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

Two Blue Car Doors
(art) Made by: Woodrow, Bill 1981
image: a blue car door, with the exterior surface cut away, is mounted on the wall. An AK-47 machine-gun hangs suspended from a metal ribbon which has been cut out of the material from the door. Another ribbon of metal runs from the gun to another door...
Pale Armistice
(art) Made by: Hawksley, Rozanne 1991-11-01
whole: a funeral wreath made from overlapping white mens and womens gloves. There is a posy of artificial funeral flowers attached on the bottom right. In amongst the flowers are bleached bones. The gloves are hand sewn onto a metal shape, that has been...
Queen and Country
(art) Made by: MCQUEEN, STEVE 2006
Wooden stamp cabinet on metal legs with 120 double-sided wooden sliders in which are displayed 136 prints in the form of sheets of stamps featuring portrait photograph images of British military personnel who died on active service in Iraq.
Not In My Name
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Stop the War Coalition (publisher/sponsor) 2003
whole: A metal badge with a metal pin fastening, showing the logo of Stop the War Coalition with the text centred and printed in black on four lines over the image. The first and third lines are printed in bold. image: The logo of Stop The War Coalition...
Not In My Name
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Stop the War Coalition (publisher/sponsor) 2003
whole: A metal badge with a metal pin fastening, showing the logo of Stop the War Coalition with the text centred and printed in black on four lines over the image. The first and third lines are printed in bold. image: The logo of Stop The War Coalition...
Don't Attack Iraq
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Stop the War Coalition (publisher/sponsor) 2003
whole: A metal badge with a metal pin fastening, showing the logo of Stop the War Coalition with the text centred and printed in black on four lines over the image. The first and third lines are printed in bold. image: The logo of Stop The War Coalition...
End The Occupation of Iraq
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Stop the War Coalition (publisher/sponsor) 2003
whole: A metal badge with a plastic backing and safety pin fastening, showing the logo of Stop the War Coalition with the text centred and printed in black over the image. image: The logo of Stop The War Coalition: a white circle with a green outline...
End The Occupation of Iraq
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Stop the War Coalition (publisher/sponsor) 2003
whole: A metal badge with a plastic backing and safety pin fastening, showing the logo of Stop the War Coalition with the text centred and printed in black over the image. image: The logo of Stop The War Coalition: a white circle with a green outline...
Stop The War Coalition Badge
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: 14c Publicity 02476667440 (manufacturer/maker) 2003
whole: Enamel badge with a pin fastening. image: The logo of Stop The War Coalition: a white circle with a green outline containig the black silhouette of a missile, crossed through with a diagonal green line. text: image only
Don't Attack Iraq
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Stop the War Coalition (publisher/sponsor) 2003
whole: A metal badge with a metal pin fastening, showing the logo of Stop the War Coalition with the text centred and printed in black on four lines over the image. The first and third lines are printed in bold. image: The logo of Stop The War Coalition...