First World War

British raiding party await the word to go, 1916

Featured

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.

Read this story

Explore First World War stories

A six-inch howitzer of 127th Siege Battery, Royal Artillery, Salonika, 1917

Salonika campaign

From 1915 to 1918, British troops were part of a multi-national Allied force fighting the Bulgarians and their allies in the Balkans. Despite harsh conditions, they eventually brought the campaign to a successful conclusion.

explore this story

Indian troops passing through a communication trench on the Mesopotamian Front, 1917.

The Commonwealth and the First World War

Over 3 million soldiers and labourers from across the Empire and Commonwealth served alongside the British Army in the First World War.

explore this story

Gallipoli campaign

Gallipoli was the first major amphibious operation in modern warfare. In 1915, British Empire and French troops landed on the Ottoman-held peninsula in the Dardanelles Straits with disastrous consequences for the Allies.

explore this story

The South African Engineer Corps bury a comrade, 1915

South-West African campaign

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.

explore this story

Landing troops from transports at Lao Shan Bay, September 1914

Siege of Tsingtao

In the autumn of 1914, British soldiers fought alongside the Japanese in China. Their goal was the German naval base at Tsingtao, which finally fell in November after a two-month siege.

explore this story

A 15-inch howitzer being prepared for action on the Somme, 1 July 1916

1916: Year of attrition

1916 witnessed two of the longest and most notorious battles of the First World War. Both resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties for both the Allies and Germans on the Western Front.

explore this story

1915: Early trench battles

During 1915, the British and French undertook a series of unsuccessful attacks against the Germans on the Western Front. For both sides it was a tough learning experience.

explore this story

1914: Mons to Christmas

In August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force was sent to France. Although small when compared with the German and French armies, it was to play a role out of all proportion to its numbers. But the cost was huge, and by December 1914 it had been almost wiped out.

explore this story

'Fall in. Answer now in your country's hour of need', 1914

1914: To arms

The outbreak of war in August 1914 was greeted with enthusiasm in Britain. But to meet its commitment to its allies, the nation would have to expand its small professional army and make it ready for war as quickly as possible.

explore this story

Douglas Haig: The chief

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig commanded the British Army when it achieved arguably its greatest victories, those over the Germans on the Western Front. But for many his leadership was marked by unacceptable losses.

explore this story

Christmas greetings from the front line

Here we look at some of the Christmas cards sent by soldiers during the First World War, and how they helped ease the pressures of life on the front line.

explore this story

A First World War Christmas

Soldiers throughout the First World War found ways to maintain morale and mark the festive season while separated from their loved ones.

explore this story

Explore First World War events

School students getting to grips with the handling collection

Secondary workshop

8 January - 19 July 2024

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.

find out more

A British medical orderly treats a wounded German soldier, c1916

Secondary (virtual)

8 January - 19 July 2024

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.

find out more

Mission accomplished? Comparing First World War battles

Secondary workshop

8 January - 19 July 2024

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.

find out more

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

Primary (virtual)

8 January - 19 July 2024

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.

find out more

School children taking part in a Remembrance workshop

Primary workshop

8 January - 19 July 2024

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.

find out more

Secondary workshop

8 January - 19 July 2024

FREE

World at War: Soldiers of Empire

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

find out more

Secondary workshop

8 January - 19 July 2024

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.

find out more

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

Secondary (virtual)

8 January - 19 July 2024

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.

find out more

Your Country Needs You! Propaganda and recruitment

Primary workshop

8 January - 19 July 2024

FREE

Your Country Needs You! Propaganda and recruitment

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

find out more

Performance At Museum

26 May 2024

FREE

Soldier Stories: Walter Tull

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

find out more

The King's African Rifles, East Africa, 1916

Talk At Museum / Online

31 May 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

The East Africa Campaign, 1914-18

Dr Anne Samson provides a fascinating overview of the East Africa Campaign and its impact on the First World War.

find out more

Explore First World War learning resources

Trail

KS3-KS5 (Ages 11 to 16+)

History of Warfare: Gallery Trail

Follow the trail to find ten gallery objects that explore the nature of warfare and the British Army through time.

find out more

Trail

KS1-KS2 (Ages 5-11)

Poppies and Remembrance: Gallery Trail

Follow this gallery trail to find out more about Remembrance and the lives of soldiers during the First World War.

find out more

Trail

KS3-KS4 (Ages 11 to 16)

First World War: Gallery Trail

Follow this gallery trail to find out more about the role of the British Army during the First World War.

find out more

Recruiting leaflet, Army Cadet Force, 1991

Timeline

KS3-KS5 (Ages 11+)

Army Cadets: Interactive Timeline

Explore the history of the British Army Cadet Force and the Combined Cadet Force through this interactive timeline.

find out more

Outside an advanced dressing station at Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, Western Front, April 1917

Timeline

KS4-KS5 (Ages 14+)

Health and Medicine in the Army: Interactive Timeline

Uncover the history of medical developments in the British Army through this interactive timeline packed with nearly 200 sources.

find out more

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.

find out more

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.

find out more

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.

find out more

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.

find out more