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

Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL)

Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL)

Trained linguists for covert work, mainly with Russian during the Cold War. The Army was based near Bodmin, the Navy at Coulsdon Camp (1952 - 4, at the Fox pub building), the RAF at Salisbury Villa...

Group, Armed Forces, Education, Russia

2 memorials
Earl of Kilmarnock

Earl of Kilmarnock

Jacobite.  Taken prisoner at the Battle of Culloden.  Tried and beheaded on the Tower Hill scaffold.

Person, Armed Forces, Execution, Scotland

1 memorial
Robert William Baggott

Robert William Baggott

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1. Robert William Baggott was born on 14 August 1898, the eldest of the six children of Robert John Baggott (1...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
East India Company's Military Seminary

East India Company's Military Seminary

The East India Company Military Seminary was a British military academy at Addiscombe, Surrey. It opened in 1809 and closed in 1861. Its purpose was to train young officers to serve in the East Ind...

Place, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Henry J. Quint

Henry J. Quint

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

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

281 memorials
Department of National Heritage

Department of National Heritage

Created on 11 April 1992.  By 2013 it had become part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport which sponsors English Heritage.

Group, History, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Dick Whittington

Dick Whittington

Born in Pauntley, Gloucestershire, second son of a wealthy man. Thrice Lord Mayor of London: 1397, 1406 and 1420 (actually four times but two were consecutive). Three times Master of the Mercers' C...

Person, Literature, Lord Mayor, Politics & Administration, Theatre

8 memorials
Royal Society

Royal Society

Also known as the Royal Society of London (for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge). A learned society for science, granted a royal charter by King Charles II.  Wren was a founding member. The Soc...

Group, Community / Clubs, Race Issues, Science

4 memorials
Smith, Elder & Co.

Smith, Elder & Co.

Publishers at 65 Cornhill (the picture) until 1868.  Also at 15 Waterloo Place. Their first big success was Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.   They also published: Thackeray, Darwin, Ruskin, Browning...

Group, Commerce, Journalism / Publishing, Literature

1 memorial