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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Collections search

THE WAR IN THE FAR EAST: THE BURMA CAMPAIGN 1941-1945
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
The Arakan Campaign January 1943 - May 1945: Men of the Royal Air Force advance assault party pass a bomb damaged building after the landings on Ramree Island.
THE BRITISH MANDATE IN PALESTINE 1917-1948
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 1 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Civilians and soldiers attempt to rescue victims trapped in the debris of the ruined wing of the King David Hotel, Jerusalem, Palestine, on 24 July 1946, following the explosion of a bomb in the basement two days earlier.
East End, London 1941
(art) Made by: Weissenborn, Hellmuth 1981
No description available
St Paul's, London 1941
(art) Made by: Weissenborn, Hellmuth 1981
No description available
Study for Oppy Wood, 1917 (IWM ART 2243)
(art) Made by: Nash, John (RA) 1917
image: a squared up preparatory drawing for John Nash's painting 'Oppy Wood'. The lower half of the composition has a view inside a trench with duckboard paths leading to a dug-out to the right. Two British infantrymen stand on the firestep to the left,...
The Old German Front Line, Arras, 1916
(art) Made by: Sims, Charles (RA) 1919
image: A view across a battle scarred landscape in northern France. In the foreground are the remains of the old German front line, with the remains of dugouts, trenches and shell craters in the chalky soil in the foreground. In the distance are fields...
Study for 'Stand To' before Dawn. (No 1160)
(art) Made by: Nash, John (RA)
image: a squared up study of five British infantrymen at 'Stand To' in a front line trench at dawn. Four of the men stand on the firestep, carefully looking over the parapet towards No Man's Land. One of the men, in the centre, stands lower down in a...
Rosieres Valley, 1918
(art) Made by: Roberts, William (RA) 1918
image: the figures of four stylised signallers laying a wire across a heavily battle-scarred landscape. Clouds of dark smoke billow from the ground not far away. There is a village on the horizon in the distance, and another in the valley beyond the...
Gunners. Turning Out for an SOS. Battery action at night
(art) Made by: Roberts, William (RA) 1918
image: a group of gunners of the Royal Field Artillery hurriedly emerging from a dugout, still dressing as they run towards a battery firing into the distance. A Sergeant stands to the left of the composition, holding a torch in his hand shining down at...
The Menin Road
(art) Made by: Roberts, William (RA) 1917
image: a view down the Menin Road in the Ypres sector of the Western Front. Two small columns of British troops march along the road, the foremost comprised of men of the Royal Field Artillery. Two ambulance trucks drive ahead of them. Alongside the road...