IWM Collection: Military badges and uniforms

IWM holds an extensive digital collection of military uniforms and badges

This detailed dataset of badges and military uniform represents the armed services and institutions of Great Britain, the Commonwealth, as well as Allies and former enemies. It is primarily focused on the First World War (1914-1918) and the Second World War (1939-1945), and many more items can be further explored on IWM Collections Online. 

Military uniforms

Items include combat clothing in camouflage patterns and tactical headwear designed for specific operational needs and branch identification. The collection spans beyond standard infantry, featuring examples from the Women's services.

Badges

Members of the armed forces wear a badge to instantly identify their regiment, corps, or nationality. These badges often feature unique symbols related to the unit's history.

About us

Imperial War Museums (IWM) is a British national museum founded in 1917 to record the story of the Great War and later expanded to include all military operations in which British or Commonwealth forces have been involved.

IWM’s collections are a multi-media resource representing the human experience of conflict. As the official repository for materials produced by British government entities including the Army Film and Photographic Unit (AFPU), IWM holds delegated authority from The National Archives to license the re-use of Crown Copyright archival film and photographs

A trusted resource

Descriptions in some cases include detailed provenance information that links items to specific individuals, units, or historical contexts. It is a key resource for identifying twentieth century photographs and tagging them accurately with information.

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Image: IWM (TR 1127)