
From Helmand to Hastings, the brutality of battle can be seen in these poignant images of war kits given to British soldiers over the course of 1,000 years.

Back in the 13th Century, an axe was the weapon of choice to grind down opponents. But today, soldiers have iPads as part of their equipment.

The change in battle inventory has been captured in these series of images, named ‘Soldiers’ Inventories’, taken by London-based photographer Thom Atkinson.

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From Helmand to Hastings in 1066 (pictured), the brutality of battle can be seen in these poignant images of war kits given to British soldiers over the course of 1,000 years. These images, named 'Soldiers' Inventories', were taken by London-based photographer Thom Atkinson

The 33-year-old became fascinated by how every day army equipment could reveal intimate details about soldiers’ lives during iconic moments in history.

Mr Atkinson’s images provide a story of war starting with the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and following soldiers’ equipment carried into 12 other historic conflicts.

‘One object that is quite sobering is something called a trench club,’ Mr Atkinson told MailOnline.

‘It’s basically a mace for killing people and it’s almost exactly the same in the WW1 image as the one in the medieval knight picture. It is quite shocking to realise the brutality.’

A kit for a fighting archer issued for the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. One tactic used during Agincourt was the planting of wooden stakes (bottom) to defend against cavalry

A 1485 battle kit given to a Yorkist man-at-arms during the Battle of Bosworth. Kit included long boots, a hat, a helmet that protected the face, a cloak and a gauntlet (right). The armour shows how large panels were used to stop the soldier being hurt from the sides or when facing away from their opponent

The knight picture from 1244 shows equipment used when the Christian garrison in Jerusalem came under siege.

In its inventory, the knight’s weapons included a flanged mace, a crescent axe, a sword, a dagger, and an early type of polearm weapon.

As well as revealing the violence of war, the kits show the essential, everyday items used by soldiers over the years such as playing cards, checkerboards and cutlery.

‘The thing that gets me is the objects that stay the same,’ said Mr Atkinson. ‘It compresses time and you realise soldiers, throughout the ages, had the same needs.’ For instance, Mr Atkinson highlights the fact that a spoon can be seen in every photograph.

This 1588 kit includes a woollen jacket with a waistcoat over the top (top left), a petticoat that holds the trousers up (top left). Other items include a wool bag with playing cards and dice (centre left) and pouch



A 1645 kit used in the Battle of Naseby. It included a sword (bottom right), latchet shoes (top left), a red coat issued by the New Model Army (top right) and a Matchlock Musket (bottom centre)

A 1815 private soldier kit from the Battle of Waterloo. It shows a Belgic Shako as worn by a centre company soldier of the Coldstream Guards (centre). The kit also includes fingerless gloves, a soldiers red coat bearing the rank of Corporal (top right), linen shirts and under garments

Mr Atkinson took the images with the help of historians who collect these items for historical re-enactments.

‘Britain likes fighting people so there are plenty of wars,’ he said. ‘I’ve chosen to picture the conflicts that are legendary in our history.’

He added: ‘It’s like a giant game of Tetris. You have to get everything in to the pictures to make it work visually.’

In today’s kits, the pocket watch of 1916 is replaced by a waterproof wristwatch and the basic rifle by laser-sighted guns.

In earlier photos, soldiers had fewer things to carry into battle, largely due to the heavy weight of the items needed on the front line.

‘One thing that's interesting is the way has armour has evolved,’ said Mr Atkinson.

‘It begins with there being armour and suits of chainmail and then gradually, as time progresses, it gets phased out in favour of soldiers getting quicker and more manoeuvrable.’

‘In the final photo, we go back to using armour again... in a way, it has almost gone full circle.’

A 1916 kit given to British soldier during the Battle of the Somme shows the simplicity of some of the equipment. Along with a gas mask a private would be issued with a spiked ‘trench club’. Some of the more unusual items include puttees for binding trousers around lower legs (to the right of the boots), a tin of stewed apples (top right, second row), Oxo cubes next to the tin, a leather belt with leather pouches (centre) and a trench club (centre left)

A 1944 lance corporal kit from the Parachute Brigade during the Battle of Arnhem. The kit includes a parachute harness with parachute, camouflage and a battledress jacket. Other items include a a aluminium mess tin, mug, water bottle and ration kit including tin of corn beef, boiled sweets and a block of chocolate