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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ATTACK ON EL AROUSSA [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: War Office Film Unit (Production company) 1943-02-27
British troops after the German attack on El Aroussa, Tunisia.
PRISONERS OF WAR ASSEMBLY AND DISTRIBUTION CENTRE [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: War Office Film Unit (Production company) 1943-05-09
Prisoners at the POW Centre near St Cyprien.
PRISONERS OF WAR [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: War Office Film Unit (Production company) 1943-05-13
Scenes on the Cape Bon peninsular.
PRISONERS OF WAR BEING TRANSPORTED BY TRAIN TO TUNIS [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: War Office Film Unit (Production company) 1943-05-13
German and Italian prisoners captured in the Cape Bon peninsular board a train at Grombalia for Tunis.
ITALIAN PRISONERS [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: Taylor, A A (Production individual) 1943-04-05
The 2nd Argylls and 1st Camerons capture six Italian prisoners on the Gabès front, Tunisia. Officers consult a model of the battle area.
ROUMANA RIDGE AND WADI AKARIT [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: Taylor, A A (Production individual) 1943-04-06
Prisoners at Wadi Akirit, Tunisia.
Private Papers of J E Parkinson
(private papers) Made by: Parkinson, J E
Ms diary (60pp) for November 1942 - December 1943 and a 1944 pocket diary with entries for January - July, together with a ts transcript (25pp) of the two diaries, covering his service, with the rank of lance corporal, as a jeep driver and later...
ADVANCE ON TUNIS [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: War Office Film Unit (Production company) 1943-05-08
A prison camp near Tunis. Scenes at Tunis.
THROUGH THE MARETH LINE [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: War Office Film Unit (Production company) 1943-03-29
Activities on the Mareth Line.
ALLIED ADVANCE ON GAFSA, EL GUETTAR FRONT [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: War Office Film Unit (Production company) 1943-03-30
Prisoners of war at El Guettar and preparations for the anticipated meeting with the first unit of the Eighth Army.