A POSTER commemorating the River Clyde's crucial involvement in the Second World War will be unveiled next week at Gourock railway station.

It's the brainchild of former BBC Scotland sports commentator Alastair Alexander, who was born at Parklea Farm, Port Glasgow, and brought up at Margaret Street, Greenock.

He is the author of Action Stations! U-boat Warfare in the Clyde in Two World Wars and has now produced a poster about his research.

Alastair said: "The Clyde played a great role in the fighting of the war.

"I felt it was a great shame there was nothing to mark the historic events that took place in Gourock station and the Clyde.

"Between May 1942 and December 1944 the number of American soldiers and airmen disembarked on the Clyde was 1,317,089.

"The first steps on the liberation of Europe were made at Gourock and Greenock - they were the busiest and most cosmopolitan ports in the world at that time.

"I wanted to produce a marker, and Gourock station was an appropriate place for it."

The large poster will be unveiled on Wednesday by West of Scotland MSP and former Scottish Tory leader, Annabel Goldie MSP.

A choir from Moorfoot Primary School will sing some songs and representatives of ScotRail will also be in attendance.

Alastair said: "Annabel has given me great encouragement and support during the project."

Entitled 'The Clyde, Gourock Station and Pier Wartime History', the poster features fascinating archive pictures and detailed information on the area's important role during the war, including visits by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to Princes Pier en route to America and Canada.

Smaller versions of the poster will also go on sale at Gourock's Seagull Gallery.

Alastair added: "It was suggested I should produce smaller replicas which may well be of interest to local people and tourists."