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

Edwards, Annie Sarah (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1976-03-04
British civilian served with Women's Land Army in Sussex and Surrey, GB, 1915-1919
Packing Food Parcels for Prisoners of War at a Red Cross Depot, c.1943
(art) Made by: Meninsky, Bernard 1943
image: A warehouse interior. Three women, dressed respectively in yellow and red dresses and a blue overall, stand behind a packing table lined with open boxes prepared for Red Cross food parcels.
Prisoners of War Need Your Help - Send a Donation to the Red Cross and St John
(posters) Made by: Binger (artist)
image; Graphite drawing of a young sailor sitting down resting his chin on his arm holding a letter in his other hand. He is behind a wire fence. text: Prisoners of War need your help - send a donation to the RED CROSS & St JOHN, St James Palace,...
Red Cross and St John Needs Your Help for Prisoners of War
(posters) Made by: Wood, Charles (artist) 1940
whole: Upper portion of the poster is occupied by a painted image. The lower portion of the poster is a red box containing three lines of large white capitalised type above two lines of smaller back type. image: A smiling prisoner is being handed a...
British Prisoners-of-War - Help Them - through the Red Cross and St John
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
PW 11 PST 8783 is the master copy of a larger format version
A Bit of Home - Red Cross and St John Needs Your Help for Prisoners of War
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
image: a British prisoner of war standing behind barbed wire, holding a Red Cross parcel to his chest
A Bit of Home - Red Cross and St John Needs Your Help for Prisoners of War
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
PW 8A PST 8788 is the master copy of a medium format version PST 3717 is the master copy of a small format version
A Bit of Home - Give All You Can on Prisoners of War Flag Day
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
FDG 13 PST 3717 is the master copy of a small format version using the same image with variant text
Red Cross and St John - Needs Your Help for Prisoners of War
(posters) Made by: Wood, Charles (artist)
PST 8777 is the master copy of a large format version
British Prisoners Of War- Help Them- Through The Red Cross and St John
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1940
whole: The top section of the sheet is filled by a black and white photograph that has been touched up with black ink details. Across the the top of the photograph are three lines of red text, orientated up to the right corner. At the bottom of the...