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

BRITISH FOOD STOCKS FOR LIBERATED EUROPE, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF FOOD SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Food official photographer
Four children help two lorry men to load large tins of Meredith and Drew Ltd. 'Welfare Biscuits' onto a lorry. A row of terraced houses can be seen behind them. In addition to the biscuits, boxes of Ministry of Food mixed vegetable soup (which can be...
BRITISH FOOD STOCKS FOR LIBERATED EUROPE, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF FOOD SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Food official photographer
Italian prisoners load sacks of sugar stored in the Falcon Spinning Mill, Bolton, onto a truck for dispatch to liberated Europe. They are pushing the sacks to the truck on barrows and are using a pulley to hoist the 'Sankey Sugar' onto the truck.
BRITISH FOOD STOCKS FOR LIBERATED EUROPE, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF FOOD SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Food official photographer
Italian prisoners re-pack boxes of foodstuffs in a farm house, somewhere in Britain, (probably near Bolton, Lancashire), for dispatch to civilians in Liberated Europe.
DUTCH CHILD REFUGEES: ARRIVAL IN BRITAIN AT TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND, UK, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
A group of young boys, originally from Rosendaal, pose for the camera upon arrival at their rest centre in Tilbury. Two children have drums and one boy has a tambourine. The children are standing in front of a blackboard, upon which a notice has been...
DUTCH CHILD REFUGEES: ARRIVAL IN BRITAIN AT TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND, UK, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
A small Dutch boy smiles for the camera upon arrival at Tilbury in Essex. He is carrying a small paper parcel under his arm, which contains all his luggage. He, and the other children, (some of whom can be seen behind him) all have labels pinned to...
DUTCH CHILD REFUGEES: ARRIVAL IN BRITAIN AT TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND, UK, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
In the rest centre at Tilbury, a classroom full of Dutch refugee children sit patiently at their desks whilst waiting to be moved off to their hostel. Several of their teachers can be seen in the background.
DUTCH CHILD REFUGEES: ARRIVAL IN BRITAIN AT TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND, UK, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
At a rest centre in Tilbury, a newly-arrived Dutch refugee has her knee dressed by her teacher. According to the original caption, she bruised her knee whilst on board the ship.
DUTCH CHILD REFUGEES: ARRIVAL IN BRITAIN AT TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND, UK, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
A stream of young Dutch refugees pours down the gangway onto Tilbury Docks, as they arrive in Britain. They are helped by camp leader, Mr J Oosterbaan, seen here on the left.
DUTCH CHILD REFUGEES: ARRIVAL IN BRITAIN AT TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND, UK, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
At a rest centre in Tilbury, a group of Dutch refugee children enjoy a second breakfast. Two boys are holding up a large flag which has the name of their village on it: Breda.
DUTCH CHILD REFUGEES: ARRIVAL IN BRITAIN AT TILBURY, ESSEX, ENGLAND, UK, 1945
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Two young boys hold hands, as they lead a 'crocodile' of newly-arrived Dutch refugee children two-by-two from the ship to a rest centre in Tilbury. The original caption states that the small boy on the right is very undernourished and is wearing an...