By Jeff Turnbull | March 11, 2008
AUSTRALIA'S last surviving World War I soldier, Jack Ross, turned 109 today surrounded by his extended family and friends at a nursing home in Victoria.
To mark the occasion, the non-drinker and non-smoker indulged in his one vice - chocolate, and lots of it.
Mr Ross celebrated at Bendigo's Golden Oaks Nursing Home with a rich chocolate cake and is savouring the chocolates he received as gifts.
His sweet tooth must be softening the passionate fan of the Essendon AFL club, who, according to his 79-year-old daughter Peggy Ashburn, is switching his allegiance to cricket because "football is too rough''.
But he won't be changing his political views.
Known as "Pop'' to the staff at Golden Oaks, Mr Ross is a life-long member of the Labor Party and insisted on registering a postal vote in last November's federal election.
"He still has a sense of humour,'' said Peggy.
"When I told him he didn't have to tick every name on the ballot sheet, but just tick one box, he said, `Why not?'
"He was very happy Mr Rudd won.''
Mr Ross is believed to be Australia's oldest man.
Peggy looked after her father at their home until five years ago when he fell and broke a leg and doctors did not give him much chance of survival.
She stayed at his bedside for 35 days expecting the worst, but he made a full recovery against all the odds.
"He's never been on medication. The only thing he takes now is eye drops,'' she said.
Mr Ross, who had worked at the telegraph and booking office of the local railway station, enlisted in January 1918 at Maryborough in central Victoria, but never left Australia.
The war ended in November of the same year, and he was demobilised on Christmas Eve.
His mother gave her permission for him to join the army as long as he was posted to the wireless and telegraph section.
Her other son Harrie (Harrie) had suffered spinal injuries while fighting in France and she didn't want Jack to meet a similar fate.
During World War II, he served in the Voluntary Defence Force.
Longevity seems to runs in the Ross family.
Mr Ross's eldest sister died two years ago at 99, and his two other sisters are aged 101 and 94.
"My daughter told a friend recently that she was going to visit her grandfather and he was shocked, knowing that I'm 79,'' Peggy said.
"He couldn't believe that my father was still alive.''
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23357161-5006785,00.html
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