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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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.

Read More

Abbey Road Depot - WW2 ARP members lost

Bill Wallis is described on the plaque as 'ARP Stretcher Bearer'. Which we ta...

Read More

Abney Park - CWGC war memorial

The screen wall at the back, south, of the memorial carries a number of bronz...

Read More

Adam Faith

Adam Faith (Terry Nelhams), 1940 - 2003, singer & actor born in a house o...

Read More

African and Caribbean Armed Forces

Unveiled on Windrush Day. A very simple design, we think the horizontal obeli...

Read More

Load next 200 of 376

Other Subjects

Second Lieutenant Norman Arthur Henry Somerset

Second Lieutenant Norman Arthur Henry Somerset

Norman Arthur Henry Somerset was born on 8 September 1894 in Kensington, the elder of the two children of Captain, The Honourable, Arthur Charles Edward Somerset (1860-1948) and Louisa Eliza Grant ...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
John Norwood, VC

John Norwood, VC

He was a second  patrol lieutenant in the 5th Dragoon Guards during the Second Boer War. On the 30th October 1899 he took out from Ladysmith a small patrol of the 5th Dragoon Guards. They came unde...

Person, Armed Forces, France, South Africa

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
G. Martin

G. Martin

R. Navy. Fought but did not die in WW1

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
P. Pulman

P. Pulman

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Sir George Stuart White

Sir George Stuart White

British field marshal, who conducted the defence of Ladysmith during its siege from 2 November 1899 to 28 February 1900. Born in County Antrim, Buried at First Broughshane Presbyterian Church, Ulst...

Person, Armed Forces, Africa, Ireland

1 memorial

Previously viewed

De La Rue

De La Rue

Security printing, papermaking and cash handling systems company. Founded by Thomas de la Rue, a Guernsey printer. In recent years, the company has been involved in the design or production of over...

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
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

124 memorials
Creekmouth Village

Creekmouth Village

Built in the 1850s by John Bennet Lawes to house the workers in his chemicals factory. Its foundations were unstable, and on the night of 31st January 1953, the village was swamped by the floods wh...

Place, Community / Clubs

2 memorials
Harold Woodhouse
War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Pedestrian tunnel under the Thames designed by Sir Alexander Binnie, linking Greenwich town centre in the south with Island Gardens Park in the north. It is 1,215 feet (370.2 m) long and 50 feet (1...

Building, Engineering, Transport

3 memorials