One of our most popular paintings is a depiction of the Battle of Isandlwana by Charles Fripp. Here, we take a closer look at the artwork to discover more about this infamous British defeat.
Following a series of fractious disputes, the British invaded Upper Burma in late 1885 and overthrew its king. While the country was quickly annexed to British India, a guerrilla war ensued that rumbled on for the best part of a decade.
This brief conflict in 1852-53 was largely provoked by the East India Company, which was hungry for new territory and resources like teak and rubber. It ended in a British victory and saw Lower Burma become a province of British India.
Frontier clashes between British India and the Burmese Empire escalated into a full-blown war that lasted from 1824 to 1826. This conflict resulted in parts of Burma coming under the control of the East India Company.
In 1880-81, the British fought a brief war against the Transvaal Boers in South Africa. The Boers were resistant to Britain's annexation of their territory and went on to inflict several stinging defeats during their successful fight for independence.
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.
Originally formed to trade in Asia, the East India Company came to rule large areas of the Indian subcontinent, exercising military power through its formidable armed forces.
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 1848-49, British-Indian forces were once again at war with the Sikh Empire. The campaign that raged across the Punjab eventually led to the region's full annexation by the British and the removal of one of the last Indian powers able to challenge British control of the subcontinent.
In September 2000, British troops undertook a daring hostage rescue operation in the war-torn West African country of Sierra Leone. They successfully freed five British soldiers who had recently been captured and around 20 civilian prisoners.
Author and explorer Levison Wood discovers the story of his grandfather's wartime service in Burma through family memorabilia and National Army Museum archives.
Isaac Crichlow analyses court martial records from the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars to reveal the experiences of soldiers in the West India Regiments.
