WWI Australian Recruiting poster

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Troedel and Cooper

c. 1915

Overview

Double sided Australian recruiting poster.

On one side is a graphic depicting the shooting of British nurse, Edith Cavell, by firing squad. A German soldier stands above her liefless body with a smoking gun. Her spirit is seen to be rising from her body. She is carrying the symbolic Scales of Justice in one hand and pointing at her body. She has a haunted expression in her eyes. The background colours are dark and sombre, with Edith and her ghost appearing as the only light in the image. The text on the poster reads 'Boys! Remember Nurse Cavell'.

On the reverse side of the poster is a very colourful image depicting a well dressed civilian reading a newspaper about the war being spoken to by a sailor with 'HMAS Australia' on his cap. The sailor is barefooted and has his trousers rolled up to his knees. He has his gun and sword attached to his belt. The two men are standing on the sea shore and there are warships in the water behind them with smoke from fired guns billowing. Above them is an image of a woman with angel wings and a sword, and to her right a large Red Ensign. The text reads 'The Navy needs you! Don't read Australian history. Make it! Enlist in the Royal Australian Navy'.

Historical information

The death of British nurse, Edith Cavell, by German firing squad on 12 October 1915 was used as a propaganda tool to encourage men to enlist to avenge her death. She became a martyr - a woman who was unafraid to face death for the belief in her cause.
Her story is detailed in an attached link to the Imperial War Museum.

The Australian Red Ensign or 'Red Duster' is the official flag to be flown at sea by Australian registered merchant ships. It has been in official use since 1903.

Troedel and Cooper was a printing company set up in Melbourne, Victoria in 1910 after the death of Charles Troedel. German-born lithographic printer, Johannes Thedor Carl (Charles) Troedel had worked under the business name, Troedel and Co, prior to that time. He died in 1906.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-119-RoW00048

Item type

Collectibles

Posters

Themes

War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Machine-made Paper

Paper

Printing Paper