This postcard was printed in England for distribution in France during the First World War. The caption reads: "The struggle against submarines in British shipyards: ships under construction in Clyde shipyards."
The aim was probably to boost French morale, at a time when an important industrial area in northern France was under German occupation. Truth is not an important consideration in propaganda and there appears to be no evidence in the photograph that it was actually taken at a Clyde yard.
Clyde shipbuilders made a huge contribution to the war effort, producing more ships than any other shipbuilding area in the country. The total tonnage of naval vessels built between 1914 and 1918 was 816,984; the output of merchant ships reached 1,556,877 tons.
Reference: Mitchell Library GC Postcards
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
First World War, merchant ships, postcards, propaganda, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, warships
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