Battle of Britain Timeline

(10 July 1940 – 31 October 1940)

The Battle of Britain was the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces, taking place over the skies of southern England in 1940. The Royal Air Force defended the United Kingdom against sustained attacks by Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe, ultimately preventing Hitler's planned invasion of Britain (Operation Sea Lion) and marking Germany's first major defeat of World War II. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Lead-up to Battle

Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany

Jan 30, 1933

Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, beginning the Nazi regime that would rearm Germany and pursue aggressive expansion in Europe, setting the stage for the confrontation with Britain.

Image source: Adolf Hitler's rise to power

Germany invades Poland

Sep 1, 1939

German forces invaded Poland using blitzkrieg tactics, prompting Britain and France to declare war on Germany on September 3, 1939, beginning World War II in Europe.

Image source: Invasion of Poland

Dunkirk evacuation (Operation Dynamo)

May 26, 1940 - Jun 4, 1940

Over 330,000 British and Allied troops were rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk by a flotilla of naval vessels and civilian boats. Though a military defeat, the evacuation preserved the army that would defend Britain, while the RAF fought costly air battles over the beaches.

Image source: Dunkirk evacuation

France signs armistice with Germany

Jun 22, 1940

France capitulated to Nazi Germany, leaving Britain alone to face the Axis powers in Western Europe and making the German conquest of Britain Hitler's next objective.

Image source: Armistice of 22 June 1940

Hitler issues Directive 16 for Operation Sea Lion

Jul 16, 1940

Hitler issued Führer Directive No. 16 ordering preparations for a landing operation against England, contingent upon the Luftwaffe achieving air superiority over the English Channel and southern England.

Image source: Operation Sea Lion

Hitler issues Directive 16 for Operation Sea Lion

Key Figures

Hugh Dowding commands RAF Fighter Command

Jul 1936 - Nov 25, 1940

Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding built and directed Fighter Command's integrated air defense system. His refusal to commit reserves prematurely and his management of pilot rotation were vital to victory, though he was sidelined shortly after the battle.

Image source: Hugh Dowding

Keith Park leads No. 11 Group in southeast England

Apr 20, 1940

Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park commanded the group bearing the brunt of Luftwaffe assaults. His tactical judgment in deploying squadrons against incoming raids was crucial to defeating the German offensive over London and the southeast.

Image source: Keith Park

Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister

May 10, 1940

Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on the same day Germany launched its invasion of France and the Low Countries. His defiant leadership would define Britain's resistance during the Battle of Britain.

Image source: Winston Churchill

Churchill delivers 'finest hour' speech

Jun 18, 1940

Following the fall of France, Churchill told the House of Commons that the 'Battle of Britain' was about to begin and declared that if Britain endured, 'the New World... would step forth to the rescue and the liberation of the Old.'

Polish pilots join RAF fighter squadrons

Aug 2, 1940

Exiled Polish airmen, including the celebrated No. 303 Squadron, joined the fight and became some of the most successful pilots of the battle, scoring a disproportionate share of kills despite initial language barriers.

Image source: No. 303 Squadron RAF

'Never was so much owed by so many to so few' speech

Aug 20, 1940

At the height of the air fighting, Churchill honored RAF pilots in the House of Commons with the immortal phrase 'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few,' cementing the airmen's place in national memory.

Image source: Never was so much owed by so many to so few

Air Campaign

Battle of Britain begins with Channel attacks

Jul 10, 1940 - Aug 12, 1940

The opening phase of the battle saw the Luftwaffe attack convoys in the English Channel and southern ports, probing RAF defenses and drawing Fighter Command into combat as Germany sought control of the skies.

Spitfire and Hurricane fighters defend British skies

Jul 10, 1940 - Oct 31, 1940

The Hawker Hurricane formed the backbone of Fighter Command, accounting for the majority of kills, while the Supermarine Spitfire engaged German fighters. Together they outmatched the Messerschmitt Bf 109's endurance over Britain.

Image source: Supermarine Spitfire

Chain Home radar network detects incoming raids

Jul 10, 1940 - Oct 31, 1940

Britain's Chain Home radar stations, combined with the Dowding System's filter rooms and observer corps, gave Fighter Command early warning of raids, allowing scarce fighters to be positioned efficiently instead of standing constant patrol.

Image source: Chain Home

Hermann Göring launches Adlerangriff offensive

Aug 13, 1940

Luftwaffe commander Hermann Göring unleashed 'Eagle Attack' (Adlerangriff), a major offensive targeting RAF airfields, radar stations, and aircraft factories across southern England, aiming to destroy Fighter Command before an invasion.

