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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FROM PARIS TO THE RHINE : a newsreel history [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1945
The course of the war in the last months of 1944.
FROM ITALY TO D-DAY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1946
The war in Europe July 1943-June 1944, concentrating on the land operations of the Western Allies, but with material on the other fronts.
FROM D-DAY TO PARIS : a newsreel history [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1945
The liberation of France.
ALERT IN THE EAST [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1941-09
A survey of the strategic situation of the British Empire in the Far East in the face of "an outside" threat (obviously Japan).
ARMS FROM SCRAP [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1942-02
An appeal for scrap metal.
RAF ACTION [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1941
A survey of the equipment and brief but already glorious history of the RAF, including the contributions of the Air Forces of the Empire.
SHIP AGAINST PLANE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1944
A portrait of air-sea combat in the Pacific war, produced from American and Australian film.
THEY FIGHT BY NIGHT [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1943-12
An impression of the many ways the war effort is carried on round the clock: "night no longer means rest for Great Britain".
NEW ZEALAND WAS THERE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1945
A record of the part played by the RNZAF, within the RAF, in the air war over Europe.
RAID REPORT : how the RAF assesses bomb damage [Main Title]
(film) Made by: British Movietone News (Production company) 1943
Film explaining how reconnaissance photographs are interpreted.