Yeovil (/ˈjoʊvəl/ YOH-vəl) is a town and civil parish in the district of South Somerset, England, with a population of 45,000.[1] It is close to Somerset's southern border with Dorset, 130 miles (210 km) from London, 40 miles (64 km) south of Bristol, 6 miles (9.7 km) from Sherborne and 30 miles (48 km) from Taunton. The aircraft and defence industries that developed in the 20th century meant that it became a target for bombing in the Second World War. They are still major employers.