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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Collections search

scarf, Jacqmar, 'Into Battle
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Jacqmar
Second World War period Jacqmar scarf; British 'home front' associations.
scarf, Jacqmar, 'LES LAURIERS DE LA VICTOIRE
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Jacqmar 1945
Second World War period Jacqmar scarf. British, 'home front', 1945, associations
scarf, Jacqmar, 'Time Gentlemen, Please
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Jacqmar
Second World War period Jacqmar scarf. Jacqmar of London made propaganda scarves from 1940-1945. They were based in Mayfair and many were produced for the export market as well as for wartime sweethearts, particularly in London. The chief designer was...
head scarf, British ('Bomber Departure')
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Ascher, London
Decorative British head scarf in cloth produced by the Ascher Company during the Second World War. The item bears a coloured design titled 'Bomber Departure' by the Polish-born British official war artist Feliks Topolski (1907-1989). The Ascher Company...
Carbine, Machine, Sten, 9mm Mk 2
(weapons and ammunition) Made by: RSAF Enfield
The Sten 'Machine-Carbine' was the standard submachine-gun of the British and Canadian armies during the Second World War. Mk 2 version was produced on a larger scale than any other model. At least 2,600,000 were manufactured, by six different...
embroidered head rest cover ('Dig for Victory')
(souvenirs and ephemera)
Second World War embroidered head rest cover, patriotically celebrating the 'Dig for Victory' campaign, worked by G A Francis whilst serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1944 at the Ordnance Depot at Melton Mowbray. The transfers were...
Tie: WLA
(uniforms and insignia)
The Women's Land Army (WLA), better known as the 'Land Girls', was established at the outset of the Second World War in order to free up male agricultural workers for the armed forces. An estimated 80,000 'Land Girls' were employed by 1943, involved in...
Overalls, Civilian Factory Workers
(uniforms and insignia)
Second World War period overalls worn by aircraft factory worker Edith Fosdike who was employed at AV Roe, Chadderton (Manchester) between 1940-1943. Mrs Fosdike was one of fifty women who worked on the 'Burr' bench, responsible for filing rough edges...
respirator, anti-gas, 'Civilian Duty'
(equipment) Made by: P B C (mask) 1941-09
British Second World War anti-gas respirator (gas mask) of the type issued to Air Raid Precautions (ARP) personnel whose duties required them to wear a more substantial mask that the standard civilian issue.
scarf, Jacqmar, 'London Wall'
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Jacqmar
Second World War period Jacqmar scarf. Jacqmar of London made propaganda scarves from 1940-1945. They were based in Mayfair (16 Grosvenor Street) and many were produced for the export market as well as for wartime sweethearts, particularly in London. The...