Web Page No 2714

22nd  August 2020

 

1st Picture. Bill Pertwee

2nd Picture. At the Gosport Railway Society Dinner

3rd Picture. With Ian Lavender and Clive Dunn

4th Picture. Bill and his wife

 

Bill Pertwee

 

William Desmond Anthony Pertwee, MBE  was born on 21st July 1926  and died on 27th May 2013 was chiefly known for his role as Chief ARP Warden Hodges in Dad's Army but there was much more to his career than this.  

He was born in Amersham, the youngest of three boys, his mother was Brazilian and his English father, James Francis Carter Pertwee, who travelled the country as a salesman until he became ill and died in 1938, when Bill Pertwee was 12. The family moved home many times during Bill’s childhood and he lived in Hereford Glastonbury, Colnbrook, Newbury, Erith, Belvedere, Blackheath, Storrington, Westcliff-on-Sea, Wilmington and Worthing.

His education was disrupted by the moves and he attended many schools including an independent convent school, a small independent school, followed by Frensham Heights School in Surrey, Dartford Technical College and Southend College.

He left school during the Second World War and worked for a company that made the parts for canons on Spitfires. He was declared unfit for RAF service as he was on medication following a swimming accident, but was a member of the Air Training Corps). He later worked as an accounts clerk at the Stock Exchange and as a salesman for the clothing retailer Burberry in London. It was at this time that his cousin Jon noted Bill’s ability at impressions, persuaded him to go on the stage.

He appeared, as most comedians, did at the Windmill Theatre but broke  in to radio in the comedy series Beyond Our Ken (1959–1964) and Round the Horne (1965–1967). He was also a warm-up act for many television shows.

Naturally his most prominent role was that of ARP Warden Hodges in Dad's Army, which he played in both the original television series from 1968 to 1977, and the radio adaptations, as well as the radio sequel It Sticks Out Half a Mile, set after the war. He was president of the Dad's Army Appreciation Society and the author of the book Dad's Army – The Making of a Television Legend. Plus a book about the ‘Shows at the end of the Pier’.

In July 2008 he and other surviving members of the Dad's Army cast gathered together at the Imperial War Museum on the 40th anniversary of the show's first broadcast in 1968. In 1975 Bill Pertwee took part in the Dad's Army stage show .

He appeared in two Carry On films  but his appearance in Carry On at Your Convenience  was cut from the final film. On television he appeared in the final episode of It Ain't Half Hot Mum (1981) and an episode of Hi-de-Hi! (1986). He played PC Wilson in You Rang, M'Lord? (1988–1993), another creation of Jimmy Perry and David Croft.

He married Marion Macleod, sister of John and Norman Macleod of the Maple Leaf Four, in 1956. They had a son, Jonathan James Pertwee (born in 1966), who has appeared in various TV programmes. For many years they lived in Carshalton and it was whilst living here that Marion became disabled and Bill always tried to get home to her each evening

Following her death he moved to Topsham. He was awarded an MBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours. He was vice-president of the "Railway Ramblers" and a member of the executive committee of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund ('The Royal Variety Charity') and was initiated in 1976 as a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats.

His brother James Raymond "Jiggy" Pertwee was an RAF Whitley Bomber pilot who was killed in a crash on a hillside close to a disused quarry above Bank Foot, Ingleby Greenhow, following a leaflet drop over Dortmund, Germany, in June 1941.

He was related to Michael Pertwee and Jon Pertwee, being a second cousin of Michael's and Jon's father, the screenwriter and actor Roland Pertwee. He was godfather to one of the sons of his Dad's Army co-star Ian Lavender. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1999, Pertwee was surprised by Michael Aspel at the Imperial War Museum.

In died in May 2013 and had been ill since the previous year and died peacefully at his home. Three days previously he had attended a parade in Thetford (home of the Dad's Army Museum) where spectators and museum volunteers remarked how frail he was looking.

Bill was a personal friend and we spent many hours on the telephone. He was our guest speaker at my Railway Clubs 25^th anniversary dinner where he said he would only speak for 20 minutes and 70 minutes later he was still going. A great evening and he made no charge for the visit. I was proud to have known him and hear his stories. 

 

Stay in touch

 

Peter

 

gsseditor@gmail.com

 

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News and Views:

 

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