WELL, what about that dollop of snow from the Beast from the East?

I know we'd been warned, but it still managed to cause chaos.

Betty, our tiny pooch, didn't know what to make of it at first. There she was, slipping and sliding like a tipsy Jayne Torville, before disappearing under the Arctic drifts that had amassed in our drive, in a flurry of swirling tail, paws, and little legs. Mind you, I think, after the initial shock, she really loved it.

Of course, being such a rare winter occurrence, the blanket of white reminded me of the times, when, as a kid in Pill, our usual play patch became a winter wonderland. Invariably, that led to our sliding on trays down the Rath banks, (last Friday, I had a message from Pill boy, Brian Phillips, declaring he'd found a tray on the Rath "with my name on"!), as well as hurtling down the street-facing slope of the Gunkle. That exploit wasn't deemed to be so foolhardy back then... traffic had only just been invented!

Anyway, here's a snowy snap of two of my pals, I think it's a wellied Charlie Claxton and Ian Parsons, taken on a snowy Gunkle, probably around 1952/53.

Now, what's on this week's TRM agenda?

After last week's bit from the wonderful Doug Joyce's Army Cadet Force memories, I had a call from Jean Jenkins (nee Bennett), now of H/west, but, at one time, a Milford neighbour of Doug.

Jean recalled, as a six year old, singing in concerts that were held in the old TA centre at the bottom of Charles Street, and wondered if anyone else can remember them, too. If so, please get in touch, it would be nice to hear from you. My thanks to Jean, who just happens to be the very first ‘TRM teaser Queen,’ from many moons ago, when the quiz was done in a different format.

I also had a call from Mr Orchard, about his family connection to last week's piece on the trawler Gordon Richards. I'll soon be back in touch with him to discuss other trawling history relating to his relations.

This week's TRM trawler corner snap includes three ships for the price of one…the Norrard Star, Feaco, and Willing Boys, and I've decided to include just a little gen about the Star.

A steel-sided trawler. 167 tons. 101'. Built in 1956, by R. S. Hayes, and was the first trawler ever built at Pembroke Dock.

Owners…Norrard Trawlers Ltd. Milford Docks (Nov 56 to Feb 57); White Fish Authority, London (Feb 57 to June 1968); Norrard Trawlers (June 1968 to 1988) Skippers include…Jack Chenery; George Rowlands; Arthur James; Teddy Bowles; James Manson; J. Rodgers; Alfred James.

There were many occasions when it wasn't only fish that found their way into the nets of Milford's trawler fleet, as these two instances show.

WW Guardian Jan 1969: "The Milford drifter trawler, Norrard Star, made a strange 'catch' while fishing off Lundy Head, more than 20 miles off the NW coast of Devon.

“We saw a big bird swimming slowly towards us, obviously exhausted," said Skipper Arthur James, 25 Hilton Ave. “As it got nearer, we could see it was a goose. It made straight for us, and we got it on board. It couldn't fly, was very tame, and settled happily in a locker, hungrily accepting food from us, but refusing to come back on deck for the rest of the trip. When we returned to Milford, she came ashore quite happily, and followed us about on the Docks.

“The bird appears to be a greying goose, and it's thought she might have escaped from one of the Severn sanctuaries.

“At least one of the crew took the goose as a good omen…the trawler returned with a prime catch from the grounds and made £2,265."

And from the W/Tel October 1986.

"The mystery of an aircraft propeller, picked up by a Milford Haven trawler last week, may soon be solved. The propeller, hauled on board the Norrard Star…fishing 10 miles SE of the Smalls…was at first thought to have come from a helicopter. But officials from the Pembs Aviation Group believe it is from a Wellington bomber, which went down in the area towards the end of the 2nd World War."

To finish off this brief glimpse at the Norrard Star, here's a photo of one of her crews. L-R Back Row...George Kerrison; David Bennett; Mate…Billy Hawkins.

Front Row…Skipper Teddy ‘Bantam’ Bowles; Ch Engr...Joe ‘Nobby’ Hughes; Stanley ‘Yorkie’ Farrow.

Now teaser time, and last week's, set by Les Haynes, flummoxed many.

The word he was looking for was QUEUE, and those who lined up correctly were…Pat Farrarr; Anne and Jets Llewellyn; Charles Wetherall, Gerry Thomas and Elinor Jones. Thanks to all who had a go.

Here's one about a family dilemma.

It's 3am, the doorbell rings, and you wake up. Unexpected visitors. It's your parents, and they are here for breakfast. You have strawberry jam, honey, wine, bread and cheese. What's the first thing you open?

Right, after that merry mix of memories, it's time I let you get on. If you've got any TRM thoughts you'd like shared…please get in touch. Now...open those gates…

I'm outta here!