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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Collections search

Stad Gent - Honour to our Liberators Sept. 1944
(decorations and awards) Made by: De Cuyper, Floris 1954
piece obverse design : half-length portrait of a woman in regional medieval costume, her head turned to the left, her left arm resting on a ledge with 'Gent' inscribed on a flowered ribbon below. Her right hand is holding the town coat-of-arms (lion...
HRH The Duchess of Kent, CI, GCVO, GBE
(art) Made by: Dyson-Smith, Charles William 1941
whole: Bust of the Duchess of Kent
Lieutenant-Commander R S Armitage, GC, RNVR
(art) Made by: Skeaping, John Rattenbury
whole: a bronze sculpture of the head of Lieutenant-Commander Robert S Armitage GC RNVR.
Wing Commander James E ('Johnnie') Johnson : DSO and 2 Bars, DFC and Bar
(art) Made by: Gerrard, Alfred Horace (Professor) 1945
whole: Bust of Johnson
Sergeant Pat Kenneally, VC
(art) Made by: Bissett, Douglas Robertson 1944
whole: Head of Kenneally
Wing Commander John C Button : DSO, DFC and American DFC
(art) Made by: Gerrard, Alfred Horace (Professor) 1945
whole: Head of Wing Commander John C Button
Bust of Earl Haig
(art) Made by: Unknown
Whole: Life-size bust of Earl Haig.
Maquette of The Battle of Britain Memorial: Scramble
(art) Made by: Day, Paul (artist) 2005
whole: a group of British airmen running forward
The Rt Hon Winston Churchill, MP
(art) Made by: Reid-Dick, William (Sir) (RA) 1942
image: A portrait head of Winston Churchill.
Imperatrix.Impudens Belgrano Medallion
(decorations and awards) Made by: Sandle, Michael (artist) 1986
design: Death in the form a laureate skull, leering left profile, serpents issuing from her mouth. The skull rests upon a partially obscured sinking warship - the torpedoed Argentinian cruiser 'General Belgrano'. To left, the head and raised arm of a...