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.

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

Foreign nationals at the Battle of Trafalgar

Foreign nationals at the Battle of Trafalgar

The popular image of the navy in Nelson's time, is of ships manned solely by 'British Tars'. In fact the crews of the ships that fought at Trafalgar included sailors from America, Ireland, Prussia,...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
A. Bridgman

A. Bridgman

Resident of Willesden who volunteered and died in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1900.

Person, Armed Forces, South Africa

War dead, Other war
1 memorial
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester

Soldier and member of the Royal Family.  Born at Sandringham, third son of George V.  Married Alice.  Parents of Richard.  Governor-General of Australia 1944-7, returning to the UK in case he was n...

Person, Armed Forces, Royalty

4 memorials
Aircraftman 2nd Class John Pryor

Aircraftman 2nd Class John Pryor

John Pryor was the elder child of John Richard Henry Pryor (1901-1984) and Elizabeth Lydia Pryor née Thomason (1899-2006). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1926 in the Islington regis...

Person, Armed Forces, Ireland

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Lieutenant Colonel John Guilbert DuFour

Lieutenant Colonel John Guilbert DuFour

John Guilbert DuFour was born on 6 September 1909 in Alameda, Alameda County, California, USA, the elder child of Clarence John DuFour (1879-1937) and Emily Marcia DuFour née Taylor (1879- 1966). H...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial