Keep Calm and Carry On

This iconic poster now familiar to many viewers, was originally nearly lost. It was never released by the Ministry of Information, as it was designed to be displayed only if Germany invaded Britain. The majority of posters are believed to have been pulped at the end of the war in 1945. Some posters survived in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, and the British archives. The Australian War Memorial is in possession of original copies of this poster, as well as those that were issued alongside it ('Freedom in in Peril' and 'Your Courage, your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution will Bring Us Victory') because they were directly donated by the British government to the museum.

The simplicity of the design, with the words emblazoned in white against a fire engine red background, coupled with a simplified crown at the top, perhaps accounts for the recent popularity of the poster. Moreover, the 'Britishness' of the slogan, advocating a stiff upper lip in times of terror, reflects the courage with which Londoners faced the Blitz during the war.