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  • 10.00am - 5.30pm
  • FREE
  • Chelsea, London

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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, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, c1940

The Royal Warwickshire Regiment

This infantry unit was raised in 1674 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1968, it was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments to form The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

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Other ranks’ cap badge, The Lancashire Fusiliers, c1900

The Lancashire Fusiliers

This infantry unit was raised in 1688 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1968, it was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments to form The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

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Cap badge, The Northumberland Fusiliers, c1920

The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

This infantry unit was raised in 1674 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1968, it was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments to form The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

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Captain Robert Parker, The Royal Regiment of Ireland, c1720

Captain Robert Parker

Robert Parker was an Irish soldier who saw extensive action during the wars of the 1690s and 1700s. His memoirs provide a valuable insight into his life and times, as well as the early history of the Royal Irish Regiment in which he served.

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Cap badge, The Leicestershire Regiment, c1898

The Royal Leicestershire Regiment

This infantry unit was raised in 1688 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1964, it was amalgamated with three other regiments of the East Anglian Brigade to form The Royal Anglian Regiment.

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Other ranks’ cap badge, The Northamptonshire Regiment, c1916

The Northamptonshire Regiment

This infantry unit was formed in 1881. It continued in British Army service until 1960, when it was amalgamated with The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment to form the 2nd East Anglian Regiment.

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Cap badge, other ranks, The Lincolnshire Regiment, c1910

The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment

This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1960, it was amalgamated with The Northamptonshire Regiment to form the 2nd East Anglian Regiment.

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Other ranks cap badge, The Suffolk Regiment, c1916

The Suffolk Regiment

This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Royal Norfolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment.

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Cap badge, The Norfolk Regiment, 1919

The Royal Norfolk Regiment

This infantry unit was raised in 1685 and subsequently served in many British Army campaigns during its long history. In 1959, it was amalgamated with The Suffolk Regiment to form the 1st East Anglian Regiment.

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Other ranks’ cap badge, The York and Lancaster Regiment, 1921

The York and Lancaster Regiment

This infantry regiment was formed during the 1881 Army reforms. It continued in service until 1968, when it chose to disband rather than be amalgamated.

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Glengarry badge, 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment, c1874

84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot

This infantry regiment was raised in 1793. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was amalgamated with the 65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment to form The York and Lancaster Regiment.

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Soldiers of the East Yorkshire Regiment at Longford, Ireland, May 1921

Irish War of Independence

Fought between 1919 and 1921, this was a guerrilla and sectarian conflict involving Irish republicans, Ulster loyalists and British government forces. It brought about the creation of Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State.

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Remembrance

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