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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Limestone Quarry Trucks
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: crates of quarried stone sitting in wheeled trucks on rails that end at the quarry face. In the background there is a third crate which is empty, and a figure standing nearby.
Lime Quarry Trucks
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: three quarry trucks, the foremost two filled with limestone, on tracks in front of a quarry face to the left.
Lime Quarry Trucks
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a number of red quarry trucks, the foremost of which is filled with limestone. They run on tracks which run to the quarry face on the left. A worker is visible at the quarry face.
The Quarry Truck
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a detailed image of a quarry truck on a railway track filled with lumps of stone, with a face of the quarry visible behind. Other filled quarry trucks are also visible further down the track.
Picketed Aircraft
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: two Handley-Page Hampden bombers standing in a green field with a copse of trees in the background. A shaft of sunlight catches the trees and the tail end of one of the aircraft.
Limestone Quarry
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a view of five terraces of the wall of a quarry. Railway tracks lead up to the faces of the quarry wall, upon some of which are carts for transporting rock. Smoke rises from two explosions where parts of the quarry face are being reduced to rubble.
Quarry Railways
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a view of three terraces of the wall of a quarry. Railway tracks lead up to the faces of the quarry wall. Smoke rises from an explosion where part of the quarry face is being reduced to rubble.
The Quarry Railway
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a view along a length of railway track, with steep walls either side and the entrance to a tunnel further up the line towards the top of the composition.
Quarry
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a view of four terraces of a quarry. A network of railway tracks lead to the quarry faces, with wheeled trucks assembled to gather the rubble. Smoke rises from explosions used to dislodge the rock.
Quarry
(art) Made by: Sutherland, Graham (OM) 1943
image: a view of four terraces of a quarry face. Railway tracks lead up to the exposed faces of the quarry, wheeled carts assembled to gather rock. Smoke rises from explosions used to dislodge the rock.