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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GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Colonel C H R Halland inspects German police instructors at the first training school of German police to be established in the British Zone of Occupation at Haussbital, near Munster.
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
British Sexton self-propelled guns driving down the Charlottenburg Chaussee in Berlin during the Four Nations VJ Day parade.
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Captain H H Davies of Birkenhead, takes a weekly inventory of looted silverware held in the strongrooms of the Reichsbank. The silverware was found, along with other valuables looted from Holland, in the house of a member of the SS from Hanover. Captain...
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Captain H H Davies of Birkenhead, checks a collection of paintings found in the house of a member of the SS in Hanover who had looted them from Holland. Captain Davies was in charge of the Property Control Department of the Military Government, his job...
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
German civilians employed by the Economics Department of the Allied Military Government requisition furniature from a former Nazi party or SS member's house in Hanover. British soldiers are present to assist the civilian workers in case of trouble.
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION 1945
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Major H P G L O'Connor of Southampton and Sergeant W W Lynas of the Public Safety Department of the Allied Military Government disarm German policemen shortly after the entry of British forces into Hanover.
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Sergeant W W Lynas of the Allied Military Government's Public Safety Department, checks a store of rifles and revolvers taken from German troops and civilians in Hanover. At this time it was forbidden by law for any German civilians to possess arms of...
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
A member of the Hanover Police is given an armband to show his official status. All existing members of the police were vetted prior to being retained in service. Those found to have been active members of the Nazi Party were dismissed and new recruits...
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Shortly after the arrival of British forces in Hanover proclaimations were posted at important points in the city declaring the dissolution of the Nazi Party.
GERMANY UNDER ALLIED OCCUPATION 1945
part of "WAR OFFICE SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit
Major H P G L O'Connor of the Allied Military Government's Public Safety Department, inspects a line of new policemen in Hanover. With Major O'Connor is Irwin Barth, Police-President of Hanover from April 1945. Barth had held this position from 1928...