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

A. Guttridge

A. Guttridge

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
Rifleman Claude Robert Harry Bartram

Rifleman Claude Robert Harry Bartram

Claude Robert Harry Bartram was born on the 27 June 1893 the son of John Abraham Bartram (1856-1925) and his second wife Emily Catherine Bartram née Hunger (b.1857). His birth was registered in the...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Able Seaman Peter Arthur Charman

Able Seaman Peter Arthur Charman

Peter Arthur Charman was born on 24 December 1923 in Surbiton, Surrey, the youngest of the three children of George Henry Charman (1874-1944) and Alice Maud Charman née Alderman (1889-1977). His bi...

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Edward Gummer

Edward Gummer

Had served in the Yorks & Lancaster Regiment. At the time of his death was an in-pensioner at Chelsea Hospital. Killed in a bomb attack on the north east wing of the Hospital.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
RAF Benevolent Fund

RAF Benevolent Fund

Created by Lord Trenchard to provide direct welfare assistance to those of the extended Royal Air Force family in need or distress.

Group, Armed Forces, Philanthropy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

George Ratcliffe Woodward

George Ratcliffe Woodward

Hymn writer (e.g. wrote the words for the carol "Ding dong merrily on high"). Born: Birkenhead, Cheshire. Died: Highgate. Buried: Little Walsingham, Norfolk, where he had been a vicar. He retir...

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial
London County Council

London County Council

Prior to the LCC London matters were run by church parishes. The LCC was the first directly elected strategic local government body for London. Replaced by the Greater London Council, covering a la...

Group, Politics & Administration

279 memorials
Kwame Nkrumah

Kwame Nkrumah

First President and first Prime Minister of Ghana.  Born in the Gold Coast Colony, now Ghana.  Birth date uncertain.  As a young man he studied first in the USA and then London, at the LSE.  While ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Africa, Ghana

1 memorial
Sayes Court

Sayes Court

Leased by John Evelyn from Charles II in 1663 and trashed by Peter the Great in 1698.  The picture source gives a full history of the house which was badly damaged in WW2 and demolished in 1947.  T...

Building, Gardens / Agriculture, Property

1 memorial
Burma Star Association

Burma Star Association

Organisation which relieves need, hardship or distress among men and women who served in the British and allied forces, and the nursing services in the Burma Campaign in WW2. Membership is restrict...

Group, Armed Forces, Burma

1 memorial