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

Front Line Trenches - War Chest
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper quarter, with the title integrated and positioned across the top edge, in white, and in red outlined black. The text is separate and occupies the lower three-quarters, in white against a blue background, in...
The Wire
(art) Made by: Russell, J A 1945
image: the tall wire fence of a prisoner-of-war camp. Directly behind the wire fence to the left is a wooden watchtower built on stilts, occupied by a German guard whose head and shoulders are faintly silhouetted against the sky. Another watchtower and...
Croix-Rouge Française - Vente de Guerre [The French Red Cross - War Sale]
(posters) Made by: Capon, Georges and Dorival, Georges (artist) 1916
whole: the image occupies the upper two-thirds and is held within a black border. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower third, in red against a white background. image: a large Red Cross flag on a flagpole, set against a battlefield...
The War Told for You in Pictures
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1941-01-23
whole: the 14 images occupy the majority. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in green. The text is separate and placed in the upper centre, held within a narrow green border, and beneath each image as a caption, in green. All set...
Liebe Kronenzeitung! [Dear Kronenzeitung!]
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority, with the title separate and positioned across the top edge, in white cursive script. The text is partially integrated and positioned in the lower third, in white. All set against a black background. image: a half-...
Wij Zijn Bereid!
(posters) Made by: Unknown 1942-09
whole: 13 images occupy the majority. The title is partially integrated and positioned in the upper centre, in black. The text is separate and located in the centre left and right third, in black. Further text is integrated and placed in the left half,...
The 'Black Hole', Lille, (Fort Macdonald)
(art) Made by: Martin, Edwin 1918
image: A view of part of the outside of Fort Macdonald, which has the appearance of a grass covered man-made hill. There are two huts towards the top of the hill and a dry moat at the bottom of the hill, which reveals outer walls of the fort that could...
The Captive
(art) Made by: Gill, Colin U 1918
image: A German prisoner and his British captor, both wearing respective field uniforms and metal helmets, resting in a communication trench. A mug of drink sits on the surface between them and there is a trench signpost above them. text: (on the...
Tommy, Vainqueur des Huns
(art) Made by: Simont Guillen, Jose
image: A British soldier standing in the centre of a recently taken German trench. He stands with his rifle butt resting on the ground, the end close to the bayonet gripped in his hand. He looks into the distance over the top of the trench, his head...
The Battle of Egypt, 1942: Italian Prisoners in a Corps Prisoner-of-War Cage
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1942
image: Nine Italian prisoners of war are held captive in a camp secured with tall barbed wire fencing. Four are standing and the other five are seated.