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20110 PTE. J. RIGBY. L.N.LAN.R

By On April 9, 2013 · 3 Comments

James Rigby was the son of Mrs Mary Rigby of 8, Princess Street, Farnworth, Lancashire. James enlisted at Farnworth and was posted into the 6th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He was given the service number 20110.

Prior to enlisting, James worked as a ‘drawer-in’ at S & J Prestwich’s Pandora Mill.

On 14th November 1915, James sailed to the Dardanelles to join the 6th Battalion, who had landed at Anzac cove on Gallipoli peninsula three months before. By the 20th December the Battalion was withdrawn to Egypt (via Mudros). The Battalion was for a short time involved in the canal defence work at Port Sa’id, before being ordered to Mesopotamia. For where they sailed on 13th February 1916 on the ship ‘Corsican’.

On 19th April 1916, James was mortally wounded. The 6th Battalion LNL had crossed the Tigris River in order to relieve the 3rd Division at Bait Aiessa. The 3rd Division had taken, and been holding Bait Aiessa for the past two days, facing intense counter-attacks from the opposing forces. The ground was reportedly like a swamp due to the awful weather it had been subjected to that week.

20110 Private James Rigby, 11025 Private James Ashton and 16985 Lance Corporal William Godfrey Swindells (also from Farnworth) died of their wounds the following day.

Privates Rigby and Ashton are remembered on the Basra memorial, LCpl Swindells was buried in the Amara War Cemetery.

Unfortunately the service papers of James Rigby have not survived.

Rank: Private
Service No: 20110
Date of Death: 19/04/1916
Age: 21
Regiment/Service: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 6th Bn.
Memorial: BASRA MEMORIAL

Paul McCormick
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3 Responses to 20110 PTE. J. RIGBY. L.N.LAN.R

  1. Ian Westhead says:
    February 26, 2014 at 20:08

    Army No,s 20110 pte J Rigby and 20479 LCPL D Howe Both of the Loyal North Lancs Regiment are either side of my Grandad William Westhead,His Army No was 20377 and makes me wonder if their might be a connection in Transfers, when my Grandad Enlisted at Preston on 11th Nov 1914, he was put with 3 co 4th Battalion but was Transferred in June 1915 and Fought with the ANZACS at Gallipoli,He was Formerly with the Scots Guards in the 2nd Boer War,And after WW1 was a plate Layer for Blackpool Tram Company.

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  2. Ian Westhead says:
    April 21, 2016 at 14:52

    Thanks paul for adding my Grandads story I really appreciate it as you answered a query I had about his LNLR Army no of 20377 as I understood it to be from his army sign up papers at preston, so thankyou for number 21355 LNLR number which I have noticed on ancestry page but never followed up, keep up this brilliant work your doing because I found this by pure luck today excellent!

    Reply

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