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

Street Merchant, Mombasa, December 1941
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1941-12-01
image: A sketch of a spice seller, wearing a turban and loin cloth, with bowls of spice and miniature scales.
Fruit Seller, Mombasa, December 1941
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1941-12-01
image: Reproduction of an ink sketch showing a fruit seller, wearing a turban and sarong. He is sitting on the ground and holding a thin stick in his right hand, his elbows resting on his knees. To his left is a large wicker basket containing fruit,...
Cape Town: In the Green Market, December 1941
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1941-12-01
image: A sketch of a scene in a vegetable market, Cape Town. There are group of men standing, talking on the left of the composition; a young boy selling newspapers; two women, one veiled and carrying a string of fish, the other handing a basket to a...
The Fruit Cart, Cape Town, December 1941
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1941-12-01
image: A scene showing the corner of a street. From left to right: a lamp-post in an island in the middle of the road with children sitting underneath; a horse-drawn fruit cart with a man standing at the horse's head and children hanging on to the tail-...
Green Market, Cape Town, December 1941
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1941-12-01
image: A sketch of a horse-drawn cart with a cage of chickens in the back and driver up front. There is also a woman carrying a large load on her head who is accompanied by a small child.
Fruit Seller, Mombasa, December 1941
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1941-12-01
image: A sketch of a fruit seller and his stall set up in front of a building with two windows, both with metal grilles. The stallholder wears a fez and sits on an orange box, a woven basket at his feet. A veiled woman with a child looks at the produce...
Cape Town: Girl with a String of Fish, December 1941
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1941-12-01
image: A sketch of a young African woman, barefoot and carrying a string of fish. annotated verso: 'Girl with a string of fish Fishmarket Cape Town'
Ayer Hitam, Malaya, 21 January 1942
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-21
image recto: A sketch drawn from the artist's canvas bed with his legs in the lower right of the composition. There is a pile of fruit, including a pineapple, at the bottom of the bed, and a large bunch of bananas on the floor to his left. A mosquito net...
Yong Peng, Malaya, January 1942 verso: Taruer, Thailand May 1943
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1942-01-01
image recto: A sketch of a ruined village on the Bakri - Yong Peng road showing smoking debris, a wooden bridge and wooden huts and houses in the background. image verso: A pencil and ink sketch titled 'Taruer, Thailand, May 1943'. A woman sitting behind...
Spud Bashing, Dereham, Norfolk, November 1939
(art) Made by: Searle, Ronald William Fordham 1939-11-01
image: Three uniformed British soldiers, sitting on camp chairs, peel potatoes into a pot [unseen]. There is a tin bath of peeled potatoes and a bucket for the peelings to their left.