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

Flying Officer Herbert Harry Kirby, D.F.C.

Flying Officer Herbert Harry Kirby, D.F.C.

Herbert Harry Kirby was born on 20 March 1916 in Battersea, London, a son of Alfred Kirby (1886-1978) and Ann Elizabeth Kirby, née Seatry (1886-1981). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of...

Person, Armed Forces, Scotland

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
11th Battalion (Finsbury Rifles)

11th Battalion (Finsbury Rifles)

The 11th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles), was formed on 1 April 1908 by the amalgamation of regiments under the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907. Their Wi...

Group, Armed Forces

2 memorials
Essex Regiment

Essex Regiment

The regiment was formed from the union of the 44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot and the 56th (West Essex) Regiment of Foot. Following action in all major conflicts it was gradually disbanded in th...

Group, Armed Forces, Belgium, France

2 memorials
E. G. Raynor

E. G. Raynor

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Royal Army Veterinary Corps - London Units
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria

Reigned: 1837-1901, 64 years. Born Kensington Palace. Daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg. Niece of her predecessor, King William IV. Her first name was Alexandrin...

Person, Race Issues, Royalty, Seriously Famous

76 memorials
Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister 1940 - 45 and 1951 - 55. Born Blenheim Palace, near Woodstock, Oxford, into an aristocratic family. His father was the son of the Duke of Marlborough, and his mother was born in Broo...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

30 memorials
Vita Sackville-West

Vita Sackville-West

Writer and gardener. Born Victoria Mary Sackville-West at Knole, near Sevenoaks, Kent, the only child of Lionel Sackville-West, 3rd Baron Sackville. She started writing at an early age, having many...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture, Literature

1 memorial
Roman warehouse

Roman warehouse

The picture source says "Near the Courage Brewery Site archaeologists found the complete wooden floor of a riverside warehouse. Nothing like this has been found anywhere else. The basement would ha...

Building, Commerce, Romans

1 memorial