BORN HULL 07/05/1885. ELDEST SON OF WILLIAM AND ROSE APPLETON, SKIRLAUGH. ONE OF SEVE CHILDREN. HIS FATHER WAS A TAILOR AND DRAPER. BEFORE THE WAR HE WORKED AS A SCHOOL TEACHER. HE MARRIED HANNAH MAUD FILDES, ON 09/07/1908, AT ST JOHNS CHURCH, EARLES TOWN, LANCASHIRE. DURING THE WAR HE SERVED ON MINESWEEPERS. HE WAS REPORTED MISSING FOR 2 MONTHS AND IT IS PRESUMED THAT HIS SHIP STRUCK MINE AFTER WAR. ALL HANDS WERE LOST. HE WAS AGED 34. HIS WIFE LIVED AT 65 TEMPERANCE PLACE, NEW GEORGE STREET, HULL.
During June 1915 the Grimsby steam trawler CYRANO (GY80) was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for war service as a mine-sweeper (fitted with 1 x 12 pounder deck gun). She was based at Penzance. Vessel returned and reverted in 1919. On 13/08/1919 the CYRANO was posted missing on a North Sea trip. No survivors.
1. APPLETON, WILLIAM (34), Deck Hand, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Husband of Mrs. Appleton, of 65.5, Temperance Place, Hull. Born at Hull, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 2. BRUNNING, WILLIAM (40), Deck Hand, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Husband of Mrs. Brunning, of 13, Benton Avenue, Hope St., Grimsby. Born at Lingwood, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 3. BURKWOOD, GEORGE WILLIAM (44), Trimmer, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Son of George and Annie Burkwood; husband of Jenny Burkwood. Born at Grimsby, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 4. COOK, ERNEST (31), Second Hand, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Cook. Born at Grimsby, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 5. DOWSON, HAROLD (21), Second Engineer, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Husband of Mrs. Dowson, of 53, Wellington St., Grimsby. Born at Pickering, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 6. DOWSON, JOHN (48), Cook, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Husband of Mrs. Dowson, of 425, Welsby St., Grimsby. Born at Leeds, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 7. GEORGE, SAMUEL VICTOR (22), Third Hand, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Son of Mr. George, of 334, New Wellington St., Grimsby, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 8. LLEWELLYN, JOSEPH (25), Trimmer, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Husband of Mrs. Llewellyn, of 31, Charlton St., Grimsby. Born at Newcastle, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 9. SPARROW, ROBERT (52), Deck Hand, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Husband of Mrs. Sparrow, of 50, Strand St., Grimsby. Born in Norfolk, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 10. TURNER, GEORGE (30), First Engineer, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Son of Alfred Isaac Turner and the late Emily Turner; husband of Ethel Turner (nee Eggleston), of 29, Stanley St., Grimsby. Born at Boston, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 11. WICKS, HENRY , Skipper, FV Cyrano, Mercantile Marine, †15/08/1919, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?160539
