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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Boiteux-Burdett, Robert Rene (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1988-08-01
Anglo-French civilian served with F Section, SOE in Lyons and Marseilles areas of France, code-name 'Nicholas', 1942-1944 and with Force 136 in Burma and in liberation of Sumatra and Singapore 1944; release of FEPOWS. Work for Control Commission in...
Sinohara - Japanese Prisoner, Puncham
(art) Made by: Brady, Clifford Charles 1944
No description available
Isao Sagayama, Prisoner Puncham
(art) Made by: Brady, Clifford Charles 1944
No description available
recording
(sound) Made by: BBC 9226-7 (Production company) 1945-11-04
Australian NCO account of period as POW in Dutch East Indies and on Burma-Thailand Railway, 1942-1945
Wackett, Frederick (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1984-08-09
British photographer served with Army Film And Photographic Unit in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Far East (Burma, Singapore, Java) 1943-1945
recording
(sound) Made by: BBC (Production company) 2005-01-24
Indian private served as signaller with 1st Bn Frontier Force Rifles, 2nd Frontier Force Regt Indian Army in Malaya, 1940-1942; POW of Japanese, 1942-1945
recording
(sound) Made by: BBC (Production company) 1992
British POW in Burma and Thailand including Burma-Thailand railway, 1942-1945
Maley, James (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-04-09
British civilian in Shettleston, Scotland 1935-1936. Served with No 2 Machine Gun Coy, British Bn, 15th International Bde in Spain 1/1937-2/1937; POW 2/1937-7/1937. Served with Royal Artillery in Burma 1942-1945
recording
(sound) Made by: Carlton Productions (Production company) 2001
Dutch seaman with Dutch Merchant Navy, 1939-1942; POW of Japanese in Changi, Singapore and worked on construction of Burma-Thailand railway, 1942-1945
recording
(sound) Made by: Thames Television (Production company) 1972
British POW in Burma, 1943-1945