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

MALTA CONVOY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1944
A dramatic eye-witness account by Royal Navy Commander Anthony Kimmins of Operation 'Pedestal' (10 - 15 August 1942), the Royal Navy's bold and ambitious attempt to resupply the besieged island of Malta that narrowly succeeded in achieving its object...
Your 'Spitfires' in Action - Thank You, Leeward Islands!
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Information (publisher/sponsor)
whole: black text is positioned at the top. Four square framed images are placed underneath in two columns of two. Beneath each image are a few lines of text in black. Further text in black is located at the bottom with a circular logo in the bottom...
Into Action
(posters) Made by: Jobson (artist) 1942
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a RAF De Havilland Mosquito bomber aircraft dropping bombs...
DESERT VICTORY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Anderson, G (Production individual) 1943-03-06
Film of the battle of El Alamein.
MAXIMUM EFFORT [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Hughes, Ken (Production individual) 1944
An attempt to show the human background to the RAF by concentrating on the mixed Commonwealth (4 New Zealand, 2 English, 1 Canadian) crew of a Lancaster during a raid over Germany.
FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Chagrin, Francis (Production individual) 1947
A very brief cartoon history of flight and the RAF.
WOMEN'S ARMY IN FRANCE (completed version) [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1918
Compilation film of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in France, 1917-1918.
GERMAN OFFENSIVE 10 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
British troops on the La Bassée Canal and the Mont des Cats area, and the funeral of Manfred von Richthofen ('the Red Baron') at Bertangles, all Western Front, mid-April 1918.
VISIT OF AMERICAN AIRMEN TO SHAKESPEARE'S COUNTRY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1918
Highly disjointed account of a semi-official visit by US airmen to Warwickshire, August-September 1918.
LEFT OF THE LINE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Canadian Army Film Unit (Production company) 1945
A short record of the British and Canadian Armies fighting from the beaches to Brussels.