Second World War

Bagnold sun compass used by the LRDG, c1942

Desert innovator: Bagnold's sun-compass

The Long Range Desert Group were masters of navigation. They owed much of their success to the scientific talents of Major Ralph Bagnold, whose sun-compass invention revolutionised desert travel.

Propaganda poster depicting a commando raid on a German-held port in Norway, 1940

The Commandos

In 1940, the British established a new raiding and reconnaissance force. Well-trained and highly mobile, they were to carry on the war against the Axis after the evacuation from Dunkirk.

Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Wavell, 1938

Archibald Wavell: Britain's first wartime victor

Field Marshal Sir Archibald Wavell led an imaginative and flexible campaign against the Italians in North Africa. His triumph over their vastly superior forces was Britain’s first success of the war and paved the way for later victories.

Model of a London and North Eastern Railway engine, c1943

A prisoner’s model masterpiece

A British prisoner of war’s model train, painstakingly made from scraps of rubbish, sheds light on the experiences of soldiers incarcerated in Germany during the Second World War.

Antony Mallaby's dressing gown with formation badges sewn on it, c1943

Dressing gowns that earned their stripes

A child’s dressing gowns, decorated with patchworks of military badges, reveal a moving story of growing up in Britain during the Second World War and the loss of a beloved parent.

William Slim: The soldiers’ soldier

Field Marshal William Slim led the Fourteenth Army in Burma during the Second World War. Despite inheriting a disastrous situation, he restored his men's morale and led them to victory against the Japanese.

Dropping parachutists and supplies, Arnhem, September 1944

Operation Market Garden

In September 1944, the Allies launched a daring airborne operation to cross the Rhine and advance into northern Germany. Market Garden remains one of the Second World War’s most famous battles.

Second Battle of El Alamein

Fought in October-November 1942, this was the climax and turning point of the North African campaign of the Second World War. The armies of Italy and Germany suffered a decisive defeat by the British Eighth Army.

The Norfolk Volunteers at Gunton Park, 1864

Civilian soldiers

Throughout its long history, the British Army has relied on part-time soldiers to support its operations, guard Britain's shores and maintain law and order.

Units of the Dutch Brigade moving up to the attack, 1944

Victory in Europe

During 1944-45, the Allies endured months of fighting against a determined enemy. This bloody struggle eventually ended in the final defeat of Nazi Germany.

German soldiers raise the swastika at the Acropolis, Athens, April 1941

War in the Balkans

In 1941, the Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. British and Commonwealth intervention and evacuation followed, before a vicious partisan conflict broke out.

Home Front

Following the fall of France in the summer of 1940, Britain was faced with the threat of invasion. Soldiers played a vital role in defending the shores and skies.

People feeling the textures of items in the handling collection

Tour

12 Oct 2025 FREE

Beyond Burma: Sensory Tour

Explore our forthcoming exhibition ‘Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies’ through a sensory tour guided by our Community Engagement Team.

Audience members at a National Army Museum talk

Conference

14 Oct 2025 £15.00

Burma Conference

Join us for an all-day academic conference highlighting new and emerging research into the ‘forgotten’ armies of the Burma campaign.

Talk

17 Oct 2025 FREE

Sir Alf Ramsey: How the Army Shaped Him

Grant Bage considers the military service and formative experiences of World Cup-winning football manager, Sir Alf Ramsey.

Tour

17 Oct 2025 FREE

Beyond Burma: Sensory Tour

Explore our forthcoming exhibition ‘Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies’ through a sensory tour guided by our Community Engagement Team.

Book launch

23 Oct 2025 £15.00

SAS: The Great Train Raid

Bestselling author Damien Lewis is back with another daring SAS mission, this time uncovering a story long veiled in secrecy that is both heroic and harrowing.

Book launch

28 Oct 2025 £15.00

The White Lady

Author Helen Fry returns for the launch of her new book, which focuses on two key intelligence networks operating behind enemy lines during the World Wars.

Troops of the Royal West African Frontier Force in the Arakan, Burma, 1944

Tour

7 Nov 2025 £15.00

Exhibition Tour: Beyond Burma

Enjoy a guided tour of ‘Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies’ with the exhibition's lead curator, Alan Jeffreys.

Detail from an Indian National Army propaganda leaflet, c1944

Talk

21 Nov 2025 FREE

The Indian National Army in Burma

Gautam Hazarika provides a fascinating insight into the role of the Indian National Army and its service alongside the Japanese during the Second World War.