GREETINGS TRM readers everywhere, I've got another mixed bag of tripe for you to devour and hopefully enjoy, but it hasn't been plain sailing this week, and I'm starting with an admonishment.

"Why do you have to go back so far all the time with your TRM Trawler Corner? We're not all decrepit old wrecks…some of us would appreciate seeing a ship in colour every now and then! It's like you're stuck in the Dark Ages!"

Oh! That's me being well and truly told off by a disgruntled TRM-er.

The reason is, of course, that Milford's fishing industry was much fuller, and defined, for the first 60 years of the 20th century, which is why most of our fishing memories stem from that era.

However, I'm not one to ignore the feelings of even one member of our flock, so, this week, in bright colour, I'm pleased to present the Semper Allegro M130, a steel-beam trawler, built in 1957 in the Netherlands.

72 tons...77' in length. She landed in Milford, under this name, from February 1985, when owned by G, Antoniazzi, Milford.

From the WWG of November 1985 comes this cutting.

"Milford Haven's sagging fishing industry got a shot in the arm last week, when a local trawler broke the port earnings record.

“Milford's only beam trawler, Semper Allegro, of West Wales Fish Supplies Ltd landed fish worth £21,500 last week, after only six days fishing in the Bristol Channel. The previous port record was set some four years ago, when Picton Sea Eagle, under Skipper Robert Foster, landed £18,000 worth at Fleetwood following a two week trip, The previous record came from 800 kits. Semper Allegro unloaded 100 kits, but the catch comprised prime soles, plaice and turbot.

“Mr Antoniazzi said that the beamer, which he bought for in excess of £100,000 in February, is now beginning to show a healthy profit, and he is looking into the possibility of acquiring another similar vessel."

Milford's fishing industry, of course, saw no great improvement, there have been frequent false dawns, and, in 1988, the Semper Allegro was sold to new owners in Cornwall.

Like millions of others, last weekend, I tuned in to watch the opening games of the Six Nations championship.

Although not a huge fan of the oval ball game, possibly due to the fact that my days of mud and boots in Miford Grammar were prior to the school turning to rugger. But I do enjoy watching the Internationals, and I'm always reminded of the year, many moons ago, when I, along with a gang of guys from the Waterloo Club, went on a Grand Slam-type weekend trip to Paris, to watch France v Wales.

It was a trip we'd organised ourselves, and it turned out to be a weekend which I'm sure, none of us who went, will ever forget.

It didn't begin well when, at Cardiff airport, because of a persistent fog, our flight was delayed for six hours. But there was always the bar!

When we did, finally, arrive at our hotel, there was more disappointment.

We hadn't been expecting the Ritz, but were dumbfounded to find that it was the French equivalent of a cross between Bates' Motel and Fawlty Towers...complete with a dangerous open lift shaft, running down the middle of it…from top to bottom!

I've often considered bringing out the unexpurgated story of the trip in one of my books and, who knows, maybe someday I will. But, alas, it's not for the squeamish, nor faint-hearted, and definitely unsuitable fare for a family newspaper such as the Milford Mercury.

But I can honestly say that...from the early hours of that Saturday morning…after wangling our way into an underground nightclub, where we joined in with a sing song with a bunch of boisterous Basques…to later that morning, and some pre-match, Bistro grub, consisting of undercooked steaks, rubbery giant escargots drowned in garlic…through to the Saturday night's incredible, exotically charged entertainment, in one of the City's more bizarre strip clubs…right up to the Sunday afternoon when, shattered and bleary eyed, we climbed back onto the plane…I'd had hardly any sleep…but hadn't stopped laughing.

There'd been some hilarious moments and, although Wales had lost the match…our hotel hadn't blown up…and, miraculously, none of us had fallen down that lift shaft! It had been an adventure, but we were all glad to return home to Milford…and to sanity.

This week's second snap is of a Milford Rugby Union team…from well over a hundred years ago.

Now for our teasers…last week the answer was MOTHER…and those who contacted me with the correct solution were...Elinor Jones, Anne and Jets Llewellyn, Les Haynes, Joan Earles and Joyce Layton.

Many thanks to all who got in touch with answers.

Try this one.

The water level in a reservoir is low, but doubles every day.

It takes 60 days to fill the reservoir.

How long does it take for the reservoir to become half full?

That's another one done and dusted, don't forget, if you want to get in touch with something TRMish...I'm here.