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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biscuit tin, Crawford's 'Hero Box
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: William Crawford & Sons, Ltd. 1914
Early First World War period British biscuit tin bearing an overtly inspirational image of British infantry enduring, with good humour, the tribulations and muddy conditions of trench warfare on the Western Front.
Soldiers' Life in the French Trenches
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1914-11-27
whole: the title is positioned in the centre third, in blue. The text is positioned in the upper third and lower third, also in blue. All set against a white background. image: text only. text: DAILY TELEGRAPH Saturday, November 28. SOLDIERS' LIFE IN THE...
Noeux Village, July 24th 1917, 9.30pm
(art) Made by: Rose, Geoffrey K (MC) 1917-07-24
image: two figures sit under a tree in the right foreground, on the right side of a road leading into a French village. Buildings line the road to the left, with the tower of the village church looming up in the background.
memorial silk, British
(souvenirs and ephemera)
First World War memorial silk commemorating the British Army service and death of (19154) Private Joseph Bowker (Border Regiment) who died of wounds in France (Western Front) on 10 August 1917.
THE GAS WARD AT NETLEY HOSPITAL IN HAMPSHIRE DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR
part of "LOWDER M (MRS)" (photographs) 1915
Patients with mustard gas burns undergo salt bath treatment.
On Her Their Lives Depend
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Munitions (publisher/sponsor) 1916
whole: the image fills the majority of the design with black and yellow text superimposed over it at the top. Text in white and yellow is placed within a black horizontal band at the bottom, part of the image overlapping this band. image: a photographic...