Lighthearted Photographs of Soldiers Having Fun

Piggyback wading (location unspecified). Imperial War Museums

Romanian soldiers in a pond in the Balkans. Imperial War Museums

Russian troops staging a performance during World War I. Tumblr

Sailors singing and playing the piano during World War I. Ranker

Soldiers in a farm pond near St. Eloi, Flanders, 1917. Imperial War Museums

Soldiers on leave posing for a photograph with some local women, World War I. Tumbr

Soldiers playing baseball with a mortar. xcitefun

Soldiers playing football with the kids of Afghanistan. Pinterest

Soviet troops watching a circus performance during World War II. Tumblr

The football team of the British Third Army Trench Mortar School poses for a picture on the Western Front, Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, France in 1917. Imperial War Museum via Open University

The matches took place “in the sound of the heavy guns of nearby U.S. Army artillery,” just a short distance from the front lines of the struggle against Communist forces, said Korean War veteran, Vince Courtenay. Rare Historical Photos

Two American soldiers outside an officer’s club during the Vietnam War. Tumblr

Two German soldiers wrestling in the snow during World War I. Daily Mail

Union soldiers having a good during the American Civil War. Tumblr

US soldiers playing instruments during World War II, December 1944. US Army Signal Corps

US soldiers playing street hockey during the Iraq War. Tumblr

World War II sailors enjoy a day out while on leave. history

World War II sailors from the USS North Carolina gather on deck to watch as the ship arrives in New York City. history

Young American sailors smile as they pose for a picture. history

A team member works hard in the tug-of-war at the Divisional Sports Meeting, held at the Maadi Sporting Club, Egypt, in 1940. teara.govt.nz

Competitors dive in the final of the 100 yards breaststroke at the Divisional Swimming Championships at Maadi, Egypt, on 29 August 1943. General Bernard Freyberg, a former swimming champion, had ordered that a swimming pool be constructed. teara.govt.nz

Men of a New Zealand artillery battery play football against opponents from a British artillery battery in Egypt’s Western Desert, around November 1942. teara.govt.nz

New Zealand servicewomen compete in a pillow fight in front of an appreciative audience on board the Maunganui in 1946. teara.govt.nz

New Zealand soldiers play cricket at their camp in Syria in May 1942. teara.govt.nz

Soldiers playing chess, WWI. Pinterest

The 22nd Battalion rugby team drink from the Freyberg Cup after their victory over the Divisional Ammunition team in the cup final of 8 December 1944. The game was played in the stadium at Forli in northern Italy. teara.govt.nz

Troops take part in an athletics competition held by the 3rd New Zealand Division in Nouméa, New Caledonia. The 3rd Division was based at Nouméa from 1942 to 1944, with units sailing from there to take part in fighting in the Solomon Islands. teara.govt.nz

U.S. Army Sergeant Evan Kirby of A-BTRY 2:377 PFAR Task Force Steel plays golf at FOB Tillman, Afghanistan, November 10, 2009. Buzzfeed

U.S. serviceman playing baseball. G.2. baseball game. Kalikunda, India. Kalaikunda, India. Circa December 1945. ww2online

U.S. soldiers watching a boxing match in postwar Germany. ww2online

US Army soldiers playing the videogame Rock Band. thechive

US soldiers playing chess at Fort Shafter, Honolulu, Hawaii in 1945. National WWII Museum

A Fairey Swordfish flies low over the aircraft carrier HMS INDOMITABLE to drop a sleeve target. Immediately below, a game of hockey in progress on the flight deck. Wikimedia Commons

Snowball-armed soldiers and their prizewinning kangaroo snowman at a Convalescent Camp in England, 1917. formerdays

Australian soldiers having a snowball fight at a camp in southern England, 1916. formerdays

Nurses and convalescent Australian soldiers have a snowball fight at a hospital in southern England, WWI. formerdays

Australian soldiers make a snowman in Seoul, Korea, 1950. formerdays

Soldiers play leapfrog in the snow (and what looks like snowball catch), Belgium, 1919. formerdays

Men of the Royal Australian Air Force in a snowball fight on an English air base, 1942. formerdays

Soldiers sledding down a snowy road, Belgium, 1919. Australian War Memorial

A snowball fight including an Australian Major-General, Belgium, 1919. Australian War Memorial

Convalescent soldiers and their snowman of Kaiser Wilhelm II, at a camp in England, 1917. Australian War Memorial

Another kangaroo snowman, WWI. Australian War Memorial