Sgt – Save My Boy!

"Sgt – Save My Boy!"
Dad's Army episode
Episode no.	Series Four Episode 030
Directed by	David Croft
Story by	Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Produced by	David Croft
Original air date	Friday 16/10/70 8.00pm (recorded Friday 27/6/70)
Running time	30 minutes

Sgt - Save My Boy! (i.e. Sergeant - Save My Boy!) is the fourth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Friday 16 October 1970.

Synopsis

During a blackout Pike manages to get himself tangled up on barbed wire on the mined beach. As the tide begins to come in, the platoon undertakes a rescue operation.

Plot

Mainwaring is giving a lecture on the progress of the war. He remarks that the Dunkirk evacuation meant that the orphans in the Harris Orphans' Holiday Home Hut on the coast had to leave as well, leaving the hut free for them to use as a patrol hut. They are quick to set up their equipment and now only have to wait for Pike with a flask of tea.

Eventually, Mrs Pike arrives at the hut with a tin of biscuits that Pike left at home, and is shocked when she learns that her son hasn't arrived yet, particularly as he left ten minutes before she did. She worries that he's been targeted by the Walmington prowler; Walker remarks that he may be the prowler! As they worry, Frazer, who's on guard duty, hears a cry for help outside. The platoon and Mrs Pike rush outside and see Pike tangled up in the barbed wire which runs along the beach. What is worse, the beach is a minefield.

Mainwaring tells Wilson to ring the engineers - but they're dealing with another emergency and won't be able to get there for another three hours, which will be too late because the tide is coming in. Walker suggests taking a boat, but Frazer squashes this idea by saying it would take too long to get there from the nearest dock, and that they would be dashed to pieces on the rocks. With no alternative, they decide to negotiate a path through the minefield. Frazer has seen the mines laid, so he outlines the pattern to Mainwaring. Jones' section, save Godfrey who has mysteriously vanished, prod their way down the beach with Jones's bayonet.

On their travels, they discover a book on 'How to Lay a Mine Field', and a suspicious object which read 'notgnimlaW ot emocleW'. However, when turned right way up, Walker discovers it's a child's bucket which reads 'Welcome to Walmington'! As they near Pike, Godfrey turns up next to him. It appears he followed the same route as Pike via the bathing gap. The men arrive at Pike's side, and Godfrey casually asks them whether they want a cup of tea!

Pike tells them to hurry, because he's got a piece of barbed wire sticking in his bum! They use Jones's bayonet to get him free, and start back. They stop when they see a familiar pair of feet. They look up to see Chief Warden Hodges ("What you doin' then, prayin to Mecca?") with the Engineer Officer, who informs them that the minefield ends 200 yards up the beach. However, the Engineer Officer has to eat his words, when Jones produces a mine...

Cast

Notes

The working title for this episode was 'The Mine'.
It is mentioned in this episode that Pike can't swim. Fortunately, he seems to have learned by the time of the events of "Asleep in the Deep", which shows him swimming across the flooded inner room in the pumping station, as well as diving underwater to retrieve a dropped spanner.

References

Croft, David; Perry, Jimmy; Webber, Richard (2000). The Complete A-Z of Dad’s Army. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-4637-X.

External links

"Sgt – Save My Boy!" at BBC Programmes
"Sgt – Save My Boy!" at the Internet Movie Database
"Sgt – Save My Boy!" at TV.com

Dad's Army

Characters

Television
episodes

Series 1	The Man and the Hour Museum Piece Command Decision The Enemy Within the Gates The Showing Up of Corporal Jones Shooting Pains

Series 2	Operation Kilt The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret A Stripe for Frazer† Under Fire

Series 3	The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones Battle School The Lion Has Phones The Bullet is Not for Firing Something Nasty in the Vault Room at the Bottom Big Guns The Day the Balloon Went Up War Dance Menace from the Deep Branded Man Hunt No Spring for Frazer Sons of the Sea

Series 4	The Big Parade Don't Forget the Diver Boots, Boots, Boots Sgt – Save My Boy! Don't Fence Me In Absent Friends Put That Light Out! The Two and a Half Feathers Mum's Army The Test A. Wilson (Manager)? Uninvited Guests Fallen Idol

Series 5	Asleep in the Deep Keep Young and Beautiful A Soldier's Farewell Getting the Bird The Desperate Drive of Corporal Jones If the Cap Fits... The King was in his Counting House All is Safely Gathered In When Did You Last See Your Money? Brain Versus Brawn A Brush with the Law Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel Time on My Hands

Series 6	The Deadly Attachment My British Buddy The Royal Train We Know Our Onions The Honourable Man Things that Go Bump in the Night The Recruit

Series 7	Everybody's Trucking A Man of Action Gorilla Warfare The Godiva Affair The Captain's Car Turkey Dinner

Series 8	Ring Dem Bells When You've Got to Go Is There Honey Still for Tea? Come In, Your Time Is Up High Finance The Face on the Poster

Series 9	Wake Up Walmington The Making of Private Pike Knights of Madness The Miser's Hoard Number Engaged Never Too Old

Specials	Santa On Patrol Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages Cornish Floral Dance Battle of the Giants! Broadcast to the Empire My Brother and I The Love of Three Oranges