Records vary the spelling of Fetherston/Fetherstone.
Nottingham Post notice (abridged), 5 December 1918: SANKEY. December 1st, Edward F Sankey, Wireless Telegraphist RNVR, on board HMST Ethelwulf, eldest son of William G Sankey, parents 78 Talbot Street.
The National Archives: ADM 137/3805 Description: Loss of HM Fishing Trawlers ETHELWULF and T.W. MOULD
www.newsguardian.co.uk/news/disaster-off-tyne-claims-lives-of-the-crew-from-two-trawlers-1-4023694 THE Shields Daily News report, ‘Terrible Disaster off the Tyne – Two trawlers mined – all hands missing’, on December 2, 1918, told of the loss of two locally-based trawlers which had struck mines north east of the Tyne – going down with the presumed loss of all crewmen. 'The Armistice of November 11, 1918, did not bring an end to the sad toll of loss for local families. The war did not end formally until July 1919 with the conclusion of the Treaty at Versailles. With the area’s strong maritime connections, hundreds of local men from North Shields were in constant peril from the continuing danger posed by thousands of high explosive mines in the North Sea. These had been placed by both the enemy and the British, and it would be years before the menace of random death caused by striking a loose mine would become a rare occurrence. In the immediate aftermath of the war tragedy struck twice on the same day – December 1 – and left 12 local families to mourn the loss of husbands and sons. Two vessels, the steam trawlers Ethelwulf and T W Mould were fishing with a number of others from the North Shields fleet when two loud explosions were heard at about 3am and two boats were engulfed in flames. The fleet was re-assembled and it was found that the Ethelwulf and T W Mould were missing. A search at first light revealed nothing and the fleet returned to port where news of the tragedy and loss amongst families, all well-known to each other, spread rapidly.' [MORE]
http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1918postArmistice.htm
MINED AND SUNK OFF THE TYNE
Ethelwulf, ex-hired trawler, returned to mercantile service January 1915
JEFFERSON, Thomas, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 11417
SANKEY, Edward F, Telegraphist, RNVR, Mersey Z 1965
STEEDMAN, Robert, Ty/Skipper, RNR
Research Rachel Farrand