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

W. G. P. Stanbury

W. G. P. Stanbury

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
J. T. Goodman

J. T. Goodman

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
Lieutenant Lovick Emilius Cooper

Lieutenant Lovick Emilius Cooper

Lovick Emilius Cooper was born in 1837, in Norwich, Norfolk, the son of the Reverend Thomas Lovick Cooper (1802-1892) and Emily Mary Swinfen Cooper née Durrant (1802-1838). On 29 November 1837 he w...

Person, Armed Forces, India

War dead, Other war
1 memorial
Lord Raglan

Lord Raglan

FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan. Commander in the Crimean War 1853 - 56. It is generally thought to have been his overall incompetence that led to the disaster of the Charge of the Light Brigade...

Person, Armed Forces, Crimea

3 memorials
Houndsditch murders

Houndsditch murders

The story is well told at Times of Malta. The cutting equipment used in the robbery was supplied by Errico Malatesta.

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Gold post box - Westminster

Gold post box - Westminster

SW1, Tothill Street

The plaque is a nasty modern thing, as they are on all these Olympic boxes, so on each one we try to find other more interesting features...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Jack Cornwell V.C. - E10

Jack Cornwell V.C. - E10

E10, Clyde Place, 1 - 31

Jack Cornwell V.C.  1900 - 1916 Adjacent to this site stood Clyde Cottage birthplace of John Travers Cornwell the youngest recipient of t...

War dead | WW1
1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Alan Blumlein

Alan Blumlein

NW8, Abbey Road, 3, Abbey Studios

This is the most technical plaque we've ever transcribed - and we are none the wiser.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Balham firefighters

Balham firefighters

SW12, Hydethorpe Road, Henry Cavendish Primary School

The plaque is located behind a high exterior wall which makes it difficult to get a sharper photograph.

Civilian war dead | WW2
13 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
David Nixon

David Nixon

Magician and past King Rat.  Born Muswell Hill.  Debonair magician and light comedian. General TV personality appearing on 'What's my Line?' and introducing Basil Brush to the world.  Died Surrey.

Person, TV & Radio

2 memorials