Our Happy Tommies A typical upbeat choice of subject for The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Sutcliffe?s illustration, records a football match played by troops in a French village ?place? somewhere along the British second line during the battle of the Aisne. The caption reminds the reader that ?many footballs have been sent to France for use in the ranks?. The picture, as well as the title, conveys a positive image of trench life and would have given comfort to those at home to know that their men occasionally had fun. But football also embodied the British spirit of fair play, a symbolism that also found credence on the battlefield.