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

Gunner Lewis William Harman

Gunner Lewis William Harman

Lewis William Harman was born on 2 October 1895 in Lambeth, the fourth of the ten children of William Benson Harman (1870-1914) and Sarah Harman née Davis (1867-1940). On 27 October 1895 he was bap...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Rear-Admiral, Sir Henry Hart, KCH

Rear-Admiral, Sir Henry Hart, KCH

Naval officer.  Born Sussex. Commissioner of Greenwich Hospital.  See Indefatigable for more information, but one paragraph there is particularly relevant to Greenwich Hospital: "Following his reti...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
William Albert Victor Fisher

William Albert Victor Fisher

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1. William Albert Victor Fisher was born on 1 November 1896 and his birth was registered in the 1st quarter of...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
RAF Middle East Air Force Command lost in the Suez Canal Zone

RAF Middle East Air Force Command lost in the Suez Canal Zone

Men and women of Middle East Air Force Command who lost their lives in the Suez Canal Zone, 1945 -1956, and especially for those who have no known grave.

Group, Armed Forces, Aviation, Egypt

1 memorial
Rifleman Harold Owen Bagust

Rifleman Harold Owen Bagust

Harold Owen Bagust was born in 1896, the sixth of the seven children of Alfred John Cooper Bagust (1848-1918)  and Mary Ann Bagust née Baugh (1859-1922). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

French Protestant Church

French Protestant Church

Persecuted in France, about 50,000 Huguenots fled to Britain where Edward VI granted them asylum. The French Protestant Church of London was established by Royal Charter in 1550. It took over the T...

Building, Religion, France

3 memorials
City of London Coal Exchange

City of London Coal Exchange

Designed by J. B. Bunning and opened in 1849 in Lower Thames Street, demolished in 1963. Our Picture source examines all the interesting buildings on this section of Lower Thames Street.

Building, Commerce

1 memorial