Lance Corporal Ronald L Wigg

Ronald Lorraine Wigg was the youngest of 5 children of James William and Annie (Yates) Wigg; husband of Margery Edith (Williams) Wigg, married in 1936 in Grays, Essex. Father of John Wigg, 1937 – 2018 and Kathleen Wigg, 1941 -. He enlisted in the Essex Regiment and volunteered for airborne forces.

Lance Corporal Wigg successfully completed parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 47 from 18 January to 1 February 1943. His course report stated “Quiet but confident.” He was posted to 9th Essex Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, and took part in Operation Overlord (‘D’ day landings, Normandy) and Operation Varsity (Rhine Crossing).

The 9th battalion was widely scattered during the ‘D’ day parachute drop on the night of 5/6 June 1944 but nevertheless succeeded in storming the German gun battery at Merville and then participated in the break-out to the Seine in August.

L/Cpl Wigg was killed in action on 24 March 1945, aged 30, whilst taking part in the daylight parachute drop into Germany as part of the Rhine Crossing during operation Varsity, and was given a field burial at Hamminkeln, Germany and was re-interred to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, on 12 November 1946.

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