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.

Main menu

IWM London
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM North
Manchester
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Last admission 4.30pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM Duxford
Cambridgeshire
Open daily

Summer 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm

Winter 10am - 4pm
Last admission 3pm

Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
Churchill War Rooms
London
Open daily 9.30am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
HMS Belfast
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information

Collections search

The Building of the Main Bridge over the Salween River
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1942
image: A view from afar of a large bridge being constructed across a river. Both river banks are covered in jungle vegetation with a few buildings visible immediately on both banks. Many people are also visible though only as tiny dots in the distance....
The Burning of the Cholera Dead
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1942
image: A grim scene in a clearing in the jungle. There is a large fire in the centre of the composition with several naked corpses on the ground in the foreground. Able bodied prisoners, only wearing shorts, lift corpses towards the fire and maintain the...
'F' and 'H' Force Hospital, Canchanburi, Siam
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1943
image: A view across 'F' and 'H' Force Hospital camp in Kanburi in Thailand. There is a line of several large bamboo huts to the left, with a more rudimentary hut beside three tall palm trees in the centre. The wooden fence of the camp is to the right.
Main Highway, Siam, the Salween River
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1943
image: A view from the bank of the Salween River in Thailand. In the foreground are various people, including a man carrying two fully laden baskets suspended from a branch he carries on his shoulder. There are several boats on the water and a hut on the...
The Foliage at the Jungle Edge
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1942
image: A jungle landscape with two hawks flying above the trees.
The Java Lines, Singapore
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1943
image: A view across the a prisoner-of-war camp in Singapore through some palm trees in the foreground. In the distance are various huts, with a few prisoners sitting on the grass.
The First Stretch of the Hell Railway
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1943
image: A view of a length of the Thai-Burma railway bordered by telegraph poles and with rice fields on either side. Trees and hills are visible in the distance.
On the Way to the Hell Railway, Siam
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1942
image: The interior of a railway truck filled with Far East prisoners-of-war. Men set and stand, closely packed in the truck. Two men stand either side of the open truck door, through which can be seen the passing countryside.
The No Escape Incident
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1942
image: A view from above of a square crowded with prisoners-of-war surrounded by the buildings of a military barracks. There is one building to the left and one to the right, with another building in the background with trees and vegetation either side...
Thailand, At the End of the Day's March
(art) Made by: Thrale, Charles 1945
image: Four prisoners-of-war, wearing only shorts, sit pensively around a camp fire, their features illuminated by the fire against the dark background. There are trees around them.