Biggin Hill is the most famous fighter station in the world, an iconic airbase renowned for its pivotal role in the Battle of Britain. ‘The Heroes of Biggin Hill’ is the fourth part in a season of programming around the ‘Spirit of 1940’ that Yesterday has commissioned to celebrate the bravery and courage that went on during this momentous year. This fascinating documentary tells the story of the battle that the daring fighter pilots fought with the support of the whole community.

To commemorate the 94th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, the Historial de la Grande Guerre in Péronne has opened a new exhibition on gas and chemical warfare. Britain at War Magazine’s John Grehan reports.

The Battle of the Somme, the first day of which, on 1 July 1916, was the most destructive day’s fighting in British History, has come to exemplify the futility and horror of the First World War on the Western Front and one of the most horrifying aspects of that conflict was the use of gas.

This new exhibition, Gas! Gas! Gas!, which runs from 29 June to 28 November 2010, is set in the museum at Péronne which itself is housed in the town’s impressive Castle. The display has its own exhibition space which, unlike the rest of this light and spacious museum, is dark and atmospheric.

A new iPhone / iPad app The World Cup In An Hour has been published. It summarises the history of the FIFA World Cup in just sixty minutes of reading.

As you watch the World Cup this year read the compelling stories of World Cups gone by, from the start in 1930 to today. It takes just one hour to read and costs just 59p / 99c. This is history for busy people.

Available from the Apple iTunes store, and published by Collca in association with History in An Hour, The World Cup In An Hour is targeted at commuters, students and the curious who want to learn the facts and context about the World Cup but don’t have the time.

Channel Islands at War launching on Monday 28th June at 10pm

Yesterday: Sky channel 537, Virgin TV channel 203 and Freeview channel 12

Channel Islands at War will be showing exclusively on the TV channel Yesterday at 10pm starting Monday 28th June. Following this another two parts will be showing consecutively on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th of June, both at 10pm. It’s the third part in a series of programmes commissioned by Yesterday to commemorate the ‘Spirit of 1940’ in this 70th anniversary year.

Written and presented by actor and historian John Nettles, Channel Islands at War is an emotional examination of the German invasion and occupation of the Channel Islands and the lasting legacy it left on the islands. John Nettles has researched the occupation since first arriving there in 1981 to work as Sgt Jim Bergerac. The leading man in Midsomer Murders, says the islanders’ attitude towards the occupation remains ‘a potent mixture of revulsion and fascination’. This series both reflects the turbulent years 1940-45 and John’s continuing passion for the Islands.