Europe

Units of the Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade moving up to the attack, 1944

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Victory in Europe

In the aftermath of the D-Day landings and the subsequent Allied advance across France it seemed for a fleeting moment that the end of the war in Europe might be in sight. The bloody struggles of 1944-45 eventually ended in the final defeat of Nazi Germany.

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Units of the Dutch Brigade moving up to the attack, 1944

Victory in Europe

During 1944-45, the Allies endured months of fighting against a determined enemy. This bloody struggle eventually ended in the final defeat of Nazi Germany.

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German soldiers raise the swastika at the Acropolis, Athens, April 1941

War in the Balkans

In 1941, the Axis powers invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. British and Commonwealth intervention and evacuation followed, before a vicious partisan conflict broke out.

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Home Front

Following the fall of France in the summer of 1940, Britain was faced with the threat of invasion. Soldiers played a vital role in defending the shores and skies.

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Defeat in the West

In the summer of 1940, the Germans defeated France and drove the British out of Western Europe. Following their evacuation from Dunkirk, the British found themselves facing the threat of invasion.

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Cyprus

In the early 1950s, a revolt in favour of union with Greece began in British-controlled Cyprus. British troops remain on the island to this day as part of a United Nations peacekeeping force.

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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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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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First World War

The First World War (1914-18) was the first truly global conflict. The fighting took place on land, at sea and - for the first time - in the air.

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Explore Europe events

School students getting to grips with the handling collection

Secondary workshop

1 June 2024 - 18 July 2025

FREE

The Cold War: Mission reconnaissance

Find out about key events during the Cold War and discover Brixmis, the secret reconnaissance arm of the British Army in occupied Germany.

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Explore Europe learning resources

Soldiers of the British West Indies Regiment, France, 1916

Timeline

KS3-KS4 (Ages 11 to 16)

West Indian Soldier: Interactive Timeline

Explore the history of Caribbean people in the British Army, and of the British Army in the Caribbean, through an interactive timeline.

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Women of the West Indies Auxiliary Territorial Service, c1944

Video

KS3-KS4 (Ages 11 to 16)

Virtual Exhibition: West Indian Soldier

Explore the history of Caribbean people in the British Army, and of the British Army in the Caribbean, through this virtual tour of the West Indian Soldier exhibition.

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