In 1775, Britain’s American colonies rebelled in a bid for independence. The British Army performed fairly well against the rebels, but it was unable to prevent the loss of territory following French and Spanish entry into the war.
During the Second World War, Nigel Clogstoun-Willmott founded the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties to undertake covert beach reconnaissance. This proved vital for the success of Allied seaborne invasions.
During the Second World War, Britain created a range of special units who undertook a variety of daring operations against the Axis Powers. The bravery and commitment of these forces has become the stuff of legend.
On Easter Monday 1916, Irish nationalists launched an armed revolt against British rule in Ireland. Although quickly suppressed by the British Army, the rising was a seminal moment in modern Irish history.
The personal diary of Sergeant James Littler is being published online 100 years after he survived the fierce fighting at the Battle of the Somme on the National Army Museum's commemorative website First World War in Focus.
Following the fall of France in the summer of 1940, Britain was faced with the threat of invasion. Soldiers played a vital role in defending the shores and skies.
In the 1940s, the British Army found itself stuck in the middle of a growing conflict between Arabs and Jews in Palestine. The momentous events that followed led to the creation of the State of Israel.
This battle was fought on 28 January 1846 during the First Sikh War. A British-Indian force took on the Sikh army of the Punjab. It ended in a decisive British victory and is seen by some as a ‘near perfect battle’.
In 1945, British troops occupied Germany alongside their wartime Soviet allies. But growing East-West tensions soon evolved into the Cold War. For the next four decades, soldiers in Germany prepared to face an attack by the Warsaw Pact.
Buy a copy of Alan Allport's new book, which takes a fresh look at the gruelling first half of the Second World War and its transformative effect on Britain and its people.
The National Army Museum's Archive and Library are full of personal stories. Captured in letters, diaries, memoirs and oral histories, these narratives provide valuable insights into the experiences of soldiers and the history of the Army.
In the 19th century, it was customary for soldiers to claim war trophies as a token of victory after defeating their enemies in battle. This Ashanti war trumpet is unusual in that it serves as a token of defeat.
