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.

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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

H. F. Hillier

H. F. Hillier

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
King Edmund II, Ironside

King Edmund II, Ironside

King of England, also known as Edmund Ironside. Born c.990. Became king after the deaths of his two elder brothers, although at the same time, the Danish Canute was chosen as king by opposition fac...

Person, Armed Forces, Royalty

1 memorial
Wm. R. Ferrett

Wm. R. Ferrett

Resident of the Central Ward, Hendon who served and died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
East India Company's Military Seminary

East India Company's Military Seminary

The East India Company Military Seminary was a British military academy at Addiscombe, Surrey. It opened in 1809 and closed in 1861. Its purpose was to train young officers to serve in the East Ind...

Place, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Joint Service Defence College

Joint Service Defence College

A training academy for British military personnel. It was established as the Combined Staff College in Latimer, Buckinghamshire. Renamed the National Defence College in 1971. Moved to Greenwich in ...

Place, Armed Forces, Education

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Bermondsey Borough Council / Vestry

Bermondsey Borough Council / Vestry

The Vestry of Bermondsey was incorporated in 1855. In 1889 it became part of the County of London and then in 1900 the Vestries of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe were joined to form the Metropolitan Bo...

Group, Politics & Administration

4 memorials
Leading Seaman W. Bass

Leading Seaman W. Bass

Member of Eton Manor Boys Club who died in WW1 on active service.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Loughton Town Council

Loughton Town Council

An Urban District Council from 1900 to 1933. It became part of Chigwell Urban District until 1974, when Epping Forest District Council was created. Loughton Town Council was established in 1996.

Group, Politics & Administration

16 memorials
London Hellenic Society

London Hellenic Society

From London Hellenic Prize: "... the London Hellenic Society, a prestigious cultural society established in London in the 1960s by prominent members of the London Greek community ...". We think it ...

Group, Community / Clubs, Greece

1 memorial