GOUROCK will remember the brave local men who lost their lives in World War One through the launch of a special commemorative project.

The ambitious scheme will bring together all sections of the community to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war - and tell the story of the soldiers from the town who never returned.

The Coming Home initiative, which is costing £5,400, has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and will use a wide range of archive material as part of the tribute.

Heritage and cultural co-ordinator Kay Clark is one of the people behind the project.

She said: "Names will be taken from the from the town's churches and war memorial.

"We will also be researching Alice Symes, who is the only woman to appear on the monument."

Volunteers will also speak to local people to share their own personal stories about relatives who fought in the war.

Kay added: "Soldiers who lost their lives were members of uniformed groups like the Boys Brigade, where there is a strong membership of young people today.

"Researching the archives will allow us to compare young people today with the young people who went to war and share this through a drama which will be performed on the evening of Armistice Day."

Councillor Lynne Quinn, chair of Gourock Heritage and Arts, said she was delighted that the project is going ahead.

She said: "I am thrilled that we have secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to deliver this very significant and exciting project. This will be a community-wide event which will see partnership working between ourselves at Gourock Heritage and Arts, Inverclyde Council's libraries and museums and all members of the Gourock churches and Schools Together Group."

Alan Aitken, President of Inverclyde & District Battalion The Boys’ Brigade and assistant session clerk at St John's Church, said: "I am delighted that this project will also incorporate another national commemorative event, The Battles Over - Ringing Out For Peace.

"This will also take place on Remembrance Sunday 11 November 2018 and will see Gourock join with villages, towns and cities all over the UK with a local bugler playing the Last Post at 6.55pm and the church bells ringing out over Gourock at 7.05pm in unison with participating venues across the country."

Volunteers with an interest in researching local history and who would like to get involved can go along to an upcoming information evening at Gourock Heritage Centre, Shore Street, at 6pm on September 19.

This will include a talk Vincent Gillan on the Battle of Achibaba, were many soldiers from the local area lost their lives.