South Yorkshire Times, July 8th, 1944
Mexborough Airman Back In England
Crouched in the back of an R.A.F. lorry which, without headlamps, crawled along the mountain trail, where, if the driver had mistaken his way in the darkness, he and his companions would have been dashed to death down the precipitous drop that fell away on either side. L.A/c. Ronald Wrigglesworth, the 22-year-old son of a Mexborough policeman, made a hair-raising journey across Crete to escape the Nazis on the last day before the island fell.
Their ”road” was a track more fitted to the use the Cretans had made of it through the ages as a passage for their mules and the R.A.F. unit undertook the eight hour journey at night. They were then less likely to be spotted by the straffing German planes, but to take advantage of the cover of darkness meant no headlamps, no glimmer of a light for such a track.
L.A/c. Wrigglesworth’s Crete experience came early in his 3 ½ years’ service abroad after which he has just enjoyed a leave at the home of his parents, P.c. and Mrs. A. E Wrigglesworth, 43, Cross Gate, Mexborough.
After a spell in Egypt L./A/c. Wriggleworth went to Crete in March 1941. His unit was at Souda Bay and during the invasion they could see German troop-carrying gliders crash landing on a nearby airfield, while eight hours later German fighter planes were operating from the field. For four days LAC Wrigglesworth and about 50 of the R.A.F. men were bombed and straffed by the German planes in the daytime while snipers were busy at night, and throughout the four days they had no food.
Once over the mountain range where the hill slopes ran out into a trackless valley, the lorries were pushed over the hill sides. The German planes sought the troops out before they could be picked up. Taking any cover they could from the bombing they lay on the beaches, later being taken by landing barge to an armed merchantman and safely across to Alexandria.
L.A/c. Wrigglesworth saw service in North Africa. He was stationed on the outskirts of Alexandria, just before we had turned the tide at El Alamein, when the roar of the German guns could be heard in the city. He has also served with the Mediterranean Forces. Formerly employed by a Mexborough butcher, L.A/c. Wrigglesworth was a member of the Parish Church choir, Mexborough Male Voice Choir and Mexborough Athletic Club Tennis Section.