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Delve deeper into stories of the Army and its soldiers, exploring events across the globe and down the centuries.

Journal of an unknown soldier of the 100th Regiment of Foot, c1786
A Soldier's Life

In Their Own Words: Unknown Soldier of the 100th Foot

A journal by an unknown private of the 100th Foot, documenting his time in India during the Second Mysore War (1780-84), tells a remarkable story of adventure and survival.
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A bomb disposal officer and infantry officer patrol West Belfast, 1992

The Troubles

Troops were sent to Northern Ireland in 1969. They ended up staying there for nearly 40 years in what became the British Army's longest ever deployment.

The charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava, 1854

Death or glory: Famous cavalry charges

Cavalry charges might win a battle, but with poor leadership they could end in disaster. Many are remembered and celebrated because of the risk involved, whether successful or not.

The infantry advance at El Alamein, 1942

The struggle for North Africa

The grim struggle that rolled back and forth across the North African desert from 1940 to 1943 resulted in the first major Allied victory of the Second World War.

United Nations Korean War Medal

Korean War

In 1950, the Cold War heated up significantly with the outbreak of conflict in Korea. This three-year struggle left millions dead, and its legacy remains of huge global consequence today.

Lieutenants Melville and Coghill saving the Colours at Isandlwana, 1879

Zulu War

In 1879, the British fought a war against the Zulu Kingdom. The Zulus resisted bravely and were only defeated after a series of particularly bloody battles that have gone down in the annals of colonial warfare.

Patrolling the Malayan jungle, 1950s

Malayan Emergency

The Malayan Emergency (1948-60) was one of the few successful counter-insurgency operations undertaken by the Western powers during the Cold War.

The Duke of Wellington, c1820

Wellington: The Iron Duke

Whether you know him as Arthur Wellesley, the Iron Duke, or even Old Nosey, the Duke of Wellington is the British Army’s most famous commander.

Lawrence of Arabia, 1919

Lawrence of Arabia: The man behind the robes

Few British soldiers have a greater legend attached to them than Colonel TE Lawrence - better known as Lawrence of Arabia.

Marengo's skull

Marengo’s makeover

We sent Napoleon's horse Marengo to the Natural History Museum to prepare him for display in the new galleries.

English pot helmet, 1640s

Battle of Naseby

Sir Thomas Fairfax led his troops to victory over King Charles I at the Battle of Naseby on 14 June 1645. His triumph won the First English Civil War (1642-46) for Parliament and ensured that monarchs would never again be supreme in British politics.

Napoleon at Waterloo, 1815

Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815 between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher. It was the decisive battle of its age, concluding a global conflict that had raged for 23 years.

The defence of Rorke’s Drift 22-23 January 1879

Defence of Rorke’s Drift

This battle took place on 22-23 January 1879. A huge force of Zulus attacked a small British garrison, but was eventually repelled after more than 12 hours of bitter fighting.

Stories of remembrance

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Peace and commemoration

After the Armistice in November 1918, millions of soldiers hoped they would soon go home. But demobilising so many troops was a huge task. How best to mark the Allied victory also became a subject for debate.

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Honouring the fallen

After the First World War, British society had to come to terms with the loss of huge numbers of its service personnel. Across the country, people found ways to commemorate the fallen at a local and national level.

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The Unknown Warrior

The grave of the Unknown Warrior contains the remains of an unidentified British serviceman, interred in 1920 to honour the fallen of the First World War. The secretive selection process remains shrouded in mystery.