About us
The British Commission for Military History was founded in 1965 as the national branch of the International Commission for Military History. It serves as a forum for the discussion and promotion of military history in the broadest sense, without restriction as to period or region.
The Commission is at the forefront of academic debate over many aspects of military history including the centenary of the First World War. Through the British Journal for Military History, a pioneering Open Access, peer-reviewed journal and regular conferences, the BCMH delivers high quality scholarship in military history to an audience beyond academia.
Details of our Forthcoming Events can be found on our Events page
The British Commission for Military History also maintains an active social media presence and can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
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Festschrift Presentation to Prof Christopher Duffy, 5 July 2022
On Tuesday 5th July 2022 a Festschrift was presented to our Founding Secretary General, Professor Christopher Duffy. The Festschrift, the book of essays, was published
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Call for Papers – New Researchers’ Conference, Salford, Sat 15th October 2022
Following our highly successful 2021 Conference held at the National Army Museum, our 12th New Researchers’ Conference will be held at the University of Salford
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War Beyond Battle, King’s College / Bush House 1-9 June 2022
The School of Security Studies at King's are holding a series of events including an exhibition on Sir Michael Howard. War Beyond Battle (kcl.ac.uk)
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Dixie Thunder: The Transformation of the US National Guard and Military from Vietnam to the Global War on Terror, 7 June 2022
This seminar examines how the United States National Guard transformed in the wake of the decision to end the draft in 1973 moving forward into
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ICMH Conference Wroclaw 2022, PhD Workshop, Call for Papers
The BCMH will be delighted to provide additional support to applicants from the membership who wish to apply for this workshop. A number of members
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Our Journal
The British Journal for Military History is a pioneering Open Access, peer-reviewed journal that brings high quality scholarship in military history to an audience beyond academia.
"The birth of the British Journal for Military History will be as welcome as it is long overdue.
The past few decades have seen the appearance of a new generation of military historians. Some have been serving or retired members of the Armed Forces; some academics or aspiring academics; and some - most welcome of all – amateurs who write for the sheer love of it. The continuing demand for their work is evidenced in every major bookshop, where ‘Military History’ shelves often take up as much space as does mere ‘History’. Even those whose primary interest is not military history as such now realise that a knowledge of the subject is necessary if they are to understand the past, to say nothing of the present. Military history is now too important to be left to the military historians.
For the past few years military historians have been able to communicate with each another at the annual meetings of the British Commission for Military History and through its publication Mars and Clio. Now the BJMH will make their work available to a far wider readership and should attract an increasing number of contributors. It will be not only British, and not only military historians who will wish it well."
Professor Sir Michael Howard