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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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10th (Prince of Wales's Own) Royal Hussars, 1812

Cavalry roles

Soldiers who fought on horseback were known as cavalry. Often dominating the battlefield, they performed a variety of roles, from smashing enemy formations to scouting and reconnoitring.

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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.

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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.

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John Moore: Alone with his glory

An army reformer and pioneer of light infantry units, General Sir John Moore's inspired leadership at Corunna in 1809 saved an army from destruction, but led to his death in action.

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Robert Clive: The nabob general

A courageous, resourceful and ruthless military commander, Major-General Robert Clive helped secure India for Britain. But he was also seen as a greedy speculator who used his political and military influence to amass a fortune.

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3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment searching for snipers in Gaynaeim village, 1951

Suez Canal Zone

Between 1945 and 1956, British soldiers garrisoned bases on the Suez Canal in Egypt. A harsh climate, disease and attacks by local nationalists made Suez one of the most unpopular Army postings.

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James Wolfe: The heroic martyr

Major-General James Wolfe was one of Britain’s most celebrated military heroes. But his death at the moment of his greatest victory at Quebec in 1759 earned him a reputation as a patriotic martyr.

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On patrol in the jungles of North Borneo, c1964

Indonesian Confrontation

Between 1963 and 1966, British Commonwealth forces fought against Indonesia in a conflict that focused on the future of Brunei and North Borneo.

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Hellfire Corner: A sign of the times

One of our most iconic First World War objects is the signboard used to mark the infamous ‘Hellfire Corner’, a busy and dangerous junction near Ypres.

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British Army patrol in Helmand, Afghanistan, 2010

Fit to fight: Women in the Army today

Women were finally allowed to undertake combat roles in 2016. But female soldiers had been serving in war zones around the world before that.

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Entry of the 5th Lancers into Mons, 1918

Soldiers in love: Courtship, engagement and marriage

Despite the difficulties, soldiers' affairs of the heart have flourished; some casual, others ultimately leading to engagement, marriage and a life together.

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Aden Emergency

The Aden Emergency (1963-67) was an insurgency against British rule in the south of the Arabian Peninsula. The unrest hastened British plans for withdrawal and marked the end of 20 years of decolonisation.

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Remembrance

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