A SPECIAL service was held at Milford Haven Cemetery on Friday to remember local fishermen who lost their lives at sea.

The cemetery chapel was packed as people gathered to pay tribute to the crews of the Milford Viscount (April 1950), Richard Crofts (February 1953), Robert Limbrick (February 1957) and Boston Heron (December 1962).

The service was led by Father Harri Williams, who said: “We commend to God these men that have lost their lives to provide for and to protect this nation and we pray for their immortal souls.

“We pray too for those men and women who continue to risk their lives at sea today, those who are parted from family and friends and those who make sacrifices to ensure our safety and wellbeing.”

Afterwards the Mayor of Milford Haven, Cllr Stephen Joseph and his deputy, Cllr William Elliott laid wreaths on the graves of some of the fishermen.

Recounting his own experiences as a young seaman, Cllr Joseph said: “What these guys did I can sympathise with. My name could very well have been on that list.

“I went to sea as a 16 year-old boy as a taster. We sailed out of Milford Haven and passed Belgian and Deutsch trawlers which were coming in to hide from the storm. I thought then something wasn’t quite right.

“I remember peeling spuds, which was the lowest of the low jobs, looking around and just seeing a wall of water. It was the next morning when I decided that this definitely wasn’t for me.

"We never knew whether it was day or night because we were working on a rota. All we did was pull the nets, clean the fish, get something to eat and go to sleep. It was only by what sort of meal you had that you knew what time of day it was.”

Cllr Joseph added: “My old skipper used to say to me the ships are made of wood but the men are made of iron – and I can tell you that’s a fact.”