Dad's Army

Russell Twisk introduces a new comedy series about the men of Britain's Home Guard and some of their Finest Hours.

Do the initials L.D.V. mean anything to you? Do they start you on a journey down memory lane? If not, then you probably weren't around when that vintage Dunkirk spirit was in the air back in 1940 - and Hitler was threatening top start an invasion.

The name Local Defence Volunteers soon gave way to the more popular Home Guards. These men formed themselves into small units: wangled as many uniforms and weapons as they could and set about preparing themselves to fight to the finish.

Wednesday's new comedy series Dad's Army, is about the formation of a small Home Guard unit at Walmington, somewhere on the South Coast of Britain. The local bank manager Mr. Mainwaring decides to answer the call, and sets about recruiting.

The idea for the series came to Jimmy Perry-who was a sixteen-year-old member of the L.D.V.S - while he was watching the changing of the guard outside Buckingham Palace.

In wartime, he remembered, the home guard stood sentry, and as he walked back through St. James Park he started to see the possibilities for a TV comedy.

Producer David Croft, who is also co-author, was called up to the army before he could join the L.D.V., but he was careful to get the props and the flavour for the series just right. One difficulty was the scarceness of the uniforms: "Home Guard uniforms are almost as hard to get today as they were in wartime", he says.

It is no accident that all the main characters are portrayed by actors who have a military background. Much care has been taken not to cheapen the efforts of the Home Guard. Although they never in fact, had to face an invasion, or fire a shot in anger, they were all determined to fight to the bitter end to stop any German invasion.

Three fine comedy character actors-Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, and Clive Dunn-play the leading parts. All three were in the army: though none was in the Home Guard.

Arthur Lowe plays Mainwaring, the bank manager who takes command. 'He is as keen as mustard: typifies the spirit of the times,' says Lowe.

His number two, Sergeant Wilson, is played by John Le Mesurier whose doleful features have peered out of countless films-in fact during a weekend off from Dad's Army he nipped over to Venice for a day's filming with Fred Astaire.

Le Mesurier served in India during the war, mainly on the North-West Frontier.

Clive Dunn plays Lance-Corporal Jack Jones, the butcher who can lavish a bit of best frying steak to get in with the officers. Clive joined the army a week before the L.D.V.s were formed (May 14, 1940) and he spent his first few months' washing-up. Later he was sent abroad, captured in Greece, and made a P.O.W. above a hairdresser's shop in Austria. He did see the Austrian Home Guard in action though. 'Yokels with guns,' he calls them.

Why not join the little community of Walmington on Wednesday as they face a probable invasion...and decide to answer the call.

© Radio Times, 1968

Published in Radio Times, July 27-August 2 1968. Transcribed by Andy Howells from the original interview, August, 2002.

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