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

Study for Oppy Wood, 1917 (IWM ART 2243)
(art) Made by: Nash, John (RA) 1917
image: a squared up preparatory drawing for John Nash's painting 'Oppy Wood'. The lower half of the composition has a view inside a trench with duckboard paths leading to a dug-out to the right. Two British infantrymen stand on the firestep to the left,...
Study for 'Stand To' before Dawn. (No 1160)
(art) Made by: Nash, John (RA)
image: a squared up study of five British infantrymen at 'Stand To' in a front line trench at dawn. Four of the men stand on the firestep, carefully looking over the parapet towards No Man's Land. One of the men, in the centre, stands lower down in a...
Brigade Headquarters: Signallers and Linesmen
(art) Made by: Roberts, William (RA) 1918
image: a group of stylised figures installing communication lines outside a Brigade Headquarters housed in a dugout. Light shines down on the scene from the left illuminating one side of the figures.
Behind Ruweisat Ridge
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving 1942
image: a desert scene with a Bren Gun Carrier, upon which a British soldier is sitting, placed behind a wall of sandbags. Various bits of equipment are scattered about and other men are engaged in various fatigue duties. In the background two men are...
An Indian Military Policeman, Batavia, 1945
(art) Made by: Rafty, Tony 1945
image: a half-length portrait showing an Indian Military Policeman in uniform, turning towards the left.
A Hutted Encampment
(art) Made by: Sorrell, Alan 1943
image: a detailed view from above of an RAF camp set amongst trees. The camp is full of Nissen huts with troops walking and cycling along the connecting roads, the main one of which runs from the bottom right corner in the foreground to the top left in...
Recruits Leaving the Camp
(art) Made by: Sorrell, Alan 1941
image: a monochrome wintry night scene, with a column of RAF recruits wearing packs and greatcoats marching through the open gate of the camp. There are huts to the left and right and a full moon is visible in the night sky in the top left. The ground...
Subedar Lalbahadur Thapa, VC : 4th Indian Division
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1943
image: An officer is seated on a chair in a tent in the desert. Three other officers are sat at his feet listening intently to what he is instructing them to do.
Donald A R Martin : of HM Trawler "Corena"
(art) Made by: Lamb, Henry (MC) (RA)
image: A portrait of Donald A R Martin with his face leaning on his hand as he looks directly at the artist.
The Long Patrol: Drifting Sand
(art) Made by: McBey, James 1917-07-11
image: a view of an Imperial Camel Corps patrol in the desert, seen from the perspective of the artist's position on the back of a camel. The camel's head and neck is in the immediate foreground. Further in front are several soldiers mounted on camels,...