OK…that's another yule out of the way, it's time to lock away the mistletoe, replant the tree, pack up all those shiny baubles (some are even older than your granny!) check down the sides of the sofa for turkey sarnies, and do our best to sort out 2019.

I know that New Year is a time to look forward…but not for us…we'll continue to look back over our shoulders, sharing long ago memories, photos, and experiences, and, hopefully we'll also share a smile or two along the way.

In December TRMs, I included a photo of, and talked about, the property which overlooked Wards Yard and Scotch Bay, known to we old Pillites, as Russell's Bungalow.

Ex Milfordian, and old school chum, Graham Clarke has, once again, been in touch with some interesting, additional gen.

"Hi Jeff…just to add a little background to Russell's Bungalow. It was originally built for my great grandfather, John Thomas Lingwood Clarke, to enable his wife to watch trawlers coming up the harbour, especially his.

“He had 10 children, so there were lots of Clarkes around in the early 1900s.

“When he retired from the sea, he sold the bungalow and moved to Robert Street, the house which is below the old people's flats (is it called Robinson House?).

“I have attached two pictures of my great grandfather, which I've just come across whilst going through some old snaps. I think they are both on the Abelard M17, which he skippered from 1909 until its requisition for the First World War in 1914.

“It was eventually wrecked in Plymouth in 1916."

Cheers Graham, I'm always grateful for any feedback, and yours is more than enough incentive for me to include the Abelard as the first TRM's Trawler Corner of 2019.

A steel-sided trawler built in 1909 in North Shields. 187 tons. 110 ' long.

Here's a news report from the H/west and Milford Haven Telegraph of October 8, 1913.

"On Thursday afternoon, the steam trawler Abelard, Messrs Sellick, Morley and Price, put back into the Haven and reported a serious explosion, which occurred at 7am, when the vessel, which was on her way to the fishing grounds off the Irish Coast, had only steamed ten miles from the Heads.

“Something went wrong with the acetylene gas apparatus, and an explosion took place in the fish room, where the mate, William Adams, was at that moment engaged in getting the fish room ready. He received the full force of the blast, the fish room was literally wrecked, and the skipper at once turned his vessel round and headed back to Milford with all possible speed.

“The mate, it was evident, was in a serious condition, and on arrival in the Haven the skipper went alongside the first of the warships, HMS Terrible, and asked for the doctor, who promptly boarded the trawler and had the injured man brought aboard the cruiser, where everything possible was done for him.

“Afterwards he was placed on a Naval ambulance and brought ashore by blue jackets, accompanied by the naval doctor, who had him conveyed to Dr Griffiths' surgery, and subsequently to his house in Warwick Rd.

“The poor fellow was badly burnt, but the exact nature of his injuries could not be ascertained. Mr Adams was a native of Brixham, but has lived in Milford for many years, and has a wife and a large family. Mr Adams, whose condition remains serious, was, on Saturday evening, removed to the County Infirmary in H/west."

From the same local paper, dated August 5, 1914, with Milford, and the rest of the world waiting with bated breath, came this news.

"On Sunday, the order was given out for the mobilisation of the Naval Reserve (trawler section) of whom there are about 150 men in the port, including skippers, mates, deckhands, engineers etc. A naval officer was busy all day serving notices on all the men in from sea. This was not all, for orders were given for the handing over to the Admiralty of certain steam trawlers for the mine sweeping service, the vessels to be manned. The steam trawler Abelard was stripped of her gear and prepared at once, leaving the port on Sunday afternoon."

Now for our teaser, let's see if your brains are still fudged by too much Xmas cake, Turkish Delights, and sherry trifle.

Some months have 30 days. Some months have 31 days. How many have 28?

The next photo has, though somewhat loosely, a tenuous link to this week's content, a connection by way of WW1 and Wards Yard.

It's another from my old Pill pal, Ivor Day's collection of ships that ended their days at Wards Yard.

This one is HMS Meteor...Built in Southampton in 1914, 1,004 tons...274'...and in the Battle of Dogger Bank, in 1915, she was hit by a shell from SMS Blucher. The shell exploded in the engine room, killing three sailors. She was towed into Humber for repairs, then rejoined the Fleet in 1916.

In May 1921 she was sold to Wards Shipbreaking at Milford, where she was finally laid to rest.

And that, chums, is just about that for this week. Thanks a lot for all the continued kind comments about TRM, I do appreciate them. If you feel like getting in touch, please do so. See you next week.