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Fighting wars can be a very expensive business. Not only in the cost of human lives but also in monetary terms. Any country who goes to war faces a massive financial burden not only to buy and manufacture guns, planes and machinery to fight such wars but also to pay the many thousands of extra troops needed.
Much of the money needed to finance wars is borrowed from other countries such as in tech case of the second world war was borrowed from the United States. But of course this money still has to be paid back. |
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Another way of raising much needed capital to fund the war effort was to play on peoples patriotism to their country by offering the average person on the street the chance to invest their money in government sponsored Savings Bonds, Savings Stamps, Savings Certificates etc, with the promise of greater returns for the money they had invested after the war had ended and when victory was assured.
Persuading people to part with their hard earned cash, especially in
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war time when things were hard, took a little effort and so the government and Local Savings Campaign Committees used a constant barrage of advertisements and posters appealing to the public's patriotic instincts to do their bit by helping the war effort by investing in war bonds etc, with the added bonus of earning up to 3% on their investment |
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In order to encourage people to buy government sponsored Savings Bonds, Savings Stamps, Savings Certificates etc the government used a series of advertisements and posters appealing to the public's patriotic instincts.
The scheme worked, as by the end of 1945 savings bonds had been so successful that it had raised £1,754 million for the war effort. |
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Early on in the war Lord Beaverbrook came up with the idea of the "Presentation" aircraft where local communities and towns could organize events to help towards the cost of purchasing an aircraft which would be allocated to bear the name of the town or donor. |
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Each year local communities and towns around the country were encouraged to compete against their neighbours to find who could raise the most money.
These National Savings Campaigns were usually for a one week duration and went under titles such as 'War Weapons Week', 'Warship Week', 'Wings for Victory' or 'Salute the Soldier'.
Their aim was to raise enough money through special events and campaign drives to help fund things such as ships, planes or weapons to help in the war effort. |
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Those towns and communities who did raise funds were rewarded with ships and aircraft named after them. |
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Marple in Cheshire was one such community which in one of its drives during 1943 raised a staggering £128,360 towards the cost of 1 Lancaster Bomber, 4 Spitfires and 4 Hurricanes.
Whilst in another campaign during 1941 Marple also raised £65,000 towards the cost of a Minesweeper.
Nottingham supported a " Warship week " opened by Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Chatfield in November 1941.
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The money was raised through a variety of things, such as dances, exhibitions, parades and luncheons. The naval cruiser HMS Orion was adopted with the proceeds.
Through the national savings movement Retford raised over £350,000 and adopted a destroyer, HMS Grove. Newark 's contribution was towards the cost of 20 tanks and £250,000 towards the warship HMS Newark. |
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Other events were also organised to raise money for the war effort, including the Royal Windsor horse show in 1943 which was founded by Count Robert Orssich and Mr Geoffrey Cross founded the Royal Windsor Horse, inspired by the 'Wings for Victory' campaign.
The first show held was called the Windsor Horse and Dog Show and was attended by all the key members of the Royal Family including King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and the two young princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret.
Legend has it that Count Orssich had a disobedient Lurcher, who stole a chicken leg from King George VI's plate during the ceremonies.
This created such uproar that the committee ruled that there would be no more dogs at the Royal Windsor Show, a ruling that still stands to this day.
The then young Princess Elizabeth won the Single Private Driving Turnout Class at its opening event. |
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