1940: The Second World War In the Air In Photographs

Nazi Germany conquered Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, Luxemburg and France, all involving heavy use of air power, either transporting troops or closely supporting the armoured forces on the ground. Later the RAF Fighter Command would defend Britain against the Luftwaffe's drive for air superiority over the English Channel and in the autumn the Blitz against London and other British cities. The first civilian death in an air raid on Britain in the Second World War came in March 1940, when a man was killed in an attack on the Scapa Flow Naval Base in Orkney. The RAF retaliated with a raid by 50 bombers on the German seaplane base very close to the German border with Denmark at Hornum. Events really began to move in April when Hitler fixed the date of the German invasion of Denmark and Norway. One side effect of note was the occupation by British troops of Iceland on 10th May. On 30th April, believing that the Scandinavian campaign was over, Hitler ordered his generals to make their final preparations for the attack against Western Europe, and on 10th May, the assault began. What followed was the Luftwaffe's infamous bombing of Rotterdam on 14th May. The RAF adapted quickly although the Westland Lysanders proved inadequate and were withdrawn almost immediately following the German offensive. Only two of nine Blenheims returned from a mission on 12th May. The RAF deployed Hawker Hurricanes to France with the BEF, but not Spitfires, so the first the Germans would see of the Spitfire was over the beaches of Dunkirk. On 7th September almost 350 German bombers escorted by more than 600 fighters were easily able to find their targets in the London Docks and many ships were sunk and warehouses full of inflammable stores set alight. From that night until mid-November an average of 160 aircraft attacked London every night except when the weather was bad. While the Blitz in London was still raging, the war in the Mediterranean was starting to gain momentum as Mussolini ordered Italian forces to invade Greece from Albania. The Greek leader accepted the offer of RAF squadrons. These events are told in this photographic compendium of 128 pages in large softback, captioned. Some colour.