After defeating France in June 1940, Hitler assumed Britain would sue for peace but ordered his armed forces to prepare for invasion. Hermann Goering assured him that a sustained air assault would destroy the RAF, winning the air superiority needed.
July 1940 saw German planes target shipping in the Channel, drawing the RAF into combat, before radar stations, communications centres and airfields faced round-the-clock bombing in August. The battle reached a climax with attacks on London in September.
Joan 'Elizabeth' Mortimer, Elspeth Henderson and Helen Turner of the WAAF. All three received the Military Medal for courageous conduct during attacks on Biggin Hill airfield. Biggin Hill suffered a total of ten major attacks between 30 Aug and 5 Sept.
A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF return from a sortie. The first Polish squadrons were formed in the summer of 1940. Pilots came from several other countries, including Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, New Zealand and the USA.
RAF Duxford was a Sector Station in 12 Group, responsible for defending the Midlands and East Anglia. As the fighting intensified, Duxford's squadrons were called on to support 11 Group's defence of London and the south-east.
Despite incessant attacks, the RAF's defences held. The Luftwaffe could not continue, and in the autumn switched to 'nuisance' raids and night operations. The failure to defeat the RAF convinced Hitler to postpone his invasion plans indefinitely.
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Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
Admission is free
Open daily
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Last admission 3pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
Open daily 9.30am - 6pm
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Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
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image: The ghostly scene of a ration party moving through a battlefield at night. The figures of the soldiers are obscured by the light, but they are all laden with boxes and sacks. They make their way through terrain littered with debris, their path lit by the fires of the battle in the left of the composition.
Imperial War Museum commission
JOSEPH GRAY 1919.
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