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.

Main menu

IWM London
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM North
Manchester
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Last admission 4.30pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM Duxford
Cambridgeshire
Open daily

Summer 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm

Winter 10am - 4pm
Last admission 3pm

Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
Churchill War Rooms
London
Open daily 9.30am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
HMS Belfast
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information

Collections search

The Harvest of Battle
(art) Made by: Nevinson, C R W 1919
image: The aftermath of a battle showing a muddy and flooded battlefield. A long line of wounded men, some with limbs bandaged, men carrying their comrades, straggling from right to left. Corpses lie in and around water-filled shell holes. Artillery...
British Prisoners of War, Italy
(art) Made by: Bullard, Paul 1946
image: The interior of a prisoner-of-war hut. The space is filled by the receding lines of wooden framed bunk-beds. Men lie and sit on the three-tiered bunks, clothed and unclothed. A seated figure on the central bunk has a red lozenge shape on the...
German Prisoners : the Deputy Controller's Camp, Rouen
(art) Made by: Lithiby, Beatrice (OBE)
image: beyond a pathway and low wattle fence and gate, prisoners in uniform are working among the wooden huts of a camp, carrying and inserting large wooden stakes. A soldier stands guard, while in the distance a small female figure carries buckets.
German Prisoners : being assembled and searched at Thiberville
(art) Made by: Hennell, Thomas Barclay
image: German Prisoners of War sit in groups on the ground, some are wearing armbands marked with a red cross. In the background one is standing with his hands in the air, being searched by a British soldier. To the right another British soldier is...
Moon, Jimmy (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1995-08-27
British Labour Party League of Youth member from Fulham, London served with British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain, captured at Calaceite, POW, 4/1938-1/1939. Served as despatch rider with British Army in Mandalay, Burma during Second World War
Interrogation
(art) Made by: Dodd, Francis (RA) 1919
image: A German prisoner-of-war is being interrogated by two British officers. One of the officers is seated at a table scattered with the prisoner's papers, while the other rests his arm on the table edge leaning towards the prisoner, who stands before...
Motor Transport Troops and German Prisoners. Chaulnes, Autumn 1918
(art) Made by: Dodgson, John A 1918
image: A crowded scene with British soldiers and German prisoners amongst a construction site. Three British soldiers, one German prisoner and a small dog stand in the centre of the composition next to a motorcycle with debris in the foreground. The...
Study for 'Motor Transport Troops and German Prisoners. Chaulnes, Autumn 1918'
(art) Made by: Dodgson, John A 1918
image: A crowded scene with British soldiers and German prisoners amongst a construction site. Three British soldiers, one German prisoner and a small dog stand in the centre of the composition next to a motorcycle with debris in the foreground. The...
Mumford, Edward Neville (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1982
British officer served as staff officer with 18th Infantry Brigade in North Africa, 1942; POW in Camp PG 21, Chieti and Camp PG 49 Fontanellato in Italy, 1942-1943; escaped to Switzerland, 1943
Dieppe
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: A view of the Café des Tribunaux, Dieppe. There are French soldiers seated around tables outstide underneath the awning, and more soldiers sitting on the balcony. In the bottom left a group of German prisoners of war are being marched into the...