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

Limestone Quarry Trucks
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: crates of quarried stone sitting in wheeled trucks on rails that end at the quarry face. In the background there is a third crate which is empty, and a figure standing nearby.
The Quarry Truck
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a detailed image of a quarry truck on a railway track filled with lumps of stone, with a face of the quarry visible behind. Other filled quarry trucks are also visible further down the track.
The Chamber, The House of Commons
(art) Made by: Pitchforth, Roland Vivian (RA) 1942
image: a view from an elevated position across the bomb damaged House of Commons in Westminster after an air raid. In the right foreground is a large pile of debris in a courtyard, with workers loading large wooden beams onto the back of a truck. Towards...
Quarry
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a view of four terraces of a quarry. A network of railway tracks lead to the quarry faces, with wheeled trucks assembled to gather the rubble. Smoke rises from explosions used to dislodge the rock.
Quarry
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a view of four terraces of a quarry face. Railway tracks lead up to the exposed faces of the quarry, wheeled carts assembled to gather rock. Smoke rises from explosions used to dislodge the rock.
Breech-blocks in the Shop at the Gun-testing Range
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham 1940
image: two breech-blocks of artillery guns within the interior of a building. The breech-block to the left is connected to the barrel of an artillery piece, which faces into the background.
Plane Crash in Sussex, Summer 1940
(art) Made by: Moore, Henry (CH) (OM) 1940
image: a composition of eight small boxed sketches of a crashed plane surrounded by figures. The sketches are arranged on a larger page giving different angles on the event. The background page is washed with pink and grey; two sketches on the right of...
Study for The Cenotaph
(art) Made by: Lutyens, Edwin (Sir) (PRA) 1919
image: a preliminary architectural drawing with mathematical calculations showing two faces of the cenotaph. There are three standards, a draped Union Jack and a wreath below MCMXIX inscription. The reverse bears a quick sketch of the Parthenon, along...
Weaving Army Cloth: Three Women Working
(art) Made by: Colquhoun, Robert 1945
image: three female weavers at work in a cloth factory. Two women stand to the right, pulling large wicker baskets. A third woman stands behind one of the large looms, also pulling a wicker basket behind her. There is another loom in the background.
Weaving Army Cloth: Three Women Working
(art) Made by: Colquhoun, Robert 1945
image: a view inside a cloth factory. Two women stand by large wicker baskets to the right. Another woman is at work on large loom to the left, holding a reel of thread in her left hand.