“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few” …. Winston Churchill
Following the evacuation from Dunkirk, Germany had quickly overwhelmed France and Hitler ordered his staff to prepare for the invasion of Britain, key to this plan was air superiority. Germany carried out bombing raids over Britain focusing on the ports and shipping in the Channel, however, from mid-August 1940 these raids intensified and started moving inland attacking airfields and infrastructure – Britain braced itself for the German invasion.
Fought over southern England in the summer and autumn of 1940, The Battle of Britain was the first major battle which took place entirely in the air. Over 3,000 men of the RAF took part, outnumbered by the Luftwaffe, British Hurricanes and Spitfires took to the air, supported by thousands of ground crew, by the end of the Battle 535 aircrew and over 300 ground crew had lost their lives.
