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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Festival of Italian Symphonic Music
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: the image occupies the upper half, with the text arranged across the top and down the lower half in red and green. image: a female figure sits playing a lyre upon an arcing stone seat decorated with the busts of Verdi, Coppeli and Pergolesi. text...
Italy's Day
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: the image occupies the upper half, with the title and text arranged in banner form over the lower half, in red and green. image: an Italian tricolore with a small image of a female nurse and a red cross set within its central band. text: ITALY'S...
Italiani, Aiutate la Croce Rossa [Italians, Help the Red Cross]
(posters) Made by: Cascella, B (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority, held within a narrow black border. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower fifth, in dark brown. All set against a white background. image: a depiction of Mercy, personified by a Red Cross...
Fatevi Soci della Croce Rossa [Join the Red Cross]
(posters) Made by: Dudovich, M (artist) 1916
whole: the image occupies the whole. The title in integrated and positioned across the bottom edge, in blue. All set against a white background. image: a full-length depiction of a Red Cross nurse, wearing a white uniform and headdress, helping a wounded...
Italian Red Cross - The Pioneer Red Cross Society of the World
(posters) Made by: Cascella, B (artist)
whole: the image occupies the centre, held within a black border. The title is separate and positioned in the upper third, in green. The text is separate and positioned in the lower two-thirds, in green and in red. All set against a white background....