The Deadly Attachment (31 Oct. 1973)

After a surreal lecture on telling allied parachutists from German ones, the platoon is ordered to pick up a stranded U-boot's crew. Wilson feels live hand-grenades are too dangerous for ... See full summary »

Writers:

Jimmy Perry (by), David Croft (by),

Stars:

Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn

Cast

Episode cast overview:
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
Philip Madoc	...	the U Boat Captain
Bill Pertwee	...	Chief Warden Hodges
Edward Sinclair	...	the Verger
Robert Raglan	...	the Colonel
Colin Bean	...	Private Sponge
Bud Flanagan	...	The Voice of (voice)

Storyline

After a surreal lecture on telling allied parachutists from German ones, the platoon is ordered to pick up a stranded U-boot's crew. Wilson feels live hand-grenades are too dangerous for his hot-head mates and acts accordingly. As HQ's armed escort is late, the Kriegsmarine captain can first play mind-games by drafting a reckoning 'list', then take Hodges hostage.

---

Plot Keywords:

bomb | sword | kidnapping | knife | fight

---

Genres:

Comedy | War

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 1973 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Thetford, Norfolk, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the filming of the last scene, someone was busy mending a fence just down the road and could be heard from the location the scene was been shot. In order to film when the person wasn't working they had a runner, running between the two locations telling the crew when they could film and when the man could continue working on the fence.

---

Goofs

The platoon and their prisoners march past the same short stretch of warehouse frontage several times.

---

Quotes

U-Boat Captain: I am making notes, Captain, and when we win the war, you will be brought to account
Mainwaring: You can write what you like. You're not going to win this war.
U-Boat Captain: Oh, yes we are!
Mainwaring: Oh no you're not!
U-Boat Captain: Oh yes we are!
Pike: [sings] Whistle while you work / Hitler is a twerp / He's half barmy, so's his army / Whistle while you work.
U-Boat Captain: [pointing at Pike] Your name will also go on zee list. What is it?
Mainwaring: Don't tell him, Pike!
U-Boat Captain: Pike.

---

Connections

Featured in Selection Box: Dad's Army (1997)

---

Soundtracks

"Whistle While You Work"
(uncredited)
Music by Frank Churchill and lyrics by Larry Morey
Heard as a theme at the start of some scenes
Ian Lavender sings a parody of this song to the Germans

User Reviews

Overrated

Don't get me wrong, The Deadly Attachment is a brilliant episode of Dads Army. But the fact that people regard this as the best episode is beyond me, there were a lot more better episodes than this.

A German U-Boat has been sunk and Mainwaring and his men have to go down to the harbour and collect them. While they go, Wilson and Pike prime some grenades. Wilson hates grenades, they worry him, so he secretly primes them with dummies. They get the Germans and the head of the German U-Boat crew starts taking peoples names and when Germany "win the war" they will be bought to account (PIKE: Whistle while you work, Hitler is a twirp, he's half barmy, so's his army, whistle while you work. CAPTAIN: Your name will also go on the list, what is is MAINWARING: Don't tell him Pike). Don't tell him Pike has become the most famous part of Dads Army. Then the Germans grab all the guns and hold Hodges at gun point. They must put the Germans back on there boat, or Hodges gets it. The Germans will take the Home Guard with them, so no one will shoot at them and when they get to France, the Home Guard will be Prisoners of War. Mainwaring agrees, thinking someone will spot them in the street. But then the Captain points out, that if anyone makes a false move in the street, Jones will be blown up, as a grenade will be put down his trousers. But Wilson knows they are dummy grenades. So, they are confronted by the Colonel in the street, Wilson makes a false move, the Captain pulls the string, Jones and the men panic, then Wilson explains they are dummy grenades, so Wilson is the hero. In the last bit, a relieved Jones says "Mr Mainwaring, now I'm not going to be blown sky high, will you ask Mr Frazer to take his hands out of my trousers"

A great plot, a great episode, but not the best episode of Dads Army Best Bit: Walker ordering the Fish and Chips and Mainwaring says "Walker what are you doing WALKER: Taking the order, German CAPTAIN: And I don't want any of them nasty soggy chips, I want mine crisp and light brown MAINWARING: Now look here, if I say you're going to eat soggy chips, you'll eat soggy chips.