HMS Dasher Memorial, South Beach 92                                                                                                    21 March 2014

On the afternoon of Saturday 27 March 1943, the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Dasher was sailing in the Clyde Estuary between Ardrossan and Arran. At 4.40 pm, there was an enormous explosion. Within a short time, the ship sank. Of the 528 men on board, 379 were killed by the blast or drowned. Wren Barbara McLean, later Barbara Kay, tended the injured and dying. Every year since 2000, there have been commemoration service on or near the anniversary. Barbara was a faithful attender and would place a red rose in the sea in memory of 'her boys'. The picture above was taken during the a service to dedicate a memorial stone to Barbara on 21 March 2014. The service was conducted by Canon Matt McManus, Parish Priest of the Church of Saint Peter in Chains. Members of Barbara's family and Deputy Provost Robet Barr were in attendance. Ciaran Sinclair played a lament on the bagpipes.