It would be called the “Spitfire Summer’’, as, 70 years ago, high in the blue skies over the south coast the unmistakable, throaty roar of Merlin engines was heard time and time again as Britain fought off the forces of an evil aggressor.

Although the summer sun shone brightly during 1940, these were Britain’s darkest of times, but sheer guts, raw courage, and a stubborn determination transformed the unprecedented crisis into the nation’s “finest hour’’.

Seven decades ago Britain stood isolated and alone, its Army was still recovering from the shock of Dunkirk, aircraft production and munitions manufacturing had yet to step up its pace, and across the country people were unsure of what the future held.

Earlier in May, 1940, Nazi Germany began a massive attack against Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Defending those countries were soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force along with the French, Belgian, and Dutch armies.

The Germans relied on an aggressive battle plan, utilising modern communications such as radio to direct troops in the field. As a result, the German Blitzkrieg – lightning attack – caught the Allies off-guard and soon 338,000 British and French soldiers were hurriedly evacuated from Dunkirk by Royal Navy ships and a flotilla of civilian boats of every shape and size.

After just a few weeks of battle, Hitler’s armies had conquered Holland, Luxembourg and Belgium. Paris fell on June 14, and three days later, the French requested an armistice.

Britain now stood alone British Prime Minister Winston Churchill spoke to the House of Commons about the disastrous turn of events in Europe amid the stark realisation that Britain now stood alone against the seemingly unstoppable might of Hitler’s military machine.

Churchill told the nation: “Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’ Hermann Goering, the head of the German air force, was trying to wipe out the Royal Air Force and clear the way for Hitler’s troops to take over Britain. However, the country refused to buckle, the invasion never came and Germany turned its attention to Russia.

Southampton played a key role in the Battle of Britain as it was here the Spitfire, that ageless icon of grace and power, which went on to symbolise the spirit of freedom, which Britain fought so hard to maintain throughout the Second World War, was first designed, built and flown.

Over the coming weeks, the Daily Echo will salute the bravery of our armed services, and, the courage of local families, who, for the first time, were thrown into the front-line of the Second World War.

Hampshire Heritage will be publishing a series of special features, personal recollections, and vintage photographs, retelling the stories of both the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

There will be accounts of remarkable survival, heroic stories of unbelievable personal courage, the super-human efforts needed to “Keep calm, and carry on’’ against mounting odds, and the dogged determination, which boosted the spirits as local communities quite literally fell to the ground in pieces.

Hampshire Heritage will highlight aspects of everyday life in the most difficult of circumstances, the films shown at the cinema, names of bands playing in the dance halls, and pure nostalgia from the columns of the Daily Echo, as it continued the vital service of reporting the news, despite the destruction of its offices during the Blitz.

Although a great number of stories have been compiled from the newspaper’s archives, Hampshire Heritage would like to hear from readers who lived through those troubled, terrible times. Tell us about your memories of gazing into the sky watching the aerial ballet of the Battle of Britain dogfights, the long hours working to maintain the production of Spitfires, and the “never say die’’ attitude of family, friends, and neighbours.