Event    From 1939  To 1945

World War 2

Categories: Armed Forces, Tragedy

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do visit the picture source web site - it has a fascinating collection of maps. And we enjoyed these photos of current WW2 evidence in London. Also for some signs of WW2 on buildings in London see Spitalfields Life.

February 2015: Londonist did something we’ve been meaning to do for ages: they’ve brought together all the various heads of state and governments-in-exile that found a home in London during WW2.  We’ve shamelessly taken that splendid research and linked it to the associated memorials that we’ve found.

The Free French wartime headquarters were at 1 Dorset Square and at Carlton Gardens where there are two  plaques and a statue.  De Gaulle lived in Hampstead.

The Netherlands’ head of state, Queen Wilhelmina, lived at Claridge’s and had her Secretariat at 77 Chester Square where there is a plaque.  The Dutch government initially met in the Dutch Reformed Church at 7 Austin Friars but this was destroyed by bombs in 1940 which may be what prompted them to move to Stratton House, 79 Piccadilly. And the Dutch club was at Oranjehaven.

The Polish Prime Minister Sikorski based himself in the Polish embassy at 47 Portland Place. The Polish President Raczkiewicz lived at 43 Eaton Place and ran his government in exile from here.

Belgium’s government-in-exile was based at the Belgian embassy at 105 Eaton Square.

The President of Czechoslovakia, Edvard Beneš, lived at 26 Gwendolen Avenue Putney.  The Czech government in exile was run from 3-8 Porchester Gate, Bayswater Road.

King Haakon of Norway officially lived at the Norwegian embassy at 10 Palace Green W8 where there is a plaque (not at 10 Kensington Palace Gardens) but often stayed at Claridges.  Prime Minister Nygaardsvold ran his government-in-exile from Kingston House North on Prince’s Gate.

King Peter II of Yugoslavia lived at Claridges.  His government in exile was run from Kingston House, the same address as the Norwegian government.

Luxembourg based its government in exile at 27 Wilton Crescent.

King George II of Greece lived at Claridges.

We believe these were also based in London but we need more information: Denmark’s government; King Zog of Albania; Emperor Haile Selassie of Abyssinia.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
World War 2

Commemorated ati

11 Group Operations Room

Unveiled by Lord Dowding.

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Abbey Road Depot - WW2 ARP members lost

Bill Wallis is described on the plaque as 'ARP Stretcher Bearer'. Which we ta...

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Abney Park - CWGC war memorial

The screen wall at the back, south, of the memorial carries a number of bronz...

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Adam Faith

Adam Faith (Terry Nelhams), 1940 - 2003, singer & actor born in a house o...

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African and Caribbean Armed Forces

Unveiled on Windrush Day. A very simple design, we think the horizontal obeli...

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Other Subjects

Cadet Edward Sylvester Blake

Cadet Edward Sylvester Blake

Edward Sylvester Blake was born on 31 December 1896 in Wilnecote, Warwickshire, the youngest of the three children of the Reverend James Edward Huxley Blake (1863-1933) and Beatrice Harriet Blake n...

Person, Armed Forces, Medicine

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
British Navy, officers & men who lost lives in submarines, WW1&2

British Navy, officers & men who lost lives in submarines, WW1&2

The British Navy is known as the Senior Service because it is the oldest of the British armed services (not because it was named after the cigarettes).

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
P. L. Toms

P. L. Toms

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Battle of St Vincent

Battle of St Vincent

A British fleet, lead by John Jervis, defeated a Spanish fleet almost twice its size, near Cape St Vincent, Portugal. Nelson distinguished himself in this battle where he commanded HMS Captain and ...

Event, Armed Forces, Portugal, Spain

3 memorials
Bernard Cyril Freyberg, VC

Bernard Cyril Freyberg, VC

Soldier and administrator. Born Bernard Cyril Freyberg in Richmond, Surrey. He spent his early life in New Zealand, and at the outbreak of WWI enlisted in Britain and fought in Gallipoli and France...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, France, New Zealand, Turkey

War served, WW1
3 memorials