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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.

56Articles
9Historical Eras
1,408Related Items
426+Years Covered
Explore the Interactive Timeline
Discover 56 articles across 426+ years of military history — zoom, filter by era, and browse related items on a fully interactive visual timeline.
21May

Today in Military History

  • 1982British forces land at San Carlos, East Falkland — the amphibious assault begins

Featured Articles

guide Victorian Era (1837–1901) World War I (1914–1918) World War II (1939–1945)
The British Army Cap Badge: A Collectors Guide to Identification
Key Reform Childers Reforms, 1881 Contents Introduction What Is a Cap Badge? History and Development Materials and Manufacture Design Elements […]
The Victoria Cross: Britain’s Highest Military Honour
11 Mar 2026 · 10 min read
The Guards Division: Britain’s Elite Household Troops
8 Mar 2026 · 9 min read
D-Day: 6 June 1944 — The Normandy Landings
4 Mar 2026 · 16 min read

Browse by Era

Pre-1800
1600 – 1799

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

4 articles83 items
Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815)
1799 – 1815

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

7 articles14 items
Victorian Era (1837–1901)
1837 – 1901

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

19 articles43 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 articles23 items
World War I (1914–1918)
1914 – 1918

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

18 articles262 items
Inter-War Period (1918–1939)
1918 – 1939

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

2 articles36 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.

19 articles823 items
Post-War (1945–1990)
1945 – 1990

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

7 articles108 items
Modern Era (1990–Present)
1990 – 2026

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

7 articles16 items

Browse by Branch & Service

Infantry
1,186 items
Cavalry & Armour
583 items
Corps & Departments
508 items
British Army
318 items
Territorial & Volunteer
286 items
South African Forces
250 items
Colonial & Overseas Territory Forces
228 items
Canadian Forces
197 items
Indian Forces
144 items
Guards
115 items
Scottish Regiments
105 items
Royal Navy
101 items
Royal Artillery
101 items
Royal Marines
94 items
American Forces
74 items
Royal Air Force
64 items
Gurkhas
51 items
French Forces
35 items

Latest Articles

All ErasPre-1800Napoleonic 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)
Regiment ProfileWorld War II (1939–1945)Post-War (1945–1990)Victorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)
The Royal Engineers: Sappers Through the Ages
The history of the Royal Engineers from the Tower of London's first military engineers to modern combat engineering — over 300 years of service.
20 Mar 202611 min read
Collector's Guide
How to Start Collecting Militaria: A Beginner’s Guide
A practical guide for new collectors of military antiques and militaria — what to collect, where to buy, how to avoid fakes and how to build a meaningful collection.
20 Mar 202611 min read
Encyclopedia EntryWorld War II (1939–1945)Victorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)
British Military Uniforms: A Visual History from Redcoats to MTP
A visual journey through British military uniforms from the iconic redcoat of the 17th century to modern Multi-Terrain Pattern camouflage.
20 Mar 202611 min read
Weapon ProfileWorld War II (1939–1945)Victorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)
The Webley Revolver: Britain’s Service Sidearm from 1887 to 1963
The complete history of the Webley revolver — the iconic British service sidearm carried through two World Wars, colonial campaigns and beyond.
20 Mar 202611 min read
Regiment ProfileModern Era (1990–Present)World War II (1939–1945)Post-War (1945–1990)
The SAS: A History of Britain’s Special Air Service
The history of the Special Air Service from its founding in the North African desert in 1941 to its modern role as one of the world's premier special forces units.
20 Mar 202613 min read
Feature ArticleVictorian Era (1837–1901)
The Zulu War of 1879: Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift and the Fall of the Zulu Kingdom
The dramatic story of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 — from the disaster at Isandlwana to the legendary defence of Rorke's Drift and the final defeat of the Zulu Kingdom.
20 Mar 202611 min read
Weapon ProfileWorld War II (1939–1945)Victorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)
The British Bayonet: A History from Plug to Sword to SA80
Trace the evolution of the British bayonet from the 17th-century plug bayonet through socket, sword and knife patterns to the modern SA80 bayonet.
20 Mar 202611 min read
Encyclopedia EntryVictorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)
The Pickelhaube: A History of Imperial Germany’s Spiked Helmet
The complete history of the Pickelhaube — Imperial Germany's iconic spiked helmet — from its Prussian origins in 1842 to its use in the First World War.
20 Mar 202611 min read
Encyclopedia EntryWorld War II (1939–1945)Modern Era (1990–Present)Victorian Era (1837–1901)World War I (1914–1918)
British Army Ranks Explained: A Complete Guide from Private to Field Marshal
A comprehensive guide to every rank in the British Army, from Private to Field Marshal, including insignia, history and the role each rank plays.
20 Mar 202611 min read
The British Army Between the Wars: 1918-1939
Feature ArticleInter-War Period (1918–1939)
The British Army Between the Wars: 1918-1939
The Forgotten Years The period between the Armistice of November 1918 and the outbreak of the Second World War in […]
19 Mar 202611 min read
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