As a result of the raids on the nights of 13 and 14 March 1941, the town was largely destroyed and it suffered the worst destruction and civilian loss of life in all of Scotland.

Major targets included the John Brown & Company shipyard, ROF Dalmuir and the Singer Corporation factory.

He claims that while the raid on 13 March was not intended as a terror attack, it caused extensive damage because there was a lot of housing near the specific targets but the bombings the following night were indeed a terror attack as it "was intended to crack morale and force the people to call for an end to the war.

"[5] To the immediate west of the town was situated Clydeside's main Admiralty Oil Storage facility, covering 130 acres (53 ha).

It is composed of a substantial granite memorial with bronze cast plates at its base designed by the artist Tom McKendrick.

An additional memorial is dedicated to the crew of a Polish destroyer, ORP Piorun, which helped defend the town from the docks of the John Brown & Company shipyard.

A recording made in May 1941 by bombed-out civilian Tom Wright features on The Blitz, an archive audiobook CD issued in 2007.

[9] The church displays a triptych painting portraying images of the Blitz created by artist Tom McKendrick.