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The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker

2022-07-03T18:01:39Z

2A00:23C7:2909:5801:4873:7071:28D0:EEF3: /* Notes */

{{no footnotes|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Dad's Army]]
| image =
| caption =
| series_no = 2
| episode = 3
| director = [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]
| story = [[Jimmy Perry]] and David Croft
| producer = David Croft
| airdate = {{Start date|1969|03|15|df=y}}
| length = 30 minutes
| guests =
| prev = [[The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage]]
| next = [[Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret]]
}}

"'''The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Walker'''" is a missing episode in the British comedy series ''[[Dad's Army]]''. It was originally transmitted on 15 March 1969. One of the three [[Dad's Army missing episodes|missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes]], only a few short clips and screenshots survive in the archives.

==Synopsis==
To his complete surprise, Walker receives his call-up papers. Mainwaring tries his best to get the authorities to reconsider.

==Plot==
When Walker is called up, he applies to the Military Service Hardship Committee, which rejects him on the grounds that he does not keep books for his business. After Jones's attempts to sabotage his medical test fail, Walker is invalided out because he is allergic to [[corned beef]].

==Cast==
{{div col}}
*[[Arthur Lowe]] as [[Captain Mainwaring]]
*[[John Le Mesurier]] as [[Sergeant Wilson]]
*[[Clive Dunn]] as [[Lance Corporal Jones]]
*[[John Laurie]] as [[Private Frazer]]
*[[James Beck]] as [[Private Walker]]
*[[Arnold Ridley]] as [[Private Godfrey]]
*[[Ian Lavender]] as [[Private Pike]]
*[[Anthony Sharp]] as Brigadier (War Office)
*[[Diana King (actress)|Diana King]] as Chairwoman
*[[Patrick Waddington]] as Brigadier
*[[Edward Evans (actor)|Edward Evans]] as Mr Rees
*[[Michael Knowles (actor)|Michael Knowles]] as Captain Cutts
*[[Gilda Perry]] as Blonde
*[[Larry Martyn]] as Soldier
*[[Robert Lankesheer]] as Medical Officer
*[[Colin Bean]] as [[List of characters in Dad's Army#Recurring characters#Other platoon members|Private Sponge]]
{{div col end}}

===Remake===
{{div col}}
*[[Kevin McNally]] as Captain Mainwaring
*[[Robert Bathurst]] as Sergeant Wilson
*[[Kevin Eldon]] as Lance Corporal Jones
*[[David Hayman]] as Private Frazer
*[[Mathew Horne]] as Private Walker
*[[Timothy West]] as Private Godfrey
*[[Tom Rosenthal (actor)|Tom Rosenthal]] as Private Pike
*[[Christopher Villiers]] as Brigadier (War Office)
*[[Sam Phillips (actor)|Sam Phillips]] as Captain Cutts
*[[Julia Deakin]] as the Chairwoman
*[[Andrew Havill]] as the Brigadier
*[[Jerry-Jane Pears]] as Judy
*Gareth Benjamin as Mr Rees
*Lee Barnett as the soldier
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
#This episode was originally planned for transmission on 20 January 1969.
#This is one of the three [[Dad's Army missing episodes|missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes]], after the tape was [[Wiping|wiped]] by the BBC for reuse. The other two are ''[[A Stripe for Frazer]]'' and ''[[Under Fire (Dad's Army)|Under Fire]]''.
#[[UKTV Gold]] commissioned recreations of all three missing episodes. The remake of this episode was first broadcast on 25 August 2019.
#In the remade episode, two cast members have a link to David Croft, [[Julia Deakin]] was in ''Oh Doctor Beeching!'' and [[Andrew Havill]] was in the [[Dad's Army (2016 film)|2016 film of Dad's Army]].

