Don't Panic

It was, on reflection, a masterful piece of play-acting.

So convincing in fact that I was surprised, very surprised to hear of the death today of Clive Dunn.

In the role of Corporal Jones in Dads Army broadcast from 1968 to 1977 he portrayed a veteran of the Sudanese campaign of 1896 to 1899, making his onstage age, by my reckoning, about 75 years old.

His make up and demeanour were so much in character and sympathetic that I was, as a young and regular viewer, entirely persuaded that he was just an old actor playing an old man.

What I am trying to say is that I thought that he must have passed away many years ago even if attaining a ripe old age beyond the 75 years of his on screen persona.

In fact, Clive Dunn was only 48 when cast as Jones, local butcher, an affable and compassionate resident of Walmington on Sea and only 57 when the last series aired.

He contributed a great deal to a production that caught the nostalgic interest of a Nation and his traits of being the last of the Platoon to stand to attention or at ease showed a fantastic comic timing. His frantic and manically agitated movements and 'Don't Panic' exhortations are firmly amongst some of my personal all-time comedy moments and a catchphrase much used today.