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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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...
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.
First Grand Exhibition of British Battle Photographs in Colour
(posters) Made by: Grafton Galleries (publisher/sponsor)
whole: the image is positioned in the central third, held within a blue border. The title and text are separate and occupy the remainder, in blue. All set against a white background. image: a photograph showing eight British infantrymen going 'over the...
WORKER AND WAR-FRONT MAGAZINE ISSUE NO 3 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Paul Rotha Productions (Production company) 1942-11
A newsreel highlighting the part played by ordinary working men and women in Britain's war effort featuring reports about the speedy unloading of ships' cargoes by Britain's dockers, the unexpected benefits of the scrap metal drive for ordinary Britons,...
LONDON CAN TAKE IT [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Jones, Jonah (Production individual) 1940
A propaganda film covering London during the Battle of Britain.
A TALE OF TWO CITIES [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Monck, John (Production individual) 1942
Propaganda film showing that the people of London and Moscow are standing together in resisting the Nazi menace.
ARRIVAL OF ITALIAN BAND AT BLACKPOOL [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1918
Fragmented film of a tour of an Italian Carabinieri band around Britain, autumn 1918.
SPECIAL DESPATCH [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Stewart, Hugh (Production individual) 1941-11
A fictional 'day in the life' of a Royal Corps of Signals Despatch rider.
WITH THE EYES OF THE NAVY [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) 1918
RAF cooperation with the Royal Navy at the end of the First World War.
WAR OFFICE OFFICIAL TOPICAL BUDGET 349-1 (fragment) [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Topical Film Company (Production company) 1918-04-29
I. Newsreel item on General Sir William Robertson inspecting Australian and New Zealand officer trainees in Cambridge, April 1918.