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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recording
(sound) Made by: Woolard, Joan and Duncan (Production company) 2002
British private served in North West Europe, 1944-1945
Art in the Trenches
(sound) Made by: Snow, Dan (interviewee/speaker) 2007-12-26
BBC Radio 4 programme entitled 'Art in the Trenches'. Dan Snow joins an archaeological dig in Thiepval Wood, France in the search for items of trench art from the First World War
recording
(sound) Made by: Weston, Simon et al (interviewee/speaker) 2007-06-06
BBC Radio 4 programme entitled 'Soldier's Haven'. Simon Weston talks to three soldiers wounded in combat being treated at Headley Court Military Hospital, Epsom, GB
recording
(sound) Made by: Stourton, Edward (recorder) 2008
British officer served as Chief of the General Staff in GB, 2003-2006; interviewed about British military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan
recording
(sound) Made by: Stourton, Edward (recorder) 2008
Compilation of interviews with officer cadets at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, GB, about service in Iraq and Afghanistan
Cleaning Out the Camp
(sound) Made by: Mair, Eddie et al (interviewee/speaker) 2007-06-28
BBC Radio 4 two-part series entitled 'Cleaning Out the Camp'. Eddie Mair investigates the attitude and policy of the armed services towards homosexuality over the past 60 years. Programme 2
Cleaning Out the Camp
(sound) Made by: Mair, Eddie et al (interviewee/speaker) 2007-06-21
BBC Radio 4 two-part series entitled 'Cleaning Out the Camp'. Eddie Mair investigates the attitude and policy of the armed services towards homosexuality over the past 60 years. Programme 1
History's Witness
(sound) Made by: Connolly, Kevin et al (interviewee/speaker) 2007-07-09
BBC Radio 4 two-part series entitled 'History's Witness'. Kevin Connolly follows the work of the Historical Enquiries Team who investigate unsolved civilian and military deaths that occurred during the Troubles in Northern Ireland between 1968 and 1998....
History's Witness
(sound) Made by: Connolly, Kevin et al (interviewee/speaker) 2007-07-02
BBC Radio 4 two-part series entitled 'History's Witness'. Kevin Connolly follows the work of the Historical Enquiries Team who investigate unsolved civilian and military deaths that occurred during the Troubles in Northern Ireland between 1968 and 1998....
File on 4
(sound) Made by: O'Halloran, Julian (interviewee/speaker) 2008-03-11
BBC Radio 4 programme entitled 'File on 4'. Julian O'Halloran reports on a new compensation scheme for wounded soldiers which began in 2005 but appears not to have met victims' expectations.