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 George Richard Eddie

Lieutenant George Richard Eddie

George Richard Eddie was born in 1882 in Market Stainton, Lincolnshire, the eldest of the three children of George William Eddie (1856-1906) and Blanche Adeline Eddie née Ogle (1857-1940). His birt...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Trooper Thomas Henry Bantoft

Trooper Thomas Henry Bantoft

Thomas Henry Bantoft was born on 8 December 1894 in Chillesford, Suffolk, the son of Alice Eliza Bantoff (1868-1939). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1895 in the Plomesgate registrat...

Person, Armed Forces, Australia, Israel/Palestine

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Richard Braley

Richard Braley

Captain Richard Gordon Braley was born on 16 June 1921 in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, USA, the son and elder child of Rex Estes Braley (1890-1981) and Jessie Maude Braley née McCament...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial
J. W. Greenfield

J. W. Greenfield

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
Major General Sir Henry Havelock

Major General Sir Henry Havelock

Born near Sunderland. Joined the army against his father's wishes. Served in India and the First Afghan War. Recaptured Cawnpore in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Died in the recently relieved Luckn...

Person, Armed Forces, India

War dead, Other war
1 memorial

Previously viewed

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...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

402 memorials
Sydney Perks

Sydney Perks

Sydney Perks FRIBA, FSA, was born on 2 January 1864 in Westminster, one of the eight children of Charles Perks (1807-1871) and Emily Marian Perks née Warner (1827-1919). On 22 January 1864 he was b...

Person, Architecture

2 memorials
Lady Anne Agnes Erskine

Lady Anne Agnes Erskine

Born Edinbugh, eldest daughter of the Earl of Buchan. There is a story about her coming across an outdoor gathering at Moorfields at which Rowland Hill (see Surrey Chapel) was preaching and him pic...

Person, Religion, Scotland

1 memorial
St Mary Aldermanbury & Churchill

St Mary Aldermanbury & Churchill

EC2, Aldermanbury

The plaque is huge and horizontal and very difficult to photograph in its entirety so we captured just the engraving of the church in its...

5 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
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