---
title: Take a Pride in Being Fighting Fit
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/take-a-pride-in-being-fighting-fit-games-1939/
description: A bare-chested athletic figure in profile stands against the dark silhouette of a helmeted soldier, above the words 'Take a pride in being fighting FIT'
section: Collection
---

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3. Take a Pride in Being Fighting Fit

[![Take a Pride in Being Fighting Fit, 1939 UK poster: A bare-chested athletic figure in profile stands against the dark](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/take-a-pride-in-being-fighting-fit-games-1939.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/take-a-pride-in-being-fighting-fit-games-1939.jpg)

# Take a Pride in Being Fighting Fit

A bare-chested athletic figure in profile stands against the dark silhouette of a helmeted soldier, above the words 'Take a pride in being fighting FIT' and 'You owe it to yourself, your comrades, your efficiency'. The overlap of the civilian body and the soldier's outline merges self-image and military role (identity-fusion), and fitness is borrowed from the soldier's prestige (transfer).

## Propaganda techniques used in this poster

[Identity fusion](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/identity-fusion/) [Transfer](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/transfer/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
TAKE A PRIDE IN BEING
FIGHTING
F I T
YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF · YOUR COMRADES · YOUR EFFICIENCY

[signature:] A. GAMES
Printed for H.M. Stationery Office by J. Weiner Ltd., London W.C.1. 51-4328.
P.R.61
```

[← The "Spirit of Anzac" Calls You: Enlist Now for Overseas Service (Second N.Z. Expeditionary Force)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/spirit-of-anzac-calls-you-nz-1939/) [3,000 Children Die From it Every Year →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/uk-3000-children-die-from-it-every-year-1939/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Our job is to beat the Hun. Vote Union Government (Canada, 1917 election)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/our-job-is-to-beat-the-hun-union-government-1917/) (Canada · 1917 · Name-calling, Identity fusion). Content note: Ethnic slur ('Hun') for Germans in the slogan.
- [Julistus (Proclamation): Red Guard committee denies rumours and orders rumour-spreaders arrested](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/punakaarti-julistus-huhut-1918/) (Finland · 1918 · Identity fusion)
- [Salzburg 20-Kronen "Anschluss" voucher (1921)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/salzburg-anschluss-voucher-20-kronen-1921/) (Austria · 1921 · Identity fusion)
- [The Bombay Chronicle, article on a foreign-cloth bonfire (July 30, 1921)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/bombay-chronicle-cloth-bonfire-1921/) (British India · Jul 30, 1921 · Identity fusion, Glittering generalities)
- [L'Unione Sarda, 24 March 1929: 'Il voto di oggi, è atto di fede' (plebiscite day front page)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/unione-sarda-plebiscito-front-page-1929/) (Fascist Italy · Mar 24, 1929 · Identity fusion, Glittering generalities)
- [Zwei SA-Männer bringen ein Hitler-Plakat an (Mecklenburg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sa-maenner-kleben-hitler-plakat-mecklenburg-1932/) (Weimar Republic · Jun 21, 1932 · Identity fusion). Content note: Photograph of SA men in uniform with swastika armband putting up a Hitler election poster, 1932.
- [Hitlerjugend, Deutsches Jungvolk: Altmetallsammlung](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hj-altmetallsammlung-jungvolk-1933/) (Nazi Germany · 1933 · Identity fusion). Content note: Deutsches Jungvolk boys in uniform collecting scrap metal, 1933.
- [Marine-HJ werben für den Bau von HJ-Heimen (Handwagen mit Plakat)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/marine-hj-werbung-hj-heime-1933/) (Nazi Germany · 1933 · Identity fusion). Content note: Hitler Youth members in uniform with swastika armbands and flags promoting the building of Hitler Youth homes.