This week's Councillor Column is written by Lorna Douglas, SNP councillor for Helensburgh Central.

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The sun shone as people stood around the war memorial in Helensburgh on Remembrance Sunday. It was a perfect autumnal day.

I was laying a wreath on behave of Argyll and Bute Council. I have attended before, but have never placed a wreath at the memorial and so have never really been close enough to read some of the names that now faced me.

Like most local people who go to the park, we have become familiar with the memorial and its symbolism, but probably don’t ever see or read the individual names on the memorial itself.

From the names facing me one jumped out – not because of the rank of the person, but his surname, as it is one of my own family names, Major William S. Sinclair.

READ MORE: Pictures from Remembrance Sunday commemorations in Helensburgh

When I got home I started Googling some of the names on the memorial to find out a little bit more about them.

Major William S. Sinclair was brought up in Helensburgh, later moving to New Zealand. He was a doctor who died at sea on January 25, 1919, aged 46, after five years strenuous service in the Medical Corps.

Private William Gillies, who was brought up in Craigendoran, worked for the Canadian branch of the Union Bank of Scotland before joining the 29th Battalion (Vancouver) Canadian Expeditionary Force. He died in action April 30, 1916 aged 27.

Private Joseph Pratt, from West Clyde Street, was an apprentice shoemaker. He joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and, while filling sandbags at the front, was shot by a Germen sniper and died on April 13, 1915, aged just 20.

READ MORE: Helensburgh war memorial project's new WW1 remembrance plea

Of the 104 names from the Great War, I have only touched on the lives of three men from Helensburgh. I’m sure many local people will have family stories about other names on the memorial; stories that have been passed down over generations to be carefully remembered.

The Navy Chaplain spoke at Sunday’s service of the importance of remembering, not only those who died in war, but those also affected by war.

He recited Psalm 46 which speaks of the need for refuge in times of trouble.

Whether we are religious or non-religious we can all understand the concept of refuge – a safe place, a peaceful place.

So, thanks to the local architect A. N. Paterson for his sensitive design of the memorial, and thank you to the Friends of Hermitage Park and others, who restored this memorial, its garden and the surrounding park to provide a little refuge here in Helensburgh.

READ MORE: Catch up with all the latest news headlines from around Helensburgh and Lomond here