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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Hassani Airfield, Athens
(art) Made by: Hailstone, Harold William 1944
image: A view of an airfield comprising of three hangars with a row of planes in the shadow of a hill. In the foreground is a herd of sheep grazing amongst the wreckage of a crashed plane, watched by a shepherd.
5th Commando - Custom Inspection on the Anglo-Chinese Frontier, Hong Kong, 1945
(art) Made by: Morris, James
image: two British soldiers inspect the contents of a group of Chinese civilians' baskets. Three of the civilians are male and wear wide-brimmed straw hats; the fourth is a woman with a baby strapped to her back.
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.
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...
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...
The Yard of our Farm House near Tripoli
(art) Made by: Ardizzone, Edward Jeffrey Irving
image: Three men are gathered near the back of a truck parked in a yard, surrounded by trees. One man is leaning against the edge of a rectangular pool. Behind the group a woman is washing some clothes at the edge of the pool.
Sketch of Land Girls
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph
image: full length depictions of two women of the Women's Land Army at work on the land with hoes. Both are wearing typical WLA uniform overalls and hats.
A Land Girl
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph
image: a worker of the Women's Land Army standing and crouching over, engaged in work. She wears typical WLA overalls and hat and reaches down with her right arm to something not depicted in the drawing.
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.