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

WALES - GREEN MOUNTAIN, BLACK MOUNTAIN [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Mathieson, Muir (Production individual) 1942
An impressionistic survey, scripted by Dylan Thomas, of Wales at war.
THE HARVEST SHALL COME [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Imperial Chemical Industries (Production sponsor) 1942
A film that calls upon the British people to maintain their wartime commitment to agriculture and the prosperity and well-being of everyone who works on the land after the war by telling the story of Tom Grimwood, an ordinary Suffolk farm labourer...
DESERT VICTORY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Anderson, G (Production individual) 1943-03-06
Film of the battle of El Alamein.
LIFT YOUR HEAD, COMRADE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Hankinson, Michael (Production individual) 1942-12
A study of one of fifteen alien companies in the Pioneer Corps.
TUNISIAN VICTORY : an official record [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Stewart, Hugh (Production individual) 1943
Film about the Allied campaign in Tunisia.
AFRICA FREED [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company) 1943
Film about the Tunisian campaign, concentrating on the British forces involved.
THE TRUE GLORY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Laurie, John (Production cast) 1945-10
A film of the Allied invasion from Normandy to VE Day.
FRENCH TOWN : September 1944 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Alwyn, William (Production individual) 1945
Portrait of a French town immediately after the liberation.
TOTAL WAR IN BRITAIN [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Films of Fact (Production company) 1946
[A mute print only of] a record, using actuality film and animated diagrams, of Britain's total mobilisation in the period Dunkirk to D-Day "based on the British Government Report 'Statistics relating to the War Effort'".
WVS (WOMEN'S VOLUNTARY SERVICES) [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Birt, Louise (Production cast) 1941
Various aspects of the war-work of the WVS - "Maids of all work in green uniforms".