Series 4
027 “The Big Parade”
Mainwaring mentions that Al Jolsen said “You ain’t heard nothing yet” twelve years ago. The line he quotes is from the movie The Jazz Singer, the first Hollywood motion picture with synchronised dialogue. The film was released in the USA on 6 October 1927, but did not premiere in the UK until 27 September 1928. Presumably Mainwaring is referring to the UK date. 1928 plus 12 years is 1940, but we know that this episode is in at least 1941, so either Mainwaring is mistaken, or he and his wife saw the film in 1929 rather than the year it came out.
Private Sponge mentions that the rams are “a bit funny this time of year”, implying it is mating season. A quick Wikipedia search tells me that most sheep have a breeding season in the autumn, so this episode could well be set anywhere around September to November.
The warden sees the platoon looking dishevelled and dirty and is excited because he can make a derogatory remark to them, but when the time comes he cannot think of anything clever. He states that he had been waiting “months” for such an opportunity. Obviously this does not help us date the episode, but it does give us an indication of how long he has held a grudge against Mainwaring and his men. Since the platoon has been formed for over a year, but the warden mentions only months, we can conclude that it was not from the outset that he held a vendetta against them. Logically this would only have developed over time, and in fact, it was only really in series 3 that he seems to develop the personal rivalry with Mainwaring. Before that he only seemed to tell them to keep it down while he gave a lecture.
In this episode, the platoon are wearing the standard 37-pattern battledress, which has replaced the denim battle dress they were originally issued. Historically, it was announced in December 1940 that the Home Guard were kitted out with proper battle dress, as and when stocks became available. Since this episode is set after July 1941, and probably in the autumn of that year, it has clearly taken some time for stocks of the uniform to reach the Walmington-on-Sea platoon.
028 “Don’t Forget the Diver”
No references I could spot
029 “Boots, Boots, Boots”
No references I could spot
030 “Sgt – Save My Boy!”
Mainwaring mentions “our Russian ally”. The formal Anglo-Soviet alliance was signed by the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union on 12 July 1941, so this episode is set at least after this date. Mainwaring then mentions Hitler and is crony Mussolini, implying that Germany and Italy are still allies, placing the episode before 25 July 1943, which was when Mussolini was dismissed from power by King Victor Emmanuel III, and the subsequent armistice between Italy and the Allies on 8 September 1943.
Wilson says he’s known Pike for 19 years. Since we can suppose that Pike is now 19 (see 021 “War Dance”), it means that Wilson has known Pike since he was born.
031 “Don’t Fence Me In”
The Italian prisoners mention the war in Africa, which was fought between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943.
032 “Absent Friends”
Mainwaring says that he has “worked so hard for months” to mould his platoon into a bunch of fighting men. Though he is not mistaken in this statement, the platoon has actually been formed for over a year, possibly close to 18 months by this point, assuming they are still in autumn 1941 at this time.
033 “Put That Light Out”
Walker mentions Hess again (see: 024 “Man Hunt”)
034 “The Two and a Half Feathers”
Jones is attending the 42nd Annual Reunion of the Battle of Omdurman. The Battle of Omdurman took place on 2 September 1898, so we can presume that this episode is also in September. However, 1989 plus 42 is 1940, but we know this series is set in 1941. It is entirely possible that the 1st Annual Reunion occurred two years after the battle.
Private Clarke says that he joined the army 44 years ago and gives the year as 1897. This does correspond with the current year being 1941.
035 “Mum’s Army”
No references I could spot
036 “The Test”
No references I could spot
037 “A. Wilson (Manager)?”
No references I could spot
038 “Uninvited Guests”
No references I could spot
039 “Fallen Idol”
Captain Reed says he has been running his school of explosives for “over a year now”.
Christmas Special
040 “Battle of the Giants!”
It is pouring down with rain, to which Hodges observes, “Typical English summer”. If it is indeed summer, that would set this special sometime between series 3 and 4, for the summer of 1941, or sometime after series 6, for the summer of 1942.
Alternatively, it could still be September 1941, where series 4 left off, and Hodges statement could be a commentary on the weather rather than the season. The latter seems the more likely option.
