The Battle of Britain

The battle begins, summer 1940
The battle begins, summer 1940

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.
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940

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.
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

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.
Non-British personnel in the RAF
Non-British personnel in the RAF

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.
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford

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.
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF

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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Hitler's Yacht 'Grille' in Asenfjord, near Trondheim
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen 1945
image: Side view of Hitler's yacht with two tenders alongside, moored in a wooded fjord.
A V2 Rocket Leaving Walcheren
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen 1944-11-01
image: a seascape showing HMS Warspite off a flat coastline with a light house. Smoke is rising from several points up into the dark sky where there is a V2 rocket creating a white smoke trail.
Captain R E C Dunbar, RN : on board "HMS Roberts"
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen
image: a half-length portrait of Captain R E C Dunbar in uniform, reading a document lying on his lap.
HMS Erebus in Action off Walcheren
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen 1944-11-02
image: a distant view of the monitor, HMS Erebus, on the horizion firing off her guns.
The Midnight Sun
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen 1945
image: the sun hitting a mountainous landscape viewed over the top of a forest of fir trees.
Ottertind in Signaldal
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen 1945-06-26
image: a landscape showing some snow-capped rocky mountains, viewed above a green forest.
A German Camp in Kitdal
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen 1945
image: a small camp consisting of log cabins with curved roofs on a river bank at the foot of a mountain.
German Guns at Djupvik : Lyngen Fjord
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen 1945
image: A German gun emplacement on the water's edge with snow-capped mountains rising in the background.
HMS Hawkins
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen
image: Side view of a camouflaged destroyer at sea.
HMS Argus
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen
image: Side view of a HMS Argus at sunset.