Kurt at 14:00, 15 February 2023

2023-02-15T14:00:32Z

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	~~{{Use British English\|date=January 2021}}~~
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	\| name = Private Godfrey		\| name = Private Godfrey

Kurt at 15:26, 22 August 2022

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	~~{{other people\|Charles Godfrey}}~~		{{Use British English\|date=January 2021}}
	~~{{one source\|date=December 2015}}~~{{Use British English\|date=January 2021}}
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	\| image = Private Godfrey Dads Army.jpg		\| image = Private Godfrey Dads Army.jpg
	\| lbl21 = Affiliated with		\| lbl21 = Affiliated with
	\| data21 = [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]]		\| data21 = [[w:Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]]
	\| occupation = Retired shop assistant/tailor		\| occupation = Retired shop assistant/tailor
	\| family = Lavinia (aunt)<br />Elsie (aunt)<br />Cissy Godfrey (sister)<br />Dolly Godfrey (sister)		\| family = Lavinia (aunt)<br />Elsie (aunt)<br />Cissy Godfrey (sister)<br />Dolly Godfrey (sister)

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-07-28T21:49:32Z

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en>Philip Cross: WP:PEACOCK

2022-07-14T08:07:25Z

WP:PEACOCK

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{{other people|Charles Godfrey}}
{{one source|date=December 2015}}{{Use British English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox character
| name = Private Godfrey
| series = [[Dad's Army]]
| image = Private Godfrey Dads Army.jpg
| lbl21 = Affiliated with
| data21 = [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)|Home Guard]]
| occupation = Retired shop assistant/tailor
| family = Lavinia (aunt) Elsie (aunt) Cissy Godfrey (sister) Dolly Godfrey (sister)
| first = [[The Man and the Hour]]
| last = [[Never Too Old]]
| portrayer = [[Arnold Ridley]] [[Michael Gambon]] ''[[Dad's Army (2016 film)|(2016 film)]]'' [[Timothy West]] ''[[Dad's Army#Missing_episodes|(2019 Lost Episode remakes)]]''
}}
'''Private Charles Godfrey''' [[Military Medal|MM]] is a fictional [[British Home Guard|Home Guard]] platoon member, first portrayed by [[Arnold Ridley]] in the [[BBC]] television [[sitcom]] ''[[Dad's Army]]''.<ref name="Webber">{{Citation|last= Webber |first= Richard |last2 = Perry|first2=Jimmy|first3=Croft|last3=David|title= The Complete A–Z of Dad's Army |year=2000|publisher= Orion Books |location= London |isbn=0-7528-4637-X| pages =80–81, 288}}</ref> and in the [[Dad's Army (1971 film)|1971 ''Dad's Army'' film]]. He is retired and was previously a tailor for the [[Civil Service Supply Association|Civil Service Stores]] or the [[Army & Navy Stores (United Kingdom)|Army & Navy Stores]]. Godfrey was a [[conscientious objector]] during the [[World War I|First World War]], yet he did work as a [[stretcher bearer]] with the [[Royal Army Medical Corps]] and earned a Military Medal for taking the wounded off the battle field at the Battle of the Somme. This has earned him great respect among the platoon members and resulted in him being appointed as the [[First Aid]] supervisor. Ridley himself fought at the [[Battle of the Somme]] during the First World War.

==Personality==
Godfrey was born in 1871, and is a gentle, mild-mannered and kindly old gentleman, though more complex than at first evident. He is the only member of the platoon who has [[retired]]. In the episode "[[Branded (Dad's Army episode)|Branded]]" it is revealed that he was a [[conscientious objector]] in the [[First World War]]. This revelation initially makes him a pariah. However, during a training exercise, he risks his life to rescue [[Captain George Mainwaring|Captain Mainwaring]]. Later, his sister reveals to the platoon that, far from avoiding service, he earned the [[Military Medal]] during the [[Battle of the Somme]], where he served with distinction as a stretcher bearer with the [[Royal Army Medical Corps]], and heroically saved several men's lives while under fire, an accomplishment he plays down modestly. This earns him the respect of the platoon, and leads to him being appointed as [[First Aid]] supervisor.<ref>Webber, Perry, Croft, p. 36</ref> [[Arnold Ridley]] actually served during the First World War with the [[Somerset Light Infantry]], and fought in the [[Battle of the Somme]], where he was severely wounded.<ref>Webber, Perry, Croft, p. 179</ref> These injuries gave a practical reason for his role: it was much easier for Ridley to carry the first aid bag than a heavy rifle.

