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

Private William Francis Raftery

Private William Francis Raftery

William Francis Raftery was born on 29 February 1892 in Marylebone, the second of the five children of Luke Raftery (1864-1928) and Mary Ann Amanda Raftery née Nicholls (1865-1931). His birth was r...

Person, Armed Forces, Turkey

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
French Resistance / The Maquis

French Resistance / The Maquis

French resistance fighters in WW2. 470 SOE agents were sent on sabotage missions to occupied France where they fought with networks of French resistance fighters who played an important part in the...

Group, Armed Forces, France

2 memorials
John Sullivan

John Sullivan

Had served in the South Wales Borderers. At the time of his death was an in-pensioner at Chelsea Hospital and a patient in the Infirmary.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
J. F. Flugel

J. F. Flugel

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Major William Martin

Major William Martin

See Operation Mincemeat for Major Martin's role in WW2. The body was identified in 1996 as that of Glyndwr Michael, a Welsh homeless man, but the Wikipedia page puts forward a number of other possi...

Fiction, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Queen Elizabeth College Almshouses

Queen Elizabeth College Almshouses

Founded by William Lambard to house twenty local, elderly, poor people and entrusted to be run by the Drapers' Company. The original buildings were demolished in 1818, and their replacements were e...

Building, Community / Clubs, Philanthropy

2 memorials
Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II

Born 17 Bruton Street, to the Duke and Duchess of York. For information on where she was brought up see Byron Statue. When she was 10 her father became King George VI (on the abdication of his brot...

Person, Royalty, Seriously Famous

126 memorials
Jack the Ripper Museum

Jack the Ripper Museum

When this misconceived museum opened, its planning application had described it as a 'Museum of Women's History', so the revelation of its real purpose unleashed numerous protests, focussing on the...

Group, Jack the Ripper suspects

2 memorials
Phineas Pett

Phineas Pett

Master Shipwright. Born at Deptford Strond (a parish in Deptford). First Resident Commissioner of Chatham Dockyard, he designed and built several ships including the 'Prince Royal' which he built i...

Person, Craft / Design, Engineering, Transport

3 memorials