Editing Chelmsford (section)

===World War II===
During World War II Chelmsford, an important centre of light engineering war production, was attacked from the air on several occasions, both by aircraft of the [[Luftwaffe]] and by missile. The worst single loss of life took place on Tuesday 19 December 1944, when the 367th [[Vergeltungswaffe]] 2 or [[V-2 rocket|V2]] rocket to hit England fell on Henry Road, a residential street near the Hoffmans ball bearing factory and the [[Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company]] factory in New Street. Both factories were key to the war effort. Thirty-nine people were killed and 138 injured, 47 seriously.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk/WW2/WW2_HOWSE,_Pamela_Christine.html |title=Pamela Christine HOWSE, Civilian. Killed in Chelmsford |publisher=Chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk |access-date=21 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603145922/http://www.chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk/WW2/WW2_HOWSE,_Pamela_Christine.html |archive-date=3 June 2013 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Several dwellings in Henry Road were completely destroyed, and many badly damaged in nearby streets. A monument to the dead is located in the city cemetery on Writtle Road.

On 14 May 1943 Luftwaffe bombing raids hit Chelmsford leaving more than 50 people dead<ref>{{cite news |title=Beryl Ina JUDD, Civilian Fatally injured during an air raid at King's Road, Chelmsford. Aged 11 |url=https://www.chelmsfordwarmemorial.co.uk/second-world-war/chelmsford/ww2-judd-beryl-ina.html |access-date=30 December 2022 |work=Chelmsford War Memorial}}</ref> and leaving nearly 1,000 homeless. The bombs hit mainly the town centre, [[Springfield, Essex|Springfield]], and [[Moulsham]].

The [[GHQ Line]] part of the [[British hardened field defences of World War II]] runs directly through Chelmsford with many [[Pillbox (military)|pillboxes]] still in existence to the north and south of the city.

[[Hylands Park]], the site of the former annual [[V Festival]], hosted a prisoner of war camp, and from 1944 until it was disbanded in 1945, was the headquarters of the [[Special Air Service]] (SAS).<ref>[http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/history-hylands The History of Hylands] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404214844/http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/history-hylands |date=4 April 2016 }}, Chelmsford City Council, published 24 November 2004. Retrieved 20 October 2010</ref>