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|title=The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army|last1=Croft|first1=David|last2=Perry|first2=Jimmy|last3=Webber|first3=Richard|year=2000|publisher=Orion|isbn=0-7528-4637-X}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb episode|0552328|Original episode}}
*{{IMDb episode|10183938|Recreated episode}}

{{Dad's Army}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker, The}}
[[Category:Dad's Army radio episodes]]
[[Category:Dad's Army missing episodes]]
[[Category:Dad's Army (series 2) episodes]]
[[Category:1969 British television episodes]]

{{DadsArmy-tv-stub}}

The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage

2022-07-03T17:59:37Z

2A00:23C7:2909:5801:4873:7071:28D0:EEF3: /* Notes */

{{more footnotes|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Dad's Army]]
| image =
| caption =
| series_no = 2
| episode = 2
| director = [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]
| story = [[Jimmy Perry]] and David Croft
| producer = David Croft
| airdate = 8 March 1969
| length = 30 minutes
| guests =
| prev = [[Operation Kilt]]
| next = [[The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker]]
}}

"'''The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage'''" is an episode in the British comedy series ''[[Dad's Army]]''. It was originally transmitted on Saturday 8 March 1969.

==Synopsis==
The church bells are to be removed to provide metal for the war effort, so the vicar has one last ring before they are removed. After the church bells ring (which is the signal indicating the start of a German invasion), Mainwaring, Wilson, Jones, Frazer, Pike and Walker all go to Godfrey's cottage and start fighting the "Germans."

==Plot==
While most of the platoon are on their way to the cinema to see a training film, the church bells ring, and Mainwaring, Jones and Frazer take up a defensive position at Godfrey's cottage. Wilson, Pike, Walker and Sponge are unable to find the others, and, leaving Sponge behind at the command post, head to Godfrey's cottage. There they see Jones, wearing one of Godfrey's old German helmets, and fire at him. Meanwhile, Godfrey's sisters shake a tablecloth out of the window, which is interpreted by Wilson as a surrender. In the end, Sponge starts firing on Mainwaring and Wilson.

==Cast==
{{div col}}
*[[Arthur Lowe]] as [[Captain Mainwaring]]
*[[John Le Mesurier]] as [[Sergeant Wilson]]
*[[Clive Dunn]] as [[Lance Corporal Jones]]
*[[John Laurie]] as [[Private Frazer]]
*[[James Beck]] as [[Private Walker]]
*[[Arnold Ridley]] as [[Private Godfrey]]
*[[Ian Lavender]] as [[Private Pike]]
*[[Janet Davies (actress)|Janet Davies]] as Mrs Pike
*[[Amy Dalby]] as Dolly
*[[Nan Braunton]] as Cissy
*[[Bill Pertwee]] as [[Chief ARP Warden Hodges|ARP Warden Hodges]]
*[[Colin Bean]] as Private Sponge
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
#This programme was formerly one of the [[Dad's Army missing episodes|missing ''Dad's Army'' episodes]] and was thought to be irretrievably lost for many years. However, in June 2001 this episode and ''[[Operation Kilt]]'' were returned to the BBC. The film cans were in a poor condition and the film itself had seriously deteriorated. Following restoration by BBC technicians, it was repeated.
#This episode was originally titled 'The Battle of Mon Repos'.
#This episode was repeated on 22 August 1969.
#[[Amy Dalby]], who featured as Dolly Godfrey, died on 10 March 1969 – two days after this episode first aired.<ref>{{cite web|title=Amy Dalby|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa36f968|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]|accessdate=2019-04-01}} {{Open access}}</ref> She was replaced by [[Joan Cooper]], [[Arthur Lowe]]'s wife, when the character reappeared in later episodes.

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|title=The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army|author1=Croft, David |author2=Perry, Jimmy |author3=Webber, Richard |year=2000|publisher=Orion|isbn= 0-7528-4637-X}}

==External links==
*{{BBC episode|b0078967}}
*{{IMDb episode|0552316}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Dad's Army}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Godfrey's Cottage, The}}
[[Category:Dad's Army radio episodes]]
[[Category:Dad's Army (series 2) episodes]]
[[Category:1969 British television episodes]]

Command Decision (Dad's Army)

2022-07-03T17:55:04Z

2A00:23C7:2909:5801:4873:7071:28D0:EEF3: /* Notes */

{{more citations needed|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Dad's Army]]
| image =
| caption =
| series_no = 1
| episode = 003
| director = [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]<ref name="Complete A-Z"/>
| story = [[Jimmy Perry]] and David Croft<ref name="Complete A-Z">
{{cite book
| title=The Complete A-Z of Dad's Army
| last=Croft
| first=David
| authorlink=David Croft (TV producer)
|author2=Perry, Jimmy |author3=Webber, Richard
| year=2000
| publisher=Orion
| isbn=0-7528-4637-X
| page=48
}}</ref>
| producer = David Croft<ref name="Complete A-Z"/>
| airdate = Wednesday 14 August 1968 8.20pm<ref name="Complete A-Z"/><br />(recorded Monday 29 April 1968)<ref name="Complete A-Z"/>
| length = 30 minutes
| guests =
| prev = [[Museum Piece]]
| next = [[The Enemy Within the Gates]]
}}
"'''Command Decision'''" is the third episode of the first series of the British comedy series ''[[Dad's Army]]''. It was originally transmitted on Wednesday 14 August 1968.

