Charles Rigby
Private Charles Rigby was born in Tottenham, Middlesex. In 1901 Charles was living with his stepfather, Edward Charles Hollocks and his two sisters, Edith Rigby and Francess Ellen Rigby. In 1904 Charles married Elizabeth Violet Holmes and in 1906 they had one son, George Edward Charles. Sadly in 1907 Elizabeth died. Following Elizabeth's death Charles went on to marry Ellen Margaret Holloway and they had two children, a son also named Charles was born in 1911 and a daughter who was born on the 29th June 1915, one month and two days before Charles was killed. It is not known if Charles ever knew he had a daughter. When Charles joined the Army Service Corp, he was living with his second wife, Ellen Margaret, at 6 Church Walk, Weybridge. Prior to the war, as a boy, Charles worked at Mr Brooker's Laundry but left his employment there to become a journeyman painter and decoraor.
Charles had previous military service in the Territorial Army prior to the war and when Major Watney formed 244 Company, Supply Section of the Mechanical Transport Section of the Army Service Corp, Charles enlisted on the 23rd January 1915 at Bulford as Private S4/056878. Charles was 36 years old. For three months Charles undertook basic and trade training but on 28th March 1915 he was sent as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary force to Gallipoli, arriving the next day. Four months later on 1st August 1915 Charles was killed by shell fire which gives him the un-enviable distinction of being the first of the "Watney's Men" to be killed. Charles is buried in the Lancashire landing Cemetery, Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey.
Shortly after his death Captain Graham Gillan of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force wrote to his wife Ellen Margaret saying "It is with Great regret that I have to inform you of the death of your husband. he was killed by a shell. I wish to offer you my sincerest sympathy in your great loss, and to help you bear up under this great bereavement. You will no doubt be happier knowing that death was quite instantaneous, that he was happy and cheerful when the end came, and knew nothing about it. you must try to cherish his memory with the thought that he died with honour fighting for his country. He knew no pain when the end came"."
After Charles death, his second wife, Ellen moved with their daughter to Thame in Oxfordshire
Charles's daughter, who was born a month and two days before his death, lived her entire life without ever seeing a photograph of her father. Charles's daughter had a son and he saw his grandfather's picture for the first time when I provided him with a copy of the picture which I have used at the top of this page.
Portrait photograph courtesy of Surrey Hearald Newspapers
Cemetery & Grave photo courtesy of Roy Perks, Charles's grandson