Adolf Hitler? What did he have to do with do with the war?

♦ A third of people do not realise that France and the US were British allies in the Second World War, amid fears that the conflict is at risk of being forgotten.

The date of D-day also leaves people stumped, with one in 10 also claiming to have no idea Adolf Hitler was involved.

The study of 2,000 adults found that despite 53 per cent claiming to be “fairly” or “very” knowledgeable about the war, one in 20 said they believed Britain was on the same side as Germany.

More than a third had no idea the Battle of Britain took place in the Second World War, and despite its name, 43 per cent did not know it happened in British skies. One in 50 think Pearl Harbor was in Britain and three in 10 had no idea the Blitz was in the Second World War.

Dan Korn of TV channel History, which commissioned the study, said: “This shows the importance of telling stories so the fortitude and sacrifice of our forebears is not forgotten.”