First World War

British raiding party await the word to go, 1916

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First World War

The First World War was the first truly global conflict. From 1914 to 1918, fighting took place across several continents, at sea and - for the first time - in the air. It cost the lives of over ten million soldiers.

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Explore First World War stories

‘Welcome to the Irish Republic, Sir!’ A British infantry patrol lost on the border with Northern Ireland, 1988

Timeline: Ireland and the British Army

The British Army has played a central role in the long history of conflict and co-operation between Britain and Ireland. Here we explore some of the key moments in this difficult but fascinating story.

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Sergeant Major James Frederick Plunkett, 2nd Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, c1911

Lieutenant Colonel James Frederick Plunkett

James Frederick Plunkett served on the Western Front throughout the First World War. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty enabled him to rise through the ranks and become one of the most highly decorated servicemen of the war.

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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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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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Luck and superstition

Chance plays a significant part in deciding a soldier’s fate on the battlefield. Here we look at examples of close shaves and extraordinary escapes, and examine some of the superstitions soldiers draw on for comfort and protection.

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Lord Strathcona’s Horse on the march, 1918

Beauty in desolation: Munnings and the First World War

In 1918, the artist Alfred Munnings was tasked with recording the wartime contribution of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade and Forestry Corps. His paintings highlight the military role of horses, capturing their beauty in the war-affected landscapes of France.

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1st Reserve Regiment of Cavalry in training, 1914

Cavalry on the Western Front

In the First World War, the cavalry could no longer deliver the decisive charges it had performed in the past. But it continued to carry out a variety of useful roles that contributed to British success.

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Horse power in the First World War

Without its hard-working horses, the Army could not have functioned during the First World War. Their contribution included carrying and pulling supplies, ammunition, artillery and even the wounded.

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Army horse care in the First World War

During the First World War, the Army relied on its horses to perform a wide range of jobs. The requisition, transportation and care of these animals was therefore of huge importance.

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Jan Smuts: The warrior-statesman

Field Marshal Jan Christiaan Smuts successfully led troops against Britain in the Boer War. He later commanded the South African Defence Force fighting alongside British soldiers in several First World War campaigns.

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Peace and commemoration

After the Armistice in November 1918, millions of soldiers hoped they would soon go home. But demobilising so many troops was a huge task. How best to mark the Allied victory also became a subject for debate.

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Explore First World War events

Secondary workshop

7 September 2020 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Recruitment and conscription

Analyse recruitment posters from the Museum's collection and multimedia recreations of First World War parliamentary debates to explore the history of Army recruitment and conscription.

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Your Country Needs You! Propaganda and recruitment

Primary workshop

7 September 2020 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Your Country Needs You! Propaganda and recruitment

Explore how advertising and propaganda work, particularly focusing on recruitment campaigns of the First World War.

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Part of a First World War propaganda poster showing a soldier and a munitions worker

Primary (virtual)

1 September 2021 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Your Country Needs You! Propaganda and recruitment (virtual)

Explore how advertising and propaganda work, particularly focusing on recruitment campaigns of the First World War.

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A British medical orderly treats a wounded German soldier, c1916

Secondary (virtual)

1 September 2021 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Trench medicine: Illnesses, injuries and their treatment (virtual)

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.

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Second World War propaganda poster contrasting pre- and post-war accommodation in Britain

Secondary (virtual)

1 September 2021 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Recruitment and conscription (virtual)

Analyse recruitment posters from the Museum's collection and multimedia recreations of First World War parliamentary debates to explore the history of Army recruitment and conscription.

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Primary workshop

6 September 2021 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Poppies to remember?

Discover some of the stories of Remembrance held by the Museum, the evolution of the poppy as a symbol, and how it is used today.

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Mission accomplished? Comparing First World War battles

Secondary workshop

6 September 2021 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Mission accomplished? Comparing First World War battles

Investigate four key battles through primary sources and decide whether they can be considered victories or defeats.

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School students getting to grips with the handling collection

Secondary workshop

6 September 2021 - 20 July 2023

FREE

Trench medicine: Illnesses, injuries and their treatment

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.

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Primary (virtual)

1 September - 15 December 2022

FREE

Poppies to remember? (virtual)

Discover some of the stories of Remembrance held by the Museum, the evolution of the poppy as a symbol, and how it is used today.

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Secondary workshop

6 September 2022 - 20 July 2023

FREE

World at War: Soldiers of Empire

Discover more about the contributions and experiences of soldiers from the British Empire in the First and Second World Wars.

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Detail from 'Shellshocked British Army Veterans in Ireland' book cover

Talk

9 December 2022, 12.00pm

FREE

A Difficult Homecoming

Join Dr Michael Robinson as he discusses the struggles faced by First World War veterans who returned home to Ireland with life-changing mental injuries.

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Performance

11 December 2022

FREE

Soldier Stories: Walter Tull

Meet characters, both real and imagined, from the Army’s past and hear their amazing stories in our galleries.

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Explore First World War learning resources

Indian Army troops travelling upstream on a barge, Mesopotamia, c1916

Timeline

KS3-KS5 (Ages 11+)

India, Empire and the Army: Interactive Timeline

Explore the history of the British Army in India and the British Empire's Indian armies through this interactive timeline packed with over 200 sources.

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Home Activity

KS1-KS2 (Ages 5 to 11)

Make Your Own Remembrance Wreath

Explore the history of the poppy and create your own remembrance wreath in this family friendly activity.

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Video

KS2-KS3 (Ages 7 to 14)

BlackPoppyRose at the National Army Museum

Explore the theme of remembrance and the service of African and Caribbean men and women in the British Army with BlackPoppyRose.

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Women of the West Indies Auxiliary Territorial Service, c1944

Video

KS3-KS4 (Ages 11 to 16)

Virtual Exhibition: West Indian Soldier

Explore the history of Caribbean people in the British Army, and of the British Army in the Caribbean, through this virtual tour of the West Indian Soldier exhibition.

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