Don't look now, but I think the nights are starting to draw in. You wait, there'll be Xmas cards in the shops before long.

It's flying by, and, as the wonderful Paul Simon wrote: "Time rushes on and the leaves that are green turn brown and wither in the wind and crumble in your hand."

But before we all break out into a frenzied version of Auld Lang Syne, let's get going with more of the fantastic war time memories from Old Pill Boy.

"All sorts of things happened in Pill during the war, but it is a long story which would be, perhaps, better expressed in a book. I shall, however, try to mention some of them, and shorten my reminiscences a little.

"There was the artist on Cellar Hill beach, seemingly sketching the Depot. We contacted the police and he was taken away and never seen again. Not even a thank you,

"Our gang would cook dinner in the den, in a cast iron pot, all the veg plus two Oxo for meat. The rest of the day was spent red-eyed, with black smoke streaks around the eyes and down cheeks.

"Should have had a chimney in the den!

"We built a bonfire, and Granny Marchant kept guard over it, preventing Middle and Top Pill boys setting fire to it. She was a dab hand with a bucket.

"It cost threepence for five Woodbines. Adults, for a joke, would give us safety matches with nothing to strike them on, little knowing that they would strike on glass or green paint.

"The owner of a house in Murray Road could never understand why his back door was always scratched but luckily, he always repainted it green."

Like many of you, I'm loving these Old Pill Boy's memories, and here's a suitable snap to go with it.

I am most grateful to all those who, this week, have told me how much they love TRM and I was particularly touched by the words of one senior lady, who said:

"Thanks to you, Mr Dunn, Milford's old trawling days are being kept alive."

That's too kind, but very welcome.

I don't know if I'll ever get round to finishing it, but I've been writing a new play, based around a Milford trawling family during the 1950's. It's nowhere near completion, but I'd like to think that one day it will be. If so, I'll let you know.

Meanwhile, in TRM Trawler Corner this week is the Virtue Pettit/Andrew Wilson M73.

A steel sided trawler built in Lowestoft in 1959. 196 tons. 106 ' long.

Local owners include J.A. Pettit, Great North Rd, Milford, G. Antoniazzi, Hook, Bruno Linke, Mastlebridge, Ken Lodge, Waterloo Rd, Hakin.

Landed at Milford from Feb 1959 to July 1967.

Skippers: Jack Ryan, Grenville Beckett, J. Clarke, J. Bruce, George Birchwood, J. H. MacMillan, J. H. Banks , F. Thompson, M.W Oldman, James Brodie , J. Donovan, J. Rogers.

Here are just two snippets of news items, first from the WW Guardian Sept 1965.

"Mr Chester Knapp, a Polish cook on the trawler Virtue Pettit, fell into Milford dock on Thursday afternoon, while climbing about his boat, and was rescued by workers on the fish market.

Mr David Thompson, Observatory Avenue, (a member of Mr Walter Davies staff) and Mr William John, Coombs Drive, (who works for Messrs Larvis), saw the accident, jumped down onto the trawler deck, then onto a painter's pram alongside, pulled it round the ship, and lifted Mr Knapp aboard.

It was a tricky operation, as the heavily built victim was barely conscious, having hit his head before reaching the water. Mr Thompson applied artificial respiration, while Dr Keane and the Dock's PC Phillips were quickly on the scene to respond to a 999 call.

After medical treatment, the injured man was conveyed to the County Hospital."

And from the Western Telegraph of 18th April 1984, came her final report.

"One of Milford's few remaining trawlers made her last voyage on Friday night, to the breaker's yard !

"The Andrew Wilson, built specially for the port under the name of Virtue Pettit in 1959, is to be scrapped by the local firm of K & M Davies at their Milford yard. The work will provide four extra jobs.

"The trawler made many trips out of the port in the Sixties, before being sold to a Fleetwood firm, who changed her name to Andrew Wilson, but in 1979 she was bought by Mr Antoniazzi, and brought back to the port. Eventually the trawler was forced out of business by rising costs, which made her uneconomical to operate.

"She made her last fishing trip last May, and on Monday night, they raised the Castle Pill rail bridge, as the Andrew Wilson edged her way into the graveyard, the first ship to be broken up at Milford since Wards Yard closed many years ago."

Here's a snap of her..and one of that Pill bridge.

Now for our teasers. The answer to last week's was... horseracing! But I would've been happy to accept showjumping or polo as alternatives. Those who didn't need to use the whip were Joan Earles, Joyce Layton, John Glover, Elinor Jones, Les Haynes, Vernon Gwilliam, Anne and Jets Llewellyn.

Many thanks to all who got in touch.

This week there's another from the mind of Les Haynes.

When I was 4 years old, my brother was half my age. Now I'm 18, how old is my brother?

No insect attacks to report this week but I've noticed that our back patio, as well as being cherished by lots of industrious bees, there's also been an influx of menacing looking butterflies! I'll be watching them closely. See you.