Written by John Richards - Sales Consultant
The Battle of Britain in 1940 was a time in England when all hope seemed lost. The forces of the Nazi Third Reich had delivered a devastating defeat to the British forces at Dunkirk.
Nazi forces had now stopped their advance towards England at the shores of France, giving the Allies, in particular the British, time they needed to regroup and prepare for what was to come. Hitler and the Head of the German Air Force, Reich Marshal Hermann Göring, had expressed their desire to “flatten London” as a precursor to their invasion of Britain.
Eyes on the skies: Observer Corps volunteer keeps an eye out for German aircraft
The British had a secret weapon at the time which was “Radar,” however this new battlefield technology was captured by the Germans after the allied retreat at Dunkirk. Alongside “Radar,” they had the “Observer Corps,” a dedicated regiment of older soldiers that had fought in World War I, now serving as the eyes and ears of the British RAF (Royal Air Force). They would pass on information to the Strategic Commands of the different fighter groups along the British coastline.
The Fighter Command of the RAF was commanded by Chief Air Marshal H.T.C. Dowding, the main person responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom against his German counterpart, Göring and his Luftwaffe (Germany’s Air Force).
As the odds were stacked heavily against the British, not even the Americans believed they could survive. The British Fighter Command had only 650 aircraft at their disposal against the Germans' 2500 aircraft. Their flight crews also came from different corners of the world, but this presented the Allies with a major language barrier problem.
The battles raged over the skies of London and the surrounding countryside. The British using their now famous and decidedly formidable Spitfire MK2, MK3, MK4, and Hurricanes. The Luftwaffe’s main force was made up of their ME109, ME110, as well as their fighter bomber, the Heinkel.
Many souls were lost on both sides, many legends were created, and the determination of the British under the leadership of Sir Winston Churchill was undeniable. These legends are commemorated in many different ways, but by far the most elegant and beautiful has been through timeless and unique coin sets. We at the South African Gold Coin Exchange are fortunate enough to have access to these coins sets, and you can too.
Once the Battle of Britain had been won and the invasion thwarted, Prime Minister Winston Churchill said these famous words: “Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”