Former prisoner of war Ron Jones dies, aged 91

A Second World War sergeant from Wolverhampton who spent seven months as a prisoner of war has died aged 91.

Ron Jones served in the South Staffordshire Regiment and the King's Shropshire Light Infantry from 1939 to 1946.

He also landed on Gold Beach several days after the first D-Day landings in June 1944 and was an anti-tank gunner in Operation Goodwood, which saw British forces lead a seven-mile charge into German-held territory.

Mr Jones, of Claverley Drive, Penn, was captured in Antwerp in September 1944 and spent seven months in a prisoner of war camp at Mulberg near Dresden.

As he was a sergeant he was not put to work, unlike many of his lower-ranking colleagues.

His son Alan, 63, said: "He did tell us some of the things that happened as a prisoner of war. It took a bit to get it out of him.

"He said the food was terrible. He also remembers being in his bunk with bullets coming through the roof during air raids. But he was immensely proud of his time in the army."

Mr Jones was finally freed on April 12, 1945 when the Russians arrived in town. He was carried out on horseback and flown home on a Lancaster bomber.

He then caught a train back to Wolverhampton where he was met by his beloved wife Gwen on the platform. After the army, Ron returned to his career as a printer.

He and Gwen went on to have three children, Peter, who died a year ago aged 67, and Alan and Lynn, now aged 57. Gwen died in 2001.

Mr Jones was a member of the Veterans' Club at Alexandra High School, Tipton.

Mr Jones died on November 17 at New Cross Hospital after a short illness. His funeral will be at Bushbury Crematorium on Friday at 10am.