Godfrey is a long-standing friend of [[Sergeant Wilson]], and in the episode "[[High Finance (Dad's Army)|High Finance]]" he lends Wilson a large sum of money when [[Mavis Pike|Mrs Pike]] is blackmailed by [[ARP Warden William Hodges|Hodges]]. He lives in picturesque Cherry Tree Cottage with his hard-of-hearing spinster sisters, Dolly and Cissy. He is clearly very fond of them, and often brings them up in conversation. When provisions are needed, his sister Dolly often provides [[upside-down cake]]s.<ref>Webber, Perry, Croft, p. 81</ref>

He is immensely loyal to Captain Mainwaring, who often feels quite guilty whenever he has criticised Godfrey:

:Mainwaring: ''"If you're not fit for active service, perhaps you shouldn't come at all."''
:Godfrey: ''"I didn't want to disappoint you, sir."''
:Mainwaring: ''"Well done Godfrey."''
::from the episode "[[Everybody's Trucking]]".

He served for 35 years either as an assistant in the sports department of the [[Civil Service Supply Association|Civil Service Stores]] (TV) or tailor and assistant in the [[Army & Navy Stores (United Kingdom)|Army & Navy Stores]] (radio).

:Mainwaring: ''"Occupation?"''
:Godfrey: ''"I'm retired, but I was 25 years in the Civil Service."''
:Mainwaring: ''"Really? [[Indian Civil Service (British India)|Indian]] or [[Civil Service (United Kingdom)|British]]?"''
:Godfrey: ''"Civil Service Stores."''
:Mainwaring: ''"Any previous military experience?"''
:Godfrey: ''"I was several years in the sports department. That meant archery and air guns."''
::from the pilot episode "[[The Man and the Hour]]".

An aspect of his old age is his weak bladder, which lets him down and postpones all platoon activity, hence his catchphrase, "May I be excused, sir?", and his tendency to fall asleep can be similarly categorised: "I must have dropped off!".<ref>Webber, Perry, Croft, p. 81.</ref>

==Medals==
Although Private Godfrey rarely wore his ribbons,<ref>Only in episodes ''[[Battle of the Giants!]]'' and ''[[Never Too Old]]''.</ref> he was awarded the usual trio of First World War campaign medals (commonly known as "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred"),<ref group="Note">The [[1914–15 Star]], the [[British War Medal]] and the [[Victory Medal (United Kingdom)|Victory Medal]], nicknamed [[Pip, Squeak and Wilfred#War medals|Pip, Squeak and Wilfred]] after a trio of cartoon characters of the period.</ref> in addition to his [[Military Medal]] for bravery.
<center>
[[File:UK Military Medal ribbon.svg|100x30px]]
[[File:1914 1915 Star ribbon bar.svg|100x30px]]
[[File:British War Medal BAR.svg|100x30px]]
[[File:Ribbon, World War I Victory Medal.svg|100x30px]]
</center>

==Other portrayals==
Private Godfrey is portrayed by [[Michael Gambon]] in the [[Dad's Army (2016 film)|2016 ''Dad's Army'' film]].

[[Bernard Cribbins]] was set to portray him in a series of [[Dad's Army missing episodes#Recreations|re-enactments of otherwise lost episodes]] of Dad's Army.,<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.theoldie.co.uk/blog/bernard-cribbins-the-new-private-godfrey |title=Bernard Cribbins, the new Private Godfrey |journal=[[The Oldie]] |date=12 November 2018}}</ref> but had to step away from the project for personal reasons, and was replaced by [[Timothy West]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/timothy-west-joins-dads-army-remake-after-bernard-cribbins-leaves-production-37829651.html|title=Timothy West joins Dad’s Army remake after Bernard Cribbins leaves production|work=[[Irish Independent]]|agency=[[PA Media]]|date=18 February 2019|access-date=1 June 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[William Coltman]], a [[stretcher bearer]] who served in the First World War, receiving the [[Victoria Cross]] for actions similar to those written into Private Godfrey's character.
*[[Charles Godfrey (entertainer)|Charles Godfrey]], a music hall entertainer in the 1880s and 1890s

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
;References
{{Reflist}}
;Bibliography
*{{cite book |last= Webber|first=Richard|last2=Perry|first2=Jimmy|last3=Croft|first3=David|title=The Complete A–Z of Dad’s Army|year=2000|publisher= Orion|location=London|isbn=0-7528-4637-X }}

{{Dad's Army}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Godfrey, Charles}}
[[Category:Dad's Army characters]]
[[Category:Fictional British Army personnel]]
[[Category:Fictional World War I veterans]]
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1968]]

Private Godfrey - Revision history

Kurt at 14:00, 15 February 2023

Kurt at 15:26, 22 August 2022

Kurt: 1 revision imported

en>Philip Cross: WP:PEACOCK