| Norman Dennis Rigley was the son of George William and Elizabeth Alice Rigley of 53 Stainburn Avenue, West Derby, Liverpool. He became known as Den.
|
| Dennis Rigley served as an Assistant Steward on board the Armed Merchant Cruiser, HMS Palomares.
|
|
| At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Royal Navy wasn’t able to man all the auxiliary vessels which served with it and to deal with the shortfall in manpower, a number of officers and men of the Merchant Navy agreed to serve with the Royal Navy under the terms of a T.124 agreement. Under this agreement Merchant Navy personnel were subject to Royal Naval discipline while generally retaining their Merchant Navy rates of pay and other conditions. The manning port established to administer these men (including Norman Dennis Rigley) was at Liverpool.
|
|
| When HMS Palomares docked in Belfast ‘Den’ Rigley and his friend, Jim Sheen met up with Amy Somerville and Evelyn Thompson. The two girls worked in the cafeteria of FW Woolworths, High Street, Belfast. Amy Somerville hailed from Coagh, County Tyrone.
|
| Romance blossomed between Dennis and Amy and a few months later Dennis proposed on board a tram in Belfast City Centre.
|
| Amy later joined Dennis in Liverpool where they married on 13th March 1942. Jim Sheen was the best man and Evelyn Thompson was bridesmaid.
|
| While in service on HMS Palomares, ‘Den’ Rigley and his friend Jim Sheen saw significant action with the Russian Convoys to Archangel and Murmansk including the disastrous convoy PQ17 where 25 vessels out of 36 were lost to enemy action.
|
| During ‘Operation Torch’, the British-American invasion of French North Africa, HMS Palomares acted as an Anti-Aircraft artillery vessel. The landings commenced on 8th November 1942.
|
| On 9th November 1942 the ship was badly damaged by enemy action. Assistant Steward Norman Dennis Rigley was killed in this engagement.
|
| Jim and ‘Den’ made a promise to each other that in the event of either’s death the other would visit the ‘widow’. His friend Jim Sheen kept the promise.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 28th November 1942: Roll of Honour
|
|
| RIGLEY – Killed in action (buried at sea) off the North African coast, Petty Officer Norman Dennis Rigley (Royal Navy), second son of Mr and Mrs G W Rigley, 53 Stainburn Avenue, West Derby, Liverpool 11, and much beloved husband of Amy Rigley (nee Somerville), Main Street, Coagh.
|
|
‘He shall not grow old, so we that are left grow old,
|
|
Age shall not weary him, or the years condemn,
|
|
At the going down of the sun in the morning,
|
|
We will remember him.’
|
| The Somerville family wish to thank all those kind friends who sympathized with them in their great sorrow. Main Street, Coagh.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 12th December 1942:
|
|
| Official notification has been received by Mrs Rigley of Main Street, Coagh, that her husband, Steward Petty Officer Norman Dennis Rigley, has been killed in the Middle East. Steward Petty Officer Rigley was the second son of Mr and Mrs G W Rigley of 53 Stainburn Terrace, Liverpool.
|
| Mrs Amy Rigley gave birth to their daughter, Norma Denise, a few months later.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 3rd July 1943: Births
|
|
| RIGLEY – 24th June 1943 at Thorndale Nursing Home, Antrim Road, Belfast, to Amy (nee Somerville), wife of the late Petty Officer Norman Dennis Rigley, Royal Navy, Stainburn Avenue, Liverpool, - a daughter (Norma Denise).
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 13th November 1943: Roll of Honour
|
|
| RIGLEY – In fond and loving memory of my dear husband, Petty Officer Norman Dennis Rigley, Royal Navy, who was killed in action off the North African coast 9th November 1942. ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember him.’ Always remembered and sadly missed by his wife and little daughter. Norma Denise. Main Street, Coagh.
|
| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 17th November 1945: Roll of Honour
|
|
| RIGLEY – In loving memory of my dear husband, Petty Officer Norman Dennis Rigley, Royal Navy, who was killed in action off the North African coast 9th November 1942, and buried at sea.
|
|
‘He has no lot nor labour of the daytime
|
|
He sleeps beyond England’s foam.’
|
| Always remembered by his wife and little daughter. Main Street, Coagh, County Tyrone.
|
| Norman Dennis Rigley has no known grave and is commemorated on Liverpool Naval Memorial.
|
|
| Norman Dennis Rigley is commemorated locally on Coagh War Memorial.
|
|
