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

Sidney A. Ward

Sidney A. Ward

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
W. Summers

W. Summers

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Chas. E. Green

Chas. E. Green

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
John Arthur Andrews

John Arthur Andrews

John Arthur Andrews was born on 29 June 1886 in Deptford, Kent (now Greater London), the son of George Ambrose Charles Andrews (1861-1907) and Eliza Frances Andrews née Atkins (b.1862). His birth w...

Person, Armed Forces

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Lieutenant General William Strode

Lieutenant General William Strode

Buried at Westminster Abbey where his monument reads: "Near this place lye the remains of William Strode Esq. Lieutenant General of His Majestys forces and Colonel of the LXII Regiment of Foot. He ...

Person, Armed Forces

1 memorial

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Lord Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

Lord Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

Conservative Prime Minister: 1885-6; 1886-92; 1895-1902. Too many names: Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil. Also known as Lord Robert Cecil (before 1865), and Viscount Cranborne (1865-1868). Born...

Person, Politics & Administration

3 memorials
Doctor John Fry

Doctor John Fry

General practitioner and medical author. Born Jack Freitag in Lublin, Poland, he emigrated to Britain with his family in 1925. He trained at Guy's Hospital, and in 1947, single-handedly took over a...

Person, Medicine, Poland

2 memorials
Christ's Hospital

Christ's Hospital

Founded by Edward VI in the remains of Greyfriars Monastery for the education of poor children. The first pupils arrived in November 1552. In 1682 Sir Robert Clayton erected much of the building, d...

Group, Education, Social Welfare

8 memorials
Lord Kitchener

Lord Kitchener

Field-Marshal Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, K.G. Born near Ballylongford, County Kerry, Ireland. Became a national hero leading the British army in the Sudan. Continued his career in the Boer War, In...

Person, Armed Forces, Seriously Famous, Africa, Egypt, India, Ireland, Scotland

4 memorials
Loughton Town Council

Loughton Town Council

An Urban District Council from 1900 to 1933. It became part of Chigwell Urban District until 1974, when Epping Forest District Council was created. Loughton Town Council was established in 1996.

Group, Politics & Administration

16 memorials