Series 5
041 “Asleep in the Deep”
No references I could spot
042 “Keep Young and Beautiful”
No references I could spot
043 “A Soldier’s Farewell”
Mainwaring says they haven’t had a raid in “over a week now”. Since there was an air raid two episodes ago in “Asleep in the Deep” we can assume that this episode is set at least a fortnight since then.
044 “Getting the Bird”
The calendar in Jones’s butchers shop says June. The only thing I can conclude is that Jones has forgotten to turn the calendar page over, because June 1941 was during the end of series 3 and the platoon were still wearing their old denim uniforms back then. And they can’t yet be in June 1942 as that won’t come round until after series 6. Since series 5 seems to be set alongside series 4, it is most likely July or August. If it is still early July, it is entirely possible that Jones hasn’t yet turned his calendar over.
045 “The Desperate Drive of Corporal Jones”
Presumably this episode is set sometime in late summer or early autumn because Mainwaring says that he has bought himself an overcoat “before the really chilly weather sets in”. It is also mentioned that it is “muggy” for the time of year.
046 “If the Cap Fits…”
Frazer says that it is a “perfectly beautiful summer’s evening”.
Frazer then goes on to list previous dates on which Captain Mainwaring has given pointless lectures: on “November 6 1940” he gave a lecture on why the Germans don’t play cricket, and on “January 28 1941” he gave a lecture on how Hitler bites the carpet when he’s angry. Both of these dates would place these lectures sometime in series 2 or early series 3.
047 “The King was in his Counting House”
No references I could spot
048 “All is Safely Gathered In”
The story revolves around the gathering in of the harvest, which traditionally takes place in late summer or early autumn.
049 “When Did you Last See Your Money?”
The calendar in the bank says it is the 25th, though I cannot see the day or month.
There is a poster in the town hall saying “Sunday June 11th” and mentions a “Golden Jubilee”. I’m not sure what jubilee it is referring to, but the only years around the war where 11 June was a Sunday were 1939 and 1944.
050 “Brain Versus Brawn”
No references I could spot
051 “A Brush with the Law”
Mainwaring is taken to court accused of leaving the light in the vicar’s office on. The date of the alleged offence is given as 7 September.
Since series 5 seems to run concurrently alongside series 4, it should be noted that this episode takes place about a week after the events of “The Two and a Half Feathers”.
052 “Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel”
The opening shot of this episode clearly states the year as being “1941”.
053 “Time on My Hands”
The town hall stairs were destroyed “last year” by a firebomb, and the clock hasn’t worked since 1939.
Series 6
054 “The Deadly Attachment”
Mainwaring observes that the platoon are about to come face-to-face with the enemy, “after all these months”. By this point, the platoon has been formed for almost 2 years (we find out next episode that we are now in 1942), so he should probably have said years rather than months.
055 “My British Buddy”
A small contingent of American troops arrives in Walmington-on-Sea. Historically, the first American troops arrived in the UK on 26 January 1942, meaning that this episode cannot take place before this date. In reality, however, the first US troops were actually stationed in Northern Ireland, placing this episode even later in 1942. Though Mainwaring does say that the Americans we see in this episode are a small “advanced party”, allowing for some leeway.
Mainwaring states that “last winter times were so dark it was difficult to see ahead”. He goes on to say that they have been standing alone against the Nazi horde for almost 2 years. The French surrender was in June 1940, which was what left the UK alone, so “almost 2 years” places this episode before June 1942. Walker later confirms this when he says that the war has been going on for 2 and a half years. Since the war started in September 1939, that would place this episode in about February 1942.
056 “The Royal Train”
Pike says it has been “3 weeks and 2 days” since he last had a go with the Tommy Gun. The last time we saw Pike with the Tommy Gun was in “The Deadly Attachment”, so we know that this episode is set at least 3 weeks and 2 days after that.
057 “We Know Our Onions”
No references I could spot
058 “The Honourable Man”
The Russians are still our allies (see entry for 030 “Sgt – Save My Boy!”).
059 “Things that Go Bump in the Night”
No references I could spot
060 “The Recruit”
Mainwaring says that “our chaps” are doing well in the dessert and that the Italians are no match for Tommy Atkins, a reference to the North African campaign.
Godfrey wears sunglasses and a sunshade on his nose, indicating that the weather is sunny.
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