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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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Goat mascot of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1950s

Army mascots

Since the 18th century, regiments have kept animals as mascots to work with them, bring luck and strengthen morale.

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The Royal Munster Fusiliers

The Royal Munster Fusiliers

This British Army infantry unit existed between 1881 and 1922. It recruited in Munster, a province in the south-west of Ireland.

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The Royal Irish Regiment

The Royal Irish Regiment

This infantry regiment was formed in 1684. After almost 250 years of service with the British Army, it was disbanded in 1922 on the establishment of the Irish Free State.

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The Royal Dublin Fusiliers

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which recruited in the east of Ireland.

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The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)

The Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)

The Leinster Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which recruited predominantly in central and eastern Ireland.

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The Connaught Rangers

The Connaught Rangers

The Connaught Rangers was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, which mainly recruited in the west of Ireland.

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Other ranks’ cap badge of The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), c1902

The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

The Black Watch can trace its origins back to the early 18th century. It went on to fight in nearly all the British Army's campaigns and is now part of The Royal Regiment of Scotland.

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Other ranks’ cap badge, worn by Sergeant R Williams, The Welsh Regiment, c1900

The Welch Regiment

This infantry unit was created in 1881 and recruited in Camarthenshire, Glamorganshire and Pembrokeshire. It served with the British Army until 1969, when it became part of The Royal Regiment of Wales.

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The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

The Royal Fusiliers was an infantry regiment dating back to 1685. It was the first British Army regiment to be designated as fusiliers and later became the city regiment for London.

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Cap badge of the Royal Artillery, c1903

Royal Artillery

The Royal Regiment of Artillery is the artillery arm of the British Army and has been in official service since 1716. It has participated in every campaign in which the Army has been involved.

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Other ranks’ glengarry badge, The Highland Light Infantry, c1900

The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)

This infantry regiment was formed in 1881 and drew its recruits mainly from Glasgow and the Scottish Lowlands. It merged with The Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 to become The Royal Highland Fusiliers.

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Other ranks’ cap badge, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own)

The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own)

The Middlesex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, created in 1881 and amalgamated in 1966 into The Queen's Regiment.

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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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"First time @NAM_London today. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thought the presentation & interpretation made the subject accessible..."

National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HT
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