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

German Prisoners Captured at Messines
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917-06-08
image: A barbed wire prisoner of war compound filled with German soldiers, many of them appear to be searching for lice.
A Type of Captured German
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: A full-length sketch of a German prisoner of war in a shabby uniform and cap.
German Sick, Captured at Messines
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: a line drawing of German sick and wounded prisoners of war outside a row of large canvas tents. Several men sit on a bench, while the majority lie on the ground. Some have bandaged wounds, some seem to be sleeping, and others playing cards. There...
Iron Cross: Prussian Guard
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: A study of a Prussian Guard in uniform. He sits back straight, his left hand placed on his knee, his right resting loosely on his leg.
War Paintings and Drawings Executed on the Western Front by Major William Orpen
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Information (publisher/sponsor) 1918
whole: the image is positioned in the lower two-thirds, held within a narrow black border. The title and text are separate and placed in the upper third and lower third, in black. All set against a white background. image: a full-length depiction of four...
"Kamarad"
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: a sketch of the head of an unshaven German prisoner of war, his left hand held palm out towards the viewer, a speech bubble with the word 'KAMARAD' to the right of the image. There is a small sketch of a horse and another of a nurse leaning to her...
German Sick, Captured at Messines, in a Canadian Hospital
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: An outdoor hospital with a German prisoner of war being treated by an orderly inside a tent to the left of the composition. To the right, a group of sick and injured prisoners of war stand and lie under the shade of a tree. Another large tent is...
Five German Prisoners
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: a study of five German prisoners-of-war, three standing, two sitting on the ground with their backs to the viewer.
Dieppe
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: A view of the Café des Tribunaux, Dieppe. There are French soldiers seated around tables outstide underneath the awning, and more soldiers sitting on the balcony. In the bottom left a group of German prisoners of war are being marched into the...
German Prisoners by the Roadside
(art) Made by: Orpen, William 1917
image: four German prisoners-of-war in the foreground, three standing and one sitting on the ground, look towards a column of British infantrymen marching along a road running across the composition. Two of the POWs have bandaged heads. There are some...