Battle School (Dad's Army episode)

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1 TV episode
2 Radio episode

[edit] TV episode

014 - Battle School
Script	Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Director	David Croft
Producer	David Croft
Recorded	Sunday 1/6/69
Original transmission	Thursday 18/9/69 7.30pm
Series	Three
Length	30 minutes
Original Viewing Figures	11.4 million
Preceded by	The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones
Followed by	The Lion Has Phones

Battle School is the second episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Thursday 18 September 1969.

[edit] Synopsis

The platoon go on a weekend guerilla-warfare exercise. If they ever manage to find it, they have to capture Captain Rodrigues' HQ.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The platoon are travelling to a battle school in the country. Save for an incident involving Godfrey's weak bladder, the journey is uneventful. It is when they arrive at the station however, that disaster strikes. Mainwaring opens the secret instructions, and it is clear that he doesn't know how to read a map. They start off confidently, but it's not long before they end up back at the station again! They try again and Mainwaring leads them into an ambush lead by a rugged Captain.

When they finally reach the school, they are greeted by a cheery Major Smith, who then proceeds to tell them that, to the platoon's horror, they have missed the evening meal by four hours! He introduces them to Captain Rodrigues, a tough Spanish Captain (the captain who had lead the ambush) who fought in the Spanish Civil War and doesn't approve of military disciplines such as arm-waving. He gives Mainwaring and the platoon a single blanket each to keep them warm and some carrots and onions to eat.

Rodrigues wakes up the sleepy platoon in the morning with a fire cracker, telling them that they have missed breakfast as well! Walker is fed up with this and is determined to search for food at a nearby farm, but is scared off by the unimpressed farmer. Rodrigues hints that they will have an opportunity to capture his HQ; unfortunately no one has succeeded due to the fierce Alsatians, barbed wire and the electrified fence.

The platoon are soon put to the test, and are handed a clearly quickly made meal. As the exercise continues, Mainwaring falls down a hole, and discovers Rodrigues' HQ. Later that night, he takes the platoon through the tunnel and ends up in the stores. Walker is impressed, and it isn't long before the HQ is captured, and the platoon are full laden with food once more.

[edit] Notes

[edit] Cast

Cast	Characters
Arthur Lowe	Captain Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier	Sergeant Wilson
Clive Dunn	Lance Corporal Jones
John Laurie	Private Frazer
James Beck	Private Walker
Arnold Ridley	Private Godfrey
Ian Lavender	Private Pike
Alan Tilvern	Captain Rodrigues
Alan Haines	Major Smith
Colin Bean	Private Sponge

[edit] Radio episode

010 - Battle School
Script	Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles
Producer	John Dyas
Recorded	Thursday 28/6/73
Original transmission	Monday 1/4/74, 6.15pm
Series	One
Length	30 minutes
Original Viewing Figures	1 million
Preceded by	Operation Kilt
Followed by	Under Fire