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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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Heavy guns on the Somme, 1916

Battle of the Somme

The 1916 Somme offensive was one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War. But it provided the Army with a tough lesson in how to fight a large-scale modern war.

Battle of Normandy

Battle of Normandy

D-Day enabled the Allies to establish a foothold on the beaches of Normandy. But they still faced the task of breaking out, pushing the Germans back and liberating France.

D-Day

D-Day

D-Day, 6 June 1944, marked the start of the Allied invasion of Normandy and was the greatest amphibious operation in history.

A raiding party in a trench, 1916

First World War

The First World War was the first truly global conflict. From 1914 to 1918, fighting took place across several continents, at sea and, for the first time, in the air.

British soldiers watching the bombing of an enemy position in Musa Qala, 2006

War in Afghanistan

Britain's most recent war in Afghanistan began in the wake of the '9/11' terrorist attacks on the United States. It continued for 13 years with the last combat troops leaving the country on 26 October 2014.

Sir William Inglis, 1820

William Inglis: The original die-hard

Major-General Sir William Inglis had a long and successful career. But it was his actions in the Peninsular War, when he showed enormous personal courage and leadership under fire, that earned him national fame.

Thin Red Line, 1854

Battle of Balaklava

The Battle of Balaklava in 1854 witnessed one of the most famous acts of battlefield bravery and one of the most infamous blunders in military history.

A soldier en route to Sicily, 1943

Second World War

The Second World War (1939-45) was the bloodiest conflict in human history. It split the world's nations into two opposing military alliances - the Allies and the Axis Powers.

Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery, 1942

Bernard Law Montgomery: Unbeatable and unbearable

Arrogant, unlikeable, but ultimately successful, Field Marshal Montgomery was one of the most prominent British commanders of the Second World War.

Thomas the cavalry horse, c2012

Horse heroes

Horses have played a vital role in supporting soldiers on and off the battlefield. Explore the stories of some of the most incredible horses in British military history.

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.