Explore

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

A Soldier's Life

Corporal Ethan Fagon

Jamaican-born Ethan Fagon saw extensive service around the world between 1961 and 1983. A skilled infantry soldier and storeman, and an excellent marksman, he also had a rebellious and fun-loving character, as revealed in an interview recorded in 2008.

Find out more

Explore by theme

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 get by.

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.

Drawn on the spot: War artists and the illustrated press

To satisfy the Victorian public’s growing desire for authentic images of war, newspapers began sending artists to accompany British troops on campaign. Their pictures formed the substance of much war reporting.

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.

How to dress like Sgt Pepper

'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', released by the Beatles in 1967, drew heavily on British Army themes. Here, we explore some of the historical inspiration behind this iconic album.

Stories of alliance

Story