18726 Private Reginald Percy Gigg
9th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Seaton Devon in 1897.
His parents were Sidney Gigg(1865-13/03/1934) and Elizabeth Ann Barrett(03/01/1860-1945). They married in 1887.
Reginald had 5 brothers; Sidney Francis Harry(1888-10/03/1915),Edwin George(1895-1903),Bernard Barrett(08/04/1899-1979),Archibald Leonard(22/08/1902-1970) and John Stephen(04/01/1906-1970.
He also had 2 sisters; Hannah Emily(1890-1952) and Emily(25/09/1892-1955).
In the 1901 census, the family were recorded as living at 12 Hobb Lane ,Seaton, Devon. Sidney snr was employed as a boot maker.
In the 1911 census ,they were still living on Hobb Lane ,but the full address was 12 Summerland Place ,Hobb Lane, Seaton. Sidney snr was working as a domestic gardener and Reginald as a masons labourer.
He enlisted in Seaton and his disembarkation into France was on 06/10/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
Reginald was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,
the 1914-1918 British War and the Allied Victory medals.
Western Morning News – Tuesday 25 July 1916
Mr. and Mrs. Gigg off Seaton have received news of the death of their son Reginald Gigg, of the Devons, killed on the 1st instant. A brother of Mr. Gigg said they were together in the same company, and he and his nephew went over the parapet side by side, and the whole company went over like one man to the call. It was a sight never to be forgotten. After the Uncle was wounded, he took four prisoners.” They cried out ‘Mercy Englishman’. They are nothing but cowards and will not fight in the open.”
Mr. Gigg had previously lost a son in the Devons
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette – Tuesday 25 July 1916
Mr. and Mrs. Gigg have received official news that their son, Reginald Gigg of the Devons, was killed in action in the great offensive on the 1st inst. The chaplain writes: “He died nobly doing his duty to his King and country, and it was mainly owing to the willing sacrifice of him, and others who fought with him that the troops in this command gained the great victory that they did on that day.” A brother of Mr. Gigg snr, wrote that the deceased and himself were in the same company, went over the parapet side by side, and that the whole company went over like one man to the call.
“It was a sight never to be forgotten. They were smiling all the way. It was like curtains of fire, but we drove them back.” He managed to “do one in” and after he (the uncle) was wounded he took four prisoners. Mr Gigg had previously lost another
son in the Devons.
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His older brother Sidney served as Private 8705 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment and died of his wounds on 10/03/1915.
He is remembered on the Le Touret memorial Richebourg-l’Avoue, Departement du Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France Panel 8 and 9.