Battle of Britain

When France was overrun, Adolf Hitler cast his eyes across the English Channel and set his sights on Britain.

• Although he never had an appetite for war with Britain, he now saw it as the next jewel in his crown.

• A peace offer made to Britain in July 1940 was rebuffed. Hitler made up his mind to invade and began gathering the necessary invasion forces in the newly acquired Channel ports of Holland, Belgium and France.

• Yet while the Germans were veterans of waging attacking wars on land, they had never tackled the sea before.

• The Luftwaffe had a 3:1 numerical superiority against the RAF. German pilots were experienced, having flow missions throughout the Spanish Civil War.

• The targets were Britain’s lifeline convoys as they reached home waters and the coastal ports, most notably Portsmouth and Dover.

• Britain’s aerial defences were divided into four groups. Fighter Command 10 Group covered south west England, Fighter Command 11 Group oversaw the south east including London, Fighter Command 12 Group patrolled the airspace over the Midlands, while Fighter Command 13 Group was based in northern England and Scotland.

• British aircraft reserves were tiny. Yet it was the loss of experienced pilots either by death or injury that began to concern them.

• In the middle of August, Goring opened phase two of the Battle of Britain. His target now was RAF fighter Command itself. Daily attacks were made on the airfields of southern England.

• Britain’s radar system, the most advanced in the world, gave early warning after seeing incoming formations of enemy bombers.

• German bombers were at a disadvantage against the nimble Spitfires. The RAF airmen were pleased to hear that German air force losses were running at three or four times their own.

• Stage three of the Battle of Britain was sparked in part by accident. On 23 August a German pilot ditched his bombs over London, not to cause mayhem in the capital but rather to speed his...