First World War

British raiding party await the word to go, 1916

Featured

First World War

The First World War was the first truly global conflict. From 1914 to 1918, fighting took place across several continents, at sea and - for the first time - in the air. It cost the lives of over ten million soldiers.

Read this story

Explore First World War stories

Damaged office buildings in Scarborough, 1914

Remember Scarborough!

On 16 December 1914, the German Navy bombarded several towns on England’s north-eastern seaboard. This surprise raid brought the First World War to the British mainland for the first time and soon became the subject of a propaganda war.

explore this story

Bullet extracted from Alfred Smith's lung in 1940

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.

explore this story

Captain Michael Charles Cooper Harrison, DSO MC, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, c1918

In Their Own Words: Lieutenant Colonel Michael Harrison

Michael Harrison served with distinction during the First World War. He performed acts of great courage and daring both on the battlefield and in captivity, mounting repeated escape attempts.

explore this story

Bombs over Britain

This aerial bomb's banged-up condition reveals something of the impact it must have made when dropped from a German airship during the First World War. Today, it forms part of an impressive display of weaponry in our Conflict in Europe gallery.

explore this story

Installing a First World War rum jar in the Conflict in Europe gallery

Mudbound: Conserving an Army rum jar

One of the items in our Conflict in Europe gallery is a rum jar unearthed from the trenches of the Western Front. Before going on display, it raised some interesting ethical questions on how to deal with dirt.

explore this story

‘Welcome to the Irish Republic, Sir!’ A British infantry patrol lost on the border with Northern Ireland, 1988

Timeline: Ireland and the British Army

The British Army has played a central role in the long history of conflict and co-operation between Britain and Ireland. Here we explore some of the key moments in this difficult but fascinating story.

explore this story

Sergeant Major James Frederick Plunkett, 2nd Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, c1911

Lieutenant Colonel James Frederick Plunkett

James Frederick Plunkett served on the Western Front throughout the First World War. His courage, leadership and devotion to duty enabled him to rise through the ranks and become one of the most highly decorated servicemen of the war.

explore this story

‘Amar Singh - fait a Orléans’, 16 October 1914

Paul Sarrut: Interpreting the Army on the Western Front

Paul Sarrut was a French soldier who was posted to the British Army as a military liaison officer and interpreter during the First World War. Trained as an artist, Sarrut created an important visual record of the 3rd (Lahore) Division in France.

explore this story

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

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.

explore this story

The coffin of the Unknown Warrior borne in a wagon with a guard of Allied soldiers, 10 November 1920

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.

explore this story

Luck and superstition

Chance plays a significant part in deciding a soldier’s fate on the battlefield. Here we look at examples of close shaves and extraordinary escapes, and examine some of the superstitions soldiers draw on for comfort and protection.

explore this story

Lord Strathcona’s Horse on the march, 1918

Beauty in desolation: Munnings and the First World War

In 1918, the artist Alfred Munnings was tasked with recording the wartime contribution of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade and Forestry Corps. His paintings highlight the military role of horses, capturing their beauty in the war-affected landscapes of France.

explore this story

Explore First World War events

‘Souvenir of the Great War’, embroidered postcard, c1917

Talk At Museum / Online

7 March 2025, 12.00pm

FREE

Veterans, Families, Museums and Mementos

Dr Ann-Marie Foster will discuss the relationships between museums, their objects and war.

find out more

Talk At Museum / Online

28 March 2025, 12.00pm

FREE

Burying the Enemy

Join Professor Tim Grady as he shares some poignant examples of British and German communities burying the war dead of their enemy during times of conflict.

find out more