Private Charles Godfrey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dad's Army character
Private Charles Godfrey
Affiliated with	Home Guard
Occupation	Retired tailor
First appearance	The Man and the Hour
Last appearance	Never Too Old
Portrayed by	Arnold Ridley

Private Charles Godfrey MM is a fictional Home Guard platoon member and retired tailor portrayed by Arnold Ridley on the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army.

[edit] Personality

Godfrey is a gentle, mild-mannered and kindly old man, although is a more complex character than is evident. He is the oldest member of the platoon and is the only member of the platoon that has retired. In the episode "Branded", it becomes clear that he was a conscientious objector in World War I, a revelation that initially makes him an outsider. However, after saving Mainwaring's life, his sister reveals that, far from avoiding service, he in fact served with distinction as a stretcher bearer with the Medical Corps, and heroically saved several men's lives during the Battle of the Somme (an accomplishment he plays down modestly), earning him the Military Medal. This led to him being promoted to First Aid supervisor of the platoon. He is a long standing friend of Sergeant Wilson, and in the episode "High Finance" he lends Wilson a large sum of money when Mrs Pike is blackmailed by Hodges.

He lives in a picturesque cottage with his hard of hearing sisters, Dolly and Cissy, whom he is clearly very fond of and often brings them up in conversation. When there is any need for provisions, his sister Dolly often provides 'Upside Down Cakes'.

He is immensely loyal to Captain Mainwaring, who often feels quite guilty whenever he has criticised Godfrey:

Mainwaring: "If you're not fit for active service, perhaps you shouldn't come at all."

Godfrey: "I didn't want to disappoint you, sir."

Mainwaring: "Well done Godfrey."

from the episode "Everybody's Trucking".

He served for forty years in the Army department of the Civil Service Stores as a tailor. An aspect of his old age is his weak bladder, which lets him down and postpones all platoon activity, hence his catchphrase "might I be excused, sir?", and his tendency to fall asleep can be similarly categorized; "I must have dozed off!".

Main Characters in Dad's Army
Captain Mainwaring • Sergeant Wilson • Lance-Corporal Jones • Private Frazer • Private Walker • Private Godfrey • Private Pike ARP Warden Hodges • Reverend Farthing  • Verger Yeatman  • Mavis Pike