Image source: Kanalkampf

The Hardest Day: massive air battles over Britain

Aug 18, 1940

One of the largest aerial engagements of the battle saw intense fighting over airfields including Kenley and Biggin Hill, with heavy losses on both sides. The day demonstrated the strain on both the RAF and the Luftwaffe.

Image source: The Hardest Day

The Hardest Day: massive air battles over Britain

Luftwaffe shifts attacks to RAF airfields

Aug 24, 1940 - Sep 6, 1940

Göring concentrated attacks on Fighter Command's sector airfields such as Manston, Hornchurch, and Biggin Hill, bringing the RAF close to exhaustion as pilots, aircraft, and infrastructure suffered severe attrition.

RAF bombs Berlin for first time

Aug 25, 1940

In retaliation for bombs dropped on London, RAF bombers attacked Berlin, infuriating Hitler and prompting German reprisals against British cities that would alter the course of the battle.

Image source: Bombing of Berlin in World War II

Biggin Hill airfield suffers devastating raids

Aug 30, 1940 - Sep 1, 1940

The vital sector station of Biggin Hill was repeatedly bombed, destroying hangars, workshops, and operations rooms and killing dozens of personnel, exemplifying the punishment inflicted on Fighter Command's airfields.

Image source: London Biggin Hill Airport

Luftwaffe targets aircraft factories at Spitfire plants

Sep 4, 1940

German raids struck the Vickers-Armstrongs Supermarine works at Woolston and other factories producing Hurricanes and Spitfires. Dispersed production allowed output to recover quickly, sustaining Fighter Command through the battle.

Image source: Supermarine

First mass daylight raid on London

Sep 7, 1940

Around 350 German bombers escorted by fighters struck London's docks and East End, killing hundreds of civilians. The switch from airfield attacks to city bombing gave Fighter Command's battered squadrons critical respite.

Image source: The Blitz

Battle of Britain Day: largest Luftwaffe raid repulsed

Sep 15, 1940

The Luftwaffe mounted its largest daylight attack on London, but RAF fighters intercepted in force, inflicting heavy losses and shattering German belief in imminent air superiority. September 15 is commemorated as Battle of Britain Day.

Image source: Battle of Britain Day

Hitler postpones Operation Sea Lion indefinitely

Sep 17, 1940

Having failed to achieve air superiority, Hitler postponed the invasion of Britain until further notice, effectively conceding that the aerial campaign could not deliver the precondition for a cross-Channel assault.

Italian Air Corps joins Luftwaffe operations

Oct 25, 1940

Italy dispatched the Corpo Aereo Italiano to assist Germany, participating in raids over England. The force contributed little militarily and suffered losses, underscoring the Luftwaffe's diminishing prospects late in the campaign.

Image source: Corpo Aereo Italiano

Aftermath & Legacy

The Blitz begins sustained night bombing of Britain

Sep 7, 1940 - May 11, 1941

With daytime raids too costly, the Luftwaffe turned to night bombing of London and other cities. The Blitz killed over 40,000 civilians but failed to break British morale or industry, and ended as German resources shifted eastward.

Battle of Britain officially ends

Oct 31, 1940

Daylight raids dwindled as weather worsened and German attention shifted toward the planned invasion of the Soviet Union. October 31, 1940 is conventionally cited as the end of the Battle of Britain, a decisive British victory.

Churchill honors the Few after the battle

Nov 1940

The roughly 3,000 RAF aircrew who flew in the battle became known as 'The Few.' Of them, around 544 lost their lives during the campaign, and their sacrifice became central to Britain's wartime identity.

Image source: The Few

Capel-le-Ferne memorial opens on Dover cliffs

Jul 9, 1993

The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust opened a national memorial at Capel-le-Ferne near Folkestone, overlooking the Channel where much of the fighting occurred, honoring those who defended Britain's skies.

Image source: Battle of Britain Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne

Battle of Britain Monument unveiled in London

Sep 18, 2005

A monument on Victoria Embankment in London was dedicated, listing the names of nearly 3,000 Allied aircrew who took part in the battle, commemorating their role in preventing a German invasion.

Image source: Battle of Britain Monument, London

Key Facts

The Battle of Britain lasted from 10 July to 31 October 1940 and was the first campaign in history fought exclusively by air forces.
The RAF's victory relied heavily on radar technology, the Dowding System, which allowed early detection and efficient interception of German raids.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill immortalized the battle with the phrase 'Never was so much owed by so many to so few,' honoring the RAF pilots known as 'The Few.'
A turning point occurred on 15 September 1940, now celebrated as Battle of Britain Day, when the Luftwaffe suffered heavy losses in its largest daylight attack on London.
The German failure to gain air superiority forced Hitler to postpone Operation Sea Lion indefinitely, making it Germany's first major setback of World War II.

Source

This Battle of Britain timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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