His character in Dad's Army (1968), Corporal Jones was based on a real life
character.
He spent his last three decades of his life living in Portugal, where he painted portraits, landscapes, and seascapes until his eyesight failed.
While a POW during WWII, he became a medical orderly. Since he could speak some German, he was the prisoners' spokesman.
Had a hit with the song, "Grandad". It topped the British charts in the
early 70s and was used in his TV show of the same name. The song
remained on the charts for 28 weeks.