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The military photographs in family albums stand out as different and distinctive, and the sight of an ancestor in uniform stirs thoughts of what he or she did and where they served. However, because of the distance of time, or the reticence of many old soldiers, the family historian can be left with many frustrating puzzles to solve when faced with an unlabelled photograph.

But there are always clues and author Neil Storey offers advice on identifying military uniforms, badges, insignia, ranks, medals and the equipment worn by our military ancestors. These items can provide a wealth of information about the person or people in the photograph and can lead to many new avenues of research.

The book covers our nation's military history from the 1870s to the 1940s, with chapters on Soldiers of the Queen, the Edwardian Soldier, the First World War, the Inter War Years, and the Second World War. Each chapter has an introduction, followed by a wide range of photographs showing a good cross-section from all the services, corps and line infantry, with helpful sections about how to interpret the clues revealed by uniform details.

The book is profusely illustrated with over 230 photographs and offers a brilliant guide to dating our precious family heirlooms.

Neil Storey is a professional military and social historian. He has written and lectured on the interpretation of military photographs and memorabilia for many years and is a regular contributor to Family Tree and Practical Family History magazines.