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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A view of Trafalgar Square in London, a short walk from Churchill War Rooms, showing propaganda hoardings on Nelson's Column in 1939.
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, 1940. Since the First World War the government had feared that London would be the target of aerial bombardment. In 1938 the basement of a Whitehall building was chosen as the site for the Cabinet War Rooms.
The Prime Minister Winston Churchill visiting bombed-out buildings in the East End of London on 8 September 1940.
At a meeting at the War Cabinet Room in Oct 1940, after a bomb caused damage to 10 Downing St, Churchill was persuaded to meet in the Cabinet War Rooms regularly. This image shows damage at 10 Downing St after a bomb had fallen nearby, 20 Feb 1944.
Lance Bombardier Sydney May and a colleague chat to Miss Doreen Peel during a boat trip along the River Thames in 1942. They are heading towards Waterloo Bridge, with the Houses of Parliament behind them.
A number 3 double-decker bus slowly pushes its way through the huge crowds gathered in Whitehall to hear Churchill's Victory speech and celebrate Victory in Europe Day on 8 May 1945.
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
Admission is free
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Last admission 4.30pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
Admission is free
Open daily
Summer 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Winter 10am - 4pm
Last admission 3pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
Open daily 9.30am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
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For location filming please contact Nina Smetek, cwrfilming@iwm.org.uk / 020 7416 5497.
