Private Pike's Site

My name is Hazel and welcome to my ‘Dad’s Army’ web site. The main aim of this site is to celebrate the best programme ever made by the BBC with the best actors and actresses the BBC has ever employed.

‘Dad’s Army’ is a comedy series about the antics of a Home Guard platoon in the small fictional town of Walmington-on-Sea, during World War Two. Walmington is in Kent on the South East coast of England.

The platoon’s escapades are varied, ranging from dressing up as firemen and Nazis to rescuing unleashed barrage balloons and rounding up nuns and POWs to donate blood. The platoon may be too old or ill to join up, yet they are all ready and waiting to face the hoards of Nazi jackboots.

The platoon is commanded by the local bank manager, George Mainwaring, and he is ably assisted by his chief clerk, Arthur Wilson. Other notable members of the platoon include Walmington’s butcher Jack Jones, James Frazer the local undertaker, Joe Walker a cockney black marketer, Charles Godfrey a retired gentlemen’s outfitter and Frank Pike, a clerk at Mainwaring’s bank.

‘Dad’s Army’ was first produced by the BBC in 1968 and ran until 1977, with a total of 80 episodes over 9 seasons. It was created by Jimmy Perry, based on his own experiences in the Home Guard, and was written by himself and David Croft. It was also adapted for radio, film and stage.

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Captain Mainwaring is the self-appointed captain of the Number 1 Platoon, B Company Home Guard, and manager of the Walmington-on-Sea branch of the Swallow Bank. These factors, along with his dedication and hard work, make the middle-class gentleman a pillar of respectability in the local community.

His father was a drunkard and his mother left when he was a boy. His unusual upbringing has resulted in his bulldog tenacity, his pompous attitude and his loyalty for everything that is good and right.

Captain Mainwaring, who is a freemason, lives with his domineering wife, Elizabeth and their cat, Empress, at 23 Lime Crescent. Elizabeth is never seen, but is known to be a large lady who is never far from the telephone and calls her husband several times a day. Elizabeth, who (according to Mainwaring) is sensitive to criticism and has delicate skin, enjoys making bizarre lampshades.

Though pompous, his lack of experience on the fighting front (he was an officer in World War I, but arrived in France 48 hours after the war had ended) and his humble background, lead to periods of insecurity especially when dealing with Sergeant Wilson, who Mainwaring claims, was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Although the Captain has no medals on his chest he is very brave and is not afraid to fight and die for King and country. He tries his very best to command his men successfully and prepare them for the impending invasion.

Arthur Wilson is the amiable chief clerk at Mainwaring’s bank, and sergeant of the town’s Home Guard platoon. He is always checking Captain Mainwaring’s decisions with the words:

Wilson was a public school boy at Meadowbridge, and began his banking career before serving in the army during the Great War. He reached the rank of captain and fought with distinction in many battles.

After he was de-mobbed he worked for a while in Weston-super-Mare, where he first met Mrs. Pike. On his promotion to chief clerk, he was transferred to Walmington, and Mrs. Pike followed.

Wilson’s ‘friendship’ with Mrs. Pike and her son is always cause for much gossip around the town.

The Sergeant very rarely loses his temper, issues commands as invitations, never fastens his collar and always has his sleeves turned back. His effect on women is magnetic and he regularly compliments them on their appearance. He even wears a little aftershave on weekends and the odd gentlemen’s abdominal support.

Despite their conflicting opinions they are very good friends and can’t help liking each other. Wilson is very loyal to his commanding officer and Mainwaring appreciates Wilson at his side.

Jack Jones is an old soldier, who owns and runs the local butcher’s shop, which before him belonged to his father. He is assisted by "the boy" Raymond. He is always providing a little ‘under the counter’ oxtail or sausages to his favourite customers, especially Captain Mainwaring and Mrs. Fox, Jack’s long time sweetheart.

As the oldest member of the platoon, Jones spent 30 years in the army, serving under General Kitchener in the Sudan and he saw action in the Great War. Jones wears his three rows of medal ribbons with pride and enjoys recounting his battles with the Fuzzy Wuzzys and the Whirling Dervishes. Jones is a firm believer in using the "old cold steel" (his bayonet) as the Germans (and all his enemies) are terrified of having it up them.

Because of Jonesy’s age, he’s a little slower in drill than the others, but he is always enthusiastic and keen to get at the enemy.

