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

General von Thoma
(art) Made by: Freeth, Hubert Andrew (RA) 1942-11-09
image: A head and shoulder portrait of General von Thoma in uniform, looking directly at the viewer.
Major The Reverend Bach ; a German combatant pastor
(art) Made by: Freeth, Hubert Andrew (RA) 1942
image: A head and shoulder portrait of Major The Reverend Bach, facing slightly to the right. He is in uniform with an iron cross around his neck.
General von Thoma
(art) Made by: Freeth, Hubert Andrew (RA) 1942-11-09
image: A head and shoulder portrait of General von Thoma in uniform.
General J P von Ravenstein
(art) Made by: Freeth, Hubert Andrew (RA) 1941
image: A head portrait of General J P von Ravenstein, looking towards the right.
Prisoner-of-War Cage; Thiberville
(art) Made by: Hennell, Thomas Barclay
image: Prisoners of War lie and sit around in varying states of dress in a field surrounded by barbed wire.
Military Police searching German Prisoners-of-War at Thiberville
(art) Made by: Hennell, Thomas Barclay
image: Lines of prisoners sit or lie on the ground in front of a camp waiting to be searched by a British military policeman.
Prisoners beside the Road near Homs
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving 1943
image: A British soldier guarding a group of German Prisoners of War. The prisoners sit in a group under a bank, one is wounded with is head bandaged and his arm in a sling. A second British soldier 'digs-in' on the rise above.
Cable Railway built by the Germans in Kitdal
(art) Made by: Bone, Stephen
image: a view of a mountain chair lift, from the platform. The cable can be seen extending into the distance, with a row of chairs in the foreground. Two groups of German POWs can be seen standing behind the platform near a small wooden hut.
Final Stages of the German War: Twenty Thousand Prisoners in the Town of Worms
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1945
image: a view across Worms town square which is completely packed with tens of thousands of German prisoners of war, contained within a wire perimeter fence, guarded by American soldiers.
German Prisoners : being assembled and searched at Thiberville
(art) Made by: Hennell, Thomas Barclay
image: German Prisoners of War sit in groups on the ground, some are wearing armbands marked with a red cross. In the background one is standing with his hands in the air, being searched by a British soldier. To the right another British soldier is...