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

Ypres Salient

Ypres Salient

In military terms, a salient is is a battlefield  that is surrounded on several sides by enemy territory.  There were five battles of Ypres. The first was in December 1914. The second ran from Apri...

Place, Armed Forces, Belgium

1 memorial
D. F. Cameron

D. F. Cameron

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
Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

Formed 1st April 1918 at Hotel Cecil, 80 the Strand where it had its first headquarters. Motto: Per Ardua Ad Astra, Latin for "Through Struggles to the Stars".

Group, Armed Forces, Aviation

8 memorials
Henry Ayres

Henry Ayres

First Lieutenant Harry Lee Ayres was born on 19 January 1920 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, the son of Henry Lee Ayres (1892-1985) and Jennie C. Ayres née Mills (1893-1985).  He joined the Royal A...

Person, Armed Forces, USA

War served, WW2
1 memorial

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Lydia Lopokova

Lydia Lopokova

Ballerina famous during the early 20th century. Born in Russian as Lidiya Vasilyevna Lopukhova. Trained at the Imperial Ballet School. Toured with the Ballets Russes in 1910, and rejoined them in 1...

Person, Dance, Russia

1 memorial
Metropolitan Police

Metropolitan Police

Founded in 1829 by Robert Peel under the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and on 26 September of that year, over 1,000 men were sworn in in the grounds of the Foundling Hospital. (From Sarah Wise's boo...

Group, Emergency Services

13 memorials
Lord Randolph Churchill

Lord Randolph Churchill

W2, Connaught Place, 2

This terrace backs on to the Marble Arch mega-roundabout, and we've heard that the horse-drawn carriages of that time made the streets ve...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
The Arts Club

The Arts Club

Private members club founded by, amongst others, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, and Lord Leighton. "This Club is instituted for the purpose of facilitating the social intercourse of those conne...

Group, Art, Community / Clubs

2 memorials
Hiccinson & Co.

Hiccinson & Co.

Building contractors based in Hendon in 1926.

Group, Property

1 memorial