American Reacts to Dad's Army | S1 Ep.1 | The Man and The Hour

[@SoGal_YT]

Had to upload (and edit) this 6 times before KZbin stopped blocking it - even the shortened version! If you want to see the full-length episode and my reaction to it, you can do that on my Patreon: www.patreon.com/sogal_yt?fan_landing=true. I'll be doing the whole series with new episodes every Thursday. Like and subscribe if you enjoyed this video 👍🏻 Follow me on social media, and join my Discord: 🐕 Instagram: instagram.com/sogal.yt/ 🏀 Twitter: twitter.com/SoGal_YT ⚽️ Facebook Page: facebook.com/SoGal-104043461744742 🏖 Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/238616921241608 💥 Discord: discord.gg/amWWc6jcC2

[@geraintthatcher3076]

Have you tried Blackadder Goes 4th ?

[@paulmaxey6377]

The theme tune was done by Bud Flanigan who was one half of comedy duo Flanigan and Allen. Bud was paid 100 Guineas (£1 and 1 shilling, a shilling being 5 new pence) (equivalent to £1,900 in 2019). Sadly he died less than a year later.

[@alanmon2690]

@@paulmaxey6377 A guinea was £1 , one shilling....

[@carlwebster4217]

British humor is usually pretty dry. My grandfather was British and he loved this stuff. Also all the actors in the show served in world war 2

[@paulmaxey6377]

@@alanmon2690 That is what I meant but I thought SoGal wouldn't know what a shilling was worth in new money. A shilling is 5 new pence even though there were 20 old pence to a shilling in old money. But it is confusing explaining how to convert it lol. EDIT: Just read my message again and I see what I did. My mistake, you corrected it. I meant £1 and 1 shilling lol. They still sell horses in Guineas I think.

[@albertlay8927]

Dad's Army is probably the most iconic British comedy, the humor is brilliant and eternal. In the Netherlands (where I'm from) it's still popular. After all these years, there still are reruns anywhere.

[@blueycarlton]

Yes, on YT with subtitles.

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

It's still hugely popular here in Australia as well, absolute classic.

[@williebauld1007]

It’s still shown in the UK on BBC2 on Saturday nights, absolute timeless humour 👍🏻

[@nedeast6845]

I think everyone can underestand and appreciate the humour, of total bumbling people that can work together when they try

[@carolyntaylor7]

When I lived in the Netherlands, Dad’s Army was a must see program. A favorite line was ‘DON’T PANIC - DON’T PANIC!!

[@lynnejamieson2063]

Many of the cast had actually served in either the First or Second World War. Clive Dunn who plays Corporal Jones was a prisoner of war from 41-45 and Arnold Ridley who played Godfrey…well here’s how Wikipedia puts it - Ridley was a student teacher and had made his theatrical debut in Prunella at the Theatre Royal, Bristol when he volunteered for service with the British Army on the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. He was initially rejected because of a hammer toe.[6] In 1915 he enlisted as a Private with the Somerset Light Infantry. He saw active service in the war, sustaining several wounds in close-quarter battle. His left hand was left virtually useless by wounds sustained on the Somme;[6][7] his legs were riddled with shrapnel; he received a bayonet wound in the groin; and the legacy of a blow to the head from a German soldier's rifle butt left him prone to blackouts after the war.[6][8] He was medically discharged from the army with the rank of Lance Corporal in 1916.[9] Ridley rejoined the army in 1939 following the outbreak of the Second World War.[8] He was commissioned into the General List on 7 October 1939 as a second lieutenant.[10] He served with the British Expeditionary Force in France during the "Phoney War", employed as a "Conducting Officer" tasked with supervising journalists who were visiting the front line. In May 1940,[11] Ridley returned to Britain on the overcrowded destroyer HMS Vimera, which was the last British ship to escape from the harbour during the Battle of Boulogne.[12] Shortly afterwards, he was discharged from the Armed Forces on health grounds.[8] He relinquished his commission as a captain on 1 June 1940.[13] He subsequently joined the Home Guard,[8] in his home town of Caterham, and ENSA, with which he toured the country.[12] He described his wartime experiences on Desert Island Discs in 1973.[14][15]…he is also the Great Uncle of actress Daisy Ridley. One of my favourite episodes is called ‘Branded’ from series 3 and deals with the issue of a Conscientious Objector. It’s not the funniest episode but it is possibly one of the hardest hitting. Dad’s Army is one of the most loved sitcoms in the U.K. with episodes still being shown weekly on the BBC.

[@rosiesummer2711]

Yes, the Conscientious Objector was very emotional and heartfelt. I read Godfrey was put as the medic because it hid Ridley's left hand with him carrying the medical first aid kit.

[@dogstaraycliffe]

Arnold wrote the script for the 1941 movie The Ghost Train which starred Arthur Askey.

[@glastonbury4304]

Cheers Lynne 👍

[@TheArgieH]

@@dogstaraycliffe He sold his royalties to that in order to pay those who lost out when a venture he set up failed. A man of honour.

[@highpath4776]

@@rosiesummer2711 Perhaps one of the highest profile Conscientious Objectors was Oliver Postgate (see autobiography 'Seeing Things'). he was put to work on a farm in Devon.

[@guitarmatt191]

Dad's Army is possibly THE best ever British comedy series. Stick with it and once you get to know the characters you'll come to love it even more!

[@ajorngjdonaydbr]

Fawlty Towers, even though its only 2 seasons, it still eclipses all

[@guitarmatt191]

@@ajorngjdonaydbr I'd respectfully disagree - Dad's Army for me is superior to Fawlty Towers.

