A staggering 342 million maps were made by the British Armed Forces during the Second World War. A new display at the National War Museum in Edinburgh Castle traces their vital role in the war effort, the evolving technology used to produce them and their post war place as mementos for those who used them, writes Julie Gibb, Assistant Curator of Science at National Museums Scotland

Maps have long played a vital role in warfare, aiding everything from strategy and planning to escape and evasion. During the Second World War, an astonishing 342 million maps were produced by the British Armed Forces alone, alongside over 36 million photographs.

But what happened to these maps after the war ended and their original use became redundant? A new display at the National War Museum in Edinburgh Castle explores the purpose, importance and personal significance of these military maps during the Second World War and in the years which followed.

A new display of maps at Edinburgh Castle follows the story of their vital role in warfare