Army at Home

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Army at Home

This gallery outlines the Army's home service since the 1600s. It shows the different ways that soldiers have protected the people of Britain during national crises, and examines the Army's role in shaping identities, communities and landscapes.

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Scottish broadsword

This sword is currently on display in our Army at Home gallery. Its ornate markings - many of them symbols of Scottish culture - serve as an example of the Army's efforts to preserve and celebrate national and regional identity.

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Conserving a ceremonial trumpet banner

Military musicians play an important role in major occasions of state. Among the items on display in our Army at Home gallery is a meticulously restored Household Cavalry trumpet banner from the early 20th century.

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Gunner of the Royal Artillery at a Covid mobile testing unit, West Midlands Safari Park, June 2020

Recording the Army’s Covid response

British Army personnel have made a significant contribution to the UK's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the National Army Museum initiated a contemporary collecting project to record their efforts.

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Soldiers of the East Yorkshire Regiment at Longford, Ireland, May 1921

Irish War of Independence

Fought between 1919 and 1921, this was a guerrilla and sectarian conflict involving Irish republicans, Ulster loyalists and British government forces. It brought about the creation of Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State.

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Battle of the Boyne

Fought on 1 July 1690 between the forces of the deposed King James II and his successor, King William III, the Battle of the Boyne was the largest military engagement ever to take place on Irish soil.

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The Royal Artillery Memorial, Hyde Park Corner, London, 1925

Honouring the fallen

After the First World War, British society had to come to terms with the loss of huge numbers of its service personnel. Across the country, people found ways to commemorate the fallen at a local and national level.

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The coffin of the Unknown Warrior borne in a wagon with a guard of Allied soldiers, 10 November 1920

The Unknown Warrior: A mystery solved

The grave of the Unknown Warrior contains the remains of an unidentified British serviceman, interred in 1920 to honour the fallen of the First World War. The selection was a secretive event and remains shrouded in mystery.

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SAS troops storming the Iranian Embassy, 1980

Iranian Embassy siege

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.

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The Queen's Gurkha Regiment assist with the construction of NHS Nightingale, 2020

In case of emergency

As soldiers are mobilised to help public services deal with the coronavirus pandemic, we explore how Britain has often had to rely upon the Army at times of emergency.

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Lieutenant-Colonel Randolph Egerton, The King's Troop of Horse Guards, c1672

The Restoration and the birth of the British Army

In 1660, the monarchy was restored when Parliament invited King Charles II to take the throne. Although the military played a crucial role in his return, the King soon established a new force - the British Army.

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British Civil Wars

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.

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The Glorious Revolution

The Army played an important role in the downfall of King James II and his replacement by William of Orange in 1688. This ‘Glorious Revolution’ restricted royal power and had a profound impact on the long-term future of the British Army.

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Explore Army at Home events

Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, c1650

Tour At Museum

9 December 2023, 12.00pm

£5.00

Curator Tour: Art of the Army at Home

Join curator Anna Lavelle as she highlights a range of stunning artworks in our new permanent gallery, Army at Home.

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Children playing in Trafalgar Square, 1927

Talk At Museum / Online

12 January 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

Afterlives of War: A Descendants’ History

Professor Michael Roper explores what it was like for the post-war generation to grow up surrounded by the memory and legacies of the First World War.

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