'Everyone Should Do His Bit Enlist Now', 1915

Recruiting poster after Baron Low, published by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, as Poster No 121, printed by Roberts and Leete, London, 1915.

During World War One (1914-1918) the government mobilised citizenship and patriotism to a national war effort. Young men were conscripted into mass armies as part of their duty as citizens, but the remaining population was also expected to make personal sacrifices for the war. They worked in industry and agriculture or purchased war bonds, thus blurring the distinction between civilian and soldier. For the first time in our history every person in the country was directly affected by war.