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

During a Battle
(art) Made by: Roberts, William (RA) 1918
image: three British soldiers in yellow stand on a mound while a field gun pulled by horses moves past. A stretcher party bearing a figure in yellow walks out of the composition to the right and an infantryman of the Royal Scots Fusiliers stands guard in...
Design For Picture Heavy Artillery (No 2274)
(art) Made by: Gill, Colin U 1919
image: A study for 'Heavy Artillery' showing soldiers working in different positions around a heavy gun.
Cartoon For Heavy Artillery (No 2274)
(art) Made by: Gill, Colin U 1919
image: a preparatory drawing on canvas for Gill's large painting 'Heavy Artillery', depicting a busy scene of British soldiers in an artillery position. A gun crew move shells to a 9.2 heavy howitzer on the left, another man sitting stitching his tunic...
Roclincourt - Looking towards Arras
(art) Made by: Blaikley, Ernest 1917-07-14
image: a tented encampment with limbers and a small group of figures; a landscape of fields to the left
Camp Post Office, Roclincourt
(art) Made by: Blaikley, Ernest 1917-07-05
image: a temporary roofed wooden? structure with soldiers at the entrance, tents pitched to left, right and in the background
Eastern Exit from Arras, June 21 1917
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-06-21
image: a view of a few British soldiers walking along a road into the bomb damaged remnants of Arras.
Air Vice-Marshal C H Blount OBE, MC
(art) Made by: Eves, Reginald Grenville (RA) 1940
image: A head and shoulders portrait of Blount wearing RAF uniform.
Sir Cyril Newall GCB, CMG, CBE
(art) Made by: Eves, Reginald Grenville (RA) 1940
image: A head and shoulders portrait of Sir Cyril Newall, wearing RAF uniform.
An Underground Casualty Clearing Station, Arras
(art) Made by: Tonks, Henry 1918-08-01
image: The scene of a cellar that is being used as a casualty clearing station. There is a wounded man on a stretcher attended by a medical orderly and several other figures in the background. Light streams into the cellar from the doorway at the top of...
A Heavy Gun near Arras
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: a heavy gun, covered with camouflage netting and attached to a wheeled limber, is pulled by a tractor along a road running across the composition. A lone British infantryman holding a rifle walks behind. Several trees line the road, and the roof...