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

Cuthbert Bromley, VC

Cuthbert Bromley, VC

Awarded the VC for his heroism on 25 April 1915, age 36, while serving in the Lancashire Fusiliers. "[Despite] deadly fire from hidden machine guns and being severely wounded he continued to lead h...

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Stephen Henry Crowe

Stephen Henry Crowe

Lieutenant Stephen Henry Crowe, was born on 3 February 1920 in Bellaire, Belmont County, Ohio, USA, the son of Steven Henry Crowe (1895-1954) and Antonia H. Crowe née Hasel (1899-1970). His father ...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial
Admiral Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe

Admiral Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe

Naval officer.  Born London. Served in the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars.  Died at home in Grafton Street.  William, 5th Viscount Howe was his younger brother.

Person, Armed Forces

1 memorial
G. French, (No 2)

G. French, (No 2)

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
C. Wilson

C. Wilson

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Free French Forces

Free French Forces

Formed, in concept at least, on 18 June 1940 in de Gaulle's 'Appeal of 18 June' speech.  Free French units operated as auxiliary forces to the British Royal Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal...

Group, Armed Forces, France

5 memorials
Barclays Bank

Barclays Bank

The bank's origins go back to the goldsmith bankers John Freame and Thomas Gould. James Barclay joined the business in 1736. After various name permutations, it became Barclay and Co. in 1896. As o...

Group, Commerce

3 memorials
Family of Richard Everitt

Family of Richard Everitt

His parents and Daniel, Lucy and Shirley.

Group, Friend / family

2 memorials
Roman girl

Roman girl

Buried "just outside an early boundary ditch marking the edge of the Roman city" sometime 350-400 AD, dug up in 1995 after the Baltic Exchange bomb and reburied, with ceremony, in 2007.  No picture...

Person, Romans

1 memorial
First Electric Telegraph

First Electric Telegraph

Telegraphic messages were first sent successfully by Sir Francis Ronalds using an eight mile long grid in his back garden in Hammersmith. He tried to interest the Admiralty in his invention, but th...

Event, Science

1 memorial