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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Plan Your Future - Save With a Plan
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1945
whole: the six images occupy the majority. The title is separate and positioned in the upper quarter, in black. The main text is partially integrated and placed with each image as a caption, in red held within white insets, and separate and located in...
Why Spend Your Money Like This?
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1943-05
whole: the two images are positioned in the upper four-fifths. The title and text are separate and positioned in the upper fifth, in green, centre right, in red, and in the lower fifth, in white held within a green inset. All set against a white...
Untitled
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the whole. image: caricatured depictions of a large group of Entente prisoners in a camp, including soldiers from British and French colonies. A German and an Austro-Hungarian soldier stand guard. text: LITH ADOLPH FRIEDLÄNDER...
Sportsmen's One-thousand
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title integrated and positioned in the lower third, in yellow outlined black. The text is integrated and positioned across the top, lower right, lower left and across the bottom, in black. image: a half-...
Be a Citizen-Soldier!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the two images are positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title is separate and placed along the top edge, in black and in red. The text is separate and located in the lower left, in black. Further text is partially integrated and positioned...
Spare Time for Britain in the Territorial Army
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the main image occupies the majority. A smaller image is placed in the lower left, held within a brown inset. The title and text are integrated and positioned in the lower quarter, in blue, in white, and in yellow and green. Further text is...
On Reflection...Join the WAAF
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper two-thirds. The title and text are separate and located in the lower third, in black cursive script and in red. All set against an orange background. image: a half-length depiction of a young woman, wearing...
Land and People: One
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1946-06
whole: the seven images occupy the majority. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in black, held within an orange inset. The text is separate and placed down the centre, in black, and with each image as a caption, in orange. All set...
Two Plays with a Punch
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1946-05
whole: the seven images are located in the upper three-quarters. The title is separate and positioned in the upper right, in black. The text is separate and placed in the right three-quarters, in black, and in the upper left and right half, as captions,...
Single Men
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1915-08
whole: the upper image is positioned across the top and the lower image is positioned across the bottom, both held within blue borders. The title is separate and positioned below the upper image, in red outlined blue, with the text below, in blue, and in...