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.

Main menu

IWM London
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM North
Manchester
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Last admission 4.30pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM Duxford
Cambridgeshire
Open daily

Summer 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm

Winter 10am - 4pm
Last admission 3pm

Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
Churchill War Rooms
London
Open daily 9.30am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
HMS Belfast
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information

Collections search

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.
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS 1940-1945 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Bryant, Gerard (Production individual) 1945
"Incidents dealing with the German Occupation are re-enacted by the Channel Islanders themselves."
FARM WORK [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Gordon, M (Production individual) 1945
"One of a film series about jobs after the war." In this case, agricultural workers.
THE HARVEST SHALL COME [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Imperial Chemical Industries (Production sponsor) 1942
A film that calls upon the British people to maintain their wartime commitment to agriculture and the prosperity and well-being of everyone who works on the land after the war by telling the story of Tom Grimwood, an ordinary Suffolk farm labourer...
MEN OF AFRICA [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Shaw, Alexander (Production individual) 1940-06
Development programmes in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika illustrate that "even in the midst of war, Great Britain does not shirk her responsibilities to her colonies."
LIFT YOUR HEAD, COMRADE [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Hankinson, Michael (Production individual) 1942-12
A study of one of fifteen alien companies in the Pioneer Corps.
PERSONNEL SELECTION IN THE BRITISH ARMY: RECRUITS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Mason, Bill (Production individual) 1944
A detailed account of the procedure followed to assess new recruits and make optimum use of their capabilities.
JUNGLE MARINERS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Royal Marines (Production sponsor) 1946
Re-enactment of a jungle patrol by Royal Marine Commandos in the final stages of the 1942-1945 Burma campaign.
SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Central Council for Health Education (Production sponsor) 1943
The need to bring the topic of venereal disease into the open is suggested by two fictional storylines, linked by the character of a doctor.
CANTEEN ON WHEELS [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Verity (Production company) 1941-04
Shows the work of YMCA mobile canteens by following a "new girl" through her first night's duty during the Blitz (the film is scripted, but quite realistically so).