Colin Bean, who played Private Sponge, passed away on Saturday 20 June 2009. Sponge featured in 76 of the 80 episodes and was No 2 section’s leader.

Colin was a great advocate of everything Dad's Army stands for and his presence at Dad's Army events will be sorely missed.

Colin even suggested a story to the writers that centred around the platoon helping harvest a wheat crop as he had seen Home Guard members do when he was young. The result was 1972s All Is Safely Gathered In - a highly regarded episode to this day and remembered for Jones antics with a threshing machine.

Rest in peace Colin, and thank you for contributing to what so many perceive as a phenominal piece of comedy gold.