The Uniform of the British Army
Revolutions
•
30m
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 Revolutions
-
Stourhead: The Grand Tour
Kicking off our new series, Great British Houses, we join Alice Loxton and Dan Snow on a journey through one of the gems of the National Trust’s collection, the magnificent Stourhead.
In this documentary Alice and Dan set off on a whirlwind tour of the social and cultural movements which influen...
-
Ham House: Women of the Civil War
Our Great British Houses series continues with another gem of The National Trust’s collection. About 10 miles from the centre of London is one of the most magnificent houses of Stuart England, Ham House. This lavish mansion is a treasure trove of 17th century art and architecture, a dazzling red-...
-
Fighting For Lincoln: The Wide Awakes
Enormous gatherings and torch-lit marches down Main Street. At first glance, images like these conjure up some of America’s darkest moments. But this wasn’t the Klan. These black-clad torch-bearers were the Wide Awakes: a para-military political machine with one mission: get Abraham Lincoln into ...
