This Is Your Life: Anthony Jones

Dr Anthony JONES (1938-2016)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Anthony Jones, mountain rescue expert, was surprised by Michael Aspel during a mountain rescue practice operation on Snowdonia, with an RAF helicopter and members of the Ogwen Valley Rescue Team.

Tony, who was born in India and raised in South Africa, suffered from polio at an early age, which left him with a weak leg. Despite this, he developed an interest in mountain climbing, and having graduated in Marine Geology he moved to the UK in 1963 to further his studies at Aberystwyth University, where he joined the mountaineering club. After gaining his MSc, he moved to lecture in Marine Geology at University College of North Wales in Bangor, and in 1966 became a full time member of the Ogwen Valley Mountaineering Rescue Organisation.

He devised a series of First Aid courses for Mountain Rescue which were taught to both RAF and civilian teams, and he was one of a small group who brought the American style of Search Management across to the UK. He went on to organise and lecture courses all around the world, and his courage and skill would save hundreds of lives in mountainous areas.

"Ah you're joking! I'm speechless for once!"

programme details...

Edition No: 853
Subject No: 842
Broadcast date: Wed 20 Jan 1993
Broadcast time: 7.00-7.30pm
Recorded: Sun 18 Oct 1992
Venue: Granada Studios, Manchester
Series: 33
Edition: 17
Code name: Rope

on the guest list...

Fran - sister
Graham Brown
Terry Henkin
Chris Dell - via telephone
Clive Swanboe
Roger Jones
Bill Dean
David Duffy Lee
Gareth Cryer
Jim Savage
Rowland Leyland
Flt Lt Rob Lewis
Keith Shaw
Ruth Barlow
Steven Barlow
US Airforce Senior Master Sergeant Jim Meulchi
George Davy
Ian Pilling
Alastair Reid
Frank - brother
Marianne - sister
Steven Attwood
Deputy Sheriff John Taylor
Rick LaValla
Skip Stoffel

production team...

Researcher: Sarah Ann Cockcroft
Writer: Roy Bottomley
Directors: Brian Klein, Malcolm Morris
Associate Producer: John Graham
Producer: Malcolm Morris

related pages...

Life Savers

heroes of the emergency services

The Night of 1000 Lives

a celebration of a thousand editions

Screenshots of Anthony Jones This Is Your Life

Scriptwriter Roy Bottomley recalls this edition of This Is Your Life in his book, This Is Your Life: The Story of Television's Famous Big Red Book...

Dr Anthony Jones is a mountain rescue expert whose bravery and skill saved hundreds of lives in many parts of the world. On 18 October 1992 he was on home territory with the Ogwen Valley Rescue Team, taking part in a practice operation in Snowdonia.

He had no idea that the helicopter swooping through a valley between snow-capped mountains had Michael Aspel as a passenger. And a question occupying our thoughts was: would Dr Jones recognise Michael, and would he know our programme? For this Doctor of Marine Biology at the University of North Wales, Bangor, spends all his spare time on the mountains; he doesn't even possess a TV set.

Said Michael: 'It's possible he might not know just who, or what, I'm about.'

Whether he did or not, encouraged by the rescue team, he was whisked to our studio in Manchester, where we had assembled many people who had reason to thank Dr Jones for their lives.

And the granite-faced man in the kilt – he is of Scots ancestry – melted a little when we flew in his sister, Marianne, from Cape Town.

Viewers also learned a well-kept secret. In 1983, Dr Jones had been made an honorary member of the US Air Force Pararescue Team. Senior Master Sergeant Jim Meulchi told us that meant having two green feet tattooed on his backside. In return, Dr Jones insisted the Americans should have the logo of the Ogwen Valley team tattooed on the other cheek.

'And you'll just have to take my word for it,' smiled the master sergeant.

Series 33 subjects