[@alansmith1989]

@@guitarmatt191 Agreed, Dad's Army had the space to really develop characterisation.

[@vernonstevens3915]

I think Dad's Army ties for top sit com of all time with Only Fools and Horses.

[@alansmith1989]

@@vernonstevens3915 Both `Towering Giants` of U.K Comedy. Personally, my favourite is `Monty Python's Flying Circus` but `Dads` & `Fools` are `legends`.

[@xmassent]

"Allo Allo " is British sitcom set in occupied France during ww2. Which revolves around a French cafe owner and his bumbling efforts to try and deal with problems he finds himself drawn into by dishonest German officers and the plans of French resistance. Whilst trying to conceal his affairs with the waitresses from his wife.

[@TimeyWimeyLimey]

It's worth noting that Allo Allo is a spoof of another great BBC WW2 drama series of the 70's called Secret Army. Set in occupied Belgium (rather than Allo Allo's France) it's about a secret evasion line run by the resistance out of a cafe, trying to hide and smuggle shot down airmen back to Britain.

[@macker33]

@@TimeyWimeyLimey Secret army was a good show.

[@Macilmoyle]

@@TimeyWimeyLimey I loved Secret Army, but I was never a great fan of Allo Allo. Having had a cousin and his (later) wife tortured and sentenced to death by the Gestapo I never managed to see the humour in a funny Gestapo officer.

[@EricIrl]

@@Macilmoyle That was my feeling about "Allo 'Allo". Whereas the Home Guard were regarded as a slightly humorous and ill assorted group in period - which translated well into a comedy series 30 years later, the actions of brave French, Belgians and Dutch people to put their lives on the line to get Allied airmen back to safety was not that funny a situation in the first place. Indeed, it was a truly deadly situation for those involved.

[@yumyummoany]

Allo Allo was just brilliant, well worth a watch. I loved the way they rounded it off with that great final episode. Another comedy where we laughed at ourselves!

[@decam5329]

The ironic thing was that after Dunkirk people where prepared to defend the country with kitchen knives tied to broom handles. Brave men. A generation who served in WW1, so they where under no delusions as to the cost of war.

[@PassportToPimlico]

For all the TV show showing the Home Guard as fools, these older men, in their youth, using what is basically the same rifle, could hit a man at 400 yards.

[@Brian-om2hh]

@@PassportToPimlico The reality was that many of these men, although too senior for regular army service, had served in the first World war.... And what wasn't touched on in Dad's Army, probably because it wasn't appropriate, was the fact that there was a specialist element of the Home Guard whom had been schooled and trained in what you might term dirty tricks. These men would, in the event of German troops gaining a foothold in Britain, use guerrilla tactics, such as poisoning water courses, and setting booby traps etc.

[@AdventuresWithTrains]

Some were serving in the military even before that, the upper age limit was 65, working back to a time when boys could join the army some of those men could of been fighting up the kyber pass.

[@highpath4776]

@@AdventuresWithTrains Perhaps what the Clive Dunn character shows that the problem can be the fighting of this years war with last years mentality. Perhaps what the home guard did was to free up others to actually be in the regular forces. Other roles such as ARP / Civil Defence / Firewatchers overlapped but the HG eventually became a kind of potential internal SOE, I think it was disbanded in 1943.

[@AdventuresWithTrains]

@@highpath4776 You are right in your prehapsing, ARP wardens were the first volunteer organisation along with the Aux fire service and the observer corps. The Home Guard was formed from fears over a lack of forces to defend the UK, because the Home guard was last to be formed it was elderly men like Jones and Godfrey that volunteered for it. The other organisations got the young men awaiting to be called up, wanting to do something now that war had broken out. The episode where they tried to make themselves look younger, was a genuine government amendment to have a younger fitter army for defence. The purpose of the Home guard was to slow up the invasion forces, while the army was mobilised. There was a part of the Home guard that were the specials, they were trained to go underground once the invasion started to attack the Germans in the rear. As you described SOE type operations, the stark reality is that the Home guard were the cannon fodder. It was not deactivated until December 1944, there was fear the invasion of Europe may not be a success, four years of fighting had made the British military wary of the Germans. Official disbandment of the Home Guard, did not come until December 1945.

[@malarkey2217]

Dads Army has been aired constantly since the '70's. I often watch the odd episode and drop back into it, instantly getting that old familiar feeling like slipping on an old pair of slippers. I'm often in tears it's so funny.

[@lumpyfishgravy]

Dad's Army is an absolute classic; and like the best British sitcoms relies on unspoken social (especially etiquette or class-driven) tension to achieve full effect.

[@bill8784]

Absolutely. Very good point re our mores.

[@nedeast6845]

The beauty of the humour is of course Mainwaring still thinking he is below Wilson, when Wilson doesn't care

[@Brian-om2hh]

A case in point might be the episode when a new firing pin was required for the company Lewis Gun. On ringing the Army Spares section, and enquiring as to the availability of Lewis gun spares, Captain Mainwariing, with the phone to his ear, said "what all?"

[@olly5764]

Arnold Ridley, the guy who played the very doddery and old Private Godfrey, was a genuine war hero, having fought in both world wars, suffered shrapnel wounds to his legs, a bayonet to the groin and his left hand being left virtually useless after various encounters in WW!, being discharged on health grounds after a head injury left him prone to black outs then rejoining in WW2, being discharged on health grounds again 1940 following the battle of Boulogne and subsequently joining the home guard.

[@markwilliamson2864]

In 1944 Ridley was wounded again in Caterham, Surrey when his home was hit by a V1.

