Sunday 11 May 2008
Croft & Perry Day at Bressingham
Gates open at 10.30
Special Guests to arrive at 11.30.
There will be the first chance to see the fully refurbished Jones Butchers Van from the Feature Film complete with gun portals and authentic sign writing.
Jones' Van from the TV series will be parked alongside.
There will again be two 'signing' areas where visitors can meet the guests and have up to two items signed by them.
Look out for the brass band, wartime singer, war re-enactment groups, vintage vehicles, the Dad's Army Collection, plus the usual steam trains etc.
Try to visit Alistair's Cafe and sample some of his hugely delicious homemade cakes!

DAAS members will find the full guest list in their Members Area pages.

26th 27th July Dad's Army 40th Anniversary at Thetford
- Norfolk's Dad's Army Filming Location
Saturday 26th Jill Daniels sings "Hits of the Blitz" at the Thetford Guildhall 7.30 -11.30pm
Thetford Guildhall was the Walmington On Sea Town Hall in the Dad's Army TV Series
Tickets £10 including supper
Sunday 27th All Day Events
Re-enactors - Veterens - Bands- Parades and an outdoor WWII 1940s music show
Groups and individuals wishing to participate please contact Corinne Fulford Tel: 01842 754005 Mob: 07802 701911

'Professional' Dad's Army Play continues touring UK
The production, staring Leslie Grantham, is based on two 'lost' (transmitted but never recorded by the BBC) TV episodes from 1969 plus two others, will recommence the tour this year in February (A similar concept of adapting episodes was adopted by The Tring Festival Company and formed part of a DAAS convention several years ago).
Posters for the show now show '40th Anniversary 1968 - 2008'
The first act consists of 'A Stripe for Frazer' & 'The Loneliness of a Long Distance Walker', act two is part of 'Room at the Bottom' plus 'The Deadly Attachment', although rumours have it that 'Room at the Botom' may be dropped for this run.
Click here for 2008 tour dates

Mainwaring Statue proposed for Thetford Town Centre
Civic leaders in Thetford have given their wholehearted backing to the proposal to create a public reminder of the town's links with the ever popular BBC television series, which was filmed in the area for nearly ten years.
David Croft also gave his full support to the scheme to create a bronze statue of Capt Mainwaring - played by actor Arthur Lowe - sitting on a park bench in the town centre.
A public appeal is set to be launched to raise the estimated £20,000 for the sculpture.
The idea is the brainchild of town councillor and Thetford Society chairman Stuart Wright.
Mr Wright said he hoped the funding could be in place within the next two years for the statue on a grassed area off Bridge Street, between the Bell and Anchor Hotels, where the cast and crew stayed during filming between 1968 and 1977.
“It will be a good fun opportunity for people on the tour to have their photo taken sitting alongside a statue of Capt Mainwaring and hopefully it will become a bit of a magnet for tourism,” said Mr Wright.
Co-writer of Dad's Army David Croft, who lives at Honington, near Thetford, yesterday told the Eastern Daily Press: “I think it is a marvellous idea. We had ten years filming in Thetford and we had a great time. I am surprised and gratified that Dad's Army is still so popular. It is acquiring a new audience all the time because it is funny, a great laugh and for the whole family,” he said.
The statue plans received unanimous support from Thetford Town Councillors. (EDP 30.11.07)

Thetford's Dad's Army Museum
Tourism at a Norfolk town is set to get a shot in the arm next week with the opening of a permanent tribute to its links with Dad's Army.
A museum featuring second world war items, military paraphernalia, photos and displays of the ever-popular comedy series, which was filmed in and around Thetford, will open its doors to the public next Friday.
The new display area at the former garage and fire station at the Guildhall complex, off Cage Lane, will now become a pivotal part of Thetford's popular Dad's Army tours, which will feature a replica of Capt Mainwaring's office as well displays on the TV series, Home Guard, Thetford fire service and the town's military connections. It comes after Thetford Town Council invested just under £1,000 to turn the storage room into an exhibition space with a new lick of paint and lighting.
Stuart Wright, town councillor and chairman of the Thetford Society, said the museum aimed to "com-plement, not compete" with the Dad's Army displays at Bressingham Steam Museum, near Diss. He added that he hoped the space could also open during town events and on Saturdays, depending on the amount of volunteers that can be recruited.
The Dad's Army museum will be open between 12pm and 8pm during the town's Christmas lights switch-on celebrations on December 7. Entry is free. (EDP 01.12.07

Jones' Van on display
In the 2 June edition of the Birmingham Post there is a piece with the heading "Don't panic! Dad's Army van on show". The article goes on to say "The Patrick Motor Museum in Kings Norton, Birmingham is to re-open, as well as displaying vintage cars, there are such novelties as the original Corporal Jones van used in the Dad's Army TV series and the original Dr Who police box.
To arrange a visit call: 0121 459 4656.
(From Mike Smart - DAAS member)

The Dad's Army Play - coming to a theatre near you?
This year many Amateur Dramatic Societies around the country are performing the Dad's Army Play, consisting of 'The Deadly Attachment, Godiva Affair and Mum's Army.
This has been adapted by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, following the success of Ian Gower's original adaptation performed by the Tring Festival Company at the Pendley Theatre, Tring in April 2002 as 'A Tribute to Dad's Army'. The same company performed 'Dad's Army, The Lost Episodes' in October 2003 for ten performances with even greater success.

**** No shows reported ****