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

Lance Corporal Robert Henry Howard

Lance Corporal Robert Henry Howard

Robert Henry Howard was born on 17 October 1895, a son of Robert Henry Howard and Jane Howard née Walker. His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1895 in the Paddington registration district...

Person, Armed Forces, Belgium

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
W. G. Stockwell

W. G. Stockwell

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
A. Guttridge

A. Guttridge

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
3rd Oude Irregulars

3rd Oude Irregulars

Part of the force commanded by Havelock. Cavalry.

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial
Second Lieutenant James Morton Anderson

Second Lieutenant James Morton Anderson

James Morton Anderson was born on 27 June 1886 at 9 Ella Road, Crouch End, London, the only son and 3rd of the seven children of James Anderson (1852-1940) and Sarah Reid Anderson née Morton (1851-...

Person, Armed Forces, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Coca-Cola lost plaque

Coca-Cola lost plaque

EC4, St Paul's Churchyard, 76-79, Juxon House

We first heard about this plaque a long time ago and can't remember where, but at Atlants lv: "Coca-Cola first arrived in Great Britain i...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
J. M. W. Turner - W1 - lost plaque

J. M. W. Turner - W1 - lost plaque

W1, Queen Anne Street, 23

We know no more about this plaque than what Ornamental Passions discovered: it was on an older building on this site and lost in 1937 whe...

1 subject commemorated
General Gordon on a camel

General Gordon on a camel

WC2, St Martin's Place

To commemorate Gordon, the Corps of Royal Engineers, Gordon's own Corps, commissioned a statue from Edward Onslow Ford. The original spec...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Rik Mayall

Rik Mayall

Actor, comedian and writer. Born Richard Michael Mayall in Epping. He was part of the 'alternative comedy' wave in the early 1980s, and appeared in 'The Comic Strip' and 'The Young Ones' and later ...

Person, Cinema, Humour, Theatre, TV & Radio

2 memorials
Henry Prince

Henry Prince

The NPG has some information about this engineer/founder: Born c. 1817. Died April/March 1875. He maintained a foundry in the Grove, Great Guildford Street, Southwark for much of his life. He began...

Person, Craft / Design

4 memorials