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. Claridge

H. F. Claridge

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Sir Christopher John Benson, OAM, DL, FRICS

Sir Christopher John Benson, OAM, DL, FRICS

Serial Chairman. Chair of the Soho Housing Association in 1990. In view of the number of companies and groups that he's run, we're pretty sure we've got the right man. He was born on 20 July 1933 ...

Person, Armed Forces, Law, Liveries & Guilds, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Raymond Bevir

Raymond Bevir

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Drummer Thomas Booth

Drummer Thomas Booth

Thomas Booth was born circa 1894 in Nowgong, East India, a son of Thomas and Agnes Elizabeth Booth. On 31 March 1901 when the 1901 census was undertaken, he is shown as a 6-year-old boy living at ...

Person, Armed Forces, France, India

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Sidney Phillips

Sidney Phillips

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

The Crown Estate

The Crown Estate

Some of these plaques have an 'R' representing Regent Street which was (2024 defunct) a Crown Estate website promoting Regent Street as a shopping destination.  Wikipedia had (2025: the map is no ...

Group, Gardens / Agriculture, Property

3 memorials
St Mary Aldermanbury church

St Mary Aldermanbury church

This church, destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren in 1676 was damaged in WW1 and then gutted in WW2, and then left roofless waiting for demolition - Londonist has a photo. On 5 ...

Group, Museums / Libraries, Religion, USA

2 memorials
Transport for London / London Transport

Transport for London / London Transport

This organisation has been a bit of a political football, often having its name changed, as follows: 1902 - 1933 Underground Electric Railways Company of London 1933 - 1948 London Passenger Transpo...

Group, Industry, Transport

52 memorials
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

In 1923 Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (descended from the Royal House of Scotland) married Prince Albert, Duke of York, the man who would become George VI when his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated. ...

Person, Royalty, Seriously Famous

35 memorials
National Bank

National Bank

Founded as the National Bank of Ireland, becoming The National Bank Limited in 1859. By 1884 it was a member of the Bankers Clearing House. In 1966 the branches in England and Wales were acquired b...

Group, Commerce, Ireland

3 memorials