Roy Glenn was born in Nottingham on 20 October 1898, the son of Charles Arthur and Isabella Glenn. He joined the Royal Navy as an Artificer Apprentice on 3 January 1914. He was rated Engine Room Artificer Fifth Class on 1 January 1918 and drafted to the battle cruiser HMS INDOMITABLE. He joined HMS DOLPHIN ‘for Submarines‘ on 20 February 1919. Six days later he was loaned to the RAN for three years and joined the Submarine Depot Ship HMAS PLATYPUS on 25 March 1919. On 9 April 1919 he was drafted to HMS J5 and then to HMAS CERBERUS from 1 July 1922 to 29 July 1922.

On returning home he joined HMS M1 from 5 February 1923 to 19 October 1924. He subsequently served in HMS K14, HMS DOLPHIN, HMS PEMBROKE, HMS X1, PEMBROKE, HMS X1, HMS E48 and D Group Submarines in Reserve.

Roy Glenn was promoted to Acting Warrant Engineer on 1 July 1927 and was appointed to the cruiser HMS CAMBRIAN on 4 November 1927. He was then appointed to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS ADAMANT ‘for duties in Submarines‘ in June 1929. He was appointed to HMS L21 as the Engineering Officer on 26 May 1930. An appointment to HMS L52 as Engineering Officer followed on 7 September 1931.

Roy Glenn was then appointed to HMS PROTEUS as the Engineering Officer on 3 January 1933. He was promoted to Commissioned Engineer on 1 July 1937 and was appointed to HMS THETIS as the Engineering Officer on 29 September 1937. HMS THETIS was accidentally sunk in Liverpool Bay during Sea Trials on 1 June 1939. Four of those onboard managed to escape but everyone else died, including Roy Glenn.

Roy Glenn was the husband of Marie V C Glenn (née Smith), and had three children aged sixteen, fourteen and twelve at the time of their father’s death. He was buried at in the Mass Grave at Holyhead.