Kilmun Street, Maryhill
As we mark the 70th anniversary of the Clydebank Blitz this weekend on 13th and 14th March 2011 when over 528 civilians were killed during the two nights of bombing , I also want to mark the loss of men, women and children not only in Clydebank where my mother and her family were during that time but also the losses in Maryhill.
SCOTT, Marion, age 23; of 32 Kilmun Street, Maryhill. Daughter of Marion Buchannon Scott, and of the late David Scott. 14 March 1941, at 32 Kilmun Street.
SCOTT, Marion Buchannon, age 58, of 32 Kilmun Street, Maryhill. Widow of David Scott. 14 March 1941, at 32 Kilmun Street.
SCOTT, Norman, age 7; of 32 Kilmun Street, Maryhill. 14 March 1941, at 32 Kilmun Street.
SIMPSON, Isabella Campbell Crawford, age 30; of 36 Kilmun Street, Maryhill. Wife of William Simpson. 14 March 1941, at 36 Kilmun Street.
SIMPSON, James McTadzean, age 9; of 36 Kilmun Street, Maryhill. Son of William and Isabella Campbell Crawford Simpson. 14 March 1941, at 36 Kilmun Street.
SIMPSON, William, age 34; of 36 Kilmun Street, Maryhill. Husband of Isabella Campbell Crawford Simpson. 14 March 1941, at 36 Kilmun Street.
SIMPSON, William, age 6; of 36 Kilmun Street, Maryhill. Son of William and Isabella Campbell Crawford Simpson. 14 March 1941 at 36 Kilmun Street.
“The cool, unwavering courage of the people is evident, and when the full story of their heroism in the face of the Luftwaffe is told, they will take their place alongside the citizens of London and Coventry.”
Glasgow Herald, 18 March 1941
Below is the Warden’s report of that night.
“In this incident the type of explosive used was land mines. Two of these landed, one in the open fields west of Duncruin Street, the other on a tenement at Kilmun Street. This property was of the type where five and seven homes were situated on each landing.
Blast from the first mine wrecked the school known as St Mary’s RC school. The wide front of red stone withstood the blast but windows were torn out, rooms wrecked doors blown to atoms. It was a marvellous escape the AFS had when one looks at the place they had been in. The door of the Warden’s Post F44 was completely wrenched off but no other damage was done to the post.
The second mine was travelling in the same direction and it is my humble opinion that the blast from the first mine blew the second one back, to deposit its load in Kilmun Street.
The property at 32-36 Kilmun Street was demolished. 26 Kilmun Street and the property on the other side was blasted. A small fire started, but this was quickly under control. In Shiskine Street the property was wrecked.
Some strange sights were witnessed. I was in the scene just after the first explosions. In fact the second blast caught me in Maryhill Road and it was a bit of a comedy to find one’s self surrounded by Cochrane’s tea packets and no ration books required.
On reaching post Fll at Lennox Street and Maryhill Road, I found the people rushing from the scene. These were put into shelters in the Tramway Depot at Celtic Street. The wardens at this point were splendid attending to injured and taking the lead in the matter rescue.
I noticed that the ‘homeless’ would be in the way to any work being done. So I ‘borrowed’ one of the trams and with one of my wardens we drove the homeless to the rest centre at Eastpark School Avenue Park Street.
We had five carloads before we put the car back to its ‘stable’. It was quite an interesting journey from Maryhill to Bilsland Drive. At some points I had to get out and remove shrapnel that clogged the rails. Our job over.
The opening up of the rest centre was tough to begin with owing to the fact that the principal centre at Maryhill School had to be evacuated owing to the fact that windows of same suffered from the effects of the blast. A centre for the Workers was opened; after much ‘scrounging’, we managed to get something to carry on with.
This canteen was held in a small house at Maryhill Road and Lennox Street. Mrs Wilkinson and boy messengers were the principal people to carry out this work. The Canteen operated up to 6pm on the evening of the 14th March, 1941.
During the weekend wardens assisted in the clearing of the debris and a good job of work at clearing was carried out by a crowd of young men. At this point the Lord Provost paid us a visit. The incident post was first established at a house in Maryhill Road but I suggested to the officer to transfer his flag to the wardens post F44. This worked splendidly. ”
Glasgow City Archives & Special Collections, Records of the Civil Defence Department, DCD 9/15
Hi was just wondering if their is a list of names of everyone killed in kilmun St. I am sure I had family in that building.
Thank you
Hi, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has a database of all recorded military and civilian deaths: https://www.cwgc.org/
The Blitz on Clydeside website has a list of all know rate payers in Kilmun Street as well; https://www.blitzonclydeside.co.uk/index.aspx?articleid=13667.
Hope this helps