Sgt 15780 James Douglas Rigby (MM)

• Age: 23
• From: Runcorn, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

James Douglas Pierpoint Rigby was born on 02nd August 1893 in Runcorn, the son of Alfred Sherratt Rigby and his wife Mary Ellen (nee Derbyshire) who married in 1891 at St Paul's Church, Crewe. His father was born in Runcorn, whilst his mother was born in Crewe. Douglas was their only child. He was baptised on 01st November 1893 in All Saints Church, Runcorn. 

The 1901 Census shows that Douglas, aged 7, was living with his parents at 58 Greenway Road, Runcorn. His father Alfred, aged 38 is shown as a bookkeeper, mother Mary is aged 37. 

His mother died in 1905 age 41, when Douglas was just 11. His father remarried Annie Kemp at St John's Church, Blackburn in 1908. 

The 1911 Census shows Douglas is living with his father and stepmother Annie at 58 Greenway Road, Runcorn. His father is a clerk in a chemical works. Douglas, now 17, is employed as a chemist in a chemical works. (United Alkali company in Weston, per newspaper). 

He enlisted in Liverpool on 31st August 1914 joining the 17^th Battalion as Private 15780. He gave his age as 21 and 29 days, giving his occupation as a chemist. He is described as being 5’ 8 and a half inches tall, weighing 142 lbs, 38" chest,with grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England and his next of kin was Alfred Sherratt Rigby, 33 Victoria Road, Runcorn.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

His service records show that he was transferred to 21st Reserve Battalion on 05th November 1915 just two days before the rest of the Pals left England on 07th November 1915.

20th Nov - 16th Dec 1915 at Knowsley Park.

16th December 1915 he was posted to 17th Bn BEF France. 

1st January 1916 joined 2nd Entrenching until 11th March when he re-joined the 17^th Bn.

13th June 1916 charged with negligence whilst in charge of a billet, reduced to the rank of Private (entry crossed out).  

30th September 1916 he is awarded his first good conduct badge on completion of two years’ service. 

16th October 1916 Promoted Corporal and confirmed in rank of Sergeant – same day. 

30th December 1916 granted leave to UK. 

On 6th May 1917 mentioned in 30th Division R.O. for gallant and distinguished conduct. 

12th May 1917 to 97 Field Ambulance with German measles. Admitted to 12 Hospital in St. Pol, and returned to duty on 5th June 1917. 

He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field, by authority of 7th Corps, dated 13th May 1917. 

Douglas was killed in action on 31^st July 1917, the opening day of the 3^rd Battle of Ypres, more commonly known as Passchendaele.

17^th Battalion Diary

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17^th Battalion on the left, and the 20^th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21^st and 90^th Brigades were still pinned down  and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.  

During the action and their time in the line the 17^th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3^rd -4^th August.      

His body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

The report of his recievng the Military Medal was carried in the Liverpool Daily Post  on10th July 1917:

MILITARY MEDAL

15780 Sgt. J. D. Rigby, L'pool R.;

His death was reported in the Crewe Chronicle on 25th August 1917:

MILITARY MEDALLIST KILLED.

Sergeant James Douglas P. Rigby, only son of Mr and Mrs A. S. Rigby, 33 Victoria Road, Runcorn, has been killed in action. He was killed by a shell. He was 24 years of age and nephew of the late Mr James Derbyshire, manager of the Crewe Co-Operative Society. It was only in June that Sergeant Rigby was awarded the military medal for gallantry in action. He was only 24. He belonged to the King's Liverpools. His parents have received letters from officers and comrades expressing their deepest sympathy, all describing Sergeant Rigby as one of the bravest most capable and cheerful of the N.C.O.'s and men in the company.

His death was reported in the Runcorn Guardian on 17th August 1917 reported: (Featured on the same page as Noel Chavasse’s death): 

Two months ago we had pleasure in recording the fact that Sergeant J. D. Rigby, only son of Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Rigby, of 33 Victoria Road, Runcorn, had been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action. It is with regret we have this week to record his death in action on July 31st. The first letter received by his parents was from a comrade who wrote on August 7th – “I am very sorry to be the bearer of sad news to you. Your son, Douglas, gave his life for the cause in the last advance. His loss, bitter as it is to me and the rest of the section, is far more so to you, his father, and we can only offer you our deepest sympathy in your great loss. From what Peter, as we called him, has told us of you, the best consolation we can offer you, poor as it is, is that he died as he lived, like a man, and that his end was painless. You will probably receive a letter from Private Smith who was himself wounded whilst doing what little he could to ease his passing. Will you then accept the deepest sympathy of both myself and the rest of the section? We are all the poorer in friendship, now that we have lost him.” 

