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.

Main menu

IWM London
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM North
Manchester
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Last admission 4.30pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM Duxford
Cambridgeshire
Open daily

Summer 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm

Winter 10am - 4pm
Last admission 3pm

Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
Churchill War Rooms
London
Open daily 9.30am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
HMS Belfast
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information

Collections search

THE AUXILIARY FIRE SERVICE IN LONDON, 1941
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Group photograph of men serving with the Auxiliary Fire Service in London. Second from right, in the back row, is Fernando Henriques from Jamaica, who later won a scholarship to Oxford University, gained a PhD and went on to lecture in social...
NFS Relief Crews Arriving at Millbank, London, May 1941
(art) Made by: Uden, Ernest Boye 1941-05-01
image: a view along Millbank in Westminster looking north, with firemen at work. Three men in the left foreground work at the rear of a fire truck preparing hose equipment. Another four men in the centre right are moving wheeled equipment. Victoria Tower...
Southampton Row, London, April 1941
(art) Made by: Uden, Ernest Boye 1941
image: an aerial view of the bomb-damaged Southampton Row in Bloomsbury, central London. Fire trucks and firemen are visible on the streets in the right foreground and there is a smoky hue over the buildings in the background.
Bells! A Unit of the National Fire Service Answering a Call
(art) Made by: Abrahams, Enid
image: A view from above of firemen running to answer a call. Some are running towards the fire engines with their equipment, others are pulling the covers off the vehicles.
Women! You are Needed in the National Fire Service
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper two-thirds. The title is partially integrated and placed across the top edge in white cursive script, and separate and placed in the lower third, in orange. The text is separate and positioned in the lower...
Air Raid on the City of London, 1940
(art) Made by: Golding, William A (ARIBA) 1940
image: fire crews and Air Raid Wardens work within a series of bomb damaged buildings in the City of London, with various fire engines, vehicles and hoses scattering the scene. The huge intact dome of St Paul's Cathedral looms up in the background,...
Serve by his Side for Victory
(posters) Made by: Speers, Tony (artist)
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title integrated and positioned in the upper left and centre right, in red. The text is integrated and placed across the bottom edge, also in red. The badge of the National Fire Service is positioned in the...
Fire Guard Training School : The Smoke Test
(art) Made by: Wright, W Matvyn 1943
image: A group of eight men in civilian dress to the left and centre are practising fire-fighting. This practice is being directed towards the opening of a corrugated iron shed marked 'Smoke Test' from which black smoke is emerging. Some of the group are...
War-time traffic on the river Thames: Fire Services, Hungerford Bridge
(art) Made by: Platt, John Edgar 1942
image: a fireboat moored at the foot of a platform beneath Hungerford Bridge. A speed boat has just arrived next to it. Big Ben can bee seen, surrounded by searchlights, in the distance.
A Blazing Gas Main in Old Compton Street, London W1
(art) Made by: Mills, Reginald 1944
image: a view along Old Compton Street at night. The scene is illuminated by flames shooting upwards, crossed with jets of water from the fire crew who stand in the strret attempting to extinguish a fire in a nearby building.