[@olly5764]

@@markwilliamson2864 yes, I had forgotten that.

[@jinxvrs]

Originally, John Le Mesurier was going to play the officer, as he was quite an upper class chap and Arthur Lowe (middle class) his sergeant. However, in an inspired move, the roles were reversed so Lowe played Captain Mainwaring (pronounced Mannering) and Le Mesurier, Sgt Wilson - bringing forth the oft repeated line "Do you really think that's wise, sir?"

[@decam5329]

The whole show is a masterclass on the British class system .

[@alansmith1989]

David (Del Boy) Jason was originally mooted for "Corporal Jones" (He specialised in playing `old` characters back then).

[@jinxvrs]

@@alansmith1989 He would have only been in his late 20s then! Of course, he went on to play Blanco in Porridge. Wasn't he also in line for the role of Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do 'Ave Them? - I think I recall that from somewhere.

[@jinxvrs]

@@decam5329 It was, it was! For a short while, I thought Frank Williams who played the vicar, also ran a Formula 1 team......a bit gullible when I was younger.

[@sirderam1]

"I wondered who'd be the first to spot that!"

[@alansmith1989]

Who remembers "The Army Game" and its successor "Bootsie and Snudge?"

[@dinerouk]

Michael Medwin, Alfie Bass, William Hartnell etc were in the first series

[@alansmith1989]

@@dinerouk That's it Peter. Bernard Bresslaw also part of it. All wiped far as I know. The spin off "Bootsie and Snudge" (In Civvy Street) was even more popular. `B & S` even came back for a series in the early 70s.

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

Most of the actors who played the members of the platoon were WW2 veterans. John le Mesurier, who plays Wilson, admits he had a quiet war, but in the week before he reported for his basic training, both his flat and the theatre where he had been working were bombed, and he arrived carrying everything he owned.

[@jimcook1161]

As everyone else has said Dad's Army is one of Britain's best loved sitcoms. Writer Jimmy Perry was actually in the Home Guard hence where he got the initial idea.

[@neilgriffiths6427]

My dad was in the Home Guard until he was 18 - when he joined the RAF and bombed Berlin. Suffice to say, he recognised some of the characters from the tv show...

[@stephanstreet2160]

My Grandfather was a World War One veteran. Then a sergeant in the Home Guard in World War Two. As a matter of interest the old man that plays Private Godfrey played by Arnold Ridley served in both World Wars. He is also the great uncle of Daisy Ridley who plays Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Both my Grandfather and him both got badly injured at the battle of the Somme WW1 Ps Dads Army was a favourite TV show of my Grandfather’s

[@yumyummoany]

Arnold Ridley was also a famous playwright and wrote many plays and films.

[@michaelmelbourne6688]

It was a well loved series and was called Dad's Army with love, the cast were well chosen and the relationship between Capt Mainwaring and Sgt Wilson was so funny with it featuring the difference in class between them a very British thing.

[@nedeast6845]

It led to the funniest exchanges....The funniest to me was when Wilson says "I want you to think of me as a normal sergeant" and Mainwaring gives him a look and says "we all wish you could be a normal sergeant"

[@davesy6969]

Nasty U boat captain; "vat is your name boy, I shall add you to ze list". Captain Mainwaring; "don't tell him Pike!"

[@keithyork7691]

I think it is interesting the relationship between Cpt Mannwarring and Sgt Wilson. During the series you see Wilson is a good soldier and able to out smart others as seen with the German Navy prisoners. In the last the episode ( Cpl Jones and Mrs Fox's Wedding) you also see Sgt Wilson in his Uniform of the "last War" in which he is an Infantry Captain, having fought at the Somme, Passchendal, Amiens, etc. And the how green Cpt Manwarring was.

[@stevegray1308]

Dads Army was true British humour. We made fun of ourselves, our ridiculous amateur efforts, while actually being proud of the people who did these daft things. My dad was 13 when the war started and even he was taught to shoot a rifle, although considering he couldn't kill flies I doubt he could have shot a German. 😆🇬🇧

[@alanmahoney167]

My dad was ten when ww 2 started. He died in 2009 and never told me about his experience during that time. I wish he had but maybe they were times he didn't want to remember

[@brucebartup6161]

@@alanmahoney167 my mum was 7 when the war started. She was evacuated twice, one to a chilldless couple who had all three kids my mum her ow but tey just were swekll intngtioned but not reallyu willing so they gave her back. THe second time was a year or so later 1940i should thik. That one took her and hher two sisters and res=esulted in tyhe eldest Pam callng her mum from a phne box and my grandma prsumably wityhiut a travel permit going by trai ti whisk thm all bascvk tio Bihtom from someplac in th midlnds i thunk. The suggestuoion being that soine form of sexual abuse had occurred. Sk yes, some kids loved all that, Bit other had a rough time.. I can eeaily imgijne your ddda mayab hacve had mnay reasons to not burden yiu .

[@jonathanpatrick8506]

I can remember when the TV crew and cast use to come to Thetford to film all the outdoor scenes around on the battlefield area where the army train on and I have also met some of the stars of the show as well when I was from 4 to 7 years old. There is a statue of Mr Mainwaring ( Arthur Lowe ) in Thetford sitting on a bench and many people sit next to him for a photo. Also there a Dad's army museum in the town.

[@steved6092]

Great choice SoGal ... you're going to have a good laugh with this ... and see how the British are so good at not taking ourselves too seriously ... its based on the writers experience in Local Defence Volunteers ... Enjoy

[@bobbralee1019]

My Dad was in the home guard before he joined the Royal Navy he said there were 10 of them in his section with two rifles and 5 rounds of ammunition. He spent most of his time running around with a bucket of sand looking for incendiary bombs to put out.

