Battle of Britain won date

[Shikhov]

Hello Gentlements!
Let me know when british peoples were advised about Battle of Britain has won? I mean newspapers or broadcasting. Beginnig date of intensified air attacks were common for Britain anf Germany - August 8. And later historians supposed Preliminary Phase and so on. I sure that in time british thinks Battle start since Aug.08 as newspapers wrote. But I don't sure that Nov.01 or 02, 1940 british newspapers or BBC claims Victory or smth like that.
I can only supposed victory date appeared in Air Ministry Study dated 1941.
Best regards.

[SMF144]

At the time it wasn't announced because no one really knew until things had settled down to allow a bit of time to reflect on what had just happened. I know October 31, 1940 is the official "victory" date.

I hope this helps?

Stephen

[Brian]

Hi guys

The 'official' start of the Battle of Britain was 10 July 1940, with the 'official' end being, as Stephen says, 31 October 1940. However, historians differ regarding both the start date and end date, including me!

Cheers
Brian

[Jon]

The Battle was won at the end of October, this was the last realistic time for an Invasion to be launched when the weather would not have been a major problem for the German army at sea in low draft barges. As we all know the air war carried on with RAF and Luftwaffe losses every day over Britain and the sea.
I just think Britain then thought of the air battle as a part of all what had happened before, France dunkirk etc...just an extension to this.
The leaders on both sides realised that if it did not happen in 1940 then an invasion was off as, by the summer of 1941 Britain would be and was ready to decimate any attempt at sea.

[Nick Beale]

15 September 1940 was publicly acclaimed as a great victory with claims of 185 German aircraft shot down and undoubtedly there came a point when the British leadership realised that the danger of invasion had passed but was there any date when the public was told that Britain had won the campaign?

I think that the end of October is too late a date to set for the last chance of a sea invasion - in 1588 the Spanish Armada hit terrible weather during August. It was not simply a matter of the Germans making one crossing to get troops ashore - you might manage that any time of year - those troops then had to be supplied and reinforced, so an extended period of calm weather was needed. Also, the longer the nights got, the more vulnerable that traffic would be to the Royal Navy during the hours of darkness

Finally, I recommend anyone interested in this question to try a sea crossing of the Channel with all around you throwing up. Then see if you feel like invading anything!

[Graham Boak]

If you are looking for a public recognition date, then I suggest March 1941, when the Air Ministry published a small booklet entitled "The Battle of Britain", written by Hilary St. George Saunders, later the co-author of the official history of the RAF in WW2.

[Jon]

On a slightly different note, some historians now feel that the Luftwaffe had acheived air superiority during the first week of September that lasted for about 6 days, enough to have started an invasion? we will never know.

[Graham Boak]

Which historians are these? I don't think that they can have a good grasp of what is meant by "air superiority" - perhaps a study of some of the published doctrinal works is recommended? Successes the Luftwaffe did achieve in the period fell short of preventing the RAF from interfering.

As the invasion fleet was not ready in the Channel ports at this time, the matter becomes irrelevant anyway.

[SMF144]

More importantly, where's the proof or source of this claim?

Please provide all the details, Jon.

Thanks.
Stephen

[Jon]

Hi Stephen and Graham,
I am just quoting what i have read on several occasions, i am not convinced myself and have not done any research other than looking at the battles at the start of September. The Luftwaffe by then and for a short period of a few days did look to have the edge in any encounters with the RAF. Fighter Command was at full stretch, the Luftwaffe was still attacking in force and importantly the BF109's were having a good period against the Hurricanes and Spitfires. I am not sure that the RAF could have much influence over the Channel when the 109's operated in force and some of the stop gap measures the RAF had prepared were as they sound stop gap. Air Superiority to me means the ability to prevent a bomber force of doing any great damage, fighters other than carrying a bomb could do little, hence the RAF largely ignoring the late Battle of Britain Jabo attacks by 109's. RAF bombers over the channel would have been at the mercy of 110's and 109's operating well within range and able to spend time over the fleet. Do not get me wrong i am not asking for history to be re written and as a proud Englishman i am sure the Invasion would have been stopped but the start of September was a difficult period. Hitler fortunatley i think had his eyes turned East when the last British and French boot left Dunkirk.... Interesting stuff.