==Synopsis==
Leadership agrees with Captain Mainwairing, but the men, still without uniforms and arms, are getting restless. The platoon's fortunes take a turn when old campaigner Colonel Square arrives with an offer of rifles and horses. There is a catch; to secure the weapons, Mainwaring must hand over command to Colonel Square.

==Plot==
The platoon are all feeling blue due to their lack of rifles. In a rather rash bid to raise spirits, Mainwaring promises them some before the week is out, but time is running short. He then is visited by a local nobleman called Colonel Square, who reveals that he has got rifles which he is willing to allow the platoon to use, however Mainwaring discovers that Square will only allow this if he himself is in charge of the platoon, as they are his own weapons.

Mainwaring is hesitant but as he runs out of options to keep his word to the men, he contacts Colonel Square and agrees to his terms, putting the platoon under the command of Colonel Square. The Platoon is then marched out to Colonel Square's estate, where he has them ride horses. Mainwaring then inquires about the horses to Square's butler, who reveals that the horses belong to Bailey's Circus, and that Square is only looking after the horses for the duration of the war. Square's attempts to have the platoon use swords on horseback goes badly wrong, and Frazer tells Mainwaring that they would be happier as they were than using 'four-legged dragons'. Mainwaring is flattered but reluctant, until he discovers that the rifles are elephant-shooting muskets, and so Mainwaring ends the deal and takes control again.

Back at the church hall, a dejected Mainwaring gets a phone call telling him that the Local Defence Volunteers are being re-organised and will now be referred to as the 'Home Guard', which worsens his negativity. Taking a few minutes alone in his office before facing the platoon, a corporal arrives with a late delivery of five hundred LDV armbands, and, to Mainwaring's shock, five rifles. With his head high that he has been able to keep his word, Mainwaring takes the rifles into the main hall as the platoon cheer.

==Cast==
{{div col}}
*[[Arthur Lowe]] as [[Captain Mainwaring]]
*[[John Le Mesurier]] as [[Sergeant Wilson]]
*[[Clive Dunn]] as [[Lance Corporal Jones]]
*[[John Laurie]] as [[Private Frazer]]
*[[James Beck]] as [[Private Walker]]
*[[Arnold Ridley]] as [[Private Godfrey]]
*[[Ian Lavender]] as [[Private Pike]]
*[[Caroline Dowdeswell]] as [[Janet King (Dad's Army)|Janet King]]
*[[Geoffrey Lumsden]] as Colonel Square
*[[Charles Hill (English actor)|Charles Hill]] as Butler
*[[Gordon Peters]] as Soldier
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
# First appearance of Colonel (later Captain) Square.
# This is one of three episodes where Mainwaring ceases to command the platoon for a period of time. The others are ''[[If the Cap Fits...]]'' and ''[[Room at the Bottom (Dad's Army)|Room at the Bottom]]''.
# The rifles seen on screen appear to be the [[Pattern 1914 Enfield]] or the [[M1917 Enfield]]. Similar rifles are carried by the platoon throughout the rest of the series. In ''[[The Bullet is Not for Firing]]'', Mainwaring says they are .300 calibre, indicating they are M1917s. In the radio version of ''Command Decision'', however, Mainwaring describes them as "Five sparkling [[Ross rifle]]s."

