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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Catch 22 The Soldier in White
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: A hospital ward. In the foreground are two patients in discussion, both are wearing red dressing gowns and one has a bandaged head. In the far left hand corner of the ward is a patient entirely encased in plaster, with arms and legs sticking up.
Catch 22 Milo's Cotton
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: A naked man sits on tree branches in the upper right foreground. Another man approaches the tree, and offers up something. In the background a funeral is taking place.
Catch 22 Arrest of the Innocent Man
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: A soldier is frogmarched between two military policemen. In the background another soldier watches standing with his back to the window of the room.
Catch 22 Yossarian escapes
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: A square in an Italian town, at night. A man is running down one side of the square his mouth open, pursued by a woman. In the foreground is the upper body of a large man who appears to be sitting at the wheel of a car. Several bright lights from...
Catch 22 Snowden's Funeral
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: A funeral scene, with troops at the grave side, and a chaplain in robes conducting the ceremony. In the background is an Italian landscape, with a city on the hill to the right. In the middle distance a naked figure is visible, sitting in a tree.
Catch 22 The Chaplain Accused
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: An officer stands behind a desk and holds out a pen and a paper to a man on the other side. This figure stoops, his head looking down at the paper in front of him.
Catch 22 Bombing the airfield
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: Airmen running across an airfield, with planes burning on either side of them. Above them an aircraft is flying low over the airfield, completing a bombing run. Puffs of smoke from gunfire hang in the air.
Catch 22 Nately and the Old Man
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: A brothel, with several naked women standing around. In the foreground an old man sits in a large blue armchair, with a soldier standing beside him talking earnestly.
Catch 22 The Medal Ceremony
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: Ranks of soldiers on parade, with a soldier in the front row who is naked. In the foreground is a group of officers inspecting the troops.
Catch 22 The Chaplain Interrogated
(art) Made by: Lee, Dick 1970
image: The scene of a man under interrogation. There is a bright spotlight shinging directly at his face. In the foreground a US Colonel is visible in the reflected light. To his right, in the foreground, there is another figure wearing a cap of a higher...