HELENSBURGH war heroes were among hundreds to pay their respects at a recent commemoration service in Islay on the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the HMS Otranto.

The troopship collided with another vessel and went down off the west coast of the island on October 6, 1918.

Around 600 men were rescued, but hundreds of soldiers and crew who remained on board the ship were not so fortunate.

The collision resulted in almost 500 deaths, with more than 300 American soldiers losing their lives.

A century on from the tragedy, former servicemen and women – many of whom served at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane - gathered at Kilchoman military cemetery for a memorial service to honour not only those who perished, but also the hundreds of survivors who were rescued in the aftermath.

Argyll and Bute councillor Alastair Redman attended the service and said afterwards: “The services at Kilchoman military cemetery and Kilchoman distillery were thoughtful and moving.

“The huge turnout from locals and visitors alike shows the immense respect we all have for the Otranto crew and for the efforts of Islay locals in helping to rescue the survivors of this tragedy 100 years ago.

“A huge thanks to all of the organisers and volunteers that made the memorial service possible, as well as the veterans and naval servicemen who attended and contributed to the event.

“It was nice to see so many people coming together for this occasion.

“As I and many others have said many times before it is important that we never forget the sacrifice of these young men who died so that we may continue to enjoy the freedoms we so often take for granted.”

The service was part of the WW100 Islay commemoration events to mark the centenary of the Great War.