Did Churchill really commission wartime pornography to motivate troops? The facts behind the salacious rumour

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I’ve heard whispers of this story for years, but it’s one of those wartime rumors that hasn’t really broken into the mainstream. It’s been quietly going around for decades, and I always find those the most intriguing.

The way Britain typically tells the story of World War II emphasizes its people as brave, disciplined, and morally strong – a nation that faced hardship with quiet dignity. This image of resilience and decency has become a key part of the country’s collective memory of the war.

The idea that something forbidden or shocking could have happened in secret is powerfully intriguing. War creates a unique environment of loneliness, strict control, censorship, and even numbing boredom—all of which make for a great story.

During World War II, the British Navy reportedly allowed, and may have even helped distribute, pornography – known as “blue films” – to sailors serving at distant, lonely outposts.

Stories circulate in spoken histories, online communities, and old sailor tales – snippets of how reels were shared to help pass the time and cope with the stress of being at sea for extended periods.

These stories aren’t official rules, and there’s usually no solid proof to back them up – they’re more like rumors. Still, they’ve continued to circulate, becoming a kind of unofficial tradition shared among people who worked at these distant bases during the war.

The gap between the idea and the proof fascinated me as a filmmaker, and it led me to create Think of England. The film explores what might have occurred if a similar project had been suggested during wartime.

This film isn’t based on a true story. I wanted to explore the common narratives surrounding maintaining morale during difficult times, and to look at the political and psychological pressures that make a story like this believable.

But beyond the rumour, what do we actually know?

Love and war – AKA sex and death – have always been the perfect bedfellows

I’ve looked into this claim about Churchill and the British government making pornographic films during the war, and it just doesn’t seem to be true. I’ve read what historians have found – they’ve searched the archives and haven’t been able to find anything official ordering such films, any records of them being made, or even the films themselves. It looks like it’s just a rumor that doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.

While it sounds strange, there’s actually historical evidence to suggest this rumour isn’t as far-fetched as it seems. During the war, the British Ministry of Information created propaganda films that surprisingly used nudity and sexual themes to boost public morale, according to archives at the British Film Institute.

Although not considered pornography today, these materials show that leaders during wartime were prepared to push moral limits to keep soldiers motivated. When facing difficult situations, what society considers acceptable can change.

And it is in that shifting territory between fact and folklore, that the myth has endured.

War dramatically challenges a society’s values. While peaceful times allow us to clearly define right and wrong, war blurs those lines. It forces ordinary people – even those known for gentle professions – to suddenly become involved in organized violence.

The intense emotional stress of war – being close to death, experiencing constant fear, and living with never-ending uncertainty – changes how people see the world. Things that once seemed important, like social niceties and strict rules, now seem unimportant when compared to the struggle for survival.

Similarly, dedicating all our efforts to building incredibly destructive new weapons would reinforce the idea that anything goes in times of conflict and passion. After all, love and war – representing sex and death – have always been closely linked.

The Nazis were a few beats ahead of the allies when it came to the use of nudity in propaganda films

When World War II started, people still vividly remembered the horrors of World War I, which had ended just two decades before. It seemed crucial to remember the lessons from that previous conflict, and a key one was this: despite the new technologies of modern warfare – like airplanes, tanks, and machine guns – millions of soldiers quickly found themselves stuck in terrible trenches, barely advancing a mile after five years of brutal fighting.

Having seen this happen before, everyone pretty much agreed it could easily happen again, so we really needed to be ready for it this time. It just felt like something we couldn’t ignore!

The main question was whether any new invention could significantly improve the lives of those scared and lonely young soldiers, enough to give them the strength to keep fighting just a bit longer than their enemies.

The Nazis consistently seemed to have a strategic advantage. The development of crystal meth, or speed, dramatically boosted the energy and endurance of their soldiers, allowing them to overwhelm early resistance efforts with a swift, overwhelming attack – the Blitzkrieg. While ethically questionable, it was undeniably effective.

The Germans were pioneers in using nudity for propaganda, notably in the opening of Leni Riefenstahl’s documentary about the 1936 Olympics (Olympia). This sequence featured nude dancers and athletes, controversially presenting the idea of Aryan physical perfection as a reward awaiting victorious German heroes.

A long-standing rumour claims the Nazis planned to create explicit pornography on the Channel Islands during the occupation, allegedly forcing British residents to appear in the films. This disturbing story was actually one of the initial ideas that sparked the creation of ‘Think of England’.

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Despite a thorough investigation, I found absolutely no proof to support the story, so I’m putting it with all the other unverified tales and legends.

It’s important to note that despite everything mentioned, explicit pornography was being produced on a large scale throughout this whole time.

I’ve always been fascinated by the very beginnings of film, and it’s amazing to learn that even way back then, there were these incredibly popular, but secret, “stag films.” They were basically early adult films, and though they were often really simple and poorly made in terms of story and how they were filmed, they were surprisingly explicit for the time! What’s even more interesting is that they were made and enjoyed all over the world, and almost nobody knew who was behind them.

Although Britain never officially approved of these films, they were definitely popular during World War II, especially where soldiers congregated. While there’s no proof they were shown in official army bases or forts, it’s now generally believed they were a regular entertainment option on naval ships from many countries.

Given that Britain was already struggling with limited resources, why did the Ministry of Information invest so much effort in remaking films that were already widely available?

It would be simple and beneficial to fill these short stories with strong patriotic feelings, mirroring the intense national pride Britain was trying to promote in all its other propaganda.

Imagine how much it would boost a soldier’s spirits to see a returning hero receive everything he’s ever wanted, simply as a thank you for his bravery – especially from someone he’d normally have no chance with.

Fight like a man and, we promise you, this will be your reward (on earth as it is in heaven).

These films would be much higher quality and tailored to each branch of the military. We’d create specific content for the army, the navy, and the air force, ensuring there’s a film to meet the unique needs of every service member.

If this project had been approved, one thing is certain: like all new weapons being developed at the time (such as the bouncing bomb, which became public the same year this story takes place), it would have been kept strictly confidential. Information would be shared only with those who absolutely needed to know, and only after thorough testing to ensure it boosted morale and fighting spirit.

Let’s get back to the main question: was pornography actually made in Britain during the war? Official records indicate the British government didn’t order any. However, the fact that this rumor continues to circulate shows how war can make us question our firmest beliefs about what’s right and wrong.

Can we ever truly be certain about something? The play Think of England offers a detailed and honest look at the historical context and pressures of the time. If you watch it completely and thoughtfully, it provides a conclusive answer to that question.

We really can’t risk letting this information out until we’ve thoroughly tested it on a large group of people. We need to be sure it won’t have a seriously harmful effect on society’s values.

Richard Hawkins wrote and directed the darkly satirical wartime film, Think of England. It will premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on March 6th, and will then be shown at the Manchester Film Festival on March 22nd.

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Richard Hawkins

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2026-03-06 10:45