The Military Historical Society

What does the MHS do?

The Military Historical Society is a national organisation, founded in 1948, with a global membership which aims to promote knowledge of the history of the uniformed services of the Crown, through a study of uniforms, insignia, medals, weapons, campaigns and all aspects of military history. The MHS also encourages the collection of military historical objects. Members include collectors of a wide range of militaria, together with regimental, military and family historians. Its core products are:

1. The Bulletin, in print and on-line, published 4 times a year. A searchable database with digitised copies of every issue of The Bulletin is available on the website to Members of the Society. Non-Members are also able to search the contents lists and purchase back-numbers of interest.
2. An Annual Exhibition, run in conjunction with the Aldershot Militaria Society in September each year.
3. Special Publications, in print, providing in depth information on specific military history subjects which have not been published elsewhere.

What does the MHS offer?

It is not an exclusive club for the very knowledgeable or highbrow collector. Membership is open to all, young and old, from professional military historians and life-long specialist collectors to those who collect nothing and have an interest in, but no specialist knowledge of, military history.

1. It provides a loose network of kindred spirits and an opportunity to share knowledge and information.
2. It promotes the study of the history of the uniformed services of the Crown, both in broad terms and in specific detail.
3. It encourages the collection of military historical objects of all types and periods from badges, through medals to postcards, books and other military ephemera.
4. Military and family historians and researchers are most welcome and frequently discover that access to the network of members with wide ranging knowledge, helps in their quest for information.
5. All ages are encouraged to become members.
6. Members pay a modest annual subscription (£20 in the UK, £25 Europe, £30 elsewhere) and receive:
   1. Four full-colour illustrated issues of The Bulletin each year with an average of 56 pages.
   2. Occasional Special Publications with full-colour illustrations, generally issued every one to two years. Surplus stocks sell strongly to non-members. Visit the Shop.
   3. Access to a wide network of kindred spirits with specialist knowledge on a vast range of military history subjects and collectibles.
   4. Access to the Members area of the website which includes digital, fully searchable copies of the entire archive of The Bulletin from 1950, of Durbar from 1984 to 2020 and The Review from 1988 to 2015.

The Indian Military Historical Society

The IMHS was formed in 1983 to bring together those interested in the military history of the Indian Subcontinent and to encourage research and the exchange of information. The IMHS merged into the MHS in 2020 and a digitised copy of the entire run of Durbar, their quarterly publication, is fully searchable through our website and we also hold a limited stock of back numbers.

The Naval Historical Collectors and Research Association

The Naval Historical Collectors & Research Association (NHC&RA) was formed in 1988 to provide a forum for collectors of medals, badges, photographs and ships bells and also those interested in researching naval personnel, ships, battles and maritime social history. The quarterly journal of the NHC&RA called The Review contained a wide range of articles on naval and maritime history including medal rolls, casualty lists and so on. The Association folded in early 2015 and in 2023 the MHS acquired a complete run of all issues of The Review and these are all available and fully word searchable through the Members’ section of the MHS website.