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 Christopher John Benson, OAM, DL, FRICS

Sir Christopher John Benson, OAM, DL, FRICS

Serial Chairman. Chair of the Soho Housing Association in 1990. In view of the number of companies and groups that he's run, we're pretty sure we've got the right man. He was born on 20 July 1933 ...

Person, Armed Forces, Law, Liveries & Guilds, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Frederick John Wonderling

Frederick John Wonderling

Frederick John Wunderling was born on 21 June 1914, the sixth of the eight children of William Frederick John Wunderling (1879-1946) and Eliza Ann Wunderling née Brady (1878-1927). His birth was re...

Person, Armed Forces, Tragedy

1 memorial
Major-General Thomas Harrison

Major-General Thomas Harrison

Executed for regicide.  In the civil war he fought on the side of Parliament against King Charles I. Close to Cromwell, he was elected to the Long Parliament, sat as a judge in the King's trial and...

Person, Armed Forces, Execution, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
J. Dewberry

J. Dewberry

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

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Mary Overie

Mary Overie

Traditions vary but one is that Mary was the daughter of John Overs, a very successful Thames ferryman in the tenth century.  She gave her inherited wealth to fund a convent which became St Mary Ov...

Fiction, Philanthropy, Religion

1 memorial
Thomas Girtin

Thomas Girtin

Water-colour painter.  Born Great Bandy Leg Walk, Southwark but brought up in the City.  Worked alongside Turner as a copyist 1794 to 1797.  Toured Britain painting local views.  1802 Girtin painte...

Person, Art

1 memorial
John Thurloe

John Thurloe

Cromwell's Secretary of State 1652. Bencher of Lincoln's Inn 1654.Born Essex, died in his chambers in Lincoln's Inn and was buried in the chapel.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
T. E. Lawrence

T. E. Lawrence

Intelligence officer and author. Born at Woodlands, Tremadoc, Caernarvonshire. He joined the archaeological team of Sir Flinders Petrie at Carchemish on the Euphrates, where he first met the Bedoui...

Person, Armed Forces, Literature, Seriously Famous, Middle East, Wales

1 memorial