[@deanstuart8012]

Edward Sinclair, who played the Verger, was part of the glider assault on Pegasus Bridge on D-day. Looks can be deceptive, can't they?

[@Brian-om2hh]

Richard Todd - of Dambusters film fame - also took part in the glider assault on Pegasus Bridge for real. Ironically, he played the part of his own commanding officer in the film of the Normandy invasion ( The Longest Day?)

[@deanstuart8012]

@@Brian-om2hh Todd was 7 Para on D-day and arrived by parachute but played the role of Major John Howard of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry who arrived by glider in The Longest Day. However for those in the know,one of the most surreal scenes in movies is where Richard Todd's character is talking to the actor playing Lieutenant Richard Todd. In the film Todd wore the beret that he wore on D-day but with a different cap badge.

[@shoutinghorse]

''Dad's Army'' was an affectionate nickname given to the Home Guard during the war. They were initially called the local defence volunteers (LDV) and were made up of local men (many ex military) and boys who were too old or too young to be called up to fight. Their task was to be a first defence if the Germans ever invaded, which was a very real possibility and fear at the time, especially after Dunkirk. They would have most probably acted as a guerilla force and their life expectancy would have been no more than a few weeks. The writer of Dad's Army was Jimmy Perry who was 16 at the outbreak of the war and joined his local LDV and it was his experiences that formed his inspiration for the series. He is quoted as saying that the character of Private Pike is based on him.

[@skasteve6528]

I'm sure the Home Guard would have given a good account of themselves, but their main role was to boost the morale of the civilian population. There was another secret defence force who were trained as a sabotage & guerilla force. Small cells of mainly farmers & gamekeepers, knowledgable of the local terrain, would hide out in bunkers if an invasion happened. They were equiped with Enfields, Stens & a large amount of explosives. They were not expected to survive & would have been executed if they surrendered.

[@Brian-om2hh]

The Home Guard wouldn't necessarily have been the first defence. There had been a final defence line (google GHQ Line) constructed, from the Bristol area to somewhere near London. This line had hundreds of pillboxes and various other strongpoints - some of which still exist. Should the Germans have reached and attempted to breach this final defence line, Mr Churchill had given an express order to use chemical weapons to repel them..... More info here.... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GHQ_Line

[@alanhilton3611]

I remember watching these shows as a kid lying on the floor in front of the TV cracking up then after going to bed with smile on my face.

[@micheal3230]

I met all the dad's army cast in Thetford Norfolk where they use to film the series all classic actors in a classic comedy show brilliant

[@oldman1734]

I think Dad’s Army was more about nostalgia than wit and humour.

[@neilgriffiths6427]

The thing is, the Home Guard wasn't ever thrown into full-on action - but the Germans had to form their own version, the "Volksturm" (people's storm). It was annihilated by the Russians, poor sods.

[@_lambert_1785]

The thing is, the Home guard was exclusively made up of the old and unfit. The Volksturm included young boys

[@charlestaylor3027]

@@_lambert_1785 and those in reserved occupations.

[@DaveF.]

​@@_lambert_1785 So did the Home Guard - that's where Jimmy Perry got his experiences from - he was in the Home Guard as a teenagers.

[@deanstuart8012]

@@_lambert_1785 incorrect. In 1940 the average age of the Home Guard was 40, with most being WWI veterans who had already beaten the Germans once and would be fighting to defend their homes this time. Because of the Treaty of Versailles there was a huge demographic in Germany which had no military training, so the average age in the Heer (German army) was 45.

[@neilgriffiths6427]

@@_lambert_1785 That's not true. My dad was in the Home Guard from the age of 16 until 18, when he joined the RAF. So the Home Guard had young lads as well as old men.

[@stuberry1875]

One of the most famous episodes of Dad's Army was called "The Deadly Attachment", Episode 1, Series 6. I know it's difficult to avoid getting blocked with BBC material, but this episode in particular is one that most British people will quote lines from. I'd recommend it.

[@TheArgieH]

Don't tell them Stuart! (Or your name will go in the book!).

[@alexfletcher5192]

Dad's Army famously went on longer than the actual war had. Initial reaction to the pilot episode was grim, with people who had actually survived the war (it was 1968 after all) not finding much to laugh at. But it's turned into almost a national institution, with the cast instantly recognizable. Still being shown regularly on the BBC, 44 years after it came to an end, we're now more distant from it than the period it was gently satirizing!

[@hill_skills]

My dad was a kid during the war and his dad was in the home guard. When I was a kid, my dad had kept his dad's home guard manual of what to do if the Germans invaded. My mum was bombed in the Blitz (and so was my dad), she used to hide in thier Morrison shelter with her big sister and their rabbit to keep him safe. My uncle flew Mosquitos in North Africa. He shot down at least one enemy aircraft. He also crashed and saved his crew mate by pulling him out of the fire and burnt himself very badly and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for bravery.

[@MarkMcLT]

I grew up watching this in New Zealand. An absolute classic, well loved in the antipodes. Very happy that you reacted to it and hope you'll do more.

[@spook15charles12]

My grandfather was in the home guard as a 16 year old. It was full of old men and kids. His issued weapon in case of invasion was a 310 martini single shot rifle which was a rifle design ed in the 1870s, they used whatever they had on hand it was a step above a 22 calibre rifle.

[@kingstumble]

My dad's favourite show----and it became mine too. Repeats are regularly still shown. I also went to see the stage show some 50 years ago! You'll get to recognise the recurring catch phrases such as "We're doomed!" "Don't panic" and "Stupid boy". A true classic.

