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

Back Them Up!
(posters) Made by: F A A (artist) 1940
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title is separate and placed in the lower quarter, in blue. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a British warship at sea firing her guns. Two more warships are visible...
Spot at Sight Chart Number Two - Enemy Uniforms
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the two images occupy the majority. The title is separate and positioned in the upper fifth, in red and in black. The text is separate and placed in the lower fifth, in red held within black insets. All set against a white background and held...
WORKER AND WAR-FRONT MAGAZINE ISSUE NO 1 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Paul Rotha Productions (Production company) 1942-05
A newsreel highlighting the part played by ordinary working men and women in Britain's war effort featuring reports on a scheme to enable women war workers to buy food during working hours, the production of sand filters for aircraft and tank engines, a...
'Off the Ration' Exhibition - Regents Park Zoo
(posters) Made by: MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (publisher/sponsor) 1939
whole: the image is positioned in the upper half with a line of red text at the top. Text, in red and black, is placed at the bottom with small lettering immediately beneath the image and the main title superimposed over large red lettering. image: a...
Tanks - a Minstry of Information Exhibition
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Information (publisher/sponsor) 1941
whole: the image occupies the whole. The title and text are integrated and located in the lower half, in red, in white, and in red held within a black inset. image: a depiction of a Crusader tank driving up a hill, set against an overcast sky. text:...
Poison Gas Exhibition
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Information (publisher/sponsor)
whole: the image occupies the majority. The title is integrated and positioned across the centre, in red and white cursive script. The text is separate and placed across the bottom edge, in red, held within a white inset. A blank white inset is located...
You Never Know Who's Listening - Careless Talk Costs Lives
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Information (publisher/sponsor) 1942
image: A cartoon of two women sitting on a bus having a conversation, overheard by Himmler and Goering sitting in the seat behind. text: You never know who's listening! - CARELESS TALK COSTS LIVES
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...
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...
Spot at Sight Chart Number One - Enemy Uniforms
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
(51/990) PST 0001 is the master copy of a large format version