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

Self Portrait in Uniform
(art) Made by: Carline, Richard C 1918
image: A head and shoulders self-portrait of the artist wearing uniform.
Portrait of the Artist
(art) Made by: McBey, James 1918-01-01
image: a half-length self-portrait of McBey in solar topi, shirt and tie. His right arm is bent in the foreground, as if working with an easel in front of him.
War Diary in Four Volumes: Volume 1
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving 1943-12-09
whole: diary entries and images from 9 December 1943 to 13 December 1943.
War Diary in Four Volumes: Volume 1
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving 1943-08-26
whole: diary entries and images from 26 August 1943 to 28 August 1943.
War Diary in Four Volumes: Volume 1
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving 1943-11-01
whole: diary entries and images from 1 November 1943 to 3 November 1943.
War Diary in Four Volumes: Volume 1
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving 1943-07-15
whole: diary entries and images for 15 July 1943
War Diary in Four Volumes: Volume 2
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving 1944-03-02
whole: diary entries and images from 2 March 1944 to 7 March 1944.
Self Portrait, 1945
(art) Made by: Preis, Eli 1945
No description available
Self-Portrait in a Pink Tie, 1914
(art) Made by: Rosenberg, Isaac 1914
image: A self portrait of a young man
Wapping
(art) Made by: Minton, John 1941
image: A slender, head and shoulder self-portrait of the youthful John Minton. He stands in a bomb damaged slum street in Wapping. In the middleground right a female figure wearing a red dress stands in the road with her back to the viewer.