A WAR veteran is about to celebrate turning 100 with his family and friends.

Ted Cogdell, who lives in Cwmbran, was born on July 28, 1918 and says says the secret of living a long life is "Behaving myself".

He said: "My standard answer is never drank, never smoked and never bothered with strange women - and I tell lies."

"It's hard work being this age," he said.

Mr Cogdell grew in Griffithstown and was enlisted into the 55th Light Anti-Aircraft with the Royal Artillery and fought in Norway, the Battle of Britain, Sri Lanka, Burma and India.

In 2016 he was awarded awarded a commemorative medal by the Norwegian government for his service.

He shared his experience in his book Two Pints and Two Bob Change which he says he wrote on an old typewriter and typed with one finger.

There are now only three of his regiment, the 55th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, still alive, including his friend Ray 'Blondie' Lewis from Tredegar who recently turned 100.

He spent the War in Norway and then came back to Wales and married his childhood sweetheart Maisie.

"My biggest achievement, marrying the girl of my life," he said. I met her in Griffithstown School. She was in girl's school in Sebastapol and they used to come to our school for cookery lessons."

He had one daughter and now has five grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

He went on to work at the steelworks in Panteg, then to tin works in Pontnewydd and later the Girling's factory.

Mr Cogdell is a Facebook and internet user and keeps in touch with a friend in Norway via email.

He says there has been a lot of changes in his lifetime, and says the biggest change in the area is the number of houses.

"When I was a kid it was all fields," he said.

There will be a party for Mr Cogdell on Saturday organised by his friends and family.

Anyone who would like to send him a birthday card can send it to Ted Cogdell C/O 52 Vaughan Williams Drive, Newport, NP19 9SN.A WAR veteran is about to celebrate turning 100 with his family and friends.

Ted Cogdell from Cwmbran was born on July 28, 1918 and says says the secret of living a long life is "Behaving myself".

He said: "My standard answer is never drank, never smoked and never bothered with strange women - and I tell lies."

"It's hard work being this age," he said.

Mr Cogdell grew in Griffithstown and was enlisted into the 55th Light Anti-Aircraft with the Royal Artillery and fought in Norway, the Battle of Britain, Sri Lanka, Burma and India.

In 2016 he was awarded awarded a commemorative medal by the Norwegian government for his service.

He shared his experience in his book Two Pints and Two Bob Change which he says he wrote on an old typewriter and typed with one finger.

There are now only three of his regiment, the 55th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, still alive, including his friend Ray 'Blondie' Lewis from Tredegar who recently turned 100.

He spent the War in Norway and then came back to Wales and married his childhood sweetheart Maisie.

"My biggest achievement, marrying the girl of my life," he said. I met her in Griffithstown School. She was in girl's school in Sebastapol and they used to come to our school for cookery lessons."

He had one daughter and now has five grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

He went on to work at the steelworks in Panteg, then to tin works in Pontnewydd and later the Girling's factory.

Mr Cogdell is a Facebook and internet user and keeps in touch with a friend in Norway via email.

He says there has been a lot of changes in his lifetime, and says the biggest change in the area is the number of houses.

"When I was a kid it was all fields," he said.

There will be a party for Mr Cogdell on Saturday organised by his friends and family.

Anyone who would like to send him a birthday card can send it to Ted Cogdell C/O 52 Vaughan Williams Drive, Newport, NP19 9SN.