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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Front Line Trenches - War Chest
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper quarter, with the title integrated and positioned across the top edge, in white, and in red outlined black. The text is separate and occupies the lower three-quarters, in white against a blue background, in...
Victory in the West
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1945
whole: the 12 images occupy the majority. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in white, held within an orange inset. The text is separate and placed beneath each image as a caption, in white held within orange insets, in orange and...
Burma: Japanese Prisoners-of-War in the Cookhouse, Pegu Prison
(art) Made by: Cole, Leslie 1945
image: four Japanese prisoners-of-war prepare food in the cookhouse of Pegu prison camp. Two of the men stand underneath the corrugated iron roof of a hut, one chopping something at a table. The other two men stand and crouch immediately in front of the...
Parker, Albert (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1995
British signaller served with A Troop, 425 Bty, 107th Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1938-1942; POW in Italy and Germany, 1942-1945
Sykes, Jack (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991
British NCO signaller served with 425 and 426 Btys, 107th Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1939-1942; POW in Italy and Austria, 1942-1945
Wollaston, Alan Arthur (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-03-07
British NCO served with 3rd Royal Tank Regt at Calais, France, Greece and North Africa, 1940-1941; served with Headquarters, 10th Armoured Brigade in North Africa, 1942-1943; served with Headquarters, 29th Armoured Brigade in North West Europe, 1944
Campbell, Peter Evans (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-02-25
British adjutant served with 2nd Bn, Baluch Regt at Kota Bahru, Kuala Krai, Sigama and Singapore, 12/1941-2/1942; escaped to Sumatra, 2/1942 and captured there; sunk by Allied submarine off Sumatra and returned to Singapore, in contact with Indian...
Pass, Clifford (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-03-29
British private served with 1st Bn Welch Regt on Crete, 1941. POW in Greece and Austria, 1941-1945
Bevan, Thomas George (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1991-03-27
British NCO served with 1st Bn Welch Regt on Crete, 1941. POW in Camps 1 and 2, Salonika, Greece, 1941. Escaped from Greece to Turkey, 1941
Masters, Stephen Claud (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1989-01-24
British civilian living in Portsmouth, 1940-1941; NCO served as pilot with 622 and 7 Sqdns, RAF in GB, 1942-1944; officer served with 206 Sqdn, RAF during Berlin Airlift 1948; served with 209 Sqdn, RAF in Brunei and during Indonesian Confrontation, 1961-...