Windsor Davies death: It Ain't Half Hot Mum star dies aged 88

His family said they ‘will all remember him with love, laughter and gratitude’

Windsor Davies, the star of sitcom It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, has died.

The 88-year-old was best known as Battery Sergeant-Major Williams in the TV series that ran from 1974 to 1981. He died on Thursday 17 January, his family said.

Davies was retired from acting and lived with his wife of 62 years. She died in September.

Jane Davies, their daughter, said her parents left a large family “who will all remember them with love, laughter and gratitude”.

Born in Canning Town, London, in 1930, Davies worked as a coal miner and did national service in Libya and Egypt with the East Surrey Regiment in the eary 1950s before deciding to become an actor. One of his first credits was in a 1967 episode of Doctor Who.

He appeared in It Ain’t Half Hot Mum alongside Melvyn Hayes and Don Estelle. It was created by Dads Army‘s David Croft and Jimmy Perry. His character was best known for dryly delivering the phrase “Oh dear, how sad, never mind” whenever someone around him had problems.

Davies and Estelle scored a number 1 hit in 1975 with novely single ”Whispering Grass”, which they performed in character. It sold more than one million copies.

Following It Aint Half Hot Mum, he played Oliver Smallbridge in the long-running ITV sitcom Never The Twain, which followed two rival antique dealers. The other was played by Donald Sinden.

His film credits include two Carry On films, and his later career was dedicated to providing voice work for adverts and audiobooks.