[@skasteve6528]

Arnold Ridley served in both world wars. He enlisted in 1915, suffered many wounds fighting at the Somme. His legs were riddled with shrapnel, received a bayonet wound in the groin, his left arm was virtually useless due to a wound. He was medically discharged in 1916. He re-enlisted in 1939 & was on the last ship out of Boulogne during the evacuation. He was discharged on medical grounds in 1940, whereupon he joined the Home Guard. He was also an accomplished playwright & his great niece played Rey the the Star Wars series of movies.

[@TOYSTITCHER]

We were SO lucky to have this GREAT programme that ran for so long ! The more episodes you watch, the deeper the fondness for the characters grows. Highly recommended if you can acquire it…..IF it’s your sort of thing of course 🤗 and thanks for sharing 💕

[@TukikoTroy]

OMG, so glad you are doing this. I watched this as a child when it was first on TV and I can't help but watch every rerun. As the shows and seasons go on, the characters become more and more like a family. The acting and timing was outstanding and they are deeply missed. The recent film is more an homage than anything, with basically actors playing the actors playing the characters.

[@carolineb3527]

Haha, my father was the Captain Mainwaring of our local Home Guard, although nothing like him as a person. Dad had been in the Royal Navy before WWII but was both too old to go back to sea and also in a reserved occupation so the Home Guard was all he was allowed to do. Anyway, he used to watch Dad's Army and cry with laughter, saying that in real life it had been a lot worse/funnier than that!

[@wordsmith52]

It gets better as it progresses. It was written and acted by people who knew and lived through those times, so it is quite realistic in many ways, and in that respect, is quite 'educational'. Well worth watching the whole series, especially from about 1970 onwards.

[@brendancasey866]

Arnold Ridley, the man that acted the part of Mr Godfrey, was badly injured in WW1, in hand to hand combat, bayonet wounds, a head injury from being hit with a rifle button, and severe wounds to his left hand, he also wrote a very famous, and popular play 'Ghost Train' I believe he signed away the royalties for a very modest sum,,something he later regretted as the play was performed for many years. It's also sobering to think, that the invasion was a very real and imminent threat, and all the men in the Home Guard, would have answered the call regardless of age, ability or limited supplies and equipment

[@BrightonandHoveActually]

The siren with the constant pitch was the all clear signal sounded when an air raid finished. That is what you hear at the end of each episode. I remember hearing it used to call part time firefighters to the fire station in the times when Dad's Army came out. Talking of which, the episode involving the fire engine is one I particularly enjoyed - especially the end.

[@elsx20]

It’s my favourite tv show of all time, and for an 18 year d apparently that’s rare 🤷‍♀️😂 but it’s so fantastic! Many memories of watching this with my family ❤️

[@graemebayles6652]

I just recalled my favourite episode of Dads Army. Private Godfrey reveals to Captain Mainawing that he was a contentious objector in the First World War. For this he is shunned by the platoon. It is later revealed he won the French Croix de Guerre Frances highest medal for bravery in his role as a stretcher bearer rescuing 6 wounded French soldiers from no man's land under heavy German machine gun fire. All he said was " I couldn't not do my bit"

[@andrewclayton4181]

The two writers, Croft and Perry, served in the home guard. They knew of what they wrote. It was chaotic and amateuris. Ex-members I chatted to as a lad confirmed the show was quite accurate. In the first series there is a lot of improvisation, and they slowly acquire bits of kit, uniforms etc. Later series were filmed in colour, they had to contend with training exercises, unexploded bombs, captured Germans, and the regular army trying to instill some efficiency. It is a very good sitcom, with an excellent range of character's, the wide boy, the vicar, the mummy's boy. Funnily enough corporal Jones who plays one of the oldest in the platoon was actually one of the younger actors. We knew a lot of the actors, as you can see from their ages, they'd been around for quite a while and we're very experienced actors. A lot were ex- army too. Private Godfrey really had been in the trenches in wwi I believe he suited a bayonet attack. When you've finished with Dad's Army, give 'Allo, Allo ' a try. It's about the French resistance and is even more hysterical if that is believable.

[@loquayrocks]

and a meddling ARP warden

[@TheArgieH]

Arnold Ridley had a crippled arm courtesy of a German bayonet on the Somme.

[@steved6092]

There was apparently an American version called Rear Guard but it wasn't popular and never got past the pilot episode

[@iainmalcolm9583]

Not watched Dad's Army for years. Brought back some childhood memories.

[@melvyncollins7305]

Are You Being Served had one of the same writers as Dad's Army, David Croft.

[@DaveF.]

Yup, and it shows. Sorry to say that while DA is minor masterpiece I think it's mostly down tot he cast than the writing. Most of Perry and Croft's output was hugely formulaic and catch-phrase heavy. I'd only say Dads Army and Allo Allo are any good. The former mostly due to the cast and Allo Allo for actually being innovative and different enough to succeed - albeit still hugely reliant on over-used catchphrases.

[@melvyncollins7305]

I think you're correct, although I loved watching all the Croft, Perry, Lloyd shows as a kid back in the 70's, I can't watch them now other than 'Dad's Army' (oh and 'You Rang M'ilord' for some reason!).

[@PBFootyfan]

Dad's army...one of my favourite things to watch with my Dad when I was a kid. It worked on several levels, plenty of slapstick humour kept me entertained, but the relationship and class tension between the principal characters was more subtle but equally funny to the grown ups. The middle class bank manger, his upper class bank clerk, the working class ARP warden/grocer, the vicar, the verger, old soldier/butcher, Spiv, 'soppy' boy, retired gentleman and local undertaker became some of the nation's most well loved characters. Roger will be learning some new catchphrases very soon!

