An older warhorse

By Lia Bichel
BARRY Jones wanted to join the police force when he was 27, but when a friend told him he was too old, Mr Jones decided to join the army.
In 1975, at age 35, he was the oldest soldier in the Army Reserve at Monash University Regiment, but that didn’t deter Mr Jones, who is now the acting president of the Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL.
“I always wanted to do something,” he said.
With the full support of his wife Carrolle, Mr Jones dedicated himself to the army. He served 100 days a year in the Reserve, while raising three children under the age of 10 and running his own concrete cutting business.
After three years and a lot of work Mr Jones was promoted to sergeant, and in 1981, he became a warrant officer.
“I missed out on a lot in life – which is something I regret,” he said.
“But I enjoyed it. It wasn’t about what the army could do for you, but what I could do for the army.”
Although Mr Jones was never deployed overseas, he said he was ready to fight for his country if the call came.
Instead, he spent countless emotionally and physically draining hours training young soldiers, something he takes great pride in.
“It was fantastic to see young men and ladies come in, and see them succeed,” he said.
He remembered one exercise when he came close to death.
“We were at the grenade bay with the trainees, and they had to throw a grenade over the wall. If they couldn’t throw the grenade over, it dropped at their feet,” he said.
“You have only a few seconds to pull the trainee into the protective bay and cover their body with yours. It happened to me once – I was a nervous wreck.”
Mr Jones also remembered the heightened tensions during the first Iraq war in the early 1990s.
Adding to his list of accomplishments, Mr Jones completed the difficult task of shooting to marksman standard.
He received a medal for 15 years’ service in 1990, and an Australian Defence Medal last year.
After 17 years, Mr Jones left the reserve, but continues to contribute to the community by being a CFA volunteer and carrying out a variety of duties as the vice-president of the Dandenong-Cranbourne RSL.
He welcomes everyone to the Anzac Day services in Casey and Dandenong this weekend.
“Anzac Day is about remembering what previous Diggers have done, and what soldiers are doing now,” he said.