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

Walter Tull

Walter Tull

Footballer and army officer. Born Walter Daniel John Tull at 57 Walton Road, Folkestone. He served an apprenticeship as a printer, but turned to football as a career. He signed for Tottenham Hotspu...

Person, Armed Forces, Race Issues, Sport / Games

2 memorials
E. M. Midson

E. M. Midson

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

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
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
R. Robinson

R. Robinson

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
Sir M. D. Assheton-Smith

Sir M. D. Assheton-Smith

Sir Charles Michael Robert Vivien Duff-Assheton-Smith was born on 3 May 1907 the only son of Sir Robert George Vivian Duff, 2nd Baronet, of Vaynol (d.1914), and his wife, Lady Juliet Lowther (1881–...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, Wales

War served, WW2
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Hay's Wharf

Hay's Wharf

The land between Tooley Street and the Thames has been occupied by wharves and warehouses since the middle ages. Hay's Wharf originated as a Tooley Street brew-house of which Alexander Hay took own...

Place, Commerce, Food & Drink

7 memorials
Colonial Office - S16 - Glenelg

Colonial Office - S16 - Glenelg

SW1, Whitehall, Foreign Office

Statues Hither and Thither has been invaluable in identifying some of the busts and most of the statues. The statues are not labelled and...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Leonard Montefiore fountain

Leonard Montefiore fountain

E1, Stepney Green

We usually try and find an attractive detail for our close-up picture but we failed on this fountain; its design was rather austere, for ...

1 subject commemorated
Royal Horticultural Society

Royal Horticultural Society

W1, Piccadilly, 187, Hatchards

At Messrs. Hatchard's in a house on this site The Royal Horticultural Society was founded on the 7th March 1804.

2 subjects commemorated
Fred Hoyle

Fred Hoyle

Sir Fred Hoyle FRS was an astronomer who held some controversial views. He coined the term"Big Bang", even though he rejected the theory, preferring the "steady-state model".  He also believed that...

Person, Science

1 memorial