Everything you need to know about the Battle of Britain

Learn everything you need to know about the momentous Battle of Britain with Commonwealth War Graves.

The Battle of Britain

What is the Battle of Britain?

Image: Battle of Britain, Paul Nash (IWM (Art.IWM ART LD 1550))

The Battle of Britain was a battle fought between the air forces of Great Britain and Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

The Battle of Britain took place between July and September 1940, although some debate continues over the official end of the air battle.

German air raids continued over Britain until October, but mid-September is marked as the point when Luftwaffe losses of aircraft, and especially pilots, became unsustainable.

The battle took three distinct phases:

• July-August – Initial attacks on British shipping in the English Channel, as well as strikes on airfields and radar installations across the south coast.
• August-September – Concentrated Luftwaffe attacks on RAF airfields
• September-Onward – Bombing raids on British cities. The final phase of the Battle of Britain overlaps with The Blitz, where German air raids focused more on civilian and industrial targets.

August was an especially hectic month for the Royal Air Force. Its pilots often had to fly multiple sorties a day. 
However, being at home and fighting over familiar territory did give them a major advantage, despite heavy losses of men and aircraft.

Why was the Battle of Britain fought?

The Battle of Britain was fought for two reasons:

• Nazi Germany and dictator Adolf Hitler hoped to force Great Britain into a negotiated peace
• If that failed, they would achieve air superiority over the UK for a potential German invasion (Operation Sealion)

The British fought a defensive air war, although some RAF bombing counterattacks took place on Luftwaffe airfields in Occupied Europe, even striking Berlin itself.

Hitler was convinced that Britain could be defeated solely by German air power, by Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief Herman Göring. Göring had been a fighter pilot in the First World War and was convinced of Germany’s total air supremacy.

Interestingly, the battle was given its iconic name before it had even begun. British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill remarked after the Fall of France that: “The Battle of France is over; the Battle of Britain is about to begin.”

Who took part in the Battle of Britain?

The Battle of Britain was fought between the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe.

RAF Fighter Command is the most famous part of the British air forces that served during the Battle of Britain, but all parts of the RAF were involved. 

Coastal Command and Bomber Command played an important role in supporting the fighter squadrons with counter raids, intelligence gathering, coastal patrols, and so on.

Who won the Battle of Britain?

The Battle of Britain was a British victory. It was the first major defeat suffered by German forces in the war.

Why was the Battle of Britain important?

The Battle of Britain was an important military victory for several reasons:

• It stopped any potential invasion of the United Kingdom by German land forces. The Luftwaffe had failed to achieve air superiority and had lost thousands of men and aircraft
• It was an important morale victory for the Allies. It demonstrated that the feared Nazi War Machine could be outthought, outfought and defeated
• It allowed Britain to stay in the war. This meant Germany would be forced to fight on at least two fronts for the rest of the war. If Britain had been knocked out early, the outcome of the wider war in Europe could have been different. An early invasion of the Soviet Union could have occurred, for example, and US forces would not have been able to use to UK as a base to invade the continent as in D-Day
• It allowed the RAF to refine its defensive networks, training and aircraft even further. As the Battle of Britain demonstrated, control of the skies was as vital as control of the land and sea in this most modern of wars

The world’s first air battle

Image: Spitfires of No. 601 Squadron of Biggin Hill in "Vic" formation, July 1940 (IWM (CH 739))

The Battle of Britain is unique as it was the world’s first major battle to be fought entirely in the air.

How did Britain win the Battle of Britain?

The Luftwaffe held the advantage in manpower and aircraft numbers at the beginning of the air war. However, RAF pilots had a number of advantages, despite being outnumbered.

Firstly, the RAF was operating at home. German aircraft had much further to travel, straining crews and fuel. RAF aircraft could get up and down quicker, with airfields and bases scattered across the south and east coast of England. 

