British troops ‘fun’ in the trenches is revealed in newly-released diaries
BRITISH troops took their minds off the horror of First World War battles with pastimes including “wrestling on mules” and pillow fights.
Newly-released diaries show top brass staged contests like football, cricket and boxing matches as well as off-beat events like wheelbarrow races and driving while blindfold.
The diaries of units fighting in France and Flanders are published online by the National Archives in Kew, south-west London.
Soldiers were not constantly in the face of danger
One diary, compiled by the 246th Machine Gun Company in Flanders in October 1917, says: “Training was carried on according to programme whilst the afternoons were devoted to competitions in sports.”
Archives spokesman William Spencer said sports days helped to keep troops motivated.
Laura Clouting, of the Imperial War Museum, said: “Soldiers were not constantly in the face of danger.
"There would be football, cricket, boxing, horse-racing, and even ventriloquism and vegetable shows.
"They were all good ways of maintaining good spirit.”