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book
| last=Croft
| first=David
| authorlink=David Croft (TV producer)
|author2=Perry, Jimmy |author3=Webber, Richard
| title=The Complete A-Z of Dad's Army
| year=2000
| publisher=Orion
| isbn=0-7528-4637-X
| page=48
}}
* {{cite book
| last=McCann
| first=Graham
| title=Dad's Army: The story of a classic television show
| publisher=Fourth Estate
| year=2001
| isbn=1-84115-308-7
}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb episode|0552283|Command Decision}}

{{Dad's Army}}

[[Category:Dad's Army radio episodes]]
[[Category:Dad's Army (series 1) episodes]]
[[Category:1968 British television episodes]]

The Test (Dad's Army)

2022-07-03T14:51:24Z

2A00:23C7:2909:5801:4873:7071:28D0:EEF3: /* Notes */

{{no footnotes|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Dad's Army]]
| image =
| caption =
| series_no = 4
| episode = 10
| director = [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]
| story = [[Jimmy Perry]] and David Croft
| producer = David Croft
| airdate = 27 November 1970
| length = 30 minutes
| guests =
| prev = [[Mum's Army]]
| next = [[A. Wilson (Manager)?]]
}}

"'''The Test'''" is the tenth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series ''[[Dad's Army]]''. It was originally transmitted on Friday 27 November 1970.

==Synopsis==
The [[platoon]] are challenged to a cricket match by the [[Air Raid Precautions|ARP]] Wardens – who have recruited a top-class bowler to their ranks.

==Plot==
Mainwaring is holding a [[parade]], and complains about the lack of attendance at last Sunday's church parade. Walker admits he was unable to participate because he was delivering some knicker elastic to a group of [[Auxiliary Territorial Service|ATS]] girls. Mainwaring wonders why he could not have waited until after the parade, and Walker says that he could, but they could not. Mainwaring then moves on to commenting on the length of Pike and Wilson's hair, and suggest they get it cut – they "aren't violin players".

Mainwaring produces a letter given to him by [[Chief ARP Warden Hodges|Chief Warden Hodges]], and announces that he has challenged them to a game of cricket. The platoon readily accept. Mainwaring announces he is an opening batsman, Wilson is the captain of the local cricket club, and Jones volunteers to [[wicket-keeper|keep wicket]] with a particularly long anecdote on an occasion when he stumped [[Ranjitsinhji]]. Walker tells Mainwaring he can lay his hand on a couple of reconditioned cricket balls, and in typically autocratic fashion, Mainwaring decides that he will captain the side.

The next evening, they get the nets out, and have a practice. Pike's bowling efforts are continually interrupted by Mainwaring, who is typically full of advice, although he is highly unsuccessful when he tries to demonstrate: his bowling is repeatedly hit, and after a long lecture on batting technique he is bowled by the first ball he faces from Pike. Godfrey reveals that he used to play cricket for the Civil Service Stores when he was younger. Jones arrive late, and when he bats, the ball ends up smashing a church window.

On Saturday, at the cricket changing rooms, Hodges is keen to introduce E.C. Egan (played by [[Fred Trueman]]), a world-class professional fast bowler, to Gerald, one of his ARP Wardens. He tells them that he will not tell Mainwaring until he bats. Hodges produces an ARP application form for Egan to sign, to make it legal. When Egan asks what to do if the siren goes off, Hodges replies "Resign".

The platoon arrive, with Wilson wearing a yellow, blue and brown striped blazer, Frazer in his funeral attire, Godfrey in the Panama hat he wears for bowls, and Pike wearing his bank clothes. Mainwaring is shocked, and lends Pike his spare cricketing trousers.

Hodges reappears, and asks Mainwaring to toss the coin to see who is batting first, but Mainwaring insists on getting the umpires, the vicar and the verger, to do it. Mainwaring calls heads, but it is tails. The platoon are fielding first.

Hodges and Gerald open the batting for the Wardens, and Mainwaring bowls the first over, insisting that Pike field close in at silly mid-off despite Hodges' threat that he'll "get his head bashed in". They do not start well, with Jones continually knocking the stumps out, forcing the vicar to bang them in again and again. When Hodges finally gets a chance to hit the ball, he finds Mainwaring's bowling singularly unthreatening, his first two hits being a leg-side four and a straight six. After a horrendous [[wide (cricket)|wide]], the Verger [[no-ball]]s Mainwaring, deciding that his attempted [[googly]] is a [[throwing (cricket)|chuck]]. When Mainwaring disputes this, the Verger books Mainwaring for gross impertinence and sarcasm, and then threatens to send him off, as would happen in football. Then Hodges sends a big hit towards Godfrey, who tries unsuccessfully to catch it, and loses it in the long grass. While the platoon are searching for it, Hodges and Gerald keep running. When Walker produces a second cricket ball and they rush back, Hodges and Gerald have taken 24 runs. However, the platoon manage to take four wickets, with Jones' efforts behind the wicket finally being rewarded when he takes a stumping off a flighted ball from Pike, prompting Jones' typical "Don't Panic"-style celebration.

