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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THEY ALSO SERVE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Halsted, H G (Production individual) 1940-12
A tribute to the 'housewives of Britain', in the format of a day in the life of a 'typical' household during wartime centring around the mother/housewife's rôle.
DANGEROUS COMMENT [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Culver, Roland (Production cast) 1940-05
A 'Careless Talk' film.
TOMORROW IS THEIRS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Board of Education (Production sponsor) 1940-12
Secondary Education in Wartime.
MR PROUDFOOT SHOWS A LIGHT [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Mallalieu, Aubrey (Production cast) 1941-03
A mainly humorous attempt to drive home the importance of the blackout.
THE FLYING SKYSCRAPER [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1949
The development of the Bristol Brabazon airliner, from its first conception in 1943 to the prototype's maiden flight on September 4 1949.
MISS GRANT GOES TO THE DOOR [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Kemplen, Ralph (Production individual) 1940-08
Two elderly sisters help outwit a German air invasion.
THE LIFE OF A WAAC [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1918
A recruiting film for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps in Britain, 1918.
MAXIMUM EFFORT [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Hughes, Ken (Production individual) 1944
An attempt to show the human background to the RAF by concentrating on the mixed Commonwealth (4 New Zealand, 2 English, 1 Canadian) crew of a Lancaster during a raid over Germany.
A VISIT FROM CANADA [Main Title]
(film) Made by: National Film Board of Canada (Production sponsor) 1941-05
A short film on the time passed by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in winter quarters in "Weystone", a fictional English village (actually Godstone, Surrey).
THE EMPIRE MARCHES [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1941-07
A picture, early in the war, of the armed solidarity of the British Empire.