The British Army is one of the world’s most experienced fighting forces. From Blenheim to Waterloo, from Balaclava to the Somme, it has played its part in the history’s most bloody conflicts. But as these troops executed Herculean tasks in the worlds harshest terrains, what were they wearing? How did epaulettes, sashes, pantaloons and wellington boots end up clothing British troops on the battlefield? From primitive to protective, from efficient to downright extravagant, over the years, military clothing has both enabled and inhibited objectives, and the uniform we see today is the result of 400 years of spectacular trial and error. Alice Loxton is joined by Sophie Anderton, as they answer these questions through the secrets of the National Army Museum collection.
Up Next in Napoleon
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Waterloo: Napoleon's Final Battle
In Spring of 1815 the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte, one of history's most accomplished generals, escaped his jailers and returned to Paris in what is known as the 'Hundred Days'. After receiving the news, the powers of Europe formed the Seventh Coalition to remove Napoleon from the French throne and...
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Last Stand at Waterloo
The army that defeated Napoleon at Waterloo is often remembered as an iconic English redcoat force. A little known fact is that most of the men under the Duke of Wellington's command weren't English at all. Using unpublished accounts, the story of the battle is told from the perspective of those ...
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Eyes of War
The army that defeated Napoleon at Waterloo is often remembered as an iconic English redcoat force. A little known fact is that most of the men under the Duke of Wellington's command weren't English at all. Using unpublished accounts, the story of the battle is told from the perspective of those ...
