Great Britain was at war with Germany and its allies since the start of World War II and, in fact, did it mostly on its own for a long time. During that period, it desperately needed help from its dominions and overseas territories. The parts of the British Empire did not stay out of the war wittingly or unwittingly and threw their economic and industrial capabilities behind Britain. They delivered soldiers and resources and provided defence articles, military equipment, etc. But it was not enough. The metropole needed financial assistance from citizens. The inhabitants of the most remote places and territories of British Empire gave their money to support the victory over the common enemy.
From late 1942, the primary threat to Britain passed, the metropole took a breath and decided to report to its subjects on the measures taken. In December 1942, Sanders Phillips and Co Ltd, famous for its Guinness beer advertising campaign, printed a major line of posters with various subjects addressed to inhabitants of each possession which was forgotten even by God but not by a taxman. This article is devoted to these posters.
The fighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force was a key aid recipient. A fighter did not cost much in comparison to other machines, and the signs “Fiji” or “Saint Kitts” applied to the fuselage of a Hurricane said a lot about who helped this fighter to take to the air
The protectors of the Persian Gulf were an interesting exception. In the left picture, you can see the Spitfire signed in English, as in other posters. And in the right picture, the sign “Kenya” is translated into Arabic especially for supporters in Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Nobody applied the Arabic script to a fighter aircraft, of course
After the defeat of the Luftwaffe, the RAF began to launch attacks on the continent. Blenheims from Sierra Leone and Wellingtons from the Gold Coast were very handy for people of Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris
In the left picture, the inhabitants of destroyed cities of England and Scotland are expressing thanks to the Gambia for Food Flying Squads which provided victims with hot food and drinks. In the right picture, Crusaders bought for contributions from Nigeria are defeating Rommel in the Libyan Desert
The posters above are devoted to the purchase of mobile canteens.The happy anti-aircraft gunners are drinking tea or coffee and eating fresh pudding near their guns, thanks to Kenya, Malta, Jamaica, Northern Rhodesia, the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea and Seychelles, the existence of which previously might not be suspected
Anti-aircraft gunners were as important as fighter pilots. Therefore, these posters express thanks to the citizens of Uganda and the Virgin Islands for donations which were spent to build recreation huts and anti-aircraft welfare centres
Swaziland and Montserrat received many thanks for ambulance cars, which were purchased for their donations
The Royal Navy also got something of overseas contributions. Yes, Mauritius and Tanganyika could hardly have launched an aircraft carrier or a battleship even if they had spent their entire budget. But colonies could buy a minesweeper. For instance, the minesweeper Tanganyika was laid down in the autumn of 1942, in strict compliance with the poster. In the left picture, the Supermarine Walrus is taking to the air. This seaplane was built for contributions from Mauritius
