• 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London
National Army Museum
  • 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London

Conflict in Europe

The mass weapons case in the Conflict in Europe gallery

The mass weapons case in the Conflict in Europe gallery
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Conflict in Europe

This gallery explores the Army’s role in maintaining stability in Europe from the 1700s to the present day. It charts the ebb and flow of power and influence, and also shows how fighting on the Continent has affected the fate of the British Isles.

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Rex Whistler’s self-portrait, May 1940

Rex Whistler’s self-portrait, May 1940

One of the many depictions of Second World War soldiers on display at the National Army Museum is this self-portrait by Rex Whistler. Here, we take a closer look at the painting to discover more about Whistler's life as an artist and soldier.

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Phoenix unmanned aerial vehicle suspended from the ceiling of the Conflict in Europe gallery

Phoenix in flight: Installing a surveillance drone

Perhaps our most technical challenge during the installation of the Conflict in Europe gallery was the Phoenix UAV. But despite presenting some very particular problems, its overall journey was similar to that of many other objects now on display.

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Installing a First World War rum jar in the Conflict in Europe gallery

Mudbound: Conserving an Army rum jar

One of the items in our Conflict in Europe gallery is a rum jar unearthed from the trenches of the Western Front. Before going on display, it raised some interesting ethical questions on how to deal with dirt.

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‘Amar Singh - fait a Orléans’, 16 October 1914

Paul Sarrut: Interpreting the Army on the Western Front

Paul Sarrut was a French soldier who was posted to the British Army as a military liaison officer and interpreter during the First World War. Trained as an artist, Sarrut created an important visual record of the 3rd (Lahore) Division in France.

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Soldiers of The 3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs) defending the Colours at Albuera, 1811

Save the Colours!

Colours have been the focus of some of the most bitter fighting and magnificent acts of heroism in British Army history. Soldiers often fought to the last to preserve them in battle, and they continue to hold totemic significance for regiments today.

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Lieutenant-General John Manners, Marquess of Granby, c1763

Marquess of Granby: The benevolent soldier

Lieutenant-General John Manners, Marquess of Granby, acquired his reputation for courage and leadership during the Seven Years War. His popularity was also founded upon his well-known generosity and concern for the welfare of his men.

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British troops taking part in NATO's Exercise Lionheart in Germany, 1984

Active Edge: The Army, Germany and the Cold War

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.

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Civilians gathered around British tanks, Hamburg, May 1945

The Army and the occupation of Germany

Following their victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, the Allies were faced with administering a country in ruins. British soldiers had a leading role in this, helping to hunt war criminals, rebuild industry and help displaced persons.

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The Battle of Dettingen, 1743

Battle of Dettingen

Fought in southern Germany on 27 June 1743, Dettingen saw British forces stand in alliance with those of Hanover and Austria against the French. It was the last time a reigning British monarch personally led his troops in battle.

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Passing German prisoners of war when moving up to the Aller, Germany, April 1945

Countdown to victory

In the spring of 1945, Allied armies began their final advance into the heart of Nazi Germany. After weeks of intense fighting, they secured victory, ending the most destructive war in Europe's history.

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Female prisoners after their liberation, Belsen, April 1945

The liberation of Belsen

As the British Army advanced into the heart of Nazi Germany in the spring of 1945, its soldiers were confronted with the full horrors of the Holocaust at the notorious Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

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The Battle of Busaco, 27 September 1810

Peninsular War

From 1808 to 1814, the British Army, aided by its Spanish and Portuguese allies, held off superior numbers of French troops before driving them out of Iberia. They then carried the war into France, playing an important part in Napoleon's first overthrow.

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Explore Conflict in Europe events

Captain William Siborne, c1830
Members Only At Museum

15 June 2023, 6.00pm

FREE

Siborne Lecture: Clearing the Waterloo Battlefield

Join us for the first annual Siborne Lecture, co-hosted by RUSI, to explore the history and culture of the Napoleonic Wars.

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'The Charge of the Heavy Brigade' by Godfrey Douglas Giles, 1897
Tour At Museum

16 June 2023, 2.00pm

£5.00

Curator Tour: Conflict in Europe

Join curator Sophie Stathi on a guided tour of our brand-new permanent gallery, Conflict in Europe, and discover the stories behind some of the objects on display.

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‘Warrington Road, 1917’, by Richard Tennant Cooper
Tour At Museum

1 July 2023, 2.00pm

£5.00

Curator Tour: The Art of Europe

Join Anna Lavelle as she highlights some of the intriguing artworks on display in our new permanent gallery, Conflict in Europe.

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Paratrooper Italo Grumoli, c1943
Talk At Museum / Online

7 July 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

‘We Came into Brindisi’

Dr Wendy Ugolini examines the experience of British Italians in the British Army during the Second World War.

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British Expeditionary Force landing in France, August 1914
Talk At Museum / Online

21 July 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

The Genius of Doctrine

Brigadier James Cook OBE illustrates how the evolution of British Army doctrine helped secure Allied victory in the First World War.

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Rex Whistler's self-portrait in Welsh Guards uniform, May 1940
Tour At Museum

21 July 2023, 2.00pm

£5.00

Curator Tour: The Art of the World Wars

Join Anna Lavelle as she highlights a selection of intriguing artworks inspired by the people and events of the First and Second World Wars.

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D-Day display in the Conflict in Europe gallery
Tour At Museum

22 July 2023, 11.00am

FREE

Conflict in Europe: BSL Tour

Join expert guide Edward Richards for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour examining the many campaigns fought by the British Army in Europe.

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Officer’s parole card, 1812
Talk At Museum / Online

4 August 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

British Prisoners on Parole in Napoleonic France

Explore the lives of captured British citizens and soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars with Dr Elodie Duché.

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‘Warrington Road, 1917’, by Richard Tennant Cooper
Tour At Museum

5 August 2023, 11.00am

£5.00

Curator Tour: The Art of Europe

Join Anna Lavelle as she highlights some of the intriguing artworks on display in our new permanent gallery, Conflict in Europe.

find out more
Canadian soldiers escorting German prisoners through a trench, August 1918
Talk At Museum / Online

11 August 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

Hundred Days Offensive, 1918

Dr David Stevenson examines the Allied successes during the final phase of fighting on the Western Front.

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The town centre of Villers-Bocage, June 1944
Talk At Museum / Online

8 September 2023, 12.00pm

FREE

The Battle of Villers-Bocage

Daniel Taylor examines the debates surrounding the battle for the Normandy town of Villers-Bocage during the Second World War.

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‘Warrington Road, 1917’, by Richard Tennant Cooper
Tour At Museum

9 September 2023, 11.00am

£5.00

Curator Tour: The Art of Europe

Join Anna Lavelle as she highlights some of the intriguing artworks on display in our new permanent gallery, Conflict in Europe.

find out more

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"First time @NAM_London today. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thought the presentation & interpretation made the subject accessible..."