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

VE Day celebrations at Nairobi, Kenya, May 1945

War and Peace

On This Day: May 1945

In May 1945, the Allies celebrated Victory in Europe. While the war in Japan was still to be won, attention also turned to the challenges of the peace, not least the return home of millions of soldiers.

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Kenya Emergency

The Kenya Emergency, or Mau Mau Revolt, was one of the British Army's bloodiest and most controversial post-war conflicts.

Rugby match featuring members of the 3rd County of London Yeomanry, 1942

Sport and British Army recruitment

Although factors like patriotism, financial security and the chance to travel have persuaded men and women to enlist, sport has also played a major role in British Army recruitment.

Why did the Indian Mutiny happen?

In 1857, Indian soldiers rose up against their British commanders. The reasons behind the rebellion stretch back to the origins of British involvement in Indian affairs.

Decisive events of the Indian Mutiny

The 1857 rising was the biggest threat to Britain's colonial power during its rule of the Indian subcontinent.

First China War

Between 1839 and 1842, British-Indian forces fought a war with Imperial China that served the interests of opium smugglers. Their resulting victory opened up the lucrative Chinese trade to British merchants.

Cyprus

In the early 1950s, a revolt in favour of union with Greece began in British-controlled Cyprus. British troops remain on the island to this day as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force.

Edward Walker: Eyewitness to civil war

Sir Edward Walker was Secretary at War to King Charles I during the British Civil Wars. His papers provide a first-hand account of the Battle of Lostwithiel and offer many other illuminating insights on the wider conflict.

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.

Battle, Afghanistan, 2010. Oil on linen by Jules George, 2010

Painting in the line of fire

Operating as non-combatants in some of the most dangerous environments in the world, war artists face a variety of challenges. Here, we take a look at how they overcome these difficulties.

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.

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.

Weapons of the Western Front

During the First World War, armies were forced to adapt their tactics and pursue new technologies as a way of breaking the deadlock. Here, we explore some of the weapons used by the British Army on the Western Front.

Stories of alliance

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