"Every member of the ATS learns a job that will help her to earn her living in the post-war world" Vintage WWII ATS Recruitment Poster

Presented is an original WWII Auxiliary Territorial Service recruitment poster. The poster is a colorful infographic, created to show how ATS war-time roles help women teach skill sets that can easily be applied to post-war jobs. The poster was printed for the H.M. Stationery Office by W. R. Royle & Son Ltd. 

The poster claims that  “Every member of the ATS learns a job that will help her to earn her living in the post-war world… Every girl who joins ATS learns a job which can become a career." Five general ATS roles are featured in a column along the left side of the poster, accompanying black and white photographs of women performing those roles. The roles listed are “Ack-Ack,” “Radio Location,” “Cookery,”  “Office Work”, and “Driving.” The right side of the poster shows corresponding post-war jobs in “Civil Aviation,” “Engineering and Radio Mechanics,” “Domestic Science, Catering, and Dietetics,” “Secretarial Work,” and “Professional Driving.” These roles are depicted with white line illustrations, in alternating red and blue circles. Even more roles are detailed at the bottom, to further entice service in the ATS. 

The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War. It was  established in September 1938 as the threat of war loomed over England. Recruitment was aimed at women between 18 and 43 years old, but was increased to 50 for ex-servicewomen or veterans of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

The first ATS recruits served as cooks, bakers, clerks and storekeepers. As part of training, the women were asked to carry out trade tests to establish which area of work they should move into. Experience in civilian life was usually crucial in determining ATS roles. Yet as the war continued on and more men were needed for combat roles, the size and scope of the ATS increased to take over other support tasks. Women were not allowed to fight, but their range of duties expanded. They worked as telephonists, car mechanics, drivers, despatch riders, mess orderlies, postal workers, ammunition inspectors and military police. 

Numbers reached 65,000 by September 1941 and by June 1945, there were approximately 200,000 members of the ATS from all across the British Empire, including the Dominions, India and the West Indies. They served in operations across all globe, in all theaters of war, as well as on the Home Front. The ATS existed until February of 1949, when it was merged into the Women's Royal Army Corps.

CONDITION:

Good condition overall. Color is good, with only light fading. Horizontal and vertical centerfold creases, from past storage. There is a 1 3/4" tear along the right side margin."Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by W. R. Royle & Son Ltd. 51-2583" at bottom left margin. Verso is stamped "British Information Services, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City" in black ink. Sold unframed, as-is. 

Poster Dimensions: 29 3/8" H x 19 1/4"W (Sheet Size). 

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.