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Modernising Soldier Magazine: From Print Legacy to Digital Future

First published in 1945, Soldier magazine has been a staple of British Army life for nearly 80 years. As the Army’s official publication, it has chronicled decades of military history and culture, serving personnel, veterans, and wider audiences across the globe. Traditionally available in print and as a downloadable PDF, Soldier had never existed as a fully digital experience – until now.

The Challenge

With younger readers increasingly engaging with content via mobile devices, the British Army recognised an opportunity to modernise. In partnership with Cantarus, the Army embarked on a bold digital transformation: to reimagine Soldier magazine for a new era while honouring its proud legacy.

The Army’s vision was to digitise Soldier in a way that expanded its reach and appeal, particularly amongst soldiers aged 18–30, who were less likely to engage with the printed format.

Together, we set out to:

  • Deliver a fast, intuitive, mobile-first digital magazine
  • Retain the downloadable PDF version for continuity
  • Create an app-like user experience on mobile devices without requiring a native app
  • Make the entire Soldier magazine archive - from 1945 to the present - fully accessible and searchable online
  • Work within a tight budget and small development team, while supporting a partner relatively new to digital publishing


The Partnership

Cantarus previously delivered the British Army’s new main website and collaborated on other ongoing digital initiatives. The Soldier magazine project brought together both teams with a shared ambition to modernise while preserving a cherished legacy.

Throughout the project, Cantarus worked hand-in-hand with the Army, from initial discovery through to design, development, and training. Our collaboration focused on creating a solution that was not only visually aligned with the print magazine but also functionally advanced, intuitive, and accessible to all users.

Our partnership with the British Army is built on a shared commitment to digital innovation. Following the successful redevelopment of the Army’s main website, we’re delighted to continue this collaboration by bringing Soldier magazine into the digital age. This project not only modernises a prestigious publication but also ensures its legacy remains accessible for years to come.

Mike Cundall Chief Operating Officer, Cantarus

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The Solution

The result is a sleek, high-performance website built using a headless CMS powered by Umbraco, chosen for its flexibility, ease of use, and alignment with the Army’s broader digital infrastructure.

Notably, this was Cantarus’ first major project using Next.JS, selected to test its ability to deliver exceptional speed and scalability. 

The site also functions as a Progressive Web App (PWA), enabling users to save it to their mobile home screens and interact with it as if it were a native app. 

A powerful archive search feature allows users to browse and explore back issues dating all the way to Soldier’s founding year, 1945, bringing nearly eight decades of military journalism into a fully accessible, searchable format. 

The outcome is a seamless, modern experience optimised for mobile from the ground up.

In addition to technical delivery, Cantarus supported the Army’s team with a full content migration and provided CMS training to ensure ongoing editorial independence.

The Impact

The platform has made the magazine more accessible to the modern soldier – especially those accessing content on the go.

Internally, the project has also proven the value of Next.JS as a development framework, opening new doors for high-performance, app-like web experiences across future Cantarus projects.

Early Impact, Real Results

In just the first four months since launch, the new digital Soldier platform has seen strong engagement and growing visibility across key performance indicators:

12.3k total visitors
49.9k search impressions per week
13mins average archive engagement time

Launching a new and improved digital edition of Soldier when the magazine celebrates its 80th anniversary is the perfect ‘free gift’ for our loyal readers. Improving the online Soldier magazine offer also provides greater opportunity to inspire wider audiences, online, through its fascinating content. We’re excited to see how people find it. In the spirit of continuous improvement, we’ll use feedback and data to inform future developments.

Jessica Jones Head of Digital and Content, British Army

Future Forward

The new Soldier platform sets the stage for continuous innovation in British Army communications. With a future-ready infrastructure, deep historical content, and a refreshed interface, Soldier magazine is now positioned to thrive in the digital world. Ongoing support and a clear roadmap for future enhancements will ensure the platform remains adaptable, continually improving the user experience and driving engagement.

For Cantarus, the project represents not only a successful technical delivery, but also a meaningful collaboration on a publication with significant cultural and historical importance. It reinforces our belief in building digital experiences that balance performance, accessibility, and legacy – without compromise.

Prefer to speak to someone? 

Our Chief Delivery Officer, Brendan Killough, is always happy to chat with you about your digital experience needs.

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