A plaque to commemorate the bombing of Dumbarton during WWII will be laid within the grounds of the Municipal Buildings.
West Dunbartonshire Council’s cultural committee agreed to the move as part of plans to mark the 80th anniversary of the Clydebank Blitz.
Dumbarton SNP councillor Iain McLaren and Conservative Brian Walker raised the issue of a lack of commemoration for the Luftwaffe attacks on Dumbarton, that reportedly saw around 17 people killed and more than 100 homes destroyed.
During two nights of German bombing raids on March 13 and 14, 1941, a total of 528 people were killed, more than 600 injured and around a quarter of Clydebank’s 12,000 homes destroyed.
Dumbarton avoided more devastating attacks despite being home to Nazi targets, thanks to starfish decoy bunkers at Lang Craigs above Overtoun House
Troops would hide out in it and light up the hillside with fires to replicate the appearance of the town to try and direct the German bombers away from the town itself so they were bombing the hillside.
Although Dumbarton was bombed - most devastatingly on May 5 in 1941, it is believed it didn’t suffer the same impact as Clydebank because of the starfish bunker.
A parachute mine also came down on Stirling Road, near Round Riding Road, severely damaging three houses.
Another parachute mine fell on the canteen of the Denny Shipyard which failed to explode and was immobilised by the bomb disposal team.
During the May attack, incendiaries fell on the Silverton and Newton areas - with tenements where Dumbarton East’s Kwik Fit garage now stands destroyed.
Speaking during discussions on how to mark the anniversary, Bailie Denis Agnew said: “ I noticed about 15 years ago that there was blitzing in Dumbarton, approximately a month to six weeks after the Clydebank Blitz. But there’s never been anything to commemorate that.
“Councillor McLaren and Councillor Walker have both raised this to the committee and we discussed the issues around the fact nothing is really said about Dumbarton.
“Dumbarton was a target. The Denny Shipyard, Turkey Dye works and others.
“We felt it was appropriate that we supported and recognised any efforts to mark this.”
Preparations to commemorate the anniversary have also been scaled back.
The local authority had been planning to host a remembrance service on Sunday, March 13 in Our Holy Redeemer’s Church in Clydebank but this will now not take place as St Andrew’s Church intend to hold a service on the same day and had already asked Bailie Agnew to speak.
It was also decided a presentation of commemorative medals should not be held but instead hand delivered to the recipients with a letter from the provost.
The council has agreed to spend £3250 for 250 copies of author Tom McKendrick’s book on the Blitz.
Bailie Agnew added: “The 80th anniversary of the Clydebank Blitz is so important and we should try and draw a conclusion to everything while survivors are still with us.”
