Coi: Pelican Crossings – Dad's Army – Hodges' Van (1977)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016 . Retrieved 12 July 2016. In June 2018 the Royal Mail issued a set of 8 stamps, featuring the main characters and their catchphrases, to mark the comedy's 50th anniversary. [48] Private Sponge ( Colin Bean), a sheep farmer. He leads the members of the platoon's second section (the first section being led by Corporal Jones) and thus had only occasional speaking parts, although he became more prominent in later series. He appeared in 76 of the 80 episodes. [18]

The platoon is to guard a barn near another that is the target for artillery practice and after a mix-up over map coordinates end up in the wrong one. Jones can't phone a correction from HQ due to Godfrey cutting the wire by mistake. With the van broken, Jones and Godfrey must drive two cars there; as Godfrey can't drive, Jones tows his car along. Mainwaring teaches the men to use the public telephone system as emergency communication. Jones and Hodges attempt to phone general headquarters when a German aeroplane crashes in the reservoir.Private Godfrey requests leave to help his widowed friend Mrs Prentice gather the harvest and Mainwaring, citing the harvest as vital to the war effort, offers the assistance of the platoon. Hodges wants to turn over a new leaf and comes to help as well. Jones loses his pants in the threshing machine and the platoon get drunk on Mrs Prentice's homemade wine, after which they fight with an equally drunk Hodges during the vicar's harvest blessing. Clive Dunn made occasional appearances as Lance Corporal Jones at 1940s themed events in the 1980s and 1990s and on television on the BBC Saturday night entertainment show Noel's House Party on 27 November 1993. [42]

After the ARP headquarters is bombed, the platoon is forced to share the church hall with the wardens. The platoon is challenged to plant a dummy bomb in the officer commanding's office. They disguise themselves as firemen travelling in an old fire engine, but Hodges spots a real fire. Wilson and Walker then reveal their contingency plan. First ever episode. After hearing of the formation of the Home Guard, George Mainwaring, a bank manager, takes it upon himself to form a platoon in Walmington-on-Sea. He declares himself captain, an assumption others are not so keen to make. He names his chief clerk, Arthur Wilson, sergeant. They enrol some of the townsfolk for the Local Defence Volunteers, although most are unfit and/or over the 65 years age limit and almost no supplies are available. Edith Parish ( Wendy Richard), also called Shirley, a cinema usherette and girlfriend of Private Walker.Note: This was the very first colour episode of Dad's Army to air in colour, as the BBC One colour television service commenced transmission on Saturday 15 November 1969. Christmas Night with the Stars, broadcast annually on BBC One on Christmas Day, included sketches from Dad's Army in four years: Mainwaring has the opportunity to promote someone to corporal. Rather than promote Jones, he tests who has the greatest potential by temporarily promoting Private Frazer to lance corporal. Frazer's increasingly dictatorial manner soon alienates the platoon. During its original television run, Dad's Army was nominated for multiple British Academy Television Awards, although only won "Best Light Entertainment Production Team" in 1971. It was nominated as " Best Situation Comedy" in 1973, 1974 and 1975. Also, Arthur Lowe was frequently nominated for "Best Light Entertainment Performance" in 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1978. [43]

A runaway barrage balloon must be retrieved. After a series of mistakes, Mainwaring is dragged through the countryside by one of the balloon's cables. Captain Square ( Geoffrey Lumsden), the pompous commanding officer of the rival Eastgate Platoon, and a former soldier who served with Lawrence of Arabia during the First World War. He is frequently at loggerheads with Mainwaring (whose name he persists in mispronouncing as spelt, "Main-wearing", instead of the correct "Mannering") and has the catchphrase "You blithering idiot!".

Note: The platoon have ceased using the original " Denim overalls, 1939 pattern" uniforms that they had worn since " The Showing Up of Corporal Jones", and are now wearing Battledress uniforms made of wool serge. This includes the first use of the "CP1" formation badge on the tunic arm.