Battle of Britain
July 2020 marked the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain - a four month airborne campaign vital to the defence of this country from attack and invasion by German forces.
The average RAF pilot was just 20 years of age and outnumbered 4:1 by Hitler's Luftwaffe. Survival rates were low - 544 RAF Command pilots were killed, together with 1000 from other Allied commands. 2500 German air crew were killed in action. Many of those pilots and crew who survived crashes suffered terrible burns and lifelong trauma.
Despite the odds, the Allies triumphed thanks to through a combination of extraordinary courage, determination and technological advances such as radar. The men and women who played such a key role in the defence of Britain deserve to be remembered, for as Prime Minster Winston Churchill said:
"Never was so much owed by so many to so few."
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Battle of Britain: Online displays
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Battle of Britain ( RAF Museum ) |
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Battle of Britain: Word and Pictures
Click on the links below to view film and hear descriptions and memories of the battle.
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AUDIO: |
PILOT REMINISCENCES: |
FILM: What was the Battle of Britain Battle of Britain colour footage |
Battle of Britain : Activities
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Cut-out & colour Spitfire instructions
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Share Your Memories:
Please help us to honour the memory of those who sacrificed so much - if you have family stories or memorabilia linked to the Battle of Britain, we would love to hear from you.
You can email Merton Heritage Service at: local.studies@merton.gov.uk or write to:
Merton Heritage Centre, Merton Civic Centre, London Rd. Morden. SM4 5DX
Related material:
For more heritage resources, including material on World War II, visit our History Pages & Activities section.