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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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.

Read More

Abbey Road Depot - WW2 ARP members lost

Bill Wallis is described on the plaque as 'ARP Stretcher Bearer'. Which we ta...

Read More

Abney Park - CWGC war memorial

The screen wall at the back, south, of the memorial carries a number of bronz...

Read More

Adam Faith

Adam Faith (Terry Nelhams), 1940 - 2003, singer & actor born in a house o...

Read More

African and Caribbean Armed Forces

Unveiled on Windrush Day. A very simple design, we think the horizontal obeli...

Read More

Load next 200 of 379

Other Subjects

S. G. Hollman

S. G. Hollman

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
J. A. Gristwood

J. A. Gristwood

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
George Down

George Down

Private George Arthur Down was born on 8 June 1884 in Putney. He was the eldest of the six children of William Down (1859-1943) and Emily Elizabeth Down née Hunter (1859-1947). His father was a boo...

Person, Armed Forces, Commerce, France

1 memorial
W. A. Gomm

W. A. Gomm

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
A. Dunsdon

A. Dunsdon

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

Previously viewed

St Mary Rotherhithe - charity girl

St Mary Rotherhithe - charity girl

SE16, St Marychurch Street, 70

The watch-house is the low building to the right of the one with the scholar statues.  the blue plaque you can just see to the left is fo...

2 subjects commemorated
Chelsea Electricity Supply Co. Ltd

Chelsea Electricity Supply Co. Ltd

At British History we found this: "The Chelsea Electricity Supply Company, with premises in Draycott Place, empowered to supply electricity in 1886, commenced supply in 1889, in competition with th...

Group, Industry

1 memorial
Armenian Church - Armenian plaque

Armenian Church - Armenian plaque

W8, Iverna Gardens, St Sarkis Armenian Church

This plaque is written in classical Armenian and that's all we can tell you about it. We'd guess that it says the same as the English pla...

Imperial Hotel, Russell Square

Imperial Hotel, Russell Square

Designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll.  The picture was taken in 1913 after the completion of the extension, which is the section on the left, to the north (2017: we now think the 'extension' was into t...

Building, Commerce, Community / Clubs, Food & Drink

22 memorials
Anne Ambrose

Anne Ambrose

Chair of Tower Hamlets Community Housing in 2007. Director of Tower Hamlets Community Housing Ltd, 1999 - 2014 when she resigned. In 2021 she is listed as a director of Parmiter's Almshouse and Pen...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial