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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'But For Heaven's Sake Don't Say I Told You!' - Careless Talk Cost Lives
(posters) Made by: Fougasse
whole: the image is placed in the upper half with text, in black, directly below and at the bottom. All is set against a plain white background with a red border. image: a man having a telephone conversation in a red telephone box, overheard by multiple...
Be Like Dad - Keep Mum!
(posters) Made by: Reeves (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority, with the title integrated and positioned in the upper centre and lower centre, in black. The text is separate and placed across the bottom edge, on grey and in black, set against a white background. image: a...
Talk Kills - Talk Kills
(posters) Made by: Games, Abram
whole: the two image occupy the whole. The title is integrated and positioned in the centre left, in orange and in white, and in the centre right, in blue and in white. image: the two images have the same basic layout. The left-hand image is a depiction...
Keep Mum - She's Not so Dumb! - Careless Talk Costs Lives
(posters) Made by: Forster, Harold [attributed] (artist) 1942
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title and text integrated and placed in the lower quarter, in black and in red. image: a three-quarter length depiction of an attractive woman, reclining on a chair and looking directly out of the poster. She...
Keep a Guard on What You Say..
(posters) Made by: Games, Abram (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority. The title is integrated and positioned in the upper quarter, in white. All set against a black background. image: a stylized portrait of a British infantryman, with his mouth formed in the shape of a sentinel's hut...
You Never Know Who's Listening - Careless Talk Costs Lives
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Information (publisher/sponsor) 1942
image: A cartoon of two women sitting on a bus having a conversation, overheard by Himmler and Goering sitting in the seat behind. text: You never know who's listening! - CARELESS TALK COSTS LIVES
Keep it Under Your Hat! - Careless Talk Costs Lives [topi]
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned at the top with blue text in banner form placed below. Text in red is placed at the bottom. All is set against a plain white background. image: a khaki coloured pith helmet or solar topee military hat. text: "Keep it under...
Be Like Dad - Keep Mum
(posters) Made by: Reeves (artist)
whole: the image fills the majority of the design. Text is incorporated within the image in the style of hand-writing. Black text is also positioned at the bottom edge. All is set against a plain white background. image: a dirty blackened window, dressed...
Think Before You Speak - Careless Talk Costs Lives
(posters) 1941
whole: the image is positioned in the centre of the design with a white speech bubble caption emerging from either end. The text and the outer edges of the speech bubble captions are in black. All is set against a plain white background. image: a bright...