More than four in 10 Britons do not know that the UK won the Battle of Britain against the Nazis, a poll has revealed.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick’s survey found nearly two out of three people under the age of 40 have no idea what the Battle of Britain was.
Although 44% of the 2,000 adults polled did not know what the Battle of Britain refers to, over 80% of those aged 65 did.
He said: “For too long our history has been neglected. We have allowed our past to become a source of shame, even as the rest of the world still looks to us with admiration.
“It’s hardly surprising we have a crisis of national self-confidence when our past achievements aren’t properly taught in schools.”
Battle of Britain Day is observed each year on September 15 to commemorate the RAF’s victory over the German Luftwaffe on that day in 1940, a pivotal moment in the Second World War.
The battle itself lasted from July to October 1940 and was the first major conflict fought entirely in the air.
Mr Jenrick said: “Every child growing up should learn about the Battle of Britain and the heroics of the wartime generation. Their example must live on as a source of inspiration for future generations.“
Schools might cover the Battle of Britain as part of lessons but it is not mandatory.
It is listed amongst topics as optional events to cover in history classes.
The findings follow a survey earlier in the year by Yougov which found just one in ten young people would fight for Britain.