[@TheAlgoflon]

The L.D.V or Local Defence Volunteers where also less kindly known as The Look Duck and Vanish

[@philipcochran1972]

For me the best episode is S8E1 Ring dem bells. Corporal Jones is Clive Dunn, a young man playing an old man. Godfrey is Arnold Ridley a WW1 vet. One of his arms was damaged by a German bayonet in hand to hand fighting and ironically he plays a conscientious objector. The home Guard was mostly for men too old to serve. They were originally called Local Defence Volunteers, LDV, but Churchill changed the name to Home Guard. The theme tune is not from WW2 but is sung by Bud Flannagan from Flannagan and Allen a popular duo during WW2.

[@GSD-hd1yh]

With WW2 starting just 20 years after WW1 ended a lot of men had service experience but were too old to fight in the front lines. From your research you know Britain was on its knees after Dunkirk, and there was a real feeling that the invasion could come at any time. Nearly all those who volunteered for the Civil Defense Force (later Home Guard) felt it was their duty to join up and do what they could.

[@EricIrl]

It was actually originally called the Local Defence Volunteers or LDV. You will notice that initially, because there were no uniforms available, they simply wore an LDV armband over their civilian clothing. But the Home Guard (as it was later renamed) was definitely NOT a civilian organisation. It had all the usual military ranks and was under the command of the British Army.

[@GSD-hd1yh]

@@EricIrl Now that you have mentioned LDV I remember seeing the armbands in the Dads Army pilot episode. I was working from a faulty memory. lol

[@mattinfullvision9598]

Very pleased you're doing Dad's Army, one of my favourites

[@cerbie70]

Arnold Ridley (character: private Godfrey -medic) had genuine 1st WW experience. I knew this before, but I had a quick check and now know that his great niece is Daisy Ridley (Star Wars). Private Godfrey was a well loved character of 'Dad's Army' and there is a very poignant episode of Godfrey representing the brave pacifist people in war. As a soldier, Arnold Ridley wanted these people to be recognised for what they did whilst being called cowards and such for not bearing arms to kill. Episode is titled 'Branded', synopsis is on wiki.

[@jeanlongsden1696]

nearly all of the cast are dead now. but I did meet the Vicar, the Warden Mr Hodges and Mrs Fox about 10yrs ago at the War & Peace show in Kent. they was sat in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Vera Lynn. I have also met most of the cast of 'Allo 'Allo there too. which is another WWII comedy you should watch.

[@adrianhughes8143]

I am a Dad's Army fan and have watched them since 1968 when I was 4 years old and have been a fan since. One of the greatest TV comedies of all time here in England. Walker was my favourite character on the show. I am glad that you enjoyed it as it is really a great show for family entertainment for all ages as it has no swearing in it but is still so funny. 💂‍♂️💂‍♂️💂‍♂️💂‍♂️🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@andyp5899]

My father was in the London 'Dad's Army'. They were the London Defence Volunteers the 'LDV'. Part of their duties was to observe the nightly bombing during the blitz. This entailed standing on the rooves of factories whilst bombs dropped around them. When asked what the LDV on their helmets and uniforms stood for with typical cockney humour they would answer the Look Duck and Vanishers.

[@keithcornish5073]

"they dont like it up em"....love dads army, used to watch it with my dad when I was younger. He was a WW2 soldier and he used to crack up watching it. when you've done watching Dads Army, Allo Allo is another one you should have a look at. like Dads Army it's centred during the war and again like Dads Army its full of different characters, each one with his /her own catch phrase. The english man disguised as a french policeman is a classic

[@arwelp]

Interesting info: Arnold Ridley, who played Private Godfrey the elderly volunteer who kept having to be excused to go to the toilet, actually had quite a military career himself - he was badly wounded in the Battle of the Somme after which his left hand was practically useless and he was medically discharged from the army as a lance-corporal in 1916; he rejoined in 1939 and was on the last ship to escape the harbour of Boulogne - he was discharged from the army as a captain in the summer of 1940 and joined the Home Guard himself! Daisy Ridley, Rey in the Star Wars movies, is his great-niece (though not born until 8 years after he died).

[@bradleycollins6467]

My Grandfather was part of the Australian Home Guard and my father used to just laugh out loud at Dad's army as it was so true to what really was happening at the time. They had no weapons or if they did they had no ammunition. Basically they were in there normal jobs in the daytime and played soldier in the evening!

[@CaptainNemo1701]

This is a real classic show, beautifully written characters. One of the later episodes, The Deadly Attachment, contains one of the funniest lines on British TV.

[@Chris_GY1]

