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

BREATHING SPACE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Shaw, Alexander (Production individual) 1943-09
Documentary which shows some of the spare-time activities of service personnel and civilians during the war.
ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Hankinson, Michael (Production individual) 1941-12
The functions of the Royal Observer Corps, a voluntary civilian organisation founded in 1925 and called by the commentary “the eyes of the air force.”
ESSENTIAL JOBS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Paul Rotha Productions (Production company) 1942-08
Emphasises the essential nature of unglamorous jobs not seemingly connected with the war effort.
REPORT FROM BURMA [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Cummins, Sylvia K (Production individual) 1945
An interim report on the progress of the Fourteenth Army offensive in Burma.
INDIANS IN ACTION [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Cummins, Sylvia K (Production individual) 1942-09
A brief picture of the training of India's army and a record of its service overseas through the first half of the Second World War.
THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Cummins, Sylvia K (Production individual) 1941
35mm
CHINESE IN BRITAIN [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Cummins, Sylvia K (Production individual) 1944
The presence of various groups of Chinese in Britain is shown to be of mutual benefit to the two countries in three ways: the Chinese learn from the British, the British profit from Chinese work, and international relations are helped by cultural contact.
PARATROOPS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Cummins, Sylvia K (Production individual) 1942-09
An account of the training and an impression of the value of paratroops - a film to provide the background for "forthcoming" newspaper accounts of airborne assault.
IN THE DRINK [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Air Ministry (Production sponsor) 1942
Film's main purpose is to show the survival equipment supplied for RAF bomber crews in the event of ditching.
THE CONQUEST OF THE DRY LANDS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Robinson, Robert (Production individual) 1944
(The Museum's copy of this film has lost virtually all the soundtrack). A film showing how the arid terrain of the Punjab was 'conquered' by the application of irrigation, agricultural research and hydro-electric power.