Because they were flying at their operational limits, German bombers like the HE-111 and Junkers JU-88 could not carry heavy enough bomb loads to cause truly catastrophic damage. The Messerschmitt Bf109 fighters, while a match for the RAF’s Hurricanes and Spitfires, lacked the fuel loads needed for sustained combat, limiting their effectiveness.

The RAF also had the benefit of the world’s first integrated air defence system. The Dowding System, named after its initiator Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, used technology, processes, and people to coordinate aerial attacks.

Developments in radar, and the work of groundcrews to relay all the info to the pilots, essentially meant the Brits had a good idea of where and when an attack would take place, and how many enemy aircraft to expect.

The Luftwaffe had never seen anything like this; no enemy air force had. Despite their best efforts, the German pilots were never really able to outthink the Dowding System.

When Germany's strategy shifted in September to target civilian centres, this gave RAF airfields a respite. Supplied by aircraft factories in the north, fresh aircraft were reaching bases, although the real problem was pilot attrition. Replacing planes is easy; replacing men was a lot harder for both sides.

On September 15 1940, the Germans launched two massive air raids over the south coast. Considered something of a last gamble for the Luftwaffe, the attacks were repulsed. 

Two days later, Hitler and the German high command postponed their invasion plans. While fighting would continue for weeks, the Battle of Britain had essentially been won.

How many people were killed in the Battle of Britain?

544 RAF pilots were killed in action during the Battle of Britain. Coastal Command lost 280airmen killed, while Bomber Command sustained the heaviest losses at 718 airmen. The RAF Roll of Honour states 312 groundcrew were killed as a result of enemy action.

German losses are estimated at more than 2,500 killed in action.

More than 23,000 civilians were killed in bombing raids during the Battle of Britain, presaging the widespread loss of civilian life Britain suffered in the Blitz.

Pilots of the Battle of Britain

How many RAF pilots flew in the Battle of Britain?

Image: Pilots of 'B' Flight, No.32 Squadron relax in front of their Hurricane fighter planes (IWM (HU 54418))

Nearly 3,000 pilots participated in the Battle of Britain.

The majority were members of RAF Fighter Command. At the hands of famous fighter aircraft like the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire, they engaged enemy bomber fleets and escort fighters in a defensive war over southern England.

Often, these young men had their training fast-tracked as Fighter Command struggled to replace losses.
Together, the pilots of the Battle of Britain have become known as “The Few”. The nickname stems from a famous Churchill quote, taken from an address given to Parliament on 30 August 1940 at the height of the air battle:

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”

An international effort

Did you know nearly 575 RAF Battle of Britain pilots came from outside the United Kingdom?

Airmen came from across the British Empire to serve in the RAF, including Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, and South Africans. Jamaica, Barbados, Newfoundland and Southern and Northern Rhodesia were also represented.

Many airmen from outside the RAF volunteered for service, too. Occupied Europe provided many trained pilots and airmen who had made their way to Britain following Nazi invasions of their homelands.

Free French, Belgians, Poles and Czechoslovaks all served with distinction. In fact, two Polish and two Czechoslovak squadrons were assembled and played a significant role in defending Britain.

Elsewhere, pilots from the United States and Republic of Ireland took the skies in RAF planes to defend the UK. The last Battle of Britain veteran pilot to die, John “Paddy” Hemmingway, who passed in March 2025 aged 105, was born in Dublin, for instance.

The Many

Image: RAF groundcrew work hard to refuel and rearm a Hawker Hurricane (IWM (HU 54515))

We cannot speak of “The Few” without mentioning “The Many”.

Hundreds of thousands of ground crew and support staff supported the airmen. Riggers, armourers, mechanics, and technicians of all sorts ensured the aircraft stayed in top condition or were repaired as quickly as possible.

The Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAFs) played a huge role in the battle, too. Its members worked as radar and wireless operators, plotters, codebreakers and intelligence operatives on the ground, meshing into the Dowding System and generally providing important ground support for the boys in the sky.

