Military history video

Whether you’re looking for an ancestor in the military or interested in historic conflicts, experts from The National Archives and elsewhere offer an authoritative take on military matters.

Dig For Victory

An appeal to everyone during wartime to ‘Dig for victory’ by cultivating vegetables for the good of the country and their own better health. Context The tide of war was beginning to turn in 1942 in Britain’s favour. However, German ...
The Battle of the Somme: ‘Plum Pudding’ mortar bombs

This sequence opens with a title commenting on the supply operation to make the attack on the Somme possible. We then see a panning shot of a vast supply dump. This is followed by another title introducing ‘plum pudding’ mortar ...
The Battle of the Somme: Battle Police

The film clip starts with Tommies making their way across No Man’s Land and into enemy front line trenches. We then see a title explaining that Battle Police are rounding up prisoners and wounded in No Man’s Land. From here ...
The Battle of the Somme: ammunition dumps

This clip gives us a detailed view of preparations for the attack at the Somme. We see vast ammunition dumps followed by busy scenes of trucks moving shells and other equipment and men busily loading and unloading vehicles. The final ...
The Battle of the Somme: the impact of modern weapons

The clip starts with some pretty harrowing footage of a German trench devastated by artillery fire. We then see a pet dog killed in action and then more harrowing shots of British and German dead. We then see a burial ...
The Battle of the Somme: destroying enemy defences

This clip starts with a title card explaining how heavy guns are destroying enemy defences. We then see artillery crews under camouflage preparing a large howitzer to be fired. Context Artillery was already the key weapon in modern warfare before ...
UFO file release July 2012

Dr David Clarke, an expert in UFO history, guides us through the highlights of the UFO files that were released in July 2012.
Women Making Munitions

The film goes straight in to show women using heavy engineering machinery such as belt driven lathes. We see women on the production line assembling shells, which is clearly a complex and quite skilled process. The worker takes great care ...
National Service – Women’s Land Army

This short clip consists of a romantic scene in which a noble woman runs a horse drawn plough across the field. It is taken from a recruiting film for more women to help in the war effort. Context When the ...
Women’s Army in France

This clip comes from a compilation film of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps in France, 1917-1918. In this segment we see women with their sleeves rolled up maintaining or repairing an engine. They may be a female ambulance crew (possibly ...
Women Transport Workers

The film starts with a tram being driven and conducted by women. The journey continues as the women driver prepares the tram and we then see the women conductor taking tickets on the top deck. Context When the Great War ...
‘With the North and South Irish At The Front’ Official pictures of the British army in France-Fourth series

The opening titles tell us we are looking at the Ulster Division, probably from 1915-17. We then see huge numbers of soldiers from that division all posing, smiling and waving for the camera. The titles then show us the Royal ...
Dublin After The Easter Rising

The film opens with titles locating scenes of the fighting in Dublin at Easter 1916. Several different shots follow that focus on the huge amount of damage caused in the city. We are shown Sackville Street (now O’Connell Street), the ...
‘La Rivista Imperiale – Primo Annuale Dell’ Impero – Imperial Review – First Anniversary of the Empire – Part 1

Mussolini strides on to the parade ground and an Italian commentary immediately starts up. We see Mussolini awarding campaign medals to soldiers and to the widows of men killed in battle. Most of the clip is accompanied by sombre music ...
‘il Cammino degli eroi der marsch der helden’ – The way of the heroes – Part 3

This clip opens with Italian troops in action and then moves swiftly to show flight crews loading aircraft with bombs. We see Italian troops and African allies using modern artillery to bombard a position and officers observing through field glasses. ...