The Recruit (Dad's Army)

"The Recruit"
Dad's Army episode
Episode no.	Series Six Episode 060
Directed by	David Croft
Story by	Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Produced by	David Croft
Original air date	12 December 1973 6.50 pm (recorded 22 July 1973)
Running time	30 minutes

"The Recruit" is the seventh episode of the sixth series of the British television sitcom Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on 12 December 1973.

Synopsis

Captain Mainwaring is indisposed due to an ingrowing toenail, so Sergeant Wilson takes charge temporarily of the platoon. When, however, he allows the vicar and the verger to join the ranks, the rest of the men are far from happy.

Plot

With Captain Mainwaring absent from the platoon, Sergeant Wilson signs on two new recruits into the platoon, the vicar and the verger. When Mainwaring returns from hospital, he learns of the changes that Wilson has made and does not approve. However he can do nothing about it as the official papers for the vicar and verger have already been sent to GHQ. Mainwaring states that he will not go easy on the two of them.

On their first night on watch, the vicar and the verger have a run in with a young boy who gives them nothing but trouble. Unable to handle the situation, they call for rest of the section, who identify the boy as a local trouble maker. Mainwaring arrives and asserts his authority on the boy and tells him to clear off. The boy states that he is going to "tell his Uncle Willie," who turns out to be the Chief Warden, Hodges.

Hodges confronts Mainwaring and his platoon about the way they treated his nephew. After a war of words breaks out between Hodges and the platoon, his nephew states that "they are as bad as the Wardens," which prompts Hodges to turn his anger on his nephew and they both storm out of the church hall. After having a laugh, Mainwaring turns to the vicar and the verger and states that "this never would have happened if you had handled the situation properly." Upset with Mainwaring's attitude, the vicar resigns, prompting the verger to do the same.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Cast

Notes

This is the first episode not to feature James Beck (Walker), who was in a coma with acute pancreatitis during its recording. Beck died shortly thereafter; in this episode he is still billed during the end credits, but was removed from series 7 onwards. Walker's absence in this episode is explained by a note left in his place, saying he has "gone up to the smoke for a few days to do a deal" — this segment was hastily written into the script at the last minute by Jimmy Perry and David Croft when Beck became ill. Following this episode the character was never seen, heard from nor referred to again.^[4]

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

References

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