Football = 14th July 1944 - https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/bayeux-14400/75e-d-day-le-club-de-foot-de-bayeux-affrontera-les-militaires-britanniques-comme-en-1944-6248592 I had a quick look for a ref. to this in the SRY wardiary... "14th July 1944 - Remained in orchard. General re-organisation . Sqn Ldrs Conference in morning at which Brigadier looked in. Points raised at the previous days conference were discussed. Suggestions made for close tie up between ourselves and Air for direct Div Sp. And also for using a reserve Squadron for a Squadron shoot on selected targets. Two new officers arrived for attachment only, to accustom them to Field Conditions." But sadly it isn't in there, which is a bit of a pity. I think from memory the 24th L "played football" in Normandy also, though this SRY one might have been a bit more organised - i.e. given that the SRY were in on the liberation of Bayeux etc. Edit: There is another version of the picture here: Collaborators, Fighters And Refugees: 45 Fantastic Photos Of The Normandy French After D-Day - Flashbak With a bit of text: "For the first time since 1939, French men and women in the liberated towns and villages of Normandy were able openly to celebrate on July 14th, Bastille Day, without fear of German reprisals. In the little town of Coursoulles near the coast, where this picture was taken in July 1944, British troops played a football match against the local French team and all the towns folk turned out to watch the game. The match in progress with enthusiastic spectators crowding the touch-line. (AP Photo/Photographic News Agencies, LTD.)" & IWM (B 7277) : SPORT & LEISURE IN THE BRITISH ARMY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR Object description: "British troops playing football against the local team in Courseulles in France on Bastille Day, 1944."
As well as the IWM stills, there's also some film, albeit, I don't think that the bits online feature the football... BASTILLE DAY IN BAYEUX (PART 2) [Allocated Title] DESCRIPTION Object description Further coverage of the Bastille Day celebrations in Courseulles, 1944. Full description The film begins with a brief and unexplained shot of two Sherman Firefly tanks crossing a road and thus holding up a line of trucks before setting off down a tape-marked track towards the front(?). In Bayeux, celebrating its Bastille Day for the first time in four years, war-veterans and the local police join the parade at the 1914-18 War Memorial. A Gendarme, M Goubet, is awarded the Croix de Guerre for his part in aiding the Allies on D-Day. M Mercador is also decorated. The local FFI leader, Major Gille, addresses the crowd, of whom many are British and American servicemen and press representatives; Maurice Schumann is also present. Wreaths honouring the dead of the 1st World War and of the present war are laid at the foot of the Memorial. The band plays the 'Marseillaise', during which a guard of honour consisting of Free French Commandos from No 10 (1-A) Commando is seen at attention, saluting. Edit... BASTILLE DAY IN BAYEUX (PART 1) [Allocated Title] DESCRIPTION Object description A procession takes place during Bayeux's celebration of Bastille Day. Full description Seen from an upper window overlooking the square before Bayeux Cathedral, a procession consisting of a guard of honour consisting of Free French Commandos, a military band, war veterans and members of the Resistance marches towards the 1914-18 War Memorial. People are also seen entering the cathedral. The marchers are joined by several military vehicles including a Fordson WOT2 truck, Ford Heavy Utility, Dodge and Dennis tipper lorries and an Austin K2 ambulance, a reminder that there is still a war on.
Striking to see the men in British uniforms shouldering their Enfields with the magazines up. Just looks a little off.
CELEBRATION OF BASTILLE DAY IN COURSEULLES (PART 4) [Allocated Title] Object description Additional coverage of the procession to the War Memorial at Courseulles and the football match played between a local team and Royal Engineers during Courseulles' Bastille Day celebrations. Full description The Mayor of Courseulles together with the French naval captain of La Combattante and a Colonel from 21st Army Civil Affairs leads the procession of war-veterans, French naval troops, ex-prisoners of war and 'Les Pompiers', the local fire brigade, to the 1914-18 War Memorial where wreaths are laid in tribute to the soldiers killed in the town and on the beaches on D-Day. After the ceremony both the procession and the spectators head back into Courseulles, passing British officers standing by No 31 WT Group RE Headquarters. At the football match, pipers of the 8th (Liverpool Irish) Battalion King's Regiment parade before the game commences and during half-time. Among the spectators watching the game are British troops and sailors from La Combattante together with a British Army Colonel, a Royal Navy Beachmaster Captain Colin Maude, and Free French Captain Massignie sitting in an amphibious jeep.
