Aldershot Military Museum

15/09/2026

Today's push on the Humber 1‑ton “Pig” saw the wooden window stop blocks fitted to the driver and passenger doors. The rear step and drop down hinged plate have been removed for painting. That's a heavy piece of steel - part of the Pig up-armouring that was added to help protect the legs and ankles when dismounting or standing at the rear. This allows us access to paint underneath the rear doors. Slowly but surely our Pig is getting it's finishing touches.

11/09/2026

Hose Tops - standard army issue footless stockings

During a recent inventory check in our collection stores, our team uncovered these plain khaki British Army hose tops. While they might look simple at first glance, these heavy woollen, footless socks carry a fascinating history of military utility.Far from being purely ceremonial dress, plain khaki hose tops were standard-issue items for generations of soldiers serving across the British Empire. They were particularly vital for troops wearing Khaki Drill (KD) shorts in tropical theatres and desert campaigns, such as North Africa during the Second World War. Worn pulled up over the calf with turnover tops, they protected soldiers' legs from the scorching sun, rough sand, and biting insects, all while conserving valuable wool by leaving out the foot section. Finding pieces like this tucked away reminds us of the practical realities of daily life for the ordinary soldier.

04/09/2026

Our volunteer team were busy today adding the finishing touches to the Humber 1 ton 'Pig'. The vehicle now sports period Confidential telephone markings bringing it one step closer to completion.

02/09/2026

We don't only have vehicles - there are some big guns to look after too...

Some recent progress on our Battalion Anti-Tank (BAT) 120mm recoilless r***e - our volunteer team has been carefully working on the traverse mechanism, which now moves smoothly through a full +/- 20 degree range. An interesting feature is the tilt cross level adjustment system combining a spirit level and indicator—cleaning and lubrication have restored this to working order.

The spirit level bubble can be centred, the tilt reading taken, and the sight adjusted accordingly. Small steps, but we hope such work helps make a real difference to conservation and how this historic piece can be appreciated by visitors.

Always interested to hear from anyone with experience of the BAT - we've read it was VERY loud when fired

30/08/2026

In our previous post I mentioned we were working on our Humber 'Pig', here's a recap of our general approach to vehicle conservation with some pictures showing its gradual transition.

Initially we research the specific vehicle's history - in this case we believe 30BK15 was deployed as part of Op Banner to Northern Ireland. It certainly has the various modifications required such as barricade bars and extra armour. Knowing this we plan to display the vehicle in livery appropriate to this period (I particularly like the red 'lipstick' on the snout)

Next job is to survey and carefully remove those external components that we can safely, and without risk of damage. This helps maximise access to the vehicle body facilitating the conservation work.

The hard work then begins - cleaning, prepping, priming and painting, interspersed with copious tea and coffee. We do not attempt bare metal restore, just the minimal to remove loose paint and rust patches. Being at the vagaries of the weather (annoyingly too hot this summer at times!) we work top down in sections was can get prepped and primed in a day - hence you'll have seen the interesting patchwork.

26/08/2026

Thought it about time to introduce our Vehicle Volunteer Team - you've probably seen them around the site, they are instantly recognisable by paint spattered overalls usually huddled around a vehicle or on rainy days hiding in the Barn.

I hope you have noticed their efforts in conserving the various historic vehicles we have here at the museum. Jobs completed so far include the Saladin, Ferret, Saracen and FV432 with work currently proceeding on the Humber Pig.

If you see them about say hello, especially keen to talk to anyone that can provide insights and more information, or anyone that wants to help out.

Hopefully we will be providing regular updates here from the team on how they are progressing and any interesting finds or vehicle information.

09/07/2026

On a September day in 1905, Peter Robert Head, a beloved father and retired sergeant major in the Royal Artillery, committed what is believed to be the largest mass murder in the county of Wiltshire, shattering his family and appalling the country. The victims were six of his own young children.

Neil’s talk explores his research into Head’s early life, military career and family life. It then goes on to tell the inspirational stories of the survivors of that terrible day.

Tickets are £7 and include a free tea or coffee, copies of Six Little Heads will be available for purchase and a Q+A with the author will take place.

28/06/2026

As part of National Armed Forces Day, we're offering free entry to Aldershot Military Museum on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th.

We have ice cream, cold drinks, a carousel, and a picnic area, as well as our normal collection of Military vehicles and our assault course.

25/06/2026

This Armed Forces Week, Aldershot Town Football Club have kindly loaned a special edition centenary third shirt to Aldershot Military Museum! ⚽

Mark Butler, Commercial Manager at Aldershot Town FC, presented the shirt to Sam from the Hampshire Cultural Trust Collections team to be put proudly on display at the Museum. The shirt was worn in the 2025 Remembrance game in recognition of 100 years of football in Aldershot.

Both Mark Butler and Michael Lipscombe ATFC Marketing Manager visited the museum where they conducted a successful shirt launch to loan to the museum one of those very shirts squad signed!

With military at the heart of Aldershot, and a fantastic football team leading the way, we are thrilled to showcase this special shirt and kindly thank The Shots for sharing it with us!

Coming soon! Keep an eye out for when we announce the shirt officially being on display.

26/05/2026