Conflict in Europe

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Conflict in Europe

This gallery explores the Army’s role in maintaining stability in Europe from the 1700s to the present day. It charts the ebb and flow of power and influence, and also demonstrates how fighting on the Continent has impacted the fate of the British Isles.

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Weapons of the Western Front

During the First World War, armies were forced to adapt their tactics and pursue new technologies as a way of breaking the deadlock. Here, we explore some of the weapons used by the British Army on the Western Front.

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Wellington: The Iron Duke

Whether you know him as Arthur Wellesley, the Iron Duke, or even Old Nosey, the Duke of Wellington is the British Army’s most famous commander.

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Marengo’s makeover

We sent Napoleon's horse Marengo to the Natural History Museum to prepare him for display in the new galleries.

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The British Army entrusted its secrets to birdbrains

During the First World War, the Army often relied on pigeons to deliver important military information. These birds quickly gained a reputation as one of the most reliable forms of communication.

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Florence Nightingale: The Lady with the Lamp

Florence Nightingale was a legend in her own lifetime and one of the most famous women in British history.

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Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815 between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher. It was the decisive battle of its age.

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Battle of the Somme

The 1916 Somme offensive was one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War. But it provided the Army with a tough lesson in how to fight a large-scale modern war.

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Battle of Normandy

D-Day enabled the Allies to establish a foothold on the beaches of Normandy. But they still faced the task of breaking out, pushing the Germans back and liberating France.

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D-Day

D-Day, 6 June 1944, marked the start of the Allied invasion of Normandy and was the greatest amphibious operation in history.

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William Inglis: The original die-hard

Major-General Sir William Inglis had a long and successful career. But it was his actions in the Peninsular War, when he showed enormous personal courage and leadership under fire, that earned him national fame.

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Battle of Balaklava

The Battle of Balaklava in 1854 witnessed one of the most famous acts of battlefield bravery and one of the most infamous blunders in military history.

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Talk At Museum / Online

27 September 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

The Brutal Fight for Hill 107

Join Robert Kershaw at this year’s Chelsea History Festival as he sheds light on the Battle of Crete and the pivotal action at Hill 107 during the Second World War.

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Radiation testing after the Christmas Island atomic test, 1957

Talk At Museum / Online

11 October 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

The Forgotten History of British Nuclear Test Veterans

Hear from Dr Christopher Hill and Dr Virginia Crompton as they discuss the British nuclear testing programme and its legacy today.

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Talk At Museum / Online

18 October 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

From Knights to Nukes

Drawing analogies from the game of chess, Brigadier James Cook OBE helps us understand the evolution of war from pre-history to the present, and beyond.

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Talk At Museum / Online

25 October 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

The Forgotten General: Sir Alan Cunningham

Join Colonel Dennis Vincent as he explores the career of General Sir Alan Cunningham, one of Britain’s most celebrated military commanders in 1941, but virtually unknown by the end of the Second World War.

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Talk At Museum

14 November 2024, 6.30pm

£10.00

SAS Daggers Drawn

Bestselling author Damien Lewis introduces his new book, which tells the story of the SAS mission to confront Hitler's armoured legions deep behind enemy lines in the summer of 1944.

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Talk At Museum / Online

15 November 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

The Minden Cannonball and Its Impact on History

John Rubinstein traces the interconnected histories of a French revolutionary and a disgraced British general through the firing of a cannonball at the Battle of Minden.

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New

Talk At Museum

20 November 2024, 6.30pm

£15.00

Cassino ’44

Join James Holland as he revisits the Second World War battles at Monte Cassino, bringing their dramatic scenes to life through the words of those who were there.

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Tank C51 ‘Chaperon’, south of Cambrai, 1917

Talk At Museum / Online

22 November 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

Cambrai: The Making of the Tank Corps

Join David Willey of the Tank Museum as he highlights how the Battle of Cambrai became the defining moment for the newly formed Tank Corps during the First World War.

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A convoy of Jewish Brigade trucks, Italy, 1945

Talk At Museum / Online

29 November 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

Soldiers, Angels and Avengers: The Jewish Brigade in Italy

Join Dr Gianluca Fantoni as he chronicles the formation, deployment and field conduct of the Jewish Brigade Infantry Group during the Second World War.

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Talk At Museum / Online

13 December 2024, 12.00pm

FREE

Salonika: The Battle Against Boredom

Dr Jake Gasson examines the British Army’s involvement in Salonika during the First World War and the fight against their greatest foe, boredom.

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Conflict in Europe