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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Duckboards on the Ypres
(art) Made by: Paterson, Emily M
image: a landscape of blasted trees, with barbed wire and a duckboard path towards a stretch of water, with a battlefield landscape beyond.
A Grey-day, Ypres, 1919
(art) Made by: Paterson, Emily M
image: a landscape of the ruined buildings of Ypres, with blasted and bare trees against a lowering dark sky.
A Bare Tree, Ypres
(art) Made by: Paterson, Emily M
image: a landscape of bare and blasted trees in a wood, with a stream or river in the foreground; light falls on one tree in the left middle ground, with unusually more branches than most.
A Street in Ypres
(art) Made by: Paterson, Emily M
image: a landscape view of open ground, bomb damaged trees and ruined buildings on the outskirts of Ypres.
The Menin Road
(art) Made by: Paterson, Emily M
image: a landscape view down the Menin road across a featureless plain. Blasted trees with a few leaves stand on either side of the road.
The Sahara of War: Nieuport Sand-dunes
(art) Made by: Paterson, Emily M
image: landscape view of the entrances to two dugouts built into high sand dunes, with barbed wire above.
Vlamertinghe Church, August 24 1917
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-08-24
image: a view across a field and past trees to the bomb damaged Vlamertinghe Church.
Road to Le Rossignol, North West of Ploegsteert Wood, June 16th 1915
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1915-06-16
image: a view along a road that runs up a slight slope and then curves towards a few buildings in the distance to the left. A few trees line either side of the road.
The Forward Estaminet, Messines Road, June 1915
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1915-06
image: a view along a straight, tree-lined pavé road with a partially ruined building to the right in the foreground.
Battalion HQ East of Wulverghem, June 16th 1915
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1915-06-16
image: a farm building behind a dense hedge and flanked by trees on a roadside in the Belgian countryside. The roof has a few holes from missing slates through disrepair, but is otherwise sound. It has been utilised as a battalion headquarters.