Explore

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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Drawn on the spot: War artists and the illustrated press

To meet 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.

A soldier from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment fights a boxer from Oxford University, 2009

Sport and preparing troops for war

The Army has long believed that sport prepares men and women for combat by increasing fitness, channelling aggression and instilling discipline.

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.

British Army ranks

A soldier’s rank indicates his position in the military hierarchy. But what ranks are there in the British Army and how are they denoted?

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.

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.

The Tanjore Durbar, Madras, February 1840

Indian armies, Indian art

Artworks created by Indian artists for the British soldiers serving on the subcontinent provide a fascinating insight into early Anglo-Indian relations.