Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 17 March 2021
Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I apologise to Gil Paterson and other members for having to leave after my speech and before the end of the debate.
On behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, I wish Gil Paterson well in his retirement. I know how hard he has worked in the Clydebank and Milngavie constituency. I have heard many wonderful reports about that, and I sincerely thank him for it.
It is a real privilege to take part in the debate, and I thank Gil Paterson for securing it.
Eighty years ago, over the nights of 13 and 14 March 1941, one of the Luftwaffe’s most intense and destructive air raids of the second world war took place from the skies above Clydebank—a town vital for its wartime industry. It would result in the loss of 528 people and serious injuries for hundreds more. That death toll, which is believed to be higher in reality, speaks to the overwhelming tragedy that that community was forced to endure in the sudden destruction, which was far reaching in its impact.
The Luftwaffe sought to strategically attack industrial, mainly naval, targets—munitions factories and shipyards across Clydeside, including the famous Singer and Royal Ordnance factories—and in doing so, it was partly successful. Although it was the concentration of industry that drew the enemy action, it was Clydebank’s housing that took the biggest hit overall, with dreadful consequences. Out of a total of 12,000 houses, only seven were unaffected and 4,300 homes were completely destroyed. Tenement housing closest to the industrial centre, packed with wartime workers, suffered the worst casualties. There was barely a street without damage and multiple generations of entire families were lost in an instant. On Jellicoe street, one family lost 15 members, with one sole survivor. Identifying victims proved very difficult—understandably—and in many cases took months. Some people were never accounted for.
The damage and destruction were extensive and severe. Thousands of buildings were destroyed—and schools, churches, railways and power and water supplies were not excepted. Emergency rescue efforts were hampered by the seemingly unending fall of bombs and the resulting road blockages.
Following hours of irreparable and grievous destruction over two nights, we can only imagine the terror and shock awaiting those stepping out of their air raid shelters for the first time, as they saw the town damaged beyond recognition and their homes having disappeared. At that moment, the sobering reality of war and the horror of loss must have weighed extremely heavily on their minds.
For many, the devastating bombardment left nothing to return to, and it forced the displacement and emergency evacuation of thousands: the sudden wave of homelessness saw 11,350 people urgently needing accommodation. The community would not return to what it had been; following a second night of bombing, out of Clydebank’s 50,000 residents, only 2,000 remained.
There are many stories of courage and gallantry in the rescue effort. Perhaps the most well-known story is the part played by ORP Piorun—as Gil Paterson mentioned. The boldness of the Polish destroyer’s crew was matched by many others on land, who raced to find survivors and victims as the raids continued.
I recognise, with regret, that we cannot commemorate this anniversary as we would wish, with large public gatherings for the whole community to remember alongside one other. However, that does not stop us carrying out our own personal acts of remembrance to remember those whose lives were cut short and paying tribute to the many who joined the response efforts. We should not forget the resilience of the community and its workers and their resolve to persevere in a war effort that had already claimed so much from them. Tonight, we remember all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Clydebank blitz as well as those who sustained life-changing injuries.
18:52