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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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The last British troops to leave India, 1948

Independence and Partition, 1947

The birth of India and Pakistan as independent states in 1947 was a key moment in the history of Britain’s empire and its army. But the process of partition was attended by mass migration and ethnic violence that has left a bitter legacy to this day.

Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, Helmand, 2011

A timeline of women in the Army

Since 2018, all British Army combat roles have been open to female soldiers. However, the history of women's service in the Army stretches much further back in time.

WAACs on parade, c1917

Stepping into line

As the entire nation mobilised for the First World War, women took up new challenges. Many of these opportunities had previously been off limits, including military service.

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.

Prince Charles visiting the Queen’s Dragoon Guards in Kosovo, 1999

The Sovereign’s soldiers

Whether participating in ceremonial events, visiting deployed troops, operating as regimental figureheads or personally serving in the Army, members of the Royal Family provide a constant and visible link between soldiers and their sovereign.

'The Wipers Times', 6 March 1916

The Wipers Times: The soldiers’ paper

Full of the dark humour typical of soldiers at war, 'The Wipers Times' was one of the finest of many trench publications produced on the Western Front.

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.