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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ATS Cooking Centre : Preparing suppers for dispersed Searchlight Units
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1941
image: ATS workers are gathered around long tables in a large kitchen preparing boxes of food.
ATS Cookhouse Staff Chopping and Peeling Vegetables
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1941
image: ATS personnel chop and peel vegetables around a long table in a kitchen. On the left, women peel potatoes into large buckets and on the right, they chop vegetables on large chopping boards.
The Canteen at a Mixed Battery, RA
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1941
image: A canteen with a female ATS officer standing in the centre. Male and female ATS officers sit at tables talking and others stand in conversation in the background.
ATS Cooking and Despatching Centre
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1941
image: An industrial oven and hotplates with ATS officers attending to it in a large kitchen. On the left, a group prepare bread and on the right a group are washing up.
Members of the ATS Cooking with Outdoor Ovens Built from Air-raid Debris
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1941
image: ATS workers cook outside using make-shift ovens made from brick and other debris, complete with chimneys. A set of railings divide the group from the buildings in the background.
Potato-peeling Fatigue
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1942
image: A group of officers sit on a large coil of rope on the deck of a ship peeling potatoes. Another group of five play cards in the centre.
The Troops' Galley 'Convoy' series, 1941 - 1942
(art) Made by: Gross, Anthony (CBE) (RA) 1942
image: A kitchen on board a ship with a group of officers preparing meals. Other officers peer through hatches and watch the preparation.