Battle of the Giants!
| "Battle of the Giants!" | |
|---|---|
| Dad's Army episode | |
| Episode no. | Episode 040 |
| Directed by | David Croft |
| Story by | Jimmy Perry and David Croft |
| Produced by | David Croft |
| Original air date | Monday 27/12/71 7.00pm (recorded Sunday 19/10/71) |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
Battle of the Giants! is the first special Christmas episode of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Monday 27 December 1971.
After being insulted by Captain Square for his lack of medals, Captain Mainwaring challenges the Eastgate platoon to a test of strength and stamina to prove who commands the better platoon.
While Jones and the rest of the platoon hold a bayonet practice, Mainwaring and Wilson discuss the upcoming Ceremonial church parade of all the Home Guard platoons in the area. Mainwaring receives a new officer's cap in the post and hangs it on a nail on the door. Unfortunately, while charging at a dummy of Adolf Hitler, Pike bayonets the door, and subsequently punctures Mainwaring's new hat. Mainwaring is incensed and shouts at Pike, while Wilson receives a telephone call from Mrs Mainwaring. He hands the phone to Mainwaring, claiming she heard him shouting. Mainwaring is forced to leave the parade to put back the bedding in the air-raid shelter, leaving Wilson in charge.
Captain Square arrives, and compliments Jones on his impressive row of medals. He goes into the office and confronts Wilson about a note he sent about the church parade, which stated that all medals should be worn. Wilson finds the note hidden under some other papers, and Square surmises that the reason he hid the letter is because Mainwaring hasn't got any medals, and he didn't want to feel out of place. Square orders Wilson to read the letter to the platoon.
Next parade, Mainwaring inspects the men, and is shocked to see that they are all wearing their medals (except for Pike who has been forced, by his mum, to wear his Scout badges instead!). He riles Wilson about the unimportance of medals, and is even more disgusted when he learns that Chief ARP Warden Hodges, the Vicar and the Verger also have medals.
After the church parade, Square irks Mainwaring by saying that his platoon are too old to be of any real use. Mainwaring responds by claiming that his platoon could wipe the floor with his any day, because they're fitter, better trained and better led, and insults Square by saying that he