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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LIFE BEGINS AGAIN [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Douglas, R (Production individual) 1942
The latest methods of rehabilitating injured men so that they can resume work.
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...
TWELVE DAYS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Merton Park Studios (Production company) 1942-09
During the war farmers were obliged to give at least 12 days notice of their intention to sell livestock for meat; this film explains the apparently unduly long delay by indicating the amount of administrative work involved in interpreting the resulting...
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.
WRNS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Addinsell, Richard (Production individual) 1941-11
The work of the Women's Royal Naval Service, presented in the framework of the story of a Wren's first posting.
JANE BROWN CHANGES HER JOB [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Carr, James (Production individual) 1941
A fictional story, showing the war-time training of women factory workers.
QUEEN'S MESSENGERS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Jago, Jo (Production individual) 1941-07
Explanation of a plan for a large-scale mobile canteen service, to be rushed at need to blitzed areas all over Britain.
EMERGENCY COOKING STOVES [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Films of Great Britain (Production company) 1941-10
An instructional film on the construction and use of a simple outdoor cooking stove.
FILLING THE GAP [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Meyer, Ernst H (Production individual) 1942-04
A Halas and Batchelor cartoon, explaining the food situation in Britain.
ASK CAB [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Verity (Production company) 1942-09
An outline, in a framework of fictional incidents, of the scope and services of the Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB).