Kilroy was here

Rare card · No. 31039

Kilroy was here and Mr Chad are graffiti doodles that became popular with servicemen during World War II. The simple doodle of a man peeking up from behind a wall—with his nose prominently hanging over it—was accompanied by the phrase "Kilroy was here" in the United States armed forces. In British military culture, Mr Chad would be seen with text in the form of "Wot, no petrol?", bemoaning the absence of some item or commodity, often due to rationing. The origin of each is uncertain, but both phrases have been documented prior to their combination with the character doodle. Ironically, Mr Chad's catchphrase is first documented in an American jewellery advertisement in 1932 as "Wot?--No Pictures?", suggesting the phrase may have been well-known by that time. Meanwhile, "Kilroy was here" wasn't documented until World War II, appearing first on ships and docks, but later scrawled by troops leaving the graffito behind as they left an area. The character of "Mr Chad"—or just "Chad"—may...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Luis Rubio from Alexandria, VA, USA, CC BY 2.0