page_title: Battle of Britain Day
section_title: Commemoration
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Britain Day / Commemoration
caption_attribution_description: English: Battle of Britain Anniversary, 1943 - RAF Parade at Buckingham Palace image: A Royal Air Force anniversary parade taking place directly outside Buckingham Palace. Columns of RAF personnel in blue uniform march from left to right. They are watched by fellow RAF personnel and British soldiers in the foreground and by a mixture of civilians and military personnel standing in front of the palace gates.
context_page_description: Battle of Britain Day is the name given to the large-scale aerial battle that took place on 15 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain.
  In June 1940, the Wehrmacht had conquered most of Western Europe and Scandinavia. At that time, the only major power standing in the way of a German-dominated Europe was the British Empire and the Commonwealth. After having several peace offers rejected by the British, Adolf Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to destroy the RAF in order to gain air superiority or air supremacy as a prelude to launching Operation Sea Lion, an amphibious assault by the Wehrmacht onto the British mainland.
  In July 1940, the Luftwaffe started by closing the English Channel to merchant shipping. In August, Operation Adlerangriff was launched against RAF airfields in southern England. By the first week of September, the Luftwaffe had not gained the results desired by Hitler. Frustrated, the Germans turned towards the strategic bombing of cities, an offensive which was aimed at British military and civil industries, but also civilian morale. The attacks began on 7 September 1940 and reached their daylight climax on 15 September.
context_section_description: Battle of Britain Day is now an annual commemoration of the battle in the United Kingdom, specially commemorated on 15 September. In Canada, the commemoration takes place on the third Sunday of September.
caption: The Battle of Britain anniversary parade at Buckingham Palace in 1943
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