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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Bray-sur-Somme, December 31 1917
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-12-31
image: a view across the roofs of buildings in Bray-sur-Somme, with a line of telegraph poles crossing the foreground.
Street in Ruins
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917
image: a view along a severely bomb damaged street, with the buildings on either side reduced to piles of rubble. A post stands in the centre foreground of the composition.
Street in Ruins, November 17 1917
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-11-17
image: a close up view of a pile of rubble alongside the curve of a road in a town.
Harbonnieres Church, January 1 1918
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1918-01-01
image: a view of a few figures and a horse-drawn cart outside a church, with a few trees standing in the right foreground.
Fampoux Mill, November 17 1917
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-11-17
image: a depiction of the heavily bomb damaged water mill at Fampoux, on the bank of the River Scarpe. The roof has been particularly badly damaged.
Canal near St. Venant, May 1918
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1918-05
image: a view along a ruler-straight length of canal, lined with tall poplar trees to the left and small bushy trees to the right.
Canal Bridge near La Pierrere (St. Venant), May 1918
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1918-05
image: a sketch of a bridge over a canal, with a large building on the far bank to the left that has lettering on the exterior.
Battalion HQ at Chapelle Boom (East of Nieppe Forest), August 1918
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1918-08
image: a British soldier sits immediately outside a heavily sandbagged entrance to a battalion headquarters, which has been created within and underneath the remains of a large bomb damaged building. The original roof of the building has been destroyed,...
Haverskerque, July 1918
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1918-07
image: a sketch view of a village through a small line of trees in the middle ground, and some trees in the immediate right foreground. A church is visible in the centre on the horizon.
Frevent, September 18 1918
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1918-09-18
image: a sketch of a village street leading up to a church tower. Two trees stand in the left foreground, with a man on horseback and two figures on the street. A line of houses leads up to the church.