The Observer Corps tracked incoming raids. Its tens of thousands of volunteers ensured that the 1,000 observation posts were continuously manned. Elsewhere, anti-aircraft gunners, searchlight operators, and barrage balloon crews added to Britain’s air defence.

Let’s not forget the factory workers. Across the UK, workers toiled in factories to build the aircraft and munitions needed to fend off the Luftwaffe. Their role became all the more crucial as aircraft losses began to mount in August.

Stories from the Battle of Britain

Flight Lieutenant William Ernest Gore

Image: Flight Lieutenant William Gore

William was born on 21 July 1915 in Middlesbrough, the eldest son of George Ernest and Edith Gore of Stockton-on-Tess. William attended Red House School in Norton Green and then Durham University, where he took a Bachelor of Science degree. After university, he was employed as an electrical engineer at a research firm in Hebburn-on-Tyne.

In 1934, aged 18, he joined the Auxiliary Air Force and was attached to the Auxiliary Air Force Squadron No. 607 ‘County of Durham’. He was awarded his wings in May 1935 and promoted to Flying Officer later that year. With war on the horizon, he was called to full-time service in August 1939, and in November, he flew to France with his squadron as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).

While flying in France, he shot down several German aircraft on 10-12 May 1940, until he was hit and crashed in flames. He was hospitalised with burns.

He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, with the citation:

“Flying Officer William Ernest GORE (90279). This officer, whilst leading his section in May 1940, on a dawn patrol, intercepted a formation of three enemy Heinkel aircraft. Due to his good leadership, a determined attack was delivered, with the result that all three enemy aircraft were shot down.

“Flying Officer Gore's aircraft burst into flames immediately after the attack, but in spite of this, he escaped successfully by parachute. This officer has, for a long period, shown great keenness and devotion to duty, deserving of the greatest praise.”

He recovered from his injuries to fly again by August 1940, joining the Battle of Britain, first with 54 Squadron and then back with 607 in September. On 28 September, his Hurricane was shot down during aerial combat over the Channel, east of Selsey. His body was never recovered. He is commemorated by name on the  Runnymede Memorial.

Pilot Officer Jacques Arthur Laurent Philippart

Image: Pilot Officer Jacques Philippart 

Jacques Arthur Laurent Philippart was born at Mont-St-Guibert, Belgium, on 11 January 1909. 

He was a university student when his burgeoning interest in aviation saw him abandon his degree after two years of studying to join the Belgian Air Force in 1932.

A gifted airman, Jacques was appointed a Sergeant pilot and showed absolute mastery of his aircraft. He participated in an aerobatics contest in Switzerland in 1937, with his team placing second. Jacques was also selected to escort the aircraft carrying King Leopold III to the baptism of Princess Beatrice of Holland.

Philippart was back in Belgium for the German attack on 10th May 1940 and flew some operational sorties before the remaining Belgian forces withdrew to France.

With the fall of France, Jacques escaped to England with other airmen aboard the Dutch ship Queen Emma departing from Bayonne. He arrived at Plymouth on 23 June 1940.

On 7 July, Philippart went to 7 OTU Hawarden, converted to Hurricanes and joined 213 Squadron at Exeter on the 23rd, becoming one of the 574 non-Commonwealth airmen to participate in the Battle of Britain.

Jacques scored his first aerial victory on 11 August 1940, shooting down a Junkers Ju88 bomber. He shot down three Messerschmitt Me109 fighter planes and an Me110 on the 15th and a further Ju88 on 22 August.
With these six victories, Jacques became Belgium’s first fighter ace of the Second World War (a fighter ace is a pilot with five confirmed victories).

Sadly, Jacques was killed in action on 25 August 1940. His Hurricane was shot down by Hauptmann Mayer of I/JG53 above Portland. 

Jacques bailed out but was killed. His body was ashore three days later. He was 31 years old.

Jacques was initially buried in Exeter Cemetery but was moved to the Brussels Town Cemetery Belgian Airmen’s Field of Honour on 20 October 1949, where he rests to this day.

