Militaria.co.uk Knowledge Base

Military History Hub

Explore articles, guides, and features spanning centuries of military history. From cap badges to campaign medals, uniforms to unit histories — the stories behind the items we collect and preserve.

17Articles
9Historical Eras
1,510Related Items
426+Years Covered

Featured Articles

guide World War II (1939–1945) Victorian Era (1837–1901) World War I (1914–1918)
The British Army Cap Badge: A Collectors Guide to Identification
A Brief History of Cap Badges Cap badges have been a defining feature of British military identity since their formal […]
The Victoria Cross: Britain’s Highest Military Honour
11 Mar 2026 · 7 min read
The Guards Division: Britain’s Elite Household Troops
8 Mar 2026 · 7 min read
D-Day: 6 June 1944 — The Normandy Landings
4 Mar 2026 · 7 min read

Browse by Era

Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815)
1799 – 1815

The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, including Trafalgar, Waterloo, and the Peninsular War.

4 articles22 items
Victorian Era (1837–1901)
1837 – 1901

The age of Empire: Crimean War, Indian Mutiny, Zulu War, and colonial campaigns across Africa and Asia.

8 articles35 items
Boer Wars (1880–1902)
1880 – 1902

The First and Second Boer Wars in South Africa, a defining conflict of the late Victorian era.

2 articles7 items
World War I (1914–1918)
1914 – 1918

The Great War: trench warfare, Gallipoli, the Somme, Passchendaele, and the birth of modern warfare.

8 articles283 items
Inter-War Period (1918–1939)
1918 – 1939

The years between the World Wars: mechanisation, colonial policing, and the build-up to WW2.

2 articles0 items
World War II (1939–1945)
1939 – 1945

The Second World War: Dunkirk, the Blitz, El Alamein, D-Day, Burma, and the war at sea.

9 articles979 items
Post-War (1945–1990)
1945 – 1990

Korea, Malaya, Suez, Aden, the Falklands, Northern Ireland, and the end of the Cold War.

5 articles81 items
Modern Era (1990–Present)
1990 – 2026

The Gulf Wars, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, and contemporary British military operations.

4 articles3 items
Pre-1800
1600 – 1799

Military history before 1800, including the English Civil War, Jacobite risings, and colonial conflicts.

2 articles100 items

Browse by Branch & Service

Infantry
1,202 items
Cavalry & Armour
595 items
Corps & Departments
526 items
British Army
471 items
Territorial & Volunteer
279 items
South African Forces
268 items
Canadian Forces
226 items
Colonial & Overseas Territory Forces
226 items
Indian Forces
167 items
Guards
121 items
Scottish Regiments
116 items
American Forces
112 items
Royal Navy
108 items
Royal Artillery
106 items
Royal Marines
99 items
French Forces
71 items
Royal Air Force
64 items
Gurkhas
58 items

Latest Articles

All ErasNapoleonic Wars (1799–1815)Victorian Era (1837–1901)Boer Wars (1880–1902)World War I (1914–1918)Inter-War Period (1918–1939)World War II (1939–1945)Post-War (1945–1990)Modern Era (1990–Present)Pre-1800
The British Army Between the Wars: 1918-1939
Inter-War Period (1918–1939)
The British Army Between the Wars: 1918-1939
Introduction The period between the two World Wars — 1918 to 1939 — is one of the most fascinating and […]
19 Mar 20267 min read
Item of the Month: A Named Mons Star Trio
ww1
Item of the Month: A Named Mons Star Trio
The Item This month’s featured item is a 1914 Star (Mons Star) Trio — the classic combination of the 1914 […]
19 Mar 20267 min read
Book Review: “The Boer War” by Thomas Pakenham
Boer Wars (1880–1902)victorian-colonial
Book Review: “The Boer War” by Thomas Pakenham
Overview Title: The Boer War Author: Thomas Pakenham Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson (1979); Abacus paperback edition (1992) Pages: 659 (hardback) […]
19 Mar 20267 min read
The Lee-Enfield SMLE: A Weapon Profile
ww2Inter-War Period (1918–1939)ww1
The Lee-Enfield SMLE: A Weapon Profile
Introduction The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) is arguably the most important British military firearm of the 20th century. First adopted […]
19 Mar 20267 min read
The British Army Cap Badge: A Collectors Guide to IdentificationFeatured
guideWorld War II (1939–1945)Victorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)
The British Army Cap Badge: A Collectors Guide to Identification
A Brief History of Cap Badges Cap badges have been a defining feature of British military identity since their formal […]
19 Mar 20267 min read
World War I Trench Art: History Crafted in the Trenches
Feature ArticleWorld War I (1914–1918)
World War I Trench Art: History Crafted in the Trenches
From shell case vases to engraved lighters, trench art tells the personal stories of soldiers in the Great War.
12 Mar 20267 min read
The Victoria Cross: Britain’s Highest Military HonourFeatured
Medal GuideVictorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)World War II (1939–1945)Post-War (1945–1990)Modern Era (1990–Present)
The Victoria Cross: Britain’s Highest Military Honour
The history of the Victoria Cross — from its creation during the Crimean War to its place as the most prestigious military decoration in the world.
11 Mar 20267 min read
Understanding British Campaign Medals: A Beginner’s Guide
Collector's GuideNapoleonic Wars (1799–1815)Victorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)World War II (1939–1945)Post-War (1945–1990)
Understanding British Campaign Medals: A Beginner’s Guide
A comprehensive introduction to collecting British campaign medals, from the Waterloo Medal to modern operational service awards.
10 Mar 20267 min read
The Guards Division: Britain’s Elite Household TroopsFeatured
Regiment ProfileVictorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)World War II (1939–1945)Post-War (1945–1990)Modern Era (1990–Present)
The Guards Division: Britain’s Elite Household Troops
A history of the five regiments of Foot Guards — Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish, and Welsh — and their 350-year legacy of service.
8 Mar 20267 min read
Identifying World War II German Daggers: A Collector’s Primer
Collector's GuideWorld War II (1939–1945)
Identifying World War II German Daggers: A Collector’s Primer
Guide to identifying and authenticating the major types of German Third Reich daggers, from Army to Luftwaffe to SS patterns.
6 Mar 20267 min read
Shopping Basket
Scroll to Top
★

Join the Collector's List

Be first to hear about new arrivals, rare finds, and exclusive offers. Join 1,000+ collectors who never miss a piece.

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.