Army at Home gallery
Explore the Army’s role in the making of Britain. Discover how it has protected the nation at times of crisis. And learn how its home service has shaped identities, communities and landscapes.
About the gallery
The Army at Home gallery explores the Army's home service from the 1600s to the present day.
It begins by examining the role of the Army in the conflicts and political turmoil that created modern Britain, before outlining its ongoing efforts to defend the nation against external and internal threats.
The gallery shows how soldiers have cultivated a national identity through shared service, ceremonial duties and acts of remembrance. It also looks at their impact on local communities, from building fortifications and barracks in our towns and countryside, to supporting our public services in times of emergency.
‘The town and Army... all join together to use various facilities... I was on eight committees at one stage... They like the Army to join in; the only thing is that they often want the Army to take charge!’Jim Robinson, Army veteran and Colchester resident — 2015
Things to see in the gallery
c1645
Civil War bandolier
A bandolier held a musketeer’s gunpowder. Each bottle contained enough for a single shot. Muskets were very slow to reload, so pikemen were deployed to defend musketeers from enemy cavalry.
c1747
The Cumberland Tankard
This tankard commemorates the Duke of Cumberland’s victory at Culloden (1746), the last major battle fought on British soil. Culloden finally extinguished the Jacobite threat. However, the excesses of Cumberland’s troops in the Highlands turned public opinion against him.
c1800
Buckinghamshire Yeomanry helmet
During the French Revolutionary Wars, yeomanry units were formed at the county level to defend against invasion. Largely recruited from the upper and middle classes, they were also used by local authorities to put down riots and other civil disturbances.
c1911
State Trumpeter’s coat
State Dress is the oldest continually worn uniform in the British Army. Introduced in the 1600s, it is still worn by trumpeters and bandsmen of the Household Cavalry when parading in the presence of senior members of the Royal Family.
1937
George VI's coronation procession
This panoramic scroll shows regiments from across the British Empire demonstrating their allegiance to their new king, George VI. Fully unrolled, it measures five metres, revealing the massive scale of the procession.
c1970s
Humber 'Pig' truck
Originally used as general-purpose armoured trucks, these vehicles were given additional armour when the violence escalated in Northern Ireland. The truck’s sturdiness, and the bonnet's snout-like shape, gave rise to its nickname, 'Pig'.
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