Explore artefacts and sources on the causes and treatment of injuries and illnesses on the Western Front during the First World War, and assess the impact of these innovations.
In 1918, the British assembled a handpicked unit to carry out a daring secret mission to the Caucasus. Their aim was to unify into an effective force the various anti-Bolshevik and anti-Turkish groups fighting there.
On 9 July 1915, enemy forces in German South-West Africa (now Namibia) surrendered to the Allies. This marked the final stage of a short but successful campaign of manoeuvre fought in extremely harsh conditions.
In August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force was sent to France. While relatively small, it would play a role out of all proportion to its size. But the cost was huge, and by December 1914 it had almost been wiped out.
In 1845-46, the British fought a war against the Sikh Empire in the Punjab. After several bitterly fought battles, the conflict ended with the British taking partial control of the Sikh territories.
In May 1918, Lance-Corporal Talbot Mohan and his comrades were resting in a quiet sector of the Western Front when the Germans launched the third phase of their Spring Offensive. Mohan's unpublished war diary offers a unique eyewitness account of the chaos of the subsequent Allied retreat.
On 15 August 1945, the British government broadcast news of Japan’s unconditional surrender. This date was declared Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) and people from all walks of life celebrated the official end of the Second World War.
Abram Games was 'Official War Poster Artist' during the Second World War. Always direct, and occasionally controversial, his posters have left a legacy that continues to influence the art of persuasion used by visual designers today.
During 1914-18, British troops fought the Turks in Mesopotamia. After many setbacks, they finally took Baghdad in March 1917. This marked the high point of a long and tragic campaign fought in a harsh climate.
During the Second World War, Abram Games produced a series of posters for the Army Bureau of Current Affairs. These aimed to remind soldiers what they were fighting for, while also offering a glimpse of the post-war society to which they could aspire.
Fought between 1642 and 1651, these wars were primarily disputes between Crown and Parliament about how the British Isles should be governed. But they also had religious and social dimensions, and witnessed the creation of the first national standing army.