Jones is an invaluable member of the platoon, not only because of his vast military experience, but also for his butchers van. It is used on various occasions by the platoon to transport them everywhere.

He never questions his commander’s decisions, is very loyal and is always ready to back up Captain Mainwaring in everything he does. He is extremely protective of the Captain and claims Mainwaring is his inspiration.

James ‘Jock’ Frazer is the local Scottish undertaker, and his assistant is Heathcliff. In the summer months he runs a small philatelist shop on the sea front.

Born on the wild and lonely Isle of Barra, Frazer was a Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy and served as a naval cook during the Great War and at the Battle of Jutland.

Frazer is a great cynic and spreads gloom wherever he goes and with his wild, staring eyes he uses his favourite demoralising phrase "We’re doomed!" to deride any of Mainwaring’s ideas. Then when the task has been successfully completed he will always say "I never doubted ye for a minute sir".

Frazer doesn’t trust banks, especially Mainwaring’s. He is very rich, with many gold sovereigns hoarded away, yet claims he is as poor as a church mouse. Captain Mainwaring suspects he might be a Communist, only because he doesn’t play Monopoly with all the other men on night duty.

Charles Godfrey is an elderly gentleman, who worked for over 35 years in the gentlemen’s outfitting department of the local Army and Navy store.

Godfrey lives in Cherry Tree cottage on the outskirts of the town, with his two sisters, Dolly and Cissy, makers of the famous upside-down cakes.

Even though a conscientious objector, he served during the First World War as a stretcher bearer and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. Therefore he has been appointed the platoon’s medical orderly, a non-combative role.

He has an extremely weak bladder and therefore is always asking to be excused at the most inoppurtune moment, and is always visiting the clinic. But he makes the best cup of tea in the platoon and is considered to be a very valuable asset by Mainwaring because of it.

He is too polite to hold any threat to the enemy, but he is, however, very loyal and dedicated to the platoon.

Joe Walker is Walmington-on-Sea’s local spiv, trading in everything from whisky to stockings. He’s an orphan and classes himself as a ‘wholesale supplier and scrap dealer’ and once claimed he was a banana and illuminated light salesman. When he got called up, he was quickly discharged, as he is allergic to corned beef.

Although he is flash and a bit of a Casanova, he also shows generous and public-spirited qualities. He can quickly raise the men’s morale with a few words or a joke.

He is perhaps the only physically fit man in the platoon and his quick thinking has helped the platoon on a number of occasions. He supplied the platoon with their bayonets and could have supplied rifles and Mills bombs from a friend who provides weapons for the IRA. Mainwaring declined these later offers.

Frank Pike was born in 1923 in Weston-super-Mare and nearly everyone presumes his father is dead. He is the youngest member of the platoon and was 17 years old when he first joined.

He is a classic example of a mummy’s boy, and although he is in his late teens, he still sucks his thumb and wears a scarf on parade, due to his mother insisting his "chest will start again". Frank also suffers from hayfever and is a martyr to vertigo. Captain Mainwaring believes the boy may be slightly retarded.

Frank has a habit of calling Sergeant Wilson "Uncle Arthur" and continues to call him by the name even on parade and at the bank. Mainwaring doesn’t quite understand why he does this, but has learnt from Wilson that he used to call him "Daddy".

A great comic reader and cinema goer, Pike thinks being in the Home Guard is one big adventure.

When he was eventually enlisted, Frank dreamt of becoming an ace Spitfire pilot "The second of the few". But when he was called up, he was rejected due to his extremely rare, one in ten thousand blood type or "funny blood" as Frank put it.

William "Put that light out!" Hodges runs a greengrocer’s shop in Walmington’s highstreet by day and patrols the streets at night as Chief ARP Warden. Neither Captain Mainwaring nor Sergeant Wilson can understand why he’s been made Chief Warden: "The man’s a greengrocer". Due to his day time work he always has very dirty fingernails.

He causes endless problems for Captain Mainwaring, whom he calls Napoleon, in an attempt to get one over on the pompous bank manager. Arguments often arise between the two men over the church hall or where the Home Guard and the ARP will march in a parade.

As soon as he puts on his white helmet, the power of being Chief Warden goes straight to his head.

He is disliked by all members of the platoon and is described by Sergeant Wilson as "that rather common fellow".

