In 1900, British and Indian troops joined an international expedition sent to relieve the diplomatic quarter of Beijing, which was under siege by the 'Boxers' and their Imperial Chinese allies.
Formed in the 17th century, this organisation fell under government suspicion during the time of the Jacobite uprisings. Despite these inauspicious beginnings, it later evolved into the Sovereign's bodyguard in Scotland.
Between 1945 and 1956, British soldiers garrisoned bases on the Suez Canal in Egypt. A harsh climate, disease and attacks by local nationalists made Suez one of the most unpopular Army postings.
One of the most famous counter-terrorism operations in history took place in 1980. Gunmen overran the Iranian Embassy in London and took hostages, but the crisis was resolved when the building was stormed by the SAS.
In September 1917 Lieutenant Oliver Stewart of the Royal Flying Corps achieved the status of ‘ace’ on the Western Front, winning the Military Cross for his actions.
Discover more about the Partition of India and the events leading up to it through this poetry film, featuring archival images and original epic poetry.
