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

Henry James Edmund Kippin

Henry James Edmund Kippin

Henry James Edmund Kippin was born on 15 January 1882 at Perrin's Court, Hampstead, the eldest son and the second of the ten children of Edmund Kippin (1852-1916) and Letitia Kippin née Cook (1856-...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
H. F. Gosling

H. F. Gosling

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Captain Ian Macdonald Brown, FRCS

Captain Ian Macdonald Brown, FRCS

Ian Macdonald Brown was born circa 1889 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, the youngest of the three children of John Macdonald Brown (1857-1935) and Caroline Helen Brown née Murray (1862-1928). ...

Person, Armed Forces, Medicine, Belgium, Scotland

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
K. C. Ward

K. C. Ward

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Maxim Gun

Maxim Gun

The first portable automatic machine gun. In the 1888 photograph the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) is firing with Maxim standing behind.

Concept, Armed Forces, Engineering

1 memorial

Previously viewed

John Carswell

John Carswell

Chairman of the Heath and Old Hampstead Society.

Person, Community / Clubs

1 memorial
Guy's Hospital

Guy's Hospital

Founded by Thomas Guy in concept in 1721 but it was not until 6 January 1725 that the first sixty patients were admitted.  Aim 25 have a good summary of the history.  Guy's and St Thomas' are consi...

Place, Medicine

13 memorials
Clement Ferrier Burton

Clement Ferrier Burton

Solicitor. Born Norfolk. 1891 finds him living in Buckhurst Hill. 1901, Churchwarden of St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe. Clement Ferrier Burton was born on 22 April 1852 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, the ...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
St Augustine's Church, Victoria Park

St Augustine's Church, Victoria Park

This church was built, inside the Park, in 1867 to meet the needs of the expanding population, 22 years after the Park opened in 1845.  Following WW2 bomb damage the church was demolished (our end ...

Building, Religion

2 memorials
Connex

Connex

Full name Connex South Eastern. Train operators in the south-east of England, part of a French based company. Its franchise was due to run until 2011, but the Strategic Rail Authority decided to cu...

Group, Transport

2 memorials