Dad's Army facts for kids

Dad's Army is a very popular comedy show from the BBC. It was first shown on British TV between 1968 and 1977. The show is about a group of older men in the Home Guard during World War II.

The Home Guard was a real group of volunteers. They protected Britain during the war. Dad's Army was very popular when it first aired. It is still shown on TV today!

The show was created by Jimmy Perry and David Croft. They based it on Jimmy Perry's own time in the Home Guard. Famous British actors like Arthur Lowe and Clive Dunn starred in the series.

What is Dad's Army About?

The show follows the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon. This group was formed in 1940 to defend Britain. Most young men were fighting in the regular army. So, the Home Guard was usually made up of older people.

The platoon is led by Captain Mainwaring. He is a bank manager who takes charge. His team includes many funny characters. Their adventures and funny mistakes make up the show's comedy.

Meet the Walmington-on-Sea Platoon

The comedy often comes from the characters themselves. Early episodes showed the difficulty of starting a platoon. They often had no weapons! Later, the humor came from their personalities.

The platoon rarely met actual Nazis. Their main "enemy" was usually the grumpy ARP Warden Hodges. He was played by Bill Pertwee.

Main Characters of the Platoon

Here are the main members of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard:

• Captain Mainwaring (played by Arthur Lowe) - He is a bank manager. He takes himself very seriously. He is the leader of the platoon.
• Sergeant Wilson (played by John Le Mesurier) - He is Captain Mainwaring's second-in-command. Wilson is calm and well-spoken. He often seems very relaxed.
• Lance Corporal Jones (played by Clive Dunn) - He is third in charge. Jones is very eager to help. He is an old soldier from the British Empire. His ideas often go wrong. He gets very worried and shouts "Don't Panic!"
• Private Frazer (played by John Laurie) - He is a regular soldier. Frazer is a grumpy but kind-hearted Scottish man. He often says, "We're all doomed!"
• Private Godfrey (played by Arnold Ridley) - He is a very nice, but very old man. He often needs to go to the toilet during drills.
• Private Pike (played by Ian Lavender) - He is a very young soldier. Captain Mainwaring often calls him a "stupid boy."
• Private Walker (played by Jimmy Beck) - He is a cheerful soldier. Walker can get any supplies for the platoon. He often uses illegal methods. He is quite cheeky and gets told off by Mainwaring.
• ARP Warden William Hodges (played by Bill Pertwee) - He is the platoon's main rival. Mainwaring looks down on him because he is a greengrocer. As an ARP Warden, he always tells people to "put that light out!"

Other Important Characters

• The Vicar - He is the local church leader in Walmington-on-Sea.
• Mr Yeatman - He is the church verger. He is often a busybody.
• Captain Square - He commands the nearby Eastgate Home Guard. He is an old soldier.
• Mrs Pike - She is Private Pike's mother. She is very protective of her son.

Images for kids

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  Co-writers David Croft and Jimmy Perry during a Dad's Army event at Bressingham Steam Museum, May 2011

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  The characters of Dad's Army (left to right): Privates Pike and Frazer (Ian Lavender and John Laurie), ARP Warden Hodges (Bill Pertwee), Private Godfrey (Arnold Ridley), Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), Private Walker (James Beck), Lance Corporal Jones (Clive Dunn) and Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier)

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  Michael Gambon as Private Godfrey (2014)

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  A poster advertising the stage show

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  Statue of Captain Mainwaring, erected in Thetford in June 2010

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  A pub in Shoeburyness named after Captain Mainwaring, showing the show's popularity.