David Croft and Jimmy Perry (he was Pike in real life, he starred in an episode of Dad’s Army) were in the Home Guard during WW2. Jimmy Perry he was an actor when he came up with the idea for Dad’s Army but before it became that it’s original name was The Fighting Tigers, he passed the script to David Croft who became the producer, he wrote the part of Walker a spiv (a black marketeer) for himself David Croft talked him out of it. This episode becomes part of the film but in colour it was made in 1971, the film company put Liz Frazer in for Janet Davies who plays Pikes mum in the series, John Le Mesurier who plays sergeant Wilson and John Laurie who played Frazier (his catchphrase is doomed doomed) starred in films, Arnold Ridley who plays Godfrey (wrote the play The Ghost Train his granddaughter Daisy Ridley stars in Star Wars) and Clive Dunn who was 48 when he was given the part of Lance Corporal Jones (his catchphrases are they do not like it up em and don’t panic don’t panic Mr Mainwaring pronounced Manaring) in 1971 he played Grandad in a tv series of the same name. The only two cast members of Dad’s Army still with us are Frank Williams who plays the vicar and Ian Lavender who plays Pike the youngest member of the platoon. There was second film made a few years ago Ian Lavender makes an appearance as a general and Catherine Zeta Jones plays a German spy. A number of years ago a programme was made to look at how Dad’s Army was made who played whom. A few years ago three lost episodes of Dad’s Army were remade as the original ones were lost. David Croft and Jimmy Perry also wrote Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Hi de Hi and You Rang My Lord. David Croft also wrote Are You Being Served? and it’s sequel Grace and Favour and Allo Allo with Jeremy Lloyd. David Croft also wrote Oh Dr Beeching with Richard Spendlove who starred in an episode. Various actors and actresses who guest starred in Are You Being Served? went on to star in some of David Croft’s tv series that followed. David Croft wrote a book called Have You Being Watching? Which appears at the end of all of his tv programmes. David Croft died in September 2011and Jimmy Perry died in October 2016. Jeremy Lloyd died in December 2014, starred in an episode of Allo Allo.

[@barrynorthey8403]

My Man who was a teenager during World War Two can remember the Home Guard parading with broom hands with a knife tried on the end after Dunkirk because we were so short of arms. So it is based on true fact.

[@AtheistOrphan]

How old is your man?

[@barrynorthey8403]

@@AtheistOrphan My mistake that should read my Mum not my Man. My Mum is no longer with us. I'm 72 years old. My mum lived in Plymouth an as a teenager was learning her trade as a tailor and evening working at the fire station plotting the bomb falling on Plymouth

[@brian9731]

Regarding viewing figures and the 18 million who watched Dad's Army, back then here in the UK, we had 3 channels on network TV (through an antenna) and NO OTHER TV AT ALL. That even predates VCRs being a common device in British homes.

[@highpath4776]

And sometimes ITV was on strike ,so it was all BBC (then the BBC went on strike and we only got ITV, then the three day week and we got nowt)

[@lesjones7617]

It all fantastic i still enjoy see it on TV to this day1

[@steelm00]

A superb ensemble piece. My father was in the Home Guard and a lot of it is rooted in the truth. Above all, there emanates a feeling of real warmth as the series go on and the characters begin to feel like old friends

[@gagatube]

Dad's Army was an amazing show, for me its strength was not the slapstick humour but the character development. The characters were diverse (although perhaps not in the current sense) and each had abundant flaws, but the show slowly revealed the best in all of them - 'keeping on keeping on' in the most difficult of times.

[@gwenowens6727]

I have very happy memories of watching Dads Army as a child and then as an adult with my own children and parents. One of the thing that rings true is the class element of the era. My father in law was a butchers lad during the war, delivering meat to customers on a bike often twice a day, before he was called up. He was frequently told off for not using the tradesman’s entrance by customers from small and large houses alike. One customer complained to the owner (who was also my father in laws uncle) of the butchers shop that one of his boys had hailed her in the street as ‘if he knew her socially’. The ‘boy’ in question was a 75 year old man who had served in World War 1! Dads Army perfectly encapsulates that very English snobbery.

[@steveoliver4418]

I really hope you carry on watching Dad's Army it's an amazing old series a true British comedy success , think you're the first American I've seen reviewing the show 😀 so PLEASE PLEASE watch more, thank you

[@beckyhale8240]

Dad's Army is one of the best British sitcoms of all time, stick with it gets so much better too. Loved it when I was a kid and still love it now still gets millions of viewers when they put on episode on the BBC, and on sky channel gold its on all the time. I think there is now only 2 or 3 Surviving cast members left Private Pike and the vicar. Hopefully you will get to love this show, as so many people in the uk 🇬🇧 and round the world do, they did do a American version but it didn't work, only did one season.

[@perryedwards4746]

golden, golden.... every episode

[@michaelmillett8724]

You have caught the humour perfectly. It is all about the British spirit and the British way of muddling through.

[@janettesinclair6279]

Set in the WW2 era when the older men were left at home to defend their area and formed themselves into defence groups. More difficult to appreciate all the jokes until you have seen several episodes and learn about the idiosyncrasies of each character. A very popular comedy series.

[@thequietman760]

Allo Allo is another ww2 sitcom you would really enjoy it's English but it about the French Resistance based in a little cafe in Paris I think. Really funny

[@davidsavage6910]

Character and pathos driven comedy, exceptional writing plus exceptional actors. It matured over the years.

[@frankmitchell3594]

Dad's Army was made in the 1970's, 50 years ago, and depicted events in the 1940's, 30years before the show was made. So it was actually closer to the period than we are to the show now.

[@wwciii]

Have you watched Kind Hearts & Coranets in which Alec Guinnes played 8 different roles?

[@keithhealing1115]

John leMesurier, who played Sgt Wilson, was, by all accounts, delightful. His gravestone reads "it's all been rather lovely".

[@timdyer5326]

There are so many episodes to enjoy on the Dad's Army series.

[@chrismackett9044]

A film worth watching is Went the Day Well. It was made during the war and is about how an English village was taken over by a group of Germans as an advance party for the invasion. It shows how the villagers, who represent British society, fought back. Sadly the locals in the Home Guard were all ambushed and killed.

[@Macilmoyle]

Great film. It may seem a little cosy to modern sensibilities at first, but the scenes with the village postmistress and the fate of the lady looking after the children must have been quite shocking to the original audience.

