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

MINEFIELD! [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1944-04
The opening titles call the minefield "one of the most important factors in land warfare": the film sets out to show the work involved in launching an attack through mines positions.
REME [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1944
The work of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
MALTA GC [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Cekalski, Eugene (Production individual) 1943-01
Film about the Axis air offensive against Malta.
THE LIBERATION OF ROME [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Army Pictorial Service (Production company) 1944
Documentary compilation explains the strategy behind the advance of Allied forces from Calabria to Rome and shows the major events of the campaign.
SHE SERVES ABROAD [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1943
Women of the various services, and from various Empire countries, serving in the Middle East theatre of operations.
ATS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Stewart, Hugh (Production individual) 1941-06
The various jobs of the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
LOFOTEN [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Macdonald, David (Production individual) 1941-03
A brief account of the raid by the Navy and British and Norwegian soldiers on German fish oil plants in the Lofoten Islands, March 3rd 1941.
SPECIAL DESPATCH [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Stewart, Hugh (Production individual) 1941-11
A fictional 'day in the life' of a Royal Corps of Signals Despatch rider.
A DATE WITH A TANK [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Bull, Donald (Production individual) 1944-08
Production of the British 17-pounder. AT gun, presented as a race against first the probability and then the certainty of the development of a new German Tank (the Tiger) which existing 2 and 6-pounders. will not be able to match.
THE RIGHT MAN [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Bryce, Alex (Production individual) 1942-06
An impression of the Army's system of aptitude-testing for new recruits.