History of Hertfordshire - Twentieth Century

Twentieth Century

The two flagship garden cities of Letchworth and Welwyn were central to the development of town planning in England. The first Garden City Company formed in 1903, with £300,000 of capital, and by 1914, Letchworth had a population of around 10,000. Ebenezer Howard bought nearly 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) in 1919, and the first house in Welwyn Garden City was occupied in 1920. The town's official date of founding was 29 April.

In the First World War, the Hertfordshire Yeomanry mobilised in September 1914 and were almost immediately deployed to Egypt. The 2nd London Division of the Territorial Force had their headquarters at St Albans, and the North Midland Territorial Division was billeted there as well. The 1/1st Hertfordshire Regiment landed at Le Havre in November, and saw action in the Ypres Salient that month.

The Hertfordshire Volunteer regiment formed on 15 May 1915. On 13 October of that year, a Zeppelin raid hit North Road in Hertford, destroying houses there. In 1916, the Hertfordshire Regiment was transferred to 39th Division and fought at St Julien. Two Victoria Crosses ("VC") were awarded to Hertfordshire men in 1916: one to Corporal Alfred Alexander Burt and one to Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson, who shot down a Zeppelin over Cuffley. Second Lieutenant Wulfstan Tempest shot down another on 2 October of that year, and it came down in Potters Bar. The 1st Battalion of the Hertfordshire Regiment fought near Achiet-le-Grant in 1918, and then at the Battle of Havrincourt. It also fought in the advance to Ghissignies. Hertfordshire's last VC of the First World War was awarded in December 1918, after the war had finished: a posthumous VC for Lieutenant Frank Young of Hitchin, who was killed on 18 September 1918, aged 23.

With the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Hertfordshire Regiment were mobilised. Together with the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, they made up 162nd Infantry Brigade of the East Anglian Division. Second Battalion would later be at Ver-sur-Mer in Normandy in support of the D-Day landings.

In May 1940, a public meeting at County Hall, Hertford (which was then newly-built, having only opened in 1939) was held to consider forming the Hertfordshire Local Defence Volunteers. Nineteen companies formed at once. They became the Hertfordshire Home Guard in December of that year.

In 1942 the 191st (Hertfordshire and Essex Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery formed for an anticipated campaign in Northern Europe. Hertfordshire was central to aircraft manufacture in the Second World War. De Havilland designed their Mosquito in Hatfield and constructed them at Leavesden, together with Halifax bombers.

Many RAF pilots were trained at Panshanger. From 1940, No. 2 (AC) Squadron was stationed at RAF Sawbridgeworth, with the purpose of mounting tactical reconnaissance sorties over occupied Europe. Initially it operated the Westland Lysander, before reequipping with the more capable Tomahawk and Mustang aircraft. About 4000 bombs, 107 V-1 flying bombs, and 47 V-2 rockets fell on Hertfordshire during the Second World War. American Flying Fortresses bombers of the 398th Bombardment Group (Heavy) mounting 195 combat missions against targets on the Continent from RAF Nuthampstead. The United States Army Air Forces used RAF Bovingdon as a training station, while the US VIII Fighter Command Headquarters was based RAF Bushey Hall.