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

Dit is Jodewin
(posters) Made by: D C (artist) 1943
whole: the image occupies the majority, with the title partially integrated and positioned in the upper quarter, in grey and in black. The text is partially integrated and placed in the lower left, in orange, and in white outlined orange, and across the...
Notizie da Roma ve le Manda la Federazione Fascista dell'Urbe
(posters) Made by: Romeroni (artist) 1941
whole: the image is positioned in the lower half, held within a black border. The title is separate and placed across the top edge, in black. The main text is separate and located in the lower three-quarters, also, in black. Further text is separate and...
Monstre, Tu Nous Fais Souffrir! [Monster, You Make Us Suffer!]
(posters) Made by: Garvens (artist) 1939
whole: the image occupies the majority. The title is separate and placed in the upper left and in the lower fifth, in red cursive script. All set against a white background. image: a depiction of a starving woman, resting her head on her arms, and three...
Better Pot Luck Than Humble Pie - Don't Waste Food!
(posters) Made by: Unknown
whole: The images are positioned in the upper left and lower right, with text in black and red incorporated above, between, below and alongside the two images. image: In the upper half a caricature of the head of Churchill as a lidded casserole,...
Dakars Mers El-Kèbir
(posters) Made by: S P K
image: A bloated caricature of Winston Churchill smoking a cigar. Below him ships are sinking and burning just off a coast, and on land there are rows of war graves. text: DAKAR-MERS EL-KEBIR
[ANTI-SEMITIC POSTER]
(posters)
image: Stalin and Churchill as puppets on strings, being manipulated by a figure representing international Jewry and Freemasonry text: text in Cyrillic script, most likely Serbian
Entente Cordiale!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1941
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title integrated and positioned in the upper left, in red cursive script. image: three oversized caricatures of the Allied leaders: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and...
HOLDING THE LINE!
(posters) Made by: Guignon, Henri 1942
image: Winston Churchill caricatured as a British Bulldog standing foursquare on a Union Flag in full colour text: HOLDING THE LINE!
AVEC CE 'DE GAULLE' LA VOUS NE PRENDREZ RIEN, M. Mrs...
(posters) Made by: A
image: French sailor facing a boat in which Churchill is sitting with a "Jew" holding a money-bag hiding behind his back. Churchill holds a fishing-rod with the head of de Gaulle (?) as bait. Three battleship in the middleground bearing the inscriptions...
Parole 1943 [Rallying Cry for 1943]
(posters) Made by: Mjölnir (artist) 1943
whole: the image occupies the left half, with the title separate and positioned in the upper right, in orange. The text is separate and placed in the centre right and lower right, in black. All set against a white background. image: shoulder-length...