HERE we go with another dollop of olden and golden days memories, starting with another Email from Neyland's Harry Bennett.
"Hi Jeff…A little item to add to my previous email.
“The photo you posted of the Fish Market, which I don't think I have seen before, seems to be from my era. I recognise the boxes in use, and see the chap in the foreground is packing fish for customers, and note the ice ‘Kits’ are in use.
“No doubt many people will remember the blocks of ice sliding down the chute to the centre of the market from the Ice Factory.
“It then went into a crusher before going into the kits. One of the checkers at this point was Stokey Lewis VC. I found him a cheerful man, but I don't know why he called me ‘curly’. I still have hair, and it is still straight!
“Much later I worked with two of Stokey's sons in the Mine Depot.
“One…I only knew him as Stokey."
Thanks Harry, glad you're enjoying the column.
Now, as promised, the return of TRM trawler corner, this week, featuring the John Baptish LO234/M275. A Castle Class steel-sided trawler, built in Beverley, in 1918.
290 tons. 125' length. Local owners…Brand & Curson, Milford Docks, followed by Milford Fisheries.
Landed at Milford from Jan 1920 to Sept 1940. Skipper W. J. McClean.
Here's a WWG news cutting from Sept 1940.
"Milford Haven has stood up to many blows in its time and come up smiling, but the past few days has filled the town's cup of sorrow to overflowing.
“The trawler left for the fishing grounds on Saturday September 7 and, on a normal fortnight trip, would have been in by the 21st. Meanwhile, other trawlers reported that this boat had steamed for home with a big catch of herrings. It was hoped that all these stories were wrong, and the boat was on a hake trip, but Mr. O W Limbrick, a director of the company, issued the sad news that the vessel was now overdue and believed lost. She was in charge of Skipper W J McClean, Shakespeare Ave. The other 12 crew members were…Mate…A E Pritchard, Priory Rd; Bosun…J H Garton, Hull; 3rd hand, J R Freeman, Greville Rd; D/hand…Samuel Nelson, Hull; Spare hand…H Arson, Hull; Spare hand…H Wordsworth, Hull; Spare hand…V L Bird, Fleetwood; Cook…R Jordon, Rosslare; Ch Eng…W H Hughes, Merlins Bridge; 2nd Eng J E Thomas, Portfield Ave, H/west. Fireman…A L G Badham, Merlins Cres, H/west; Fireman...J W Eynon, Picton, H/west.
“Mr Limbrick said of the 56-year-old Skipper Mclean: ‘He was a native of Brixham, an experienced fisherman, a hard-working and conscientious man. One of Milford's most popular and successful skippers. He leaves a widow, five sons and one daughter. Two of his sons are serving in the Navy and a third in the RAF.
“During the last war (14-18) he served four-and-a-half years in the minesweepers and was mentioned several times in despatches’."
Here's a snap of the trawler.
My good friend, Neil Jackson, has asked me to remind everyone of this year's Anzac Day Service, which is at 12.15 this Sunday (April 28), and he's also included some details of why it's so meaningful to Milford.
"At 23.15 hours on July 19, 1942, a Wellington bomber, with a crew of five Australian airmen, and one Englishman, took off from their home base at RAF Lichfield. They were to fly to Rhyl.
“At 02.34 hours it appeared the aircraft was in distress and was on SOS, the searchlights attempted to home the aircraft to Talbenny, but alas, it overshot the runway. Small explosions were heard coming from the aircraft and only one engine was functioning. To those who saw the events unfolding these men were heroes. The craft was by this time flying so low it was skimming the tops of the houses and to avoid serious damage to property and death to civilians the pilot (Kenneth Steinbach) was trying to steer the plane to the water. If he had managed, perhaps some of them would have lived, but they lacked the height and touched the old Ice Factory at Milford Docks, crashing nose down into the earthbank below the Marine Gardens, exploded into flames, and burst into flames. No-one survived. A few feet higher and the bomber would have crashed into Hamilton Terrace."
Brian Etherington remembers…"I was seven years old and living at 32 St Annes Rd. My bedroom was at the back of the house overlooking the Docks. I was awakened by the sound and noise of an aeroplane engine. I got up and opened the curtains. It was a clear bright moonlit night. On looking out I could see the roof of the Fishmarket shining like a road. Then I noticed a plane coming down over the Ice Factory…then a loud bang and explosion.
“Next day my father said it was thought the pilot mistook it to be a landing strip because of the phosphorous in the birds droppings and the moon shining on it."
Neil added…"A building housing A Farrant and Sons was affected by having its invoices scattered.
“The father of Hugh James, George James, was in the pay corps in Shrewsbury, and, being the past manager of Farrants, had a knowledge of who the invoices had to go to. He was brought home on compassionate leave to sort out the invoices."
Once again I'm grateful to Neil for reminding us that, although Milford escaped relatively unscathed during WW2, there were also tragic and frightening incidents that we should never forget.
Here's a photo of the type of Wellington bomber involved.
Now teaser time. Last week's answer was 0…as worked out by Owen and Dom at Todaros, Joan Earles, Anne and Jets Llewellyn, Elinor Jones, Margaret Jones and Les Haynes.
Joan added that she was in the wedding photo we included last week…then Joan Foster, she also recognised Jeff McClean.
Now for a teaser from Les Haynes.
When I was four years old, my brother was half my age. Now I'm 18 how old is my brother?
Finally, re our recent Super Sounds of the Sixties show in the Torch, promoted by the Merc.
Wayne of EPS Events and I were absolutely thrilled by its success and all the wonderful feedback we've had and, although the exact final amount raised is not yet known, we are over the moon that our target amount of £4,000 will be exceeded, and shared between the charities.
Many thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen.
That's it for now...see you next week.
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