LIGGI, REGINALD (REX)

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Overview

Studio portrait of Reginald (Rex) Liggi, a dark haired young man with a moustache, photographed sitting on a log against a studio backdrop. He is in full uniform, with leather leggings and spurs and holding his whip and hat which has the feathers of the 10th Light Horse Regiment attached. Hand written on the back in indelible pencil [To/ Mum & Mabs/ with best of wishes/ from/ Reginald Legge/ 4/12/16]

Historical information

Rachamim Siegmund Liggi was born into a Jewish family in 1894 and spent his early life in London. Prior to WWI, he trained as a mechanic. He was described by his mother Regina Liggi as ' A splendid specimen of English manhood, 6 foot high, teetotaller and from his earliest boyhood on he wished to enter the army.' He enlisted in the Royal Horse Artillery Regiment in the UK. His parents refused to support his decision and he left home and migrated to WA. Little is known of his life in Perth but his mother described him as a 'signalling instructor'. Legge himself described his 'trade or calling' as theatrical manager when, in late 1914 he enlisted in the AIF. He joined the 10th Light Horse and left for Egypt on the Mashobra on 8 February 1915. He enlisted under the name of Reginald Legge, raised his age from 20 to 23 and indicated he was Church of England rather than Jewish. He trained in Egypt and was a Signals Sergeant when he was shot through the head at Rafa on the Egypt-Palestine border on 9 January 1917. Legge was evacuated but died of his wounds at El Arish on 18 January 1917 at the age of 23 years. He is buried and is remembered in the Kantara War Memorial Cemetery. His mother Regina Liggi wrote to Australian Military authorities in early 1919 from Palestine, pointing out that her son had enlisted in the 10th Light Horse under the name of Reginald Legge. Investigation of letters, photos and identity discs convinced authorities that Reginald Legge was actually the son of Mrs R. & Mr M. Liggi. After Mrs Liggi visited her son's grave in March 1919, she wrote to the Director of Cemeteries asking him to oblige a 'broken-hearted invalid mother' and replace the cross on her son's grave with the Star of David. She commented that her second son Alex had also been killed. Her wish was granted.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-28--14-325-

Item type

Photographs

Last modified

Sunday, 8 February, 2026

Completeness

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Town of Claremont Museum