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

Trenches In Front Of Arras : The Runner
(art) Made by: Hill, Adrian
image: in the foreground of the landscape are trenches, shell holes and several dead soldiers. On the horizon a small figure is standing, with a shell exploding to the right.
Brown, Thomas Hirst (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1987
British NCO served with 2/18th Bn and 1/6th Bn King's Liverpool Regt in GB and on Western Front, 1914-1918
A Soldier Resting: The Road to Arras
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: a study of a British infantryman in full kit lying full length on the ground. He leans his shoulders on his pack, and rests his rifle on the ground between his legs.
Broomfield, Dennis (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 2002-11
British driver served with 4th Div Petrol Coy, Royal Army Service Corps in GB and North West Europe, 1939-1940; served as NCO with 168 General Coy, RASC in North Africa, 1941-1942; served with 519 General Headquarters Car Coy, RASC in Egypt, 1942-1945
Life Study For Heavy Artillery (No 2274)
(art) Made by: Gill, Colin U 1919
image: a full length portrait of a British infantryman in full kit, sitting down with his elbows resting on his thighs as if exhausted. He holds his rifle against his shoulder with both hands. This is a squared up preparatory drawing for one of the...
Life Study For Heavy Artillery (No 2274)
(art) Made by: Gill, Colin U 1919
image: a full length portrait of a British infantryman in full kit sitting down with his rifle supported by his right hand. The drawing is a squared up preparatory drawing for a soldier on the right of the composition in Gill's finished painting 'Heavy...
Life Study For Heavy Artillery (No 2274)
(art) Made by: Gill, Colin U 1919
image: a full length portrait of a British soldier sitting on the ground, engaged in sewing something onto a tunic. This is a squared up preparatory drawing for the figure that appears in the centre foreground of Gill's painting 'Heavy Artillery'.
Arras
(art) Made by: Martin, Edwin 1918
image: A view down a bomb-damaged street in Arras, with a British soldier standing in the road.
Arras, November 1st 1917
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-11-01
image: a view from beneath a covered arch of a street in the centre of Arras, with two Scottish soldiers in kilts and sporrans standing in the middle of the street.
Arras, September 29 1917, Scarpe River
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-09-29
image: a view of the riverbank of the Scarpe River running through Arras town centre. A military truck is parked by the riverbank in the left foreground, with a boat in the water nearby. A few figures and a cyclist are visible on the road, which is...