The Donnington Collection

The Donnington Historic Weapons Collection is one of the finest collections in the country assembled by MOD Donnington in the second half of the 20th century.

MOD Donnington in Shropshire is the main weapons storage and distribution centre for the British armed forces. All used firearms are returned to the centre where they are assessed and either refurbished, sold or scrapped.

The Donnington Collection
is now on display at the
Combined Military Services Museum

Huge numbers of weapons have been processed at Donnington; incuding captured foreign weapons, experimental trials weapons and those kept by regiments as souvenirs of famous actions. The staff at Donnington, realising the rarity and importance of many of these weapons retained them and created a museum within the centre.

The general public has never had access to the museum. However in 2010, under direction from Kevan Jones MP, The Under Secretary for Defence, the collection was gifted to the Combined Military Services Museum for public display.

The Donnington Collection is a unique collection of weapons used and captured by the British Army, during the 19th and 20th centuries, which builds a picture of the operations and experiences of the army, available in no other museum.

The Donnington collection also holds a replica of the Victoria Cross metal; a piece of bronze from a captured cannon from which all VC’s have been made. The original metal is still closely guarded within MOD Donnington.

Combined Military
Services Museum

Station Road
Maldon Essex CM9 4LQ
Telephone 01621 841826

email us

Open Wednesday to Sunday
Bank Holiday Mondays and every day during school holidays
10.30am to 5pm
Last admission 4pm