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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The Women's Land Army and German Prisoners
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph 1918
image: Two women of the Women's Land Army and two German prisoners-of-war are engaged in agricultural work. They appear to be harvesting wheat with forks alongside agricultural machinery.
Voluntary Land Workers in a Flax-field, Podington, Northamptonshire
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph 1919
image: A group of women land workers gathering flax, which they tie into bundles and stack in a pile. Their camp of bell tents lies in the background next to a group of trees.
The Shepherdess
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph
image: a full length portrait of a woman in a Women's Land army uniform, holding a crook, amongst a flock of sheep
Women Working on the Land
(art) Made by: West, J Walter
image: three heavy horses are being led across farmland, the first horse by a woman at its head, the third ridden by a woman; in the background a haycart is being loaded. The whole set against a golden sunset.
The Shepherdess
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph
image: a three quarter portrait of a woman in Women's Land Army uniform, holding a crook
Thatching Flax for Aeroplanes
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph
image: two women are using ladders to work on the roof of a large thatched building; to the right three women are working on a pile of thatching; in the left foregound two women are preparing bundles of reeds; on the far left, another figure is visible...
Hoeing
(art) Made by: Schwabe, Randolph
image: a line of six women in Women's Land Army uniforms are hoeing across a field; the third from the right is bending down to the ground.