The 101-year-old Auschwitz survivor who became Wales' oldest poppy seller

Ron has spent thirty years raising money for the British Legion Credit: ITV Wales

At one hundred and one years of age, Ron Jones has much to mull over.

As a prisoner of war during World War II, he witnessed first-hand the horrors of Auschwitz, endured a brutal death march and lived to tell the tale.

After thirty years of raising money for the British Legion, he has worked tirelessly to help other veterans. At 101 years old, he is Wales' oldest poppy seller - and has no plans to stop just yet.

''I wasn't supposed to be in the army because I had a reserved occupation,'' he said.

''But some silly typist put my form into the incoming mail instead of the outgoing mail. I got called up then I got sent abroad.

"We fought our way up to Benghazi in Libya and then the first week in January we heard that the Germans had come out there.

"So a Sergeant-Major Cogbill said to me, 'Corporal Jones, take a section up the road and see what's going on.'

"We marched up the road and then there was a big tank coming down with a man standing up in front. As soon as he saw us he lined his machine gun up to us and told us, 'For you the war is over.' A German officer spoke better English than I did!''

Ron was one of hundreds of British POWs at Auschwitz Credit: Ron Jones

Ron spent a year in POW camps across Italy before eventually being taken by train to Poland.

He became one of hundreds of British soldiers at Auschwitz. What he experienced there would change him forever.

''We saw all this barbed wire and people dressed in pyjamas digging trenches. Somebody said to one of the guards, 'Who the heck are they?' 'Juden,' he said.

"The first thing we noticed was this queer smell all the time. We asked a couple of the Poles that were working there, 'What on earth is that horrible smell?'"

He said, 'It's the crematorium where they burn them.' 'Burn who?' 'The Jews,' he said. 'They gas them and burn them.' It took about three or four weeks before we actually realised what they were telling us was true.''

In January 1945, Ron endured a 19 week, 900 mile death march. Credit: Ron Jones

In January 1945, the POWs at Auschwitz were rounded up and marched out of the camp.

What followed was a 19 week, 900 mile journey by foot across Poland, Germany and Austria. It was a death march.

''We must've lost about a hundred fellas, died at the side of the road. They couldn't take it and it was terribly cold.

"One night there was no barn available, they stuck us in a field. In the morning there were two fellas that just couldn’t get up. So the German guards shot them in pity. Because they were dying anyway.

"Then one morning there was a rumbling outside. It was an American tank. He got us out.''

After the horrors of Auschwitz, Ron got support from his late wife Gwladys Credit: Ron Jones

For many years Ron didn't tell a soul about his experience during the war.

One person he could rely on was his late wife Gwladys. After the horrors of Auschwitz, she was his biggest source of support.

''She looked after me, nursed me, fed me.

"She used to catch hold of me and cuddle me when I was in bed and I used to get nightmares.

"She was lovely. I miss her terribly. I wouldn't be here today if it hadn't been for my Gwladys.''

Ron is Wales' oldest poppy seller Credit: ITV Wales

After his experience, passing on care and support to other veterans is vitally important to Ron.

For the past thirty years, he has been raising money for the Royal British Legion and is now the oldest poppy seller in Wales.

Ron is often asked what is the secret to a long life Credit: ITV Wales

Having lived through so much, and helped so many during his long life, Ron takes a relaxed approach to life.

''Everybody asks me, ‘What’s the secret?’ I haven’t a clue.

"Just take life as it comes.''

  • You can watch Ron's story on Welsh Lives here.

  • Or listen to Ron on our podcast, Welsh Lives.