By the time the First World War began, Tilley's career was slowing down and the changing situation provided a chance for it to develop further.
She and her husband ran military recruitment drives and she sang at charity events.
Tilley dressed in khaki fatigues and performed numbers written by her husband such as "Jolly Good Luck to the Girl Who Loves a Soldier", "The Army of Today's All Right", "Six Days' Leave", and "Your King and Country Want You" (also known as "We Don't Want to Lose You but We Think You Ought to Go").
She was nicknamed "England’s greatest recruiting sergeant" since young men were sometimes asked to join the army during her show.
Over the course of a week in Hackney, she enlisted an entire battalion, which became known as "The Vesta Tilley Platoon".

However, Tilley was also prepared to question the carnage of war.
In "I'm Glad I've Got a Bit of a Blighty One", she sang about a soldier who was delighted to have been wounded in battle because it would allow him to go back to England (Blighty).

When I think about my dugout

Where I dare not stick my mug out

I'm glad I've got a bit of a blighty one!

— "I'm Glad I've Got a Bit of a Blighty One"
By the time the First World War began, Tilley's career was slowing down and the changing situation provided a chance for it to develop further. She and her husband ran military recruitment drives and she sang at charity events. Tilley dressed in khaki fatigues and performed numbers written by her husband such as "Jolly Good Luck to the Girl Who Loves a Soldier", "The Army of Today's All Right", "Six Days' Leave", and "Your King and Country Want You" (also known as "We Don't Want to Lose You but We Think You Ought to Go"). She was nicknamed "England’s greatest recruiting sergeant" since young men were sometimes asked to join the army during her show. Over the course of a week in Hackney, she enlisted an entire battalion, which became known as "The Vesta Tilley Platoon".
However, Tilley was also prepared to question the carnage of war. In "I'm Glad I've Got a Bit of a Blighty One", she sang about a soldier who was delighted to have been wounded in battle because it would allow him to go back to England (Blighty).
When I think about my dugout

Where I dare not stick my mug out

I'm glad I've got a bit of a blighty one!
— "I'm Glad I've Got a Bit of a Blighty One"
Vesta Tilley