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

Lieutenant Gerald Maurice Clive Toft

Lieutenant Gerald Maurice Clive Toft

Resident of Golders Green killed serving in WW2. Gerald Maurice Clive Toft was born in 1923, the elder son of Edmund Toft (1894-1941) and Violette Maud Hélène Toft née Duché (1895-1966). His birth...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
H. Woods, Snr.

H. Woods, Snr.

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
Ernest J. Leach

Ernest J. Leach

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Serjeant Cecil Williams

Serjeant Cecil Williams

Cecil Williams was born on 2 February 1890 in Paddington, one of the six children of Frederick George Williams (1859-1954) and Mary Williams née Troughton (1861-1948). His birth was registered in t...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
2 memorials
Ernest Beatie

Ernest Beatie

First Lieutenant Ernest David Beatie was born on 17 June 1914 in Albany, Dougherty County, Georgia, USA, the second of the four children of David Leftwich Beatie (1878-1945) and Catherine Pauline B...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial

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East 15 Acting School

East 15 Acting School

Founded by Margaret Walker after she worked with Joan Littlewood at the Theatre Royal in Stratford, and had the same ethos of inclusivity and radical work. It was named after the postal district of...

Group, Education, Theatre

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...

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Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly

Musician and singer-songwriter. Born as Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas. With his backing group The Crickets, he achieved considerable pop chart success with songs such as 'That'll be the D...

Person, Music / songs, USA

1 memorial
Linda Eastman

Linda Eastman

Photographer, musician and animal rights activist and Paul McCartney's first wife, of 29 years. Mother of fashion designer Stella and musician James.

Person, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, USA

1 memorial
Grenfell fire

Grenfell fire

Just before 1am a fire broke out in the 24-storey Grenfell Tower block of flats. This social housing block was on the north-east edge of the largely wealthy W11 post code, just south of Silchester ...

Event, Tragedy

5 memorials