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Battle of Britain Combat Archive - Volumes 1-8
Image 1: RAF Spitfire engaged in a dogfight with a Messerschmitt Bf 109
In early summer 1940, Britain had been seriously weakened following the evacuation from Dunkirk of the core of its professional army. It left the country alone in the fight against Hitler.
Over the skies of southern England, the German air force (Luftwaffe) fought to establish air superiority over the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a prelude to the invasion of Britain.
In early summer 1940, the country had been seriously weakened following the evacuation from Dunkirk of the core of its professional army, the British Expeditionary Force, leaving the country alone in the fight against Hitler.
Image 2: German Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over the Isle of Dogs in the East End of London at the start of the Luftwaffe’s evening raids on 7 September 1940, the first day of the Blitz. © IWM. C 5422A.
15 September is commemorated as Battle of Britain Day. It was the date of the last heavy daylight German attack on London and a turning point in the battle when Germany lost 60 aircraft: 25% of the attacking force.
Wayne Cocroft, Senior Investigator, explores some of the surviving places and archival images from this momentous battle.
Image 3: Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, a mural painted on a farm building by Aircraftsman Robert Hofton in preparation for a Christmas party in December 1940. At the time he was serving with 19 Squadron which had distinguished itself during the withdrawal from Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain © Historic England Archive. DP051483.
The air battle was waged for nearly four months from the 10 July to 31 October 1940. During this period it moved through five distinctive phases: firstly raids on shipping in the channel and south coast ports, followed by more intense raids on RAF airfields, aircraft factories and later radar stations. The focus then moved to attacks on airfields close to London and night attacks on the capital.
On the 7 September, the first heavy daylight raid was mounted on London with continuing night attacks. From early October the Battle entered its final phase mainly characterised by night attacks on London, Liverpool, the Midlands and north of England.
Image 4: An image from the camera gun film shows tracer ammunition from a Spitfire of No. 609 Squadron, flown by Flight Lieutenant J H G McArthur, hitting a Heinkel He 111. These aircraft were part of a large formation that attacked the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s works at Filton, Bristol, on 25 September 1940. © IWM. CH 1823.
‘The Few’
Image 6: RAF Northolt, Hillingdon, Greater London, officers’ mess, 1923, listed Grade II. During the Battle Northolt was home to three Polish squadrons. 303 City of Warsaw Squadron was the most successful RAF unit with 126 confirmed victories © Historic England Archive. DP077295.
On Tuesday 20 August 1940, in the midst of the Battle, Prime Minister Winston Churchill rose in Parliament to deliver his assessment of the war situation. It was during this speech he famously referred to the fighter pilots as the ’Few’. Who were the Few?
Officially 2937 pilots of the RAF and Fleet Air Arm were recognized as having fought during the Battle. Around a fifth were from British Commonwealth and Dominion countries, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, as well as allied air forces from occupied Europe, of whom Polish pilots formed the largest contingent.
Image 7: AF Kenley, Surrey, today the airfield with its remaining wartime protective emplacements for fighter aircraft best evokes the character of a Battle of Britain fighter base. © Historic England Archive.
In the second phase of the Battle, the Luftwaffe turned its attention to destroying the RAF’s capabilities and the production of aircraft. Most airfields around London were attacked.
RAF Kenley suffered its worst attack on 18 August when buildings and aircraft were destroyed, nine airmen were killed and eight others wounded. The surviving protective emplacements for its fighter aircraft are scheduled monuments and have recently been conserved.
Integrated air defence
Image 8: Great Baddow, Essex, Chain Home radar transmitter tower, was previously located at former RAF Canewdon in the southeast of the county where it played a vital role in defending the approaches to London. It is listed Grade II. The detection of aircraft by radar had first been demonstrated in 1935 and by 1940 twenty-one stations were in operation. Source: W D Cocroft.
During the late 1930s, the organisation of RAF Fighter Command was radically restructured to create the world’s first integrated air defence system which was key to the success of the RAF in the Battle.
The scheme drew on lessons learnt from the First World War, with anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, and barrage balloons positioned to defend key areas. Intelligence about enemy raids was gathered by the new technology of coastal early warning radar stations and the diligence of visual observers in the countryside and towns.
Command and control
Image 9: Bentley Priory, Stanmore, Greater London, in the late 18th century the mansion was remodelled by Sir John Soane, listed Grade II*. Part of the building is now open as a museum. © Historic England Archive.
To integrate the flow of information the country was divided geographically into a series of Groups and below these Sectors. The central Headquarters of Fighter Command was established in Bentley Priory. Here, within the mansion, a Filter Room was created to receive information from the radar stations and the Observer Corps, which was then passed to the adjacent Operations Room and to the Group and Sector headquarters.
In the Operations Room, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding was able to monitor and control air operations across the whole country. Just before the battle started, these operations were moved to an underground bunker in the Priory’s grounds.
Image 10: RAF Uxbridge, Greater London, where the intense air operations over southern England were plotted on a large table, presided over by Air Vice-Marshall Keith Park. © Historic England Archive.
RAF Uxbridge was the headquarters of 11 Group, which covered south-eastern England and bore the brunt of responsibility for co-ordinating the RAF’s response to German attacks.
Its proximity to London attracted many high-profile visitors including the King and Queen, the current queen’s parents, and Winston Churchill. When the latter visited on 15 September, he remarked that ‘all of the bulbs glowed red’ on the squadron state boards, indicating that all 11 Group squadrons were engaged in the Battle. The bunker is listed Grade I and is open as a museum.