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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Petts, Ronald John (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1987-03-02
British civilian artist and conscientious objector in London and Wales, GB, 1939-1941; agricultural worker in GB, 1941-1944; private served with Pioneer Corps in GB, 1944; NCO served with 224 Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps in North...
Patch, James Douglas (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1987-09-10
British gunner served with Long Range Desert Group in North Africa and Greece, 1941-1943; POW escaped and served with Chetniks in Yugoslavia, 1943-1945
Cox, James Douglas (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1999-03-23
British guardsman served on public duties in GB, 1939-1942; served with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in North Africa and Italy, 1943; POW in Germany, 1943-1945
Painting, Thomas Henry (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1974
British NCO served with 1st Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps in Egypt, GB and on Western Front, 1909-1914; POW in Germany, 1914-1915; escaped via Denmark to GB, 1915
Parker, Albert (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1995
British signaller served with A Troop, 425 Bty, 107th Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1938-1942; POW in Italy and Germany, 1942-1945
Sykes, Jack (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991
British NCO signaller served with 425 and 426 Btys, 107th Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1939-1942; POW in Italy and Austria, 1942-1945
Wollaston, Alan Arthur (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-03-07
British NCO served with 3rd Royal Tank Regt at Calais, France, Greece and North Africa, 1940-1941; served with Headquarters, 10th Armoured Brigade in North Africa, 1942-1943; served with Headquarters, 29th Armoured Brigade in North West Europe, 1944
Pass, Clifford (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-03-29
British private served with 1st Bn Welch Regt on Crete, 1941. POW in Greece and Austria, 1941-1945
Bevan, Thomas George (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-03-27
British NCO served with 1st Bn Welch Regt on Crete, 1941. POW in Camps 1 and 2, Salonika, Greece, 1941. Escaped from Greece to Turkey, 1941
Foote, Henry Robert Bowerman (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1989-08-14
British officer served with Royal Tank Regt in GB and India, 1925-1939; served as staff officer with War Office in London, GB and with British Army Staff Mission in Washington DC, US and Canada, 1939-1941; served as GSO I with 10th Armoured Division in...