Poster, 'We are fighting for a worthy purpose'

Text-based posters such as this one were common in the First World War, both in New Zealand and Britain, when governments needed to quickly and effectively make proclamations in an era without television or radio.

Red, white and blue
Several First World War posters were printed in the colours of the Union Jack flag - red, white and blue - to lend authority to the message and subtly appeal to patriotic public sentiment, and simply to catch the eye.

Parliamentary Recruiting Committee

The Parliamentary Recruiting Committee in Britain produced 12.5 million copies of 164 different poster designs in the first two years of the war before conscription was introduced. The Committee was formed to help raise troop numbers in Britain's volunteer army. The main modes of appeal were through mass recruiting rallies and through posters and pamphlets encouraging voluntary enlistment.

Some of these posters were sent to New Zealand to help with local recruitment.