Hodges declares with the Wardens 152 for 4 at tea, and the platoon now have three hours to make the 153 runs needed for victory. Mainwaring, who finds Hodges' declaration "very sporting", opens the batting with Wilson. Hodges, who is keeping wicket, is keen to see Egan in action, and remarks over and over again that he's going to enjoy this. As Mainwaring prepares to bat, Egan walks down to the far end of the field. Mainwaring is confused, until Hodges gleefully informs him that the ball comes flying out of his hand at 95 mph. Egan charges towards Mainwaring, and delivers a ball which causes Mainwaring to dive to the floor, much to Hodges' delight.

However, the delivery has pulled Egan's shoulder, and he goes off, injured. The platoon now have a chance. Mainwaring does well, until the Verger gives him out [[Leg before wicket|LBW]]. Pike is [[Duck (cricket)|bowled first ball]] due to his inattention, but Jones, Walker and Frazer all contribute (although Frazer apparently has no knowledge of the game). Meanwhile, Wilson holds the innings together, scoring 81 runs. Eventually, Godfrey is the only one left to bat, and they only need five more runs to win. Wilson is still in at the other end.

Frazer thinks that Godfrey will be out first ball. However, everyone is surprised when he hits it, and they start to run; Godfrey drops his bat, but with Wilson's help he retrieves it and makes it back to the crease. Godfrey hits his next ball, bowled by Hodges, over square leg, and Mainwaring is delighted to see that it's going to be a six, meaning that the platoon have won by 1 wicket. Hodges comments that he should never have declared. Mainwaring reminds him that they'll be ready for anything, whether it comes from the wardens or the [[Nazis]]. As they cheer the wardens, and Godfrey and Wilson, the siren goes, and the platoon take up their positions.

==Scores==
The wardens declare on 152 for 4 wickets. The Home Guard then go on to make 156 for 9, thus winning the match by 1 wicket.
From what is seen on screen it can be deduced that the platoon members scored the following runs:-

*Captain Mainwaring 17 (LBW)
*Sergeant Wilson 81 not out
*Private Pike 0 (Bowled)
*Lance Corporal Jones 18 (Bowled)
*Private Frazer 7
*Private Walker 12
*Unknown
*Unknown
*Private Sponge 1 (Bowled)
*Unknown (Bowled)
*Private Godfrey 8 not out

==Cast==
{{div col}}
*[[Arthur Lowe]] as [[Captain Mainwaring]]
*[[John Le Mesurier]] as [[Sergeant Wilson]]
*[[Clive Dunn]] as [[Lance Corporal Jones]]
*[[John Laurie]] as [[Private Frazer]]
*[[James Beck]] as [[Private Walker]]
*[[Arnold Ridley]] as [[Private Godfrey]]
*[[Ian Lavender]] as [[Private Pike]]
*[[Bill Pertwee]] as [[Chief ARP Warden Hodges|ARP Warden Hodges]]
*[[Edward Sinclair]] as [[Maurice Yeatman|The Verger]]
*[[Frank Williams (actor)|Frank Williams]] as [[Reverend Timothy Farthing|The Vicar]]
*[[Don Estelle]] as Gerald
*[[Fred Trueman]] as E.C. Egan
*[[Harold Bennett]] as [[List of Dad's Army characters#Recurring characters|Mr. Blewitt]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
*The working title for this episode was 'The Cricket Match', which title was later used for the radio adaptation.
*This is one of the most commonly repeated episodes of ''Dad's Army'', because of its simple plot.
*[[Fred Trueman]], a former professional cricketer appeared as 'Ernie', lending credence to the suggestion that "he would have played for England if the war hadn't started". In the event 'Ernie' bowls only one delivery for the wardens before going off injured.

==Further reading==
*{{cite book|title=The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army|author1=Croft, David |author2=Perry, Jimmy |author3=Webber, Richard |year=2000|publisher=Orion|isbn= 0-7528-4637-X}}

==External links==
*{{BBC episode|b007867j|The Test}}
*{{IMDb episode|0552336|The Test}}

{{Dad's Army}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Test, The}}
[[Category:Dad's Army (series 4) episodes]]
[[Category:1970 British television episodes]]