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

National Fire Service / NFS

National Fire Service / NFS

Nationwide fire service created during WW2 from the amalgamation of the wartime Auxiliary Fire Service and the many local authority fire brigades.  After the war it was split into brigades again un...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers

23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Infantry regiment. It was founded to oppose King James II and the forthcoming war with France, and saw action in many later conflicts. During World War I, several writers, including Siegfried Sasso...

Group, Armed Forces, Wales

1 memorial
10th Battalion (Hackney)

10th Battalion (Hackney)

London unit which served in WW1.

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Serjeant Archibald Robert Howard, MM 

Serjeant Archibald Robert Howard, MM 

Archibald Robert Howard was born on 29 October 1886 in West Norwood, Surrey (now Greater London), the second of the seven children of George Howard (1855-1932) and Frances Margaret Faulkner Howard ...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Rifleman Joseph Seward Mahony

Rifleman Joseph Seward Mahony

Joseph Seward Mahony was born on 13 May 1891 in Marylebone, London, one of the nine children of Michael Joseph Mahony (1858-1940) and Hannah Mahony née Seward (1859-1910). His birth was registered ...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Fl/Sgt. Frederick George Selby
War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Philip Astley

Philip Astley

Equestrian performer and circus proprietor. Born Newcastle under Lyme. Aged 17 he joined the 15th Light Dragoons where he developed an exceptional ability breaking and riding horses. Discharged as ...

Person, Animals, Theatre

3 memorials
Patty Astley

Patty Astley

Wife of Philip; see there for more info. We cannot be certain that the image represents Patty.

Person, Animals, Theatre

1 memorial
Brown Dog statue - original - lost

Brown Dog statue - original - lost

SW11, Burns Road, Latchmere Recreation Ground

The structure is a reasonably standard late Victorian drinking fountain, in granite, with a basin for humans and a bowl lower down for do...

3 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
R. J. Rowley Ltd

R. J. Rowley Ltd

Building firm active in 1933.

Group, Property

1 memorial