"Dad's Army" The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones (1969)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Writers:

Jimmy Perry (written by) and
David Croft (written by) ...

TV Series:

"Dad's Army" (1968)

Original Air Date:

11 September 1969 (Season 3, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Plot:

Jones' butcher van is converted into an armoured car for the platoon.

Plot Keywords:

Armored Car | Home Guard | Lance Corporal | Sergeant | Butcher

Cast

Arthur Lowe	...	Capt. George Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier	...	Sgt. Arthur Wilson
Clive Dunn	...	LCpl. Jack Jones
John Laurie	...	Pte. James Frazer
James Beck	...	Pte. Joe Walker
Arnold Ridley	...	Pte. Charles Godfrey
Ian Lavender	...	Pte. Frank Pike
Janet Davies	...	Mrs. Mavis Pike
Bill Pertwee	...	A.R.P. Warden Hodges
Frank Williams	...	Rev. Timothy Farthing
Queenie Watts	...	Mrs. Peters
Pamela Cundell	...	Mrs. Fox
Jean St. Clair	...	Miss Meadows
Olive Mercer	...	Mrs. Casson
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Angry Man

Series Cast

These people are regular cast members. Were they in this episode?

Hugh Cecil	...	Platoon Member
Alec Coleman	...	Platoon Member
Desmond Cullum-Jones	...	Platoon Member
Frank Godfrey	...	Platoon Member
Richard Jacques	...	Platoon Member
Jimmy Mac	...	Platoon Member
Michael Moore	...	Platoon Member
Leslie Noyes	...	Platoon Member
Vic Taylor	...	Platoon Member
Freddie White	...	Platoon Member
Freddie Wiles	...	Platoon Member

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Thetford, Norfolk, England, UK

Enter Jones' van

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

A great start to the brilliant third series of fourteen episodes of 'Dads Army'

Walker has an idea. He will help Jones convert his old butchers van into platoon transport. Jones hasn't got the van on the road because he can't afford the petrol. Walker sees this as his business opportunity as he can sell the coupons to the platoon. It is turned into platoon transport. But Mainwaring says it will be converted into gas. Having just having the gas put in, Walker and Jones drive to Percy Street where the platoon are taking part in an activity using the van as an ambulance. But problems arise when fire comes out of the gas hole, as gas is escaping. Walker keeps his finger in the hole until they get back to HQ. They get the gas from The Vicar's gas fire and transfer it into the van. This solves the problem. At Percy Street, they have to put an old man into the van and take him to the hospital. They make a mess of it, Jones again being the worst offender and this causes the old man to decide to walk to the hospital.

A brilliant episode to start off the series. It is the first episode where Bill Pertwee's Hodges is Chief Warden, before he had just appeared briefly as an ARP Warden in four episodes. Now his actual name was known and his occupation was known (a greengrocer). Frank Williams makes his first appearance as The Vicar, which would result in loads of appearances as that character. Pamella Cundell also makes her first appearance as Mrs Fox, again would become a semi-regular, marrying Jones in the final episode. Harold Bennett plays the old man, he would soon get a name in the series and appear several times as Mr Blewitt. Olive Mercer makes her first appearance in the show as Mrs Casson, who would later play Mrs Yeatman, wife of the Verger in the series. So quite a great episode for introducing new cast-members who would become semi-stars of the show. Reacurring after appearing in the last episode of the previous series to this, the now missing 'Under Fire' was Queenie Watts, star of 'Yus My Dear' and 'Romany Jones' and appearances in countless sitcoms, she would appear again in the fourth series episode 'The Two and a Half Feathers' and there is even an early appearance for future 'Yes Minister' star Nigel Hawthrone as an angry man.

Best Bit: Someone mentions that the new Chief Warden has dirty finger nails. Later when the Warden appears, he speaks about Wilson. WARDEN: I'll never forget his face, every time I go into the bank he gives me a dirty look. WALKER: Matches your nails.