History of the Battle of Britain

"NEVER IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN CONFLICT WAS SO MUCH OWED BY SO MANY TO SO FEW."
Winston Churchill, 20 August 1940

In June 1940 the forces of the Third Reich stood poised to invade the British Isles. Conquerors of France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Luxembourg, only Britain stood between Hitler and total domination of Western Europe.

Before an invasion could be launched it was necessary for the German Luftwaffe to gain control of the skies over the Channel, London and southern England. The Luftwaffe were combat hardened following bombing campaigns in Spain, France, Poland and the Low countries compared with the allied pilots who lacked experience and were greatly out-numbered.

The pilots of the fledgling RAF Fighter Command fought bravely and tenaciously eventually overcoming the Luftwaffe and causing the Germans to postpone and eventually cancel their invasion plans.

Of the 2,936 British, European and Commonwealth airmen, 544 lost their lives during the battle and a further 795 did not live to see the final victory in 1945.

The Battle took place in the period between 10th July and 31st October 1940.

It is in honour of the spirit and sacrifice of "the Few" as they are immortalised that this monument will be erected.

See the Battle of Britain Historical Society site for more details on the Battle itself.

Why the Battle was so important - read about the German Plans for the British population should they have won the Battle