Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday 26th January, 1940

Whitwick Man Reported Missing, Believed Drowned

Victim of Grenville Disaster

Mrs Hatton, of 5, North Street, Whitwick, has received a telegram stating that her son, Robert Knight Moore, who was a steward on the destroyer Grenville, is missing and believed drowned. He was 20 years of age and married, his wife residing at Pill, near Bristol. His name appeared in the casualty list issued by the Admiralty on Tuesday.

Mrs Hatton is the wife of Mr Robert Andrew Hatton, a miner, employed at the Whitwick Colliery, and Moore was her second son by a former marriage. He formerly attended the Whitwick Church of England School and worked at New Lount and Whitwick Colliery brickyards before joining the navy two years ago. Just before Christmas he was in a ship which was torpedoed and was rescued after being in the water for 8 hours, being a strong swimmer. He had been in hospital suffering from shock and exposure, leaving hospital two days after Christmas, and joined the destroyer Grenville on Wednesday last week. He was married last August. Mrs Hatton has another son and three daughters. She left for Bristol on Tuesday to see her son’s wife.


'The Billet' - Issue 1 - February 1940

Went Down with the “Grenville”

A 20 year old Whitwick lad, Robert Knight Moore, is in the list of missing, presumed dead, from the destroyer “Grenville”. Moore was on a ship that was torpedoed just before Christmas and went to sea only three days before the “Grenville” was lost, having been in hospital with injuries, shock and immersion. His mother, Mrs Hatton, lives at 59, North Street, Whitwick. Moore, who had lived in Whitwick all his life prior to joining the Navy two years ago was employed at New Lount and Whitwick brickyards. His young wife, who lives at Pill, near Bristol, gave birth to a son soon after hearing the news.

Coalville Times article - Friday 2nd February, 1940

Memorial Service

The Rev. W. T. Eatough, of Coalville, on Sunday night, concluded a memorial service at the Whitwick Baptist Church for Robert Knight Moore, the young Whitwick sailor, who lost his life in the destroyer Grenville. Moore’s mother, Mrs Hatton, of North Street, Whitwick, has received a letter of sympathy from Their Majesties, the King and Queen. Moore’s wife, who lives near Bristol, gave birth to a son, a few hours after receiving notice that her husband was missing and presumed drowned. Both mother and baby are doing well.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 10/02/2019