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

Inspector Stephen Dodd

Inspector Stephen Dodd

Andrew Behan has researched this man: Inspector Stephen John Dodd was born on 11 September 1949, the son of John Irving Dodd and Irene L. Dodd née Dowie. His birth was registered in Ealing. In 1970...

Person, Armed Forces, Tragedy

1 memorial
Lance Corporal William Francis Spurstow Miller

Lance Corporal William Francis Spurstow Miller

William Francis Spurstow Miller was born in 1893 in Southsea, Hampshire, one of the four children of Admiral Francis Spurstow Miller CB (1863-1954) and Amy Knowles Miller née Ross (1870-1949). His ...

Person, Armed Forces, France, New Zealand

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Driver Richard Henry Bateman

Driver Richard Henry Bateman

Richard Henry Bateman was born in St John's Wood, London, the second of the three sons of William Bateman (b.1849) and Alice Bateman née Bette (b.1850). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter ...

Person, Armed Forces, India

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Carabiniers

Carabiniers

Former cavalry regiment, officially the Sixth Dragoon Guards. They participated in putting down the rebellion of Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745-46 and fought in the Peninsular, Crimean and Boer Wars...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Normandy Landings / D-Day

Normandy Landings / D-Day

The landings, also known as Operation Neptune, were the landing operations in Operation Overlord during WW2. The 'D' in D-Day doesn't stand for anything as it was used as a substitute for the actua...

Event, Armed Forces, France, USA

23 memorials