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

G. Gibert

G. Gibert

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
R. G. Wooldridge

R. G. Wooldridge

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Second Lieutenant Arthur Philip Abecasis

Second Lieutenant Arthur Philip Abecasis

Arthur Philip Abecasis was born in Paddington, London, in 1889, the youngest of the three children of Victor Emile Abecasis (1861-1929) and Amelia Frances Lucas Abecasis née Belinfante (1864-1939)....

Person, Armed Forces, France, Switzerland

War dead, WW1
3 memorials
Charles Wager

Charles Wager

Born Rochester, Kent to a naval family. He entered the navy, rose to Rear-Admiral and was knighted 1709. Entered Parliament in 1713 and worked the rest of his life in the Board of Admiralty. Known ...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Rifleman John Minell Elliott

Rifleman John Minell Elliott

John Minell Elliott was born in 1878, the fourth of the seven children of James Elliott (1835-1895) and Annie Mary Elliott née Minell (b.1852). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1878 i...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

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Dick Whittington

Dick Whittington

Born in Pauntley, Gloucestershire, second son of a wealthy man. Thrice Lord Mayor of London: 1397, 1406 and 1420 (actually four times but two were consecutive). Three times Master of the Mercers' C...

Person, Literature, Lord Mayor, Politics & Administration, Theatre

8 memorials
Royal Society

Royal Society

Also known as the Royal Society of London (for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge). A learned society for science, granted a royal charter by King Charles II.  Wren was a founding member. The Soc...

Group, Community / Clubs, Race Issues, Science

4 memorials
Smith, Elder & Co.

Smith, Elder & Co.

Publishers at 65 Cornhill (the picture) until 1868.  Also at 15 Waterloo Place. Their first big success was Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.   They also published: Thackeray, Darwin, Ruskin, Browning...

Group, Commerce, Journalism / Publishing, Literature

1 memorial
World War 1

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

402 memorials
St Helen's Catholic Church Chipping Ongar

St Helen's Catholic Church Chipping Ongar

Named in memory of the Countess Helen Tasker (1823–88) of Middleton Hall, Brentwood, one of the main benefactors. The church was consecrated by Archbishop Manning in 1869 and became part of the Arc...

Place, Religion

1 memorial