Civilian Mary Cremin

Image: Mary Cremin, centre

Mary Cremin was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1926.

At the time of the Second World War, Mary was working in the NAAFI (Navy, Army, & Airforce Institute). The NAAFI supplied entertainment facilities, canteens, and shops for service people at home and abroad.

During the Battle of Britain, RAF airfields and bases were regularly targeted by the Luftwaffe to cause as much damage as possible to planes and equipment.

One of these raids took place on 30 August 1940 at Biggin Hill in Greater London. The raid that day was particularly devastating with 9 German aircraft causing huge damage, resulting in the death of 39 people.

Mary, who was known as Trixie on the base, had been working in the airfield's stores when the raid began. She ran back to pick up some cigarettes for "the boys" and was killed, aged 24.

She is buried in Orpington Cemetery, Kent.

The names of 68,000 men, women, and children are recorded in the Civilian Roll of Honour, commemorating those non-military personnel of the Commonwealth killed as a result of enemy action in the Second World War.

Commemorating the Battle of Britain

Image: The Runnymede Air Forces Memorial

Across the UK, foreign pilots’ war graves and headstones are lovingly cared for alongside their British comrades’ final resting places. In CWGC cemeteries and memorials, they rest, whether that is on one of our purpose-built sites or in local churchyards and cemeteries. 

Here are some of the major points of commemoration for the Battle of Britain.

The Battle of Britain Memorial

The Battle of Britain Memorial can be found in Folkestone, Kent. Run by the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, the memorial rests atop a cliff edge overlooking the English Channel and with a panoramic view of the skies once filled with Spitfires and Hurricanes.

At the memorial is a wall that lists every airman to have flown at least one sortie during the Battle of Britain, as well as The Scramble Experience, which uses audio-visual effects to give a taste of what the pilots of the Battle of Britain would have experienced.

Runnymede Air Forces Memorial

On a clear summer day, if you stand at the top of the tower at Runnymede Air Forces Memorial, on Coopers Hill in Surrey, you’ll have views stretching from the lush greenery and the river Thames, towards London and Heathrow airport.

The war memorial itself commemorates men and women who served in the RAF across the Second World War, bearing the names of those who went to war and never returned. One such example is Squadron Leader Brian Lane, who flew throughout the Battle of Britain while serving in 19 Squadron. Squadron Leader Lane died in 1942 over the Dutch coast and is commemorated on Panel 65 at Runnymede Memorial.

RAF Chapel at Westminster Abbey

At Westminster Abbey, you’ll find the RAF Chapel and stained-glass Battle of Britain Memorial Window.

Unveiled in 1947, the memorial window is designed to pay tribute to those who flew in the Battle of Britain as well as the ground crew and other support staff who contributed to the victory.

It includes the flags of the nations represented during the battle, as well as the badge of the Fleet Air Arm and the RAF crest and motto: “Per Ardua ad Astra”.

Also situated in Westminster Abbey is the Battle of Britain Roll of Honour, which contains the names of 1,497 pilots and aircrew killed or mortally wounded during the Battle.

Battle of Britain Day

In the UK, Battle of Britain Day is marked each year on September 15.

This was the day when, in 1940, the Luftwaffe launched two major attacks across England, hoping to deliver the knockout blow to the RAF. The German attacks were repulsed, and it soon became clear to the German high command that their losses could not be sustained.

Since then, September 15 has become a symbolic date, reminding us of when Britain won the Battle of Britain.

Got a story from the Battle of Britain? Share it on For Evermore

For Evermore: Stories of the Fallen is our online resource for sharing the memories of the Commonwealth’s war dead.

It’s open to the public to share their family histories and the tales of the service people commemorated by Commonwealth War Graves so that we may preserve their legacies beyond just a name on a headstone or a memorial.

If you have a story to tell from the Battle of Britain, we’d love to hear it! Head to For Evermore: Stories of the Fallen to upload and share it for all the world to see.