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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PICTORIAL NEWS (OFFICIAL) 340-1 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918-02-28
I. Venice takes measures to protect historic buildings from air raids.
GERMAN OFFENSIVE 4 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
British and French forces on the Amiens front behind Villers Bretonneux, Western Front, probably 1-3 April 1918.
THE BRITISH ENTRY INTO COLOGNE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
The British occupation of Cologne, including 1st Cavalry Division and 29th Division marching past General Sir Herbert Plumer, commanding the Army of Occupation, across the Hohenzollern Bridge, 6th-14th December 1918.
THE WAR WOMEN OF ENGLAND [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918-06
The contribution of British women to the war effort as shown in the WAR OFFICE TOPICAL BUDGET newsreel 1917-1918.
AUGUST OFFENSIVE 7 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
British rough material of the Battle of Amiens and the Advance to the Hindenburg Line, Western Front, August 1918.
WITH THE BEF IN ITALY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
The rear areas of the British positions on the Italian Front, in the Asiago valley, probably early 1918.
CAVALRY EQUITATION SCHOOL [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
British Cavalry training exercises at the Cavalry Equitation School, Cayeux, Western Front, 30 July 1918.
CHINESE ENTERTAINING ALLIED TROOPS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
Show by the Chinese Labour Corps, Etaples area, Western Front, 13 June 1918.
SCENES ON THE TRACK AROUND LIEVEN AIX AND NOULETTE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
Film taken from on board a moving light railway train in the British rear zones of the battlefield around Arras, Western Front, 1918.
DURING THE ARMISTICE (ledger title) [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918
Brief, unedited film of refugees returning to their home towns, probably the Le Cateau road, Western Front, 11th-18th November 1918.