British Propaganda Paintings During WW2: War and Soldiers

Painting depicting a British convoy on way to the Russian port pf Murmansk with arms for the Red Army.  ("Convoy of British merchant ships" by Blake, Post-1941)

British warships sail in the Mediterranean Sea. Italy has a red cross in the map, suggesting that in 1943 the country was out of the war after the Allied Invasion. "Warships sailing through the Mediterranean" by Forster, Unknown date

A tug towing a section of Mulberry harbour loaded with trucks across the English Channel for D-Day. The section in question was known as the ‘Spud' pierhead. The four columns were legs that would be secured to the sea bed, allowing the platform to rise and fall as the tide came in and out. This would then have been attached to floating roadways over which supplies unloaded onto the harbour could be driven to the beach and then inland. For the D-Day landings to succeed the Allies needed a harbour to supply the invading troops with arms, ammunition and rations. It would be some time before a significant harbour could be captured on the French mainland. The Allies decided to construct two artificial harbours that could be towed across the Channel and would be able handle a significant volume of supplies until a major port was captured. "A tug towing a section of Mulberry harbour" by Rowland Hilder, 1939-1945

This painting by Nockolds shows a Hawker Hurricane approaching an escort carrier in preparation for landing. The impact of airpower in protecting the transatlantic convoys – Britain's lifeline – was quickly realised. Aircraft carriers were, however, extremely costly and slow to produce and Britain's front line carriers were tied up with offensive operations in other theatres. The solution was the escort carrier, usually a converted merchantman whose superstructure could be removed and replaced with a rudimentary flight deck. The introduction of a substantial number of escort carriers helped bridge the air gap in mid- Atlantic where long-range air escorts from Britain or Canada were unable to operate. "Hawker Hurricane approaching an escort carrier" by Roy Nockolds, 1942

British coastal artillery on the Dover coast firing away. "British coastal artillery" by Terence Cuneo, Pre-1944

British soldiers in the desert. The image is partially peeled back to see the same place in the peaceful future, as an ideal tourist destination, secured by those who fought for the place against the Nazis. The tourist bus is labelled London – Algiers – Baghdad – Calcutta.. "British troops in action in the western desert" by Roy Nockolds, 1943

A British anti-tank gun in the desert of Libya.. "British anti tank gun" by Harold Pym, 1943

A British Matilda tank in Libya. "British Matilda tanks" Artist unknown, Post-1942

British soldiers from the Parachute regiment come out from gliders and engage the Germans in fighting.. "Parachute Regiment" by Leslie Oliphant, Date unknown

A British general with binoculars as Sherman tanks trundle and fighter planes fly over the skies. "A British General, holding binoculars" Artist unknown, Date unknown

Daylight raid by Lancaster bombers on the Schneider armaments factory in Le Creusot (France), carried out on 17 October 1942. "Daylight raid by Lancaster bombers" by O'Connell, Post October-1942

"Japanese flying boats being destroyed" by Roy Nockolds, Date unknown

Bristol Blenheims conducting a daylight raid on the German power stations at Knapsack and Quadrath near Cologne, 12 August 1941.. "Bristol Blenheims" by James Gardner, 1941

The image depicts a U-boat surrendering to British aircraft. This image was used in the series: ‘Back Them Up', and extra text identifies the U-boat: “The Capture of the German Submarine U-570 by Lockheed Hudson of British Coastal Command”. U-570, first commissioned on May 15 1941, was captured by the British on August 27 1941 in the North Atlantic, south of Iceland, after being damaged by a British Hudson aircraft (Squadron 269/S). The trawler Kingston Agathe boarded the U-boat on August 28 1941, and towed it to Thorlaks-hafn, Iceland. There were no casualties, and the boat became the British submarine HMS Graph on September 19 1941.. "German Submarine U-570" by W.Krogman, 1941

Bombing of Cologne. "Night bombing raid on Cologne" by W.Krogman, Date unknown

A British bomber under attack by a German plane. "British Manchester bomber defends itself" by W.Krogman, 1939-1945

A British Sterling bomber attacks a German industrial target. "British Stirling heavy bombers" by W. Krogman, 1941

A German Stuka and a Heinkel shot down by British warplanes. "Battle of Britain" by Oliphant, Leslie, 1940

A British fighter pilot. "British fighter pilot" by F.Matania, Date unknown

A British Hurricane fighter attacking a Japanese troop convoy in jungle country (possibly Burma). "Japanese troop convoy" by Roy Nockolds, Post-1941

Image Sources: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/prop/the_fighting_forces/

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British Propaganda Posters During WW2: Part 1
British Propaganda Posters During WW2: Part 2