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

Sir Herbert Stewart

Sir Herbert Stewart

Promoted to Major-General after his service at Abu Klea, Sudan. Born at Sparsholt, Hampshire. Died travelling from Khartoum to Korti and was buried near the wells at Jakdul.

Person, Armed Forces, Africa, India

1 memorial
Commander James White

Commander James White

Full name James Keaney White. Took command of HMS Peruvian in October 1814. Sailed to Bermuda and in June 1815 took Major Percy with the Waterloo Dispatch from Ostend to Broadstairs and on into Lon...

Person, Armed Forces, Transport

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
West Ham Pals

West Ham Pals

The 13th Battalion (West Ham) of the Essex Regiment, raised by the mayor of the borough. Volunteers from all over east London answered the call, leaving their families, jobs and their favourite foo...

Group, Armed Forces, Sport / Games, Belgium, France

2 memorials
Jas. H. Adam

Jas. H. Adam

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

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Dieter Bock

Dieter Bock

Hans-Dieter Bock, or Dieter Bock, was born on 3 March 1939 in Dessau, the capital of the Free State of Anhalt. (This later became the German Democratic Republic and is now Germany). Having fled wi...

Person, Commerce, Law, Germany

4 memorials
Pasqua Rosée

Pasqua Rosée

Manservant brought to London from Ottoman Smyrna by his employer, Daniel Edwards, a dealer in coffee and other goods from the east. Rosée is variously described as being Armenian or from Sicily. Ro...

Person, Commerce, Armenia, Italy

1 memorial
Lord Palumbo

Lord Palumbo

Created a life peer on 4 February 1991 as Baron Palumbo of Walbrook in the City of London.

Person, Property

7 memorials