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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Sanctuary Wood May 1920
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive 1920
image: a view across the obliterated Sanctuary Wood, which after years of bombardment has been reduced to tree stumps. There are flooded shell holes in the foreground and a single cross marking a grave to the right.
Tents
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a few large tents of a medical military camp, with two sketched figures in the right foreground. There is a line of trees behind the tents and the sea beyond.
Beaulieucourt: Board Road to Bapaume, Outside 43CCS
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a landscape featuring a broad planked road disappearing into the distance. On the right is a line of telegraph poles with wires, while to the left is a featureless low structure.
Tents
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a view of three bell tents of a military camp set amongst trees on a coastline. The sea is visible behind, with further coastline on the horizon.
From Ypres Ramparts
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a view across the devastated Belgian landscape outside of the city walls of Ypres. A road runs from the left foreground into the distance to the right, lined with bare and bomb damaged tree stumps. The remainder is largely featureless mud.
Hooge Crater Cemetery, Sanctuary Wood, Kemmel, Mount Royal
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a view over across a largely flat landscape, with a large crater in the foreground, the remains of a wood in the middle distance and the peak of Mount Kemmel in the background. A road runs diagonally across the composition from the left foreground.
St Jean
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a view along a road that runs through a bomb damaged landscape. There are a few bare tree stumps by the roadside and a cloudy sky above.
Dop Dopter and D24. Two Tanks, Polcapelle
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a view along a road at Poelkapelle in Flanders, with two disabled British tanks by the roadside. To the right one of the tanks appears to have sunk into the siding, leaning slightly to the side. The tank to the left lies completely on its side,...
Abbeville
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a view of a military camp at Abbeville in northern France. Four huts, including one nissen hut, stand before a line of trees, with grass and flowers in the foreground. A church spire is visible in the background.
Somme Storm
(art) Made by: Mudie-Cooke, Olive
image: a view of a military camp, with several large tents in the foreground and three figures on the left, two of which are nurses of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service. There are hills on the horizon and dark storm clouds above.