James was born at Mortomley, in the parish of Ecclesfield, the son of REVERED JAMES RIGBY and his wife ELIZABETH MARY TERESA (nee ANDERTON).

He attended St. Peter's School in York and was later enrolled at Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1909. He was commissioned in February, 1914 and married SARAH FRANCES MARIE GILL-ANDERTON in October 1914 At Denbighshire.

He was promoted to Lieutenant in  February 1915.

He fought at Givenchy with the 2nd Batt. Yorkshire Regiment in May 1915 and by September he was with his battalion at Vermelles, when the battle of Loos began. On the second day of the battle, he and members of "C" company were forced to move back to Breslau trench, a former German communications trench to avoid the advancing German troops.

It was at the trench that he was killed in action at the age of 25. His body was not recovered and he is commemorated on panel 44/45 on Loos memorial.

Tracy Dunne