There has recently been mixed news from Thetford, familiar to many as the as the real-world Walmington-on-Sea. The good news is that, following its recent purchase by the Thetford Dad’s Army Museum’, Corporal Jones’ 1935 Ford Box van has reportedly returned to the town and will be on display to the public from spring 2013,

More sadly, the Anchor Hotel which featured in The Man and the Hour and which was also a regular haunt of Dad’s Army cast members when filming in the area, has been demolished. The Anchor has been closed since 2006, but it is sad to think that the recently erected statue of Captain Mainwaring may soon been gazing at a budget chain hotel rather the the a building that holds so many memories.

So it is farewell to one old friend but welcome home to another.

Following the recent sale of Coporal Jones’ van to the Thetford Dad’s Army museum, the story was picked-up on the Chris Evans show on Radio 2 on 4th December.

The new owner of the iconic van was interviewed by Evans, and the show is available to listen to until  next Tuesday – catch it while you can.

We reported in the autumn that the Ford Box Van that appeared as Lance Corporal Jones’ van in Dad’s Army was to be sold by then owners the Patrick Collection. The van was expected to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000 pounds at auction.

The BBC has now reported that when the van went to auction at Bonhams it reached £63,000, paid by the Dad’s Army Museum in Thetford who successfully found backers to underwrite the purchase while they raised the necessary funds.

The sale ensures that the van will remain accessible to the public – on display at the Charles Burrell Museum, also located in Thetford.

The purchase of the van will be good news for Dad’s Army fans following the death of Clive Dunn, Corporal Jones himself, in November.