Osborne, Mike Defending Hertfordshire

The Military Landscape from Prehistory to the Present

Hertfordshire occupies a strategic position on the northern approaches to London and was traversed by three major Roman roads. It was home to an *oppidum* (a large fortified settlement) of the Catuvellauni tribe and the important Roman city of Verulamiummodern-day St Albanssites that were later superseded by the Norman castles at Hertford, Berkhamsted, and Waytemore (Bishops Stortford). During the Middle Ages, the county was the setting for significant events such as "The Anarchy," the Barons' Wars, and the Peasants' Revolt, as well as three major battles of the Wars of the Roses. In the Victorian era, the looming threat of a French invasion led to the formation of the "Hertfordshire Rifle Volunteers"an official county militia whose roots extended back to the English Civil War. Hertfordshire played a pivotal role in training and munitions production during both World Wars: the "de Havilland Mosquito" was developed in Hatfield, heavy bombers were built in Radlett and Leavesden, and the British intelligence agency SOE operated a secret training facility in the county. In the post-war period, the production of Britain's nuclear deterrent was concentrated in Hatfield and Stevenage. The book places all these topics within their historical context, offering a comprehensive and thoroughly researched overview of the county's fascinating military heritage.