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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To Arms!
(posters) Made by: Hill, Leonard Raven (artist) 1914
whole: the image occupies the majority. The title is separate and positioned in the lower centre, in red. The text is partially integrated and positioned in the upper right, along the top edge and the bottom edge, in black. All held within a red border...
Lend your Five Shillings
(posters) Made by: D D P (artist) 1915
whole: the title is in red and arranged in banner form, above and below the central image. image: Kaiser Wilhelm II crushed under the weight of a huge five shilling coin. text: LEND YOUR FIVE SHILLINGS TO YOUR COUNTRY AND DDP [artist's initials] CRUSH...
Knights of the Air
(posters) Made by: Van Dusen, Howard
whole: the image occupies the majority, held within a narrow black border. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in black. The text is separate and positioned across the bottom edge, also in black. image: full-length caricature...
The Freedom of the Sea - Our Flag has Guarded it
(posters) Made by: Lunt, Wilmot & W F B (artist)
whole: the upper image occupies the majority of the upper half, held within a black border. The lower image occupies the majority of the lower half. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in red and in black. The subtitle is separate...
How the Hun Hates!
(posters) Made by: Wilson, David & W F B (artist) 1915
whole: the image occupies the majority of the upper half, held within a black border. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in black and in red. The text is separate and positioned in the lower half, also in black and in red. The...
Let Me Congratulate Your Majesty!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the left half, with the title and text separate and positioned in the right half, in grey. All set against a black background and held within a white border. image: a full-length depiction of Satan, holding a pronged...
A Good Month's Business
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the left two-thirds. The title and text are separate and positioned in the right third, in grey. Further text is integrated and positioned in the centre and upper centre, in black. All set against a black background and...
Tokyo Tank Week
(posters) Made by: Unknown 1918
whole: the title and text are hand written and incorporated into the monochrome image. image: a British tank moves from the background left to the foreground right, its guns firing. Cowering below the tank's hull is a caricature of Kaiser Wilhelm II. In...
Will Dyson's War Cartoons
(posters) Made by: Dyson, Will [after] (artist) 1916
whole: the image occupies the upper half, set against a white background. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower half, in white, and set against a black background. image: a half-length depiction of an overweight German officer...
No Holidays
(posters) Made by: Dyson, Will (artist) 1916
whole: the image occupies the majority, held within a narrow black border. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in black. The text is separate and positioned across the bottom edge, also in black. All set against a white background....