Valiant Response by Robert Taylor. (B)

The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the distance, a group of Hurricanes rip through a dense formation of Do17s from KG76 as they struggle back to France. What clouds there are will be unlikely to give much sanctuary and, for the onlookers on the ground far below, the skies will soon be filled with weaving trails of smoke and debris. For nearly a week the Luftwaffe had thrown everything they had into the attack on southern England in order to annihilate RAF Fighter Command, in preparation for Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain. And, heavily outnumbered, the young RAF Spitfire and Hurricane pilots of Fighter Command had so far repelled them, at a cost. But on Sunday 18 August 1940, the Germans launched the heaviest formations of aircraft seen in the battle so far. This was to be a grinding day of relentless assaults on the airfields of southern England, the hardest day of the Battle of Britain.

Signed by :
Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones (deceased),
Squadron Leader Doug Nicholls DFC (deceased),
Flying Officer Ken Wilkinson,
Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Bent,
Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC (deceased),
Flight Lieutenant William J. Corbin DFC (deceased),
Wing Commander John Elkington,
Flight Lieutenant Trevor Gray,
Squadron Leader Keith Lawrence DFC,
Flight Lieutenant Robin M M D Lucas,
Oberleutnant Gunther Seeger
and
General Johannes Steinhoff (deceased).

Anniversary edition of 350 prints.

Paper size 33 inches x 25 inches (84cm x 64cm) Image size 26.5 inches x 17.5 inches (67cm x 44cm)