'Take Up the Sword of Justice', 1915

Chromolithograph recruiting poster, after a pastel drawing by Sir Bernard Partridge, published by Parliamentary Recruiting Committee as Poster No 105, printed by David Allen and Sons Limited, 1915.

An allegorical figure of Justice proffers a sword while behind her a torpedoed ocean liner, probably representing RMS 'Lusitania', sinks. The 'Lusitania' was torpedoed and sunk off the Irish coast by a German U-boat on 7 May 1915. Over 1000 passengers died and her sinking turned public opinion in many neutral countries against Germany. Her loss became an iconic symbol in military recruiting campaigns and also contributed to the United States' entry into the war in 1917.