A rugby union match between 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) and the 44th Royal Tank Regiment at Worthing in Sussex, 1944

Photograph by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, 1944.

Both these units were part of the Royal Armoured Corps and were stationed on the south coast of England in the weeks prior to D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy. By May 1944 the men who embarked for Normandy were at the peak of physical conditioning and had completed all their training. As they awaited the order to embark for France their officers kept them active with sports, long marches, exercises and inspections.

For many in the Army, rugby was 'a school of true manhood and leadership'. A 1919 survey, of which sports were the best games for soldiers to play, placed rugby second behind only boxing.

From an album of 233 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), 1944.