Explore more from Sport. Sport has always played an important role in the British Army, keeping soldiers fit and encouraging recruitment. Sporting contests have also fostered faith in the regiment or corps, reinforced group identity, and made soldiers ready to serve a shared cause, even in the most difficult circumstances. Sport Prisoners of War Soldier. British Army sports fostered a soldier's faith in his unit, reinforced group identity and made soldiers ready to serve a common cause.
They also bridged the gap between officers and men, who often had little else in common. The shared experience of playing and watching sport was crucial in developing 'esprit de corps' - feelings of pride and confidence among the members of a regiment. Competition between combined British Army teams and their Allied and Commonwealth equivalents reinforced a larger shared identity above and beyond that of the regiment, as seen in the Inter-Allied Athletics Championship held in Berlin in Such sporting links were especially important in times of war, when British soldiers were fighting alongside troops from these countries.
Yet sport was used not only to encourage a sense of military cohesion. The Army command realised that it could also relieve boredom, provide a distraction from the horrors of war, and keep men away from the tavern and the brothel.
As such, it played an important role in maintaining discipline. It also helped troops to relax during times of stress. Sporting contests were even held in front-line areas and behind the wire in prisoner-of-war camps.
The British Army has also used sport in its rehabilitation of wounded service personnel, helping them to regain confidence and fitness and thus return to an active life. But not all sporting pursuits have always been always accessible to the rank and file. At times, there were restrictions on who could compete against whom, and which sports were suitable for certain personnel.
