Tour : The Clydebank Blitz

A BUS TOUR with David Carson.

Saturday the 10th September at 10:30am and 2:30pm.

Meet at the Clydebank Town Hall.

Duration 1.5 hrs. Booking required. Phone the Clydebank Library at : 0141 562 2440

This tour highlights the Blitz, but also takes in some of the history of the shipyards and even sewing machines.

Clydebank has been transformed into a very different place, but it had been a very important shipbuilding centre. And that attracted the German bombers during WWII. The Luftwaffe carried out air raids on the shipyards and town in March 1941. The town was largely destroyed and it suffered the worst destruction and civilian loss of life in all of Scotland. 528 people died, 617 people were seriously injured, and hundreds more were injured by blast debris. Out of approximately 12,000 houses, only seven remained undamaged with 4,000 completely destroyed and 4,500 severely damaged. Over 35,000 people were made homeless. Clydebank's production of ships and munitions made it a target. A total of 439 bomber dropped over 1,000 bombs. RAF fighters managed to shoot down two aircraft during the raid, but none were brought down by anti-aircraft fire.

Today Clydebank is again a thriving town albeit very different. But there are still signs of the Blitz - if you know where to look.

More about the Blitz can be found online here:

http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/leisure-parks-events/museums-and-galleries/collections/war-and-military/blitz/