnson, Riddle and Company Limited, this colour lithograph was created by artist Savile Lumley to encourage enlistment in the British military during the early stages of the war. The image of the father's introspection and the children's innocent playfulness creates a powerful contrast, highlighting the stark reality of the conflict and the sacrifices it demanded. The use of domestic comfort as a backdrop to the father's internal struggle underscores the disruption caused by the war and the longing for normalcy and stability that many families experienced. The poster's impact lies in its ability to evoke emotions of nostalgia, guilt, and duty, making it a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the sacrifices made by fathers and families during the First World War.
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