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 PRODUCTION OF TANKS FOR RUSSIA, SMETHWICK, STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, UK, 1941
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information official photographer
Russian Ambassador Ivan Maisky addresses workers at a tank factory in Smethwick, during 'Tanks for Russia' week. A Valentine tank which has been produced at the factory can be seen behind him.
THE PRODUCTION OF TANKS FOR RUSSIA, SMETHWICK, STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, UK, 1941
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information official photographer
Factory workers ride on Valentine tanks as they leave a factory in Smethwick. A notice propped on the front of the tanks reads "All Help for Russia Now". The workers are holding a Union flag and a Russian flag and many have their fists raised in a...
THE PRODUCTION OF TANKS FOR RUSSIA, SMETHWICK, STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, UK, 1941
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information official photographer
Factory workers ride on Valentine tanks as they leave a factory in Smethwick. The notice on the front of the tanks reads "Tanks for Russia Week. Every Second Counts!". Chalked on the side of the tank (on the left hand side of the photograph) are the...
EXHIBITION OF TOYS FOR RUSSIA, ST MARTIN'S SCHOOL OF ART, LONDON, 1942
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Hazel Clayton (15), Ronald Rowlett (15), Charles Gunner (12), William Williams (12) and Peter Olissoff (15) examine some of the toys and games which have been donated to Russia by children at their school, Barnsbury County School in Woking, and by other...
EXHIBITION OF TOYS FOR RUSSIA, ST MARTIN'S SCHOOL OF ART, LONDON, 1942
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Patricia Collins and Joan Hayes (aged 15) are monitors from Barnsbury County School in Woking. Here we see them holding a scroll on which the school sends its greetings to Russian children. The greeting has been written in the form of a sonnet. Behind...
EXHIBITION OF TOYS FOR RUSSIA, ST MARTIN'S SCHOOL OF ART, LONDON, 1942
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Boys of Acton County School help to arrange the gifts of toys and games which are destined for children in Russia. Among them, Peter Veal (third from left) is holding a model of a battleship made from matchsticks. Many of the toys on display were the...
INDIAN SEAMEN ON RUSSIAN CONVOY: INJURED SEAMAN RECOVERS IN HOSPITAL, 1942
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Indian seaman Mohamed Maberzok was injured when the Russian convoy in which he was sailing was attacked. He is now in hospital, undergoing a process of rehabilitation. Here he can be seen reading a letter.
INDIAN SEAMEN ON RUSSIAN CONVOY: INJURED SEAMAN RECOVERS IN HOSPITAL, 1942
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Zavier Fernandez is from Bombay and was injured when the Russian convoy in which he was sailing was attacked. He is now in hospital, undergoing a process of rehabilitation. Here we see him recovering the use of his fingers by working at strings on a...
HARRY POLLITT SPEAKS OUTSIDE THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON, ENGLAND, 1941
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
A huge crowd has gathered outside the British Museum, probably on Montague Street, to hear Harry Pollitt, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain, make a speech about Aid to Russia. Pollitt is actually standing on top of a small van,...
PROPAGANDA ON THE BRITISH HOME FRONT, 1941
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer
Two soldiers and a civilian woman look at one of two posters pasted onto a wall or fence encouraging citizens to support Russia. The posters feature an illustration of a Red Army soldier next to a silhouette of the British Isles with the words 'The Red...