Sub Lieutenant Nigel MOORE RNVR
HMS Van Meerlant, Royal Naval Patrol Service

Date of birth: 8th February 1920
Date of death: 4th June 1941

Killed in action aged 21
Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial 50, 1
Nigel Moore was born on the 8th of February 1920 the only son of Major Eric Moore MC, Royal Engineers, and Gladys Howard (nee Evans) Moore, of “Littlewood”, Buxted in Sussex.

He was educated at Lancing College where he was in Gibbs House from September 1933 to 1937.

HMS Van Meerlant was formerly of the Dutch Navy but was decommissioned on the 14th of March 1941 and was re-commissioned into the Royal Navy.

On the 4th of June 1941 she was under the command of Lieutenant Commander Arnold Howard Piggott RNR when she hit a mine and sank in the Thames Estuary. Three Officers and thirty nine men were lost with the ship. The skipper, Lieutenant Commander Piggott and Lieutenant RH Church RNR, were both wounded, Piggott losing a leg.

The Officers who died were:-

Sub Lieutenant Nigel Moore RNVR
Sub Lieutenant Robert Charles Palmer RNVR
Lieutenant (E) Reginald Robert George Perrett RNR.

His mother received the following telegram: -

"From Admiralty. Deeply regret to inform you that your son Sub Lieutenant N. Moore RNVR has been reported missing believed killed on active service."

He is commemorated on the war memorial at Buxted.

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