Reference
Z1015
Title
Documents relating to the Home Counties Newspapers Ltd. printing of propaganda during the Second World War
Date free text
1939 - 1955
Production date
From: 1939 To: 1955
Scope and Content
The Home Counties Newspapers Ltd., Luton and The Leagrave Press, of Gibbs, Bamforth & Co. (Luton) Ltd., Luton produced newspapers and leaflets throughout the Second World War, in association with the propaganda section of the Ministry of Information. The Home Counties Newspapers Ltd. normally produced six weeklies covering Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
The Home Counties Newspapers Ltd., 'The Luton News' plant, received their first orders from the Political Intelligence Department of the Foreign Office in September 1939 for half tone and line blocks. In 1940-1 the company began a weekly production 'Courier de L’Air' and by 1944 produced a daily newspaper for the German troops, entitled 'Nachrichten für die Truppe' [News for the Troops]. This was the first daily airborne newspaper in the world, using Cheddington airfield as a base for distribution. The publications were dropped from the air over territory occupied by the Germans as part of the Allied propaganda campaign. Arrangements were made for The Leagrave Press, an associate company of 'The Luton News', to cut the papers after printing, and which later packed the newspaper ‘bombs’ prior to distribution. Among their other publications were 'Tous les Front', and 'Flying Dutchman'.
After the Allies entered Germany, General Eisenhower decided to produce a daily newspaper through the American Office of War Information and the Political Intelligence Department. The Home Counties Newspapers Ltd. printed the newspaper which contained official instructions for German civilians, displaced persons and Allied Prisoners of War. The first issue, after two pilot editions, came out on 25 April 1944 entitled S.H.A.E.F., [official instructions of the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force]. It was printed in five languages (English, German, French, Polish and Russian), and went to press twice weekly and eventually once a week, ceasing with its issue of 10 July 1945.
Level of description
fonds