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

Flying Officer Hugh Graham Stanhope Wyrill, DFC

Flying Officer Hugh Graham Stanhope Wyrill, DFC

Hugh Graham Stanhope Wyrill was born on 30 August 1919 in Putney, London, a son of Arthur Stanhope Wyrill (1886-1959) and Lilla Gertrude Wyrill née Simmonds (1887-1967). His birth was registered in...

Person, Armed Forces, Africa

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
A. Callaby

A. Callaby

Employed at the Holloway tram garage. Served and was killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
F. J. Clark

F. J. Clark

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
Dame Katharine Furse

Dame Katharine Furse

Born Katharine Symonds in Bristol. She spent most of her early life in Switzerland and Italy. She joined the Red Cross Voluntary Aid Department in 1909, and at the outbreak of WW1, she headed the f...

Person, Armed Forces, Italy, Switzerland

1 memorial
Sir Jacob Astley

Sir Jacob Astley

Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War. Born Norfolk. Served Charles I loyally and, when the cause was lost, retired to Maidstone.

Person, Armed Forces

1 memorial

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London Fire Brigade

London Fire Brigade

The London Fire Engine Establishment, formed in 1833 under the leadership of James Braidwood, was a private organisation funded by insurance companies, mainly aimed at saving material goods from fi...

Group, Emergency Services

13 memorials
Norwood pumping station

Norwood pumping station

This building provided the propulsion for the Croydon atmospheric railway. We don't know when the building was demolished. This 1868 map shows a building approximately '50m north of the bridge' whi...

Place, Engineering

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

126 memorials
Watch-house in Giltspur Street

Watch-house in Giltspur Street

A watch house was an early form of local police station but we've heard it said that this particular watch-house did at one time shelter the guards charged with preventing grave-robbing in the St S...

Building, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Ross Scarborough

Ross Scarborough

Pilot Officer, 71 Eagle Squadron, American, killed.

Person, USA

War dead, WW2
1 memorial