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 378

Other Subjects

H. A. Gray, MC

H. A. Gray, MC

Student of Trinity College of Music, killed in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Pilot Officer Carter Woodruff Harp

Pilot Officer Carter Woodruff Harp

Carter Woodruff Harp was born on 24 November 1908 in River Falls, Covington County, Alabama, USA, the eldest of the five children of Euchee Woodruff Harp (1872-1952) and Rosa Lee Harp née Carter (1...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
London Electrical Engineers

London Electrical Engineers

London unit which served in WW1.

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Henry James Edmund Kippin

Henry James Edmund Kippin

Henry James Edmund Kippin was born on 15 January 1882 at Perrin's Court, Hampstead, the eldest son and the second of the ten children of Edmund Kippin (1852-1916) and Letitia Kippin née Cook (1856-...

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Caesar's Camp

Caesar's Camp

Iron-age fort, established circa 250 BC. Although Roman artefacts have been found at the site, any connection with Caesar (Julius or otherwise) is purely fanciful. Nothing tangible of the fort rema...

Place, Armed Forces, Romans

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Raine Foundation School

Raine Foundation School

This school was founded in what is now Raine Street by Henry Raine (1679 - 1738) in 1719, though the street was then known as Fawdon Lane, Charles Street. The school provided an education for local...

Group, Children, Education

2 memorials
John Harris

John Harris

Clerk to Vestry and District Board of Works, Westminster, 1882.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria

Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria

The fiftieth anniversary of the accession of Queen Victoria was celebrated on Monday 20 June 1887. In George Gissing's 1894 novel 'In the Year of Jubilee' characters discuss whether to participate...

Event, Royalty

13 memorials
North London Railway

North London Railway

    Rail company. It had lines connecting the north of London to the East and West India Docks in the east of the city. The main east to west route is now part of London Overground's North London...

Place, Transport

1 memorial
Charles Tyson Yerkes

Charles Tyson Yerkes

First things first - pronounce his name to rhyme to with turkeys.  He has a claim to having created London Transport. Born Philadelphia. The memorial describes him as 'creative' and 'imaginative' ...

Person, Transport, USA

2 memorials