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  • 10.00am - 5.30pm
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Bullet extracted from Alfred Smith's lung in 1940
A Soldier's Life

The curious story of Alfred Smith

A chance discovery by a curator’s brother-in-law lifted the lid on a surprising story of service that now features in our refreshed Soldier gallery. A selection of unexceptional First World War medals proved the key to unlocking this series of extraordinary events.
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Other ranks' cap badge, The Welsh Guards, c1990

The Welsh Guards

This foot guard regiment was formed in 1915. As well as guarding the monarch and carrying out ceremonial duties, it has served on active deployments with the British Army for over a century.

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Cap badge, The King's Own Scottish Borderers, c1930

The King’s Own Scottish Borderers

This infantry regiment was formed in 1689 and recruited in the south-east of Scotland. Its long service with the British Army continued until 2006, when it was merged into The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

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Cap badge, The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, c1914

The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders

This Scottish infantry regiment was formed in 1793. It fought in many British Army campaigns until 1961, when it was merged into The Queen’s Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons).

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Cap badge, The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s), c1914

The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s)

This Scottish infantry regiment was formed in 1881. It served with the British Army until 1961, when it was merged into The Queen’s Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons).

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Glengarry badge, 72nd (Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders) Regiment, c1874

72nd Regiment of Foot (The Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders)

This Scottish infantry regiment was formed in 1778. It served with the British Army until the 1881 reforms, when it was amalgamated into The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s).

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Glengarry badge, 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot (Ross-shire Buffs), c1874

78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot (The Ross-shire Buffs)

This Scottish infantry regiment was formed in 1793. It served with the British Army until the 1881 reforms, when it was amalgamated into The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s).

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Cap badge, The Queen’s Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons), c1961

The Queen’s Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)

This Scottish infantry regiment was formed in 1961. It served with the British Army until 1994, when it was amalgamated into The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons).

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Cap badge, 12th (Prince of Wales’s Royal) Lancers, c1902

12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s)

This cavalry regiment was formed in 1715. It served in many British Army campaigns until 1960, when it was merged into the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s).

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Other ranks' cap badge, 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, c1902

9th Queen’s Royal Lancers

This cavalry regiment was formed in 1715. It served in several campaigns until 1960, when it was merged into the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s).

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Cap badge, 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s), c1960

9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s)

This armoured regiment was formed in 1960. It served with the British Army until 2015, when it was merged into The Royal Lancers.

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Other ranks' cap badge, The Gordon Highlanders, c1913

The Gordon Highlanders

This infantry regiment was formed in 1881 and recruited in north-eastern Scotland. It served in several British Army campaigns until 1994, when it was merged into The Highlanders.

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Glengarry badge, 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot, c1874

75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot

This Scottish infantry regiment was formed in 1787 and recruited in Stirlingshire. It served with the British Army in several campaigns until the 1881 reforms, when it was merged into The Gordon Highlanders.

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Remembrance

The Royal Artillery Memorial, Hyde Park Corner, London, 1925
Story

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
Story

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 secretive selection process remains shrouded in mystery.

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The Cenotaph in Whitehall, 1919
story

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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