Bespectacled Reverend Timothy Farthing is vicar of St. Aldhelms in Walmington, prior to which he worked as a missionary abroad.

He is rather incompetent, effeminate and tends to get huffy at times, especially when facing Captain Mainwaring over life-threatening issues, such as the church hall and whose turn it is to use it.

The Vicar is a keen campinologist and is the editor of ‘Ring-a-Ding Monthly’, which has been abandoned because of the war. After all, the church has only one solitary bell left to warn of an invasion.

Doubts have arisen about where his loyalties lie. The wireless in the office is tuned into Lord Haw Haw and Mainwaring thought that with Hitler poised just across the channel the Vicar could have chosen a better sermon than the parting of the waves.

Maurice Yeatman is the verger of St. Aldhelms and the leader of the Sea Scouts.

He is forever fawning to the vicar and is always telling tales at Captain Mainwaring’s expense, particularly if accidents occur in the church hall. He always has his duster handy and complains continuously about the platoon’s boots and how they treat the church hall.

Although he dislikes the whole platoon, he cannot abide Lance Corporal Jones. Jones feels the same way and disputes between the two men often centre around the Verger’s trouble making.

He is one of twins and is wary of people who tell him that lightening never strikes twice. He is a rather untrusting man, with a crumpled miserable face, who tends to gossip. He always takes the collection home on Sundays to count, much to the Vicar’s confusion. He also has the church stirrup pump in his hall at home.

My name is Hazel O’Neill, I’m from Bristol in England and I'm 18 years old. I'm currently at the University of Wales, Newport studying archaeology, geography and environmental studies.

I’ve always had a soft spot for ‘Dad’s Army’ even from a very young age. I think because it was very suitable and I enjoyed the slapstick. Now I’m older, I still enjoy the slapstick, but now I understand more of the jokes. It’s only been in the last four or five years that I’ve come to really love it. I'm also a big fan of the ITV comedy/drama 'Minder'. But I'm an even bigger fan of George Cole (Arthur Daley) and collect all of his work.

This site was originally meant to serve as part of my A-Level English language coursework. But once I got going I thought I’d really launch it on the World Wide Web.

My most favourite ‘Dad’s Army’ episode is ‘All Is Safely Gathered In’. It has all the main characters in it i.e. the entire platoon and the Vicar, Verger and Hodges. The whole situation they find themselves in, in the episode just (for me) epitomises the whole Home Guard and ‘Dad’s Army’ idea. The final shot of the sun setting, the platoon having a fight with the wardens, the organist and the Vicar looking on and Private Godfrey and Mrs. Prentice holding hands is one of my favourite scenes. Some of my other favourite episodes include ‘War Dance’, ‘The Test’, ‘My British Buddy’, ‘The Big Parade’, ‘We Know Our Onions’ and ‘Everybody’s Trucking’.

My favourite character is Captain Mainwaring. He does everything he can do (usually) to keep the platoon in order and to work for the good of England, yet so much is put in his way. And he’s married to the awful Elizabeth. Sergeant Wilson and Lance Corporal Jones are another two characters I like. I like Wilson’s languid manners and Jonesy’s stories and adamant insistence upon the fact that the Germans don’t like the cold steel. But I like each character as each one is so different. I even like Hodges! The one character I cannot stand is the Verger.

I just want to say a quick thank you to a few people who helped me with this site.

Thanks to Dave Coventry for his brilliant Whispers from Walmington site and his mailing list. Also thank you to Dave for helping me out on a number of aspects about ‘Dad’s Army’ and my site that I wasn’t too sure about.

Thank you to Clive Dunn, Bill Pertwee and David Croft for all sending me their thoughts on my web site.

Thank you also to everyone who helped me come up with the title ‘Private Pike’s Pictorial’, now changed to ‘Private Pike’s Site’,after much deliberation.

Thanks also to Jim Harrison for scanning the pictures and all his advice about the web.

Another thank you goes to Jack Wheeler, the commander in chief of the Dad’s Army Appreciation Society. He has been very helpful on a number of occasions. Also thanks to Jack and all those in the DAAS for providing a very entertaining and very interesting newsletter each quarter.

Finally thank you to Jimmy Perry, David Croft, Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn, John Laurie, James Beck, Arnold Ridley and Ian Lavender. Not only for bringing us hours of brilliant comedy but also for managing to create such believable and amusing characters. And lastly the BBC, for commissioning a series in the first place.