[@dave5017]

One of my favorite episodes is 'My British Buddy'. I recommend that as it's about a bunch of American soldiers coming over and being shown the town by Ct Mainwaring ad his men. As usual, it ends up with Mainwaring getting the short end of the stick lol. The episode 'The Deadly attachment' is another great one

[@shanenolan8252]

Singing. ( who do you think you are kidding mr Hitler) .

[@oldman1734]

I remember the war, going down air-raid shelters etc. When you’re about five the worst thing about the war and going down air raid shelters was having to hold hands with a GIRL. Oh no!! My feelings changed later.

[@jasonvardy991]

"Don't tell him Pike!" :D

[@AtheistOrphan]

Your name will also go on the list!

[@stevo728822]

The people who wrote Dad's Army also wrote the comedy It Ain't Half Hot Mum set in India during WW2. For a serious British WW2 TV drama watch Tenko about a woman's prison camp and Colditz about a German castle used as a POW camp.

[@chriscann7627]

In my humble opinion, the greatest sitcom made!

[@markmclean4897]

Watched it with my Dad as a kid and hated it Love it now 40 years later My kids hate it 😂

[@long-timesci-fienthusiast9626]

Hi SoGal, I think you will enjoy watching this Series, I certainly did whilst growing up & with later repeats. I enjoyed the original 1960`s film with this cast. I have not seen the more recent remake. As for the lack of real weapons, as you mentioned during the wonderful opening sequence, the regular Army had just retreated from Dunkirk. A vast majority of their equipment had to be left behind in France, so the factories were working flat out to re-equip them first of all. Hence, the Home Guard when 1st formed had to "make do & mend". They had to bring with them any firearms they owned themselves or temporarily use anything to represent a rifle, especially for military drilling.

[@williamburnham3659]

It is an excellent show with a plethora of outstanding British character comedians

[@julienash9470]

Absolute classic show, completely timeless. Later seasons were in colour. It's one of those shows that are just as good on radio as on TV. The developing dynamics between the cast is brilliant. Sargent Wilson and young private Pike is great because although you never get more than a glimpse of detail, Wilson has a thing going with Pikes mother, he pops round her house for comforts. Pike sometimes calls him uncle Arthur. So if Pike is treated harshly so he uses Wilson to get the problem solved by saying if you don't I'll tell my Mum. Captain Manering and the rest of the cast are suburb. The only one still alive now is the guy who plays Pike.

[@ivanwilmore7469]

I watched it when it was first shown and I still watch it as it is often shown now. I have probably seen every episode several times but still find it funny. One of the best of many comedy series from the UK 🤣🤣🤣

[@polipolimaui]

This was the first of several lovely comedies. Are you being served, It ain't half hot mum and Allo Allo. The latter two being set in WWII as well. Really funny series.

[@TheSnowdogsShorts]

I’m British, and my late wife was American. She loved Dad’s Army. Her favourite part was when Captain Mainwaring would call private Pike, “stupid boy!”

[@Colin-mc4ml]

This is my favourite comedy series, it's still being repeated on BBC2 prime time every Saturday Night. This was the late HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's favourite sitcom, she had all the series on VHS tape. A US TV network made a pilot of Dad's Army in 1976 called The Rear Guard which was a flop. Love watching WWII films and Drama series. David Croft who wrote the scripts for Dad's Army also wrote the scripts for Are You Being Served?.

[@distantplaces6560]

“Don’t tell ‘im Pike” absolutely hilarious.

[@johnmcgurn8921]

I enjoyed this video so much I came back and watched it again. I was really impressed that SoGal was able to identify during the programme’s introductory map titles the German armies forcing the B.E.F. back across the Channel at Dunkirk. I’m sure a lot of people would have missed this joke and only the British would make reference to the retreat in a comedy show. Well done SoGal! Let’s have more Dad’s Army!

[@highpath4776]

I think different opening titles were planned , but in the end the chosen graphics were genius

[@Welsh_Dragon756]

My grandad was a farmer so he never fought in the war as he was needed home. But he was in the homeguard/dad's army. He's told me a few stories about it and it sounds exactly like this show 🤣 especially the competition between the different divisions.

[@nedeast6845]

The writer, Jimmy Perry, was in the home guard (LDV) and he said that the character of Jones was based on this old guy he knew who had served in India, and he really did say "the bayonet. They don't like it up them, they do not like it" And he would also start every story with "you know, when I was in the Sudan" and jimmy perry said, the character wrote the lines himself, he just remembered what the old bloke used to say....Perry said he had the old medal ribbons and corporal stripes, and he just based the character of Jones on him

[@loquayrocks]

"They don't like it up them!" Love Corporal Jones

[@Brian-om2hh]

Don't panic Mr Manewaring, DON'T PANIC!!!!!!

[@markhosbrough9180]

Loved watching dads army when I was a kid if I remember correctly it was on every Sunday evening

[@edwardallen4916]

Hope you do more of this sit-com. It really got going from series 2 onwards as the writers began to write to the actors strengths and personalities..

[@tonys1636]

Still shown today on BBC2, many previously lost episodes have been discovered around the world and digitally restored to broadcast quality as the films had deteriorated. When recording was changed from film to tape some were wiped by the BBC as recording tapes were expensive then, they were copied onto film for sale to other countries before the tape was wiped for reuse. All the scripts remain in archives. The newish feature film had one of the original cast in it, Ian Lavender, not playing the same part, the only one still alive today.

[@tallthinkev]

Two of my uncles, different sides of the family, were in the Home Guard, they both said 'Everything you see in Dad's Army, is true!'