The IWM Film Archive is the oldest film archive in the UK, holding over 20,000 hours of film, video and digital material and covering the two World Wars and all conflicts involving British or Commonwealth Forces since the start of the Twentieth Century to the present. Our collection also reflects aspects of civilian life in wartime, military life in peacetime, military exercises and operations.
This film is part of Free
Britain's Youth
The British public are encouraged to keep fit, as audiences are reminded they are “a nation of sportsmen” and “not a nation of spectators”.
From the collection of:
Overview
‘Britain’s Youth’ focuses on sports that were enjoyed in large numbers by amateurs in 1940s Britain, and emphasises how sport played an important role in both the armed forces and civil defence services. The film helps to underline the benefits of sport in a time of war, as new recruits report for service in peak physical condition.
This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.
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