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2A00:23C7:1307:9A01:E9B7:15DC:8752:7136: /* Plot */

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Plot

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{{no footnotes|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Dad's Army]]
| image =
| caption =
| series_no = 3
| episode = 14
| director = [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]
| story = [[Jimmy Perry]] and David Croft
| producer = David Croft
| airdate = Thursday 11 December 1969 7.30pm<br />(recorded Friday 5 December 1969)
| length = 30 minutes
| guests =
| prev = [[No Spring for Frazer]]
| next = [[Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages]]
}}

"'''Sons of the Sea'''" is the fourteenth and final episode of the third series of the British comedy series ''[[Dad's Army]]''. It was originally transmitted on 11 December 1969.

==Synopsis==
When the bank inherits a boat, the [[platoon]] is able to mount a river patrol – and ends up lost in the [[English Channel]].

==Plot==
Mr Maxwell, the [[solicitor]] for the late Mr Johnson, tells Mainwaring and Wilson that the only things he left of any value are the clothes he stood up in, and his boat ''The Naughty Jane''. Wilson adds that Mr Johnson's account was overdrawn to the extent of [[Pound sterling|£]]33 12s 6d. (Or £1,323.02 in 2017) Mainwaring admits that that means the boat becomes the property of the bank, and can be used to offset the overdraft.

Just as Mr Maxwell leaves, Mainwaring has an idea, much to Wilson's panic: the platoon can use that boat for river patrols and tells him that half a dozen determined men, armed to the teeth, can play havoc with the [[Nazis]] if they invaded. Wilson tells Mainwaring that the platoon work hard enough as it is, and deserve a rest. Mainwaring tells Wilson that he only wants to test it out and decides to call for volunteers. He chooses Jones, Pike, Walker, Desmond, Godfrey and Frazer.

They hold a practice in the church hall using chairs and mops. Mainwaring's lack of nautical knowledge annoys Frazer, who holds the most claim to being an experienced sailor. It isn't long before they get it out on the open water. Mainwaring says they'll just row up to the mouth of the river and turn back. However, it soon turns foggy, and Mainwaring decides to turn round. It isn't long before Mainwaring takes charge completely, and Frazer goes into a sulk.

Night falls, and Mainwaring says they must be well up-stream by now. Pike is ill, and wants a drink; Walker scoops some water with his forage cap and gives it to Pike, who promptly spits it out because it's [[Salt water|salty]]; they're in the middle of the English Channel. Frazer refuses to help, still stung after being spurned by Mainwaring, so the men have to come up with their own ideas, with little success. Mainwaring is proud of the men's loyalty, and Frazer, realising his stupidity, apologises to Mainwaring, and he accepts his apology. Mainwaring asks him where the [[North]] is, but Frazer doesn't know either.

As dawn breaks, Jones hears voices from the shore. Elated, the men row into the shore, and prepare to call out, but are interrupted by French singing (in fact, French Canadian pilots celebrating a successful mission in a nearby pub). Mainwaring believes that they must have drifted into [[France]]. The platoon sneak into an empty railway truck, and make themselves comfortable, so they can escape the next night.

Later, Jones is woken by the sound of wheels turning, and is shocked when he opens the truck door and sees the train moving. He alerts Mainwaring, who in turn wakens the platoon, and they prepare to jump off, stop by stop, and make their way back to the coast to get back to England. They throw their [[rifle]] bolts and the [[Lewis gun]]'s butterfly spring out of the door, stuff their hats and jackets up their tunics and exchange goodbyes. As the train stops, they open the door, and spot a man on the station. Using schoolboy French, they attempt to bluff their way out of it, and the puzzled man tells them that they're at [[Eastbourne railway station|Eastbourne Station]], much to the men's relief.

Wilson gets the idea of heading back to [[Walmington-on-Sea]] by train for lunch, but Mainwaring bursts his bubble by reminding him that they have to retrieve their rifle bolts and they set off back down the tracks.

==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]]
*[[Michael Bilton]] as Mr. Maxwell
*[[John Leeson]] as 1st Soldier
*[[Jonathan Holt (actor)|Jonathan Holt]] as 2nd Soldier
*[[Ralph Ball]] as Man on Station
*[[Desmond Cullum-Jones]] as Private Desmond
{{div col end}}

==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|b00w5ltm}}
*{{IMDb episode|0552314}}

{{Dad's Army}}

[[Category:Dad's Army radio episodes]]
[[Category:Dad's Army (series 3) episodes]]
[[Category:1969 British television episodes]]

Sons of the Sea (Dad's Army) - Revision history

Kurt at 04:17, 20 February 2023

Kurt at 17:54, 27 September 2022

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2A00:23C7:1307:9A01:E9B7:15DC:8752:7136: /* Plot */