Soldier gallery
Explore the human experience of soldiering - physical, mental and emotional - throughout the Army’s history.
About the gallery
The Soldier gallery examines what it’s like to serve as a soldier, from joining up and training to daily life and returning home.
It looks at the demands of transitioning into the Army, life on campaign, the physical and psychological impact of combat, and the lasting friendships born out of shared service.
It also shows how the human experience of soldiering has remained remarkably unchanged across more than 350 years of Army history.
‘The people in the Army are different. We seem to have a different sense of humour... The comradeship and the camaraderie – that’s why I think some people have problems going home after it all.’Major Patsy Beesley, Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps — 2013
Things to see in the gallery
1916
Captain Johnson’s tunic
Johnson was wounded in the chest, pelvis and right forearm on the first day of the Battle of the Somme (1916), the bloodiest day in British Army history. You can see where medics cut away his sleeve to tend his wounds.
c1885
British soldier with camels, Egypt
Camels are well adapted to hot and dry conditions. They were used by British and Indian soldiers for transport, scouting and occasionally as a substitute for cavalry horses in desert environments.
c1998
Kelly Holmes’s running gear
Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes served in the Women's Royal Army Corps, and then as a physical trainer in the Adjutant General's Corps. She combined athletics with her military career, before becoming a full-time athlete in 1997.
c1855
Crimean Tom
Tom was a tabby cat, adopted by soldiers during the Crimean War (1854-56) and then brought home to England. Some accounts say that he helped the British uncover hidden food supplies in Sevastopol, saving many from malnutrition.
1918
Hellfire Corner
This signboard marked the infamous ‘Hellfire Corner’, a busy and dangerous road junction near Ypres in Belgium. The damage to the board is evidence of the devastating firepower that swept across this area during the First World War.
1976
Frostbitten toes
Major ‘Bronco’ Lane took part in the first all-military expedition to climb Mount Everest. On the descent, bad weather forced him to spend the night in a snow hole. He lost all his toes and half his fingertips to frostbite.
Gallery stories
Things to do in the gallery
Family stamper trail
Follow the trail and collect six different stamps as you visit the galleries. Discover more about soldiers and the Army as you go.
Virtual drill sergeant
Do you have the parade-ground discipline to be a soldier? See if you can impress our virtual drill sergeant.
Dingo Scout Car
Perfect your army crawl and get a view of our Dingo Scout Car from down under.
Marching drills
Drill is the first thing that new recruits learn when they join the Army. Follow the green lights to help your soldiers get in shape.
Action theatre
Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of battle, and get a sense of life on the front line from individuals who experienced it first-hand.
Rations table
An army marches on its stomach. Discover how soldiers have been fed throughout the ages with our interactive food table.
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