Royal Navy – HMS Nerissa
Grenville Edgar Pigott was born at St Paul’s, Cheltenham, on the 10 December 1876, the eldest son of a furniture dealer of 11 Regent Place, Swindon Road, Cheltenham (who had the same name) and Sarah Pigott.
Grenville (junior) was a Telegraph Messenger when he originally enlisted in the Royal Navy, as a Boy for a period twelve years. He was soon made Ordinary Seaman and was promoted to Able Bodied on 1 July 1896. He went on to serve for over twenty years, on a variety of ships. At the start of the Great War he was serving at HMS Vernon, a training and reserve establishment at Portsmouth. He joined HMS Woolwich, a submarine depot ship, in August 1914 serving with her until 20 March 1916. He then transferred to HMS Nerissa, a ‘Moon’ class destroyer. He was serving with the latter when he died of acute pancreatitis on 27 September 1917, aged 40. His photograph is in The Graphic of 13 October 1917.
His brother, Reginald Arthur, was killed in action on board HMS Monmouth at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November 1914. Another brother, Archibald Luke, also served in the Royal Navy on board HMS Ambuscade.
Researched by Graham Adams 29 June 2012
(Based on entry in ‘Leaving all that was dear – Cheltenham and the Great War’ by J Devereux and G Sacker)