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

Chinese Refugee Sitting, Malaya, January 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-01
image recto: A sketch of a female Chinese refugee sitting on the ground. She is wearing a square brimmed hat, tunic and trousers and wooden sandals. image verso: Part of an ink sketch of a man sitting on the ground talking to another who is lying on the...
Chinese Refugee Squatting, Malaya, January 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-01
image recto: A sketch of a Chinese refugee sitting on his haunches. He is wearing a conical hat, tunic, trousers and wooden sandals. image verso: A rough ink sketch of a soldier aiming a gun and standing behind barbed wire.
Chinese Sheltering from Jap Bombs, Malaya, January 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-01
image recto: A sketch of a Chinese refugee sitting on the ground next to a basket, looking up at the sky. He wears a conical hat and wooden sandals. image verso: An ink sketch of a Chinese refugee walking along with a pole on his shoulder, with two heavy...
Chinese Refugees, Malaya, January 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-01
image recto: A group of three Chinese refugees - a man, a woman and a child. The man is sitting on the ground, his arms around the child who stands between the his legs. Tthe woman, who wears a headscarf, is squatting on the ground next to a large water...
Chinese Refugee, Malaya, 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942
image recto: A Chinese man dressed in a traditional tunic and trousers and large brimmed conical hat, his left trouser leg rolled up above his knee. He carries a pole with a heavy load on each end. image verso: Ink sketch of a bare chested Chinese...
Chinese Refugee, Malaya, 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942
image recto: A sketch of a Chinese man wearing a horn hat and tunic carrying a pole on his shoulder with a heavy load on each end. image verso: An ink sketch of a woman in traditional square brimmed hat, sitting on the ground and leaning against a wall....
Chinese Criminal - Guerilla, Malaya, January 1942 verso: Bampong, Thailand
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-01
image recto: The face of a Chinese guerilla, wearing a head-cloth and a mandarin collar on his jacket. He stares at the viewer, his mouth slightly open. image verso: A pencil sketch of a young woman smiling and squatting on the ground. She wears a wide-...
Chinese Refugees, Malaya 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942
image: A sketch of three Chinese men; two squatting under a tree, the other standing to the lower right of the composition.
Refugees, Malaya, January 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-01
image recto: A sketch of refugees walking down a jungle road. The main figures of a man and woman, both dressed in Chinese clothes. The man is wearing a large horn hat and carries a pole on his right shoulder. The woman is wearing a headscarf and...
Chinese Refugee, Malaya, 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942
image recto: A sketch of a Chinese man in a tunic jacket and horn hat sitting cross-legged. He holds a cleaver in his right hand and appears to be chopping a spherical object which is on the ground in front of him. image verso: An ink and pencil sketch...