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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Kujawinski, Stanislaw (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-04-23
Polish civilian interned in Russia, 1940-1941; escaped to GB, 1941; served as wireless operator with Polish section, Special Operations Executive and Polish Home Army in GB and Warsaw, Poland, 1943-1944; imprisoned in Poland and Russia, 1944-1945;...
Prigent, Gordon Augustus (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1989-05-23
British civilian worked as builder on Jersey, Channel Islands, 1940-1943; interned in Lager Norderney, Alderney, Channel Islands, 1943-1944; served as auxiliary policeman on Jersey, 1944-1945
Walczak, Tadeusz (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1997-03-16
Polish civilian schoolchild in Poland, 1939-1940; deportee in Russia, 1940-1941; private served with Polish Army in Russia, Persia and South Africa, 1942; survivor of sinking of SS Laconia in Atlantic, 9/1942; internee in Casablanca, Morocco, 1942
Janiewicz, Hubert (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1997-05-10
Polish officer served with 5th Infantry Regiment in Poland, 9/1939; POW in Russia, 1939-1941
Rossi, Gaetano (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1992-11-23
Italian priest interned in Worth Mill, Whitchurch and Metropol Internment Camps in GB, 1940; parish priest in Glasgow, GB, 1940-1945
Skillett, Gladys Eileen (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1992-04-16
British civilian on Guernsey, Channel Islands, 1940-1942; internee in Dorsten and Biberach Internment camps in Germany, 1942-1945
Hildebrandt, Franz (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1979-02-14
German civilian pastor emigrated to GB, 1937; interned in Huyton Camp, Liverpool, and Central Promenade Camp, Isle of Man, 1940; worked as church minister in GB, 1940-1944
Dale, Stephen (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1994-08-26
German Jewish civilian imprisoned in Sachsenhausen camp, 1938; emigrated to GB, 1939; refugee in GB, 1939-1940; internee in GB and Hay Camp, Australia, 1940-1942; private served with Pioneer Corps in GB, 1942-1944; served with Special Operations...
recording
(sound) Made by: BBC 9112 (Production company) 1945-05-07
British correspondent’s account of release of important hostages in the Dolomite Mountains in Italy, 5/1945
recording
(sound) Made by: Allen, Charles (Production company) 1983
British civilian, worked in the Colonial Civil Service in Malaya from 1931, based in Kuantan, Malaya. Became District Officer in 1936 of Raub, Malaya. Present during Japanese attack and occupation of Malaya in 1941, working in the Civil Defence Office....