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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Collections search

Diese Schandtaten: Eure Schuld! [These Shameful Deeds: Your Fault!]
(posters) Made by: Unknown
whole: the seven images are positioned in the lower three-quarters. The title is separate and placed across the top edge, in black. The text is separate and located in the upper centre and across the bottom edge, also in black. All set against a white...
Arbeit Adelt [Work Ennobles]
(art) Made by: Spira, Wilhelm 1944
image: a group of Prisoners of War with shaved heads stand stand in line, holding their caps, waiting to go through a gate marked with the words 'Arbeit Adelt' [Work Ennobles]. A camp guard stand behind them.
Polier, Wachtmeister, Schieber, Juden
(art) Made by: Spira, Wilhelm 1944
image: a foreman shouts at a German camp guard and a Jewish guard. Behind them a crowd of Jewish prisoners stand holding shovels and buckets.
POWs At Work
(art) Made by: Spira, Wilhelm 1944
image: a group of POWs at work stacking bricks from piles on the floor. A small cart sits on a track that runs in front of the prisoners. Next to the cart a German guard stands with his back to the prisoners, holding a bunch of keys.
POWs At Work
(art) Made by: Spira, Wilhelm 1944
image: Jewish prisoners work alongside POWs digging or working with pick axes with an industrial plant in the background. A Jewish guard stands on the right, arguing with a prisoner. A German guard stands on the left. In the foreground one prisoner has...
Rechts Gehen! Stehnbleiben Verboten
(art) Made by: Spira, Wilhelm 1944
image: a guard, walking along the camp fence, reaches a corner marked with a sign. There is a snail on the ground near his feet. Behind him there are female prisoners wearing head scarves also walking up and down the fence. The scene is overlooked by a...
Portrait of Captain Robert Wallis Dann
(art) Made by: Dudinszky 1945
image: A head and shoulders portrait of Captain Robert Wallis Dann in uniform, facing slightly to the left.
Portrait of a Polish inmate, no. 10529 at Dachau
(art) Made by: Stonehouse, Brian 1944
image: half-length seated portrait of a male inmate at Dachau wearing a camp uniform and cap. He sits with his hands clasped. On his jacket is a red triangular badge bearing the letter 'P'. This denotes that he is a Polish political prisoner. The...
Material relating to Brian Stonehouse
(private papers) Made by: Stonehouse, Brian
Signed photograph of Eisenhower with a dedication to Brian Stonehouse Letter to Brian Stonehouse from the IWM sound archive, dated March 1990 Certificate of Release from Dachau, dated 1946, with a photograph of Brian Stonehouse Script for a documentary...
Portrait of a Polish inmate, no. 22554 at Dachau
(art) Made by: Stonehouse, Brian 1944
image: half-length seated portrait of a male inmate at Dachau wearing a camp uniform and cap. On his jacket is a red triangular badge bearing the letter 'P'. This denotes that he is a Polish political prisoner. The prisoner's identity number. '22554', is...