On Sunday the following letter was received from the chaplain: “You will no doubt have heard by now of the death of your son, Sergeant J. D. Rigby. It is with very great regret that I have to write the sad news that he has passed into the great beyond. Here he did his duty, like the brave man he was – liked and appreciated for his exceptional ability as a sergeant, and for his devotion to duty amid the dangers of a modern battlefield. I had learnt to love him well, and on many a lonely march we have passed the time with many a helpful chat, and now he is not, I shall miss him. He is at rest with God, but my heart is full of very grief for you, and I can only pray that the Father who comforts may comfort your heart in the hour of deepest need. To you all I send my sincere sympathy. I can only say your son fell doing his duty, and has indeed laid down his life for those he loved best of all.” 

A letter, received by Mr. R. Collinge, of the Holloway, from his son [most likely Richard A. Collinge Pte 22659], mentions that the signaller to the __ division had been killed, and if so it would be Douglas Rigby. The lieutenant to the company wrote stating that Sergeant Rigby’s death occurred as they were moving forward to the attack on the 31st ult. A shell landed in the centre of Sergeant Rigby’s section of signallers, causing seven casualties. He was one of the most capable and cheerful of N.C.O.’s and men in his company, and his death was not only a great blow to his countless friends, but to the battalion. 

Sergeant Rigby, who would have attained the age of 24 two days after his death, was one of eight pals who joined the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment immediately on the outbreak of war in August 1914, and of the eight, four have made the supreme sacrifice and four have been wounded. He went to the front towards the end of 1915, and was made Lance Corporal on going out, receiving his Sergeant’s stripes later. He has taken part in all the severe fighting in which the King’s Liverpool’s have been engaged, and up to the day of his death had gone through almost two years of modern fighting without receiving a scratch. 

Educated at the Runcorn Secondary School, he afterwards proceeded to the Weston Works of the United Alkali Company, where he was engaged as a chemist until he enlisted. He was an enthusiastic cricketer, playing with the Runcorn cricket team. As already mentioned, he was awarded the Military Medal in June. The intimation was conveyed to him in an order from Major-General Williams, who stated: “Congratulate you most heartily on your well-earned award of the Military Medal for gallantry in action.” He was over on leave last Christmas, when he was congratulated on how well he looked. 

On 2nd March 1918 his father wrote to the Infantry Record Office:

“Referring to your letter of 21st September 1917 re Military Medal of my dear son, the late 15780 Sgt Rigby of the Liverpool Regiment, it is now over six months since the dear boy passed to a higher tribunal. I should be so glad to know when I am to receive the medal as a treasure of that description is very valuable to me, his father. Awaiting your kind reply, I remain, dear sir, yours respectfully, A.S. Rigby.” 

He received his son’s medal, and wrote on 19th March:

“Dear Sir, very many thanks for Military Medal just received. It is really beautiful, the only memento of my dear son. In thanking you, I am, dear sir, yours respectfully, A.S. Rigby.”

James was remembered by his family in the Chester Chronicle on 03rd August 1918:

RIGBY - In ever loving memory of my dear son Sergt. James Douglas Rigby, M.M., K.L.R. ('Pals') who fell in action in France on July 31st, 1917.

When last we saw his smiling face

He looked so strong and brave.

We little thought how soon he’d be

Laid in a soldier’s grave.

Fondly we loved him, he is dear to us still;

And in grief we must bend to God's holy will,

Our sorrow was great, our loss hard to bear,

But angels, dear son, will guard you with care.

Ever remembered by father and mother, 33, Victoria-road, Runcorn.

His father then received his son’s three war service medals on 8th May 1919 and subsequently 3rd September 1921.

Soldiers Effects to father Alfred S., Pension to step-mother Annie, 33 Victoria Road, Runcorn.

His father died aged 62 in 1926 and his wife Annie died aged 88 in 1959.

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