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

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
R. J. Snelling

R. J. Snelling

Resident of Hendon who served and died in WW2.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Sapper McLaren

Sapper McLaren

Royal Engineer killed by an exploding bomb while assisting in the attempt to disarm it. Andrew Behan has kindly carried out some research on this man: Sapper Edward McLaren was born about 1918 in ...

Person, Armed Forces, Tragedy, Scotland

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Theo. E. Williams

Theo. E. Williams

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Wm. Skidmore

Wm. Skidmore

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

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Railway Hotel, Harrow

Railway Hotel, Harrow

A three-storey brick Victorian pub.  In the 1950s it was used as a jazz club and by February 1964 an R&B club (the Bluesday) was operating, where played: Long John Baldry, the Bo Street Runners...

Building, Commerce, Community / Clubs, Music / songs

1 memorial
London Hop Trade

London Hop Trade

Hops were introduced to England from the Netherlands. They were grown principally in Kent and brought to London via the River Thames and later by rail to London Bridge. By the mid-nineteenth centur...

Group, Commerce

1 memorial
Farmer & Brindley

Farmer & Brindley

Firm of sculptors. Founded by William Farmer (1825-1879) and William Brindley. Worked on many buildings including the Natural History Museum, the Albert Memorial and Holborn Viaduct. In 1929 the fi...

Group, Sculpture

4 memorials
Houses of Parliament

Houses of Parliament

Also known as the Palace of Westminster, it comprises the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Following a fire in 1834 which destroyed most of the old parliament, a competition was held for th...

Building, Politics & Administration

3 memorials
English Heritage

English Heritage

English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts,...

Group, Architecture, History, Property

421 memorials