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A soldier writing home while leaning against a ruined wall, Liévin, c1917

A Soldier's Life

In Their Own Words: Stories from the Archive

The National Army Museum's Archive and Library are full of personal stories. Captured in letters, diaries, memoirs and oral histories, these narratives provide valuable insights into the experiences of soldiers and the history of the Army.

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52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)

This infantry regiment was raised in 1755. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was merged to form The Oxfordshire Light Infantry.

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43rd (Monmouthshire Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot

This infantry regiment was raised in 1741. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was merged to form The Oxfordshire Light Infantry.

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Glengarry badge, 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment, c1874

54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot

This infantry regiment was raised in 1755. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was amalgamated with the 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot to form The Dorsetshire Regiment.

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39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot

This infantry regiment was raised in 1689. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was amalgamated with the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot to form The Dorsetshire Regiment.

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The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own Yorkshire Regiment)

This infantry unit was formed in 1688. It served in many British Army campaigns during its long history, before becoming part of The Yorkshire Regiment in 2006.

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Armies of the East India Company

Originally formed to trade in Asia, the East India Company came to rule large areas of the Indian subcontinent, exercising military power through its formidable armed forces.

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Cap badge, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment), 1914

The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding)

This infantry regiment was formed in 1881. It continued in British Army service until 2006, when it merged with The Green Howards and The Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire to form The Yorkshire Regiment.

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76th Regiment of Foot

This infantry regiment was raised in 1787. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was amalgamated with the 33rd (The Duke of Wellington’s) Regiment of Foot to form The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding).

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Glengarry badge, 33rd (The Duke of Wellington’s) Regiment, c1874

33rd (The Duke of Wellington’s) Regiment of Foot

This infantry unit was formed in 1702. It served in many British Army campaigns until the 1881 reforms, when it merged with the 76th Regiment of Foot to form The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) in 1881.

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The East Yorkshire Regiment (The Duke of York’s Own)

This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1958, it merged with The West Yorkshire Regiment to form The Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire.

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The Devonshire Regiment

This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1958, it was amalgamated with The Dorset Regiment to form the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment.

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Glengarry badge, Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment), c1881

The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s Own)

This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1958, it merged with The East Yorkshire Regiment to form The Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire.

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