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

24th Division of the army

24th Division of the army

Raised in 1914 and fought in France from August 1915 - end of WW1.

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
E. G. Carter

E. G. Carter

6th Northumberland Fus.. Fought but did not die in WW1

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Frederick John Wonderling

Frederick John Wonderling

Frederick John Wunderling was born on 21 June 1914, the sixth of the eight children of William Frederick John Wunderling (1879-1946) and Eliza Ann Wunderling née Brady (1878-1927). His birth was re...

Person, Armed Forces, Tragedy

1 memorial
H. R. S. Pulman

H. R. S. Pulman

Student of Trinity College of Music, killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces, Music / songs

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Ensign Denise Madeleine Bloch, Légion d'honneur, Croix de Guerre

Ensign Denise Madeleine Bloch, Légion d'honneur, Croix de Guerre

Denise Madeleine Bloch was born on 21 January 1916 in Paris, France to a Jewish family. Her father was Jacques Henri Bloch and her mother was Suzanne Levi-Strauss. She had three brothers. Her Wiki...

Person, Armed Forces, Espionage, Execution, France, Germany

War dead, WW2
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Emil Otto Hoppé

Emil Otto Hoppé

Photographer. Born Munich. Co-founded the London Salon of Photography in 1910. Grandfather of the musician Michael Hoppé. Died Hampshire.

Person, Photography, Germany

1 memorial
Cyprus Street war memorial

Cyprus Street war memorial

E2, Cyprus Street, 76 - 78

"They shall grow not old..." is by Binyon. "When you go home..." is by Maxwell. But we cannot identify the "...marching with their comrad...

War dead | WW1, WW2
34 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Canon John Longstaff

Canon John Longstaff

Rector of St Mary’s Church Cadogan Street, 1965 - 1983. Andrew Behan has kindly carried out this research: John Leonard Longstaff was born on 7 February 1913 in Harrow, Middlesex, the eldest of th...

Person, Religion

1 memorial
Charity School - Hatton Garden

Charity School - Hatton Garden

Possibly designed by Wren.  Built by Lord Hatton following the loss of St Andrews church Holborn in the Great Fire.  In 1721 converted to house St Andrew's Parochial School.  It was given two entra...

Building, Children, Education

3 memorials