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Japanese dignitaries visit Pembrokeshire to study maritime heritage

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JAPANESE visitors have been given unique insights into their long naval and maritime heritage connections with Pembrokeshire.

In a visit arranged by David James, of the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society, the party braved the rain during a packed schedule which took them to Angle, Freshwater West and Pembroke Dock – special locations in Japan’s maritime story.

The distinguished party consisted of Mr Isao Kano, Regional CEO, Europe, and MD Mitsubishi Corporation and with him were Mr Misumi, Mr Takahashi and Mr Matsushita, also of Mitsubishi Corporation.

They were joined by Mr Kubota, European Vice President and CEO, Nippon Yusen Kaisha Group, Europe Ltd, and Major General (Retd) Ken Matsui and Mrs Matsui.

At Angle’s St Mary’s Churchyard they saw the recently dedicated memorial to members of the crew of the Japanese liner Hinaro Maru which was torpedoed by the German submarine UB91 in the Irish Sea on October 4, 1918 – just weeks before the end of the Great War. In several locations in Pembrokeshire the bodies of crew and passengers were washed ashore and the Angle
memorial replaces a long lost one from the 1920s. David James was instrumental in arranging for the new memorial to be placed at Angle last autumn.

At the invitation of John and Rosanna Allen-Mirehouse the group visited The Hall at Angle for coffee before travelling to a wet and windy Freshwater West beach. It was here that victims from the Hinaro Maru were washed ashore.

Final port of call was Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre were naval historian and volunteer Ted Goddard introduced the visitors to the remarkable connections with the Japanese Navy and the story of the warship Hiei – built locally forJapan and launched in 1877. A model of the Hiei – one of several made by David James – is on display at the Centre and was the focus of much interest.

Before leaving Pembroke Dock the visitors went to the former Master Shipwright’s House in the Royal Dockyard and viewed the Ginko tree which was given by the then Japanese Ambassador who attended the launching of the Hiei in 1877. The Ginko is now a huge and impressive tree in the garden.

Mr Keiji Kubota’s organisation, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line (one time owners of the Hirano Maru) had, together with local donors, funded the construction and erection of the Japanese War Memorial in St Mary’s Churchyard in Angle marking the last resting place of ten sailors from the Hirano Maru.
Mr Kubota is a close friend of Mr Isao Kano and so when the topic of the war grave and the Ginko tree project came up Mr Kano was very interested and wished to see the grave and the now famous Ginko tree; hence the visit was arranged.

Cuttings have been taken from the Ginko tree and are being grown on in the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, and the delegates are arranging for the cuttings, once strong enough, to be taken back to Japan to be planted in Places of Honour. One of these places is Kure, the naval base near Hiroshima in Japan.

The Mayor of Kure was told that David James had said ‘The Imperial Japanese Navy was born in Pembroke Dock’. He replied that his city was born because of a ship built in Pembroke Dock.

Pictured: Left to right, Ted Goddard, Naval Historian; Major General( Retd) Ken Matsui, Mr Isao Kano , regional CEO Mitsubishi Corporation Europe, Mr Misumi (Director Mitsubishi), Mr David James local naval historian and secretary West Wales Maritime Heritage; Mr Takahashi (director Mitsubishi) Mr Keiji Kubota , European Vice President and CEO Nippon Yusen Kaisha Europe, Mr Matsushita (Director Mitsubishi). They are admiring the model of Hiei 1877 built by David James. This was one of the first ships in the Imperial Japanese Navy and was once Commanded by Lieutenant, later Marshal Admiral, Hehachiro Togo, a Japanese National hero.

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

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PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

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Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

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ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

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Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

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THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

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