FREDERICK ERNEST RIGSBY
Frederick Ernest Rigsby was born in 1895 in Devonport, Devon, the son of Frederick Thomas Rigsby of the Royal Marine Light Infantry and his wife Elizabeth (Elliott).
By 1901, Frederick (Thomas) had retired and the family were living in Atcombe Road with his mother, Mary Ann. In 1911, they were in Station Hill, Frederick was working as a postman and Ernest (as he was known) was a 16 year old worker at a Pin Mill - presumably Perkins and Marmont at Frogmarsh.
Ernest enlisted first in the Machine Gun Corps and was then transferred to the 8th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment. He was sent to France on 18 July 1915, three weeks before his brother. As the 8th Battalion, left Tidworth in Wiltshire on this date and travelled to Boulogne, it can probably be assumed that he had already transferred. He reached the rank of Sergeant and was killed by a shell at Thiepval, during the Battle of the Somme, on 25 October 1916, aged 21.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
Medals 1914-15 Star, Victory and British War
His brothers William Albert and Enslin Edward Arthur are also known to have served.
Background
The 8th Battalion served in France, taking heavy losses at La Boisselle (3-5 July), High Wood (22 July) and Bazentin le Petit (30 July) before having a spell in Flanders in August and September. They returned to France 6 October going to the front line, east of Thiepval 24 October.
On 25 October 1916, Stuff Redoubt was heavily shelled and one officer was killed and another wounded. There is no reference in the War Diary to Sgt Rigsby. He is apparently included in 16 Other Ranks killed and 47 wounded during the tour in the trenches.
By 1901, Frederick (Thomas) had retired and the family were living in Atcombe Road with his mother, Mary Ann. In 1911, they were in Station Hill, Frederick was working as a postman and Ernest (as he was known) was a 16 year old worker at a Pin Mill - presumably Perkins and Marmont at Frogmarsh.
Ernest enlisted first in the Machine Gun Corps and was then transferred to the 8th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment. He was sent to France on 18 July 1915, three weeks before his brother. As the 8th Battalion, left Tidworth in Wiltshire on this date and travelled to Boulogne, it can probably be assumed that he had already transferred. He reached the rank of Sergeant and was killed by a shell at Thiepval, during the Battle of the Somme, on 25 October 1916, aged 21.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.
Medals 1914-15 Star, Victory and British War
His brothers William Albert and Enslin Edward Arthur are also known to have served.
Background
The 8th Battalion served in France, taking heavy losses at La Boisselle (3-5 July), High Wood (22 July) and Bazentin le Petit (30 July) before having a spell in Flanders in August and September. They returned to France 6 October going to the front line, east of Thiepval 24 October.
On 25 October 1916, Stuff Redoubt was heavily shelled and one officer was killed and another wounded. There is no reference in the War Diary to Sgt Rigsby. He is apparently included in 16 Other Ranks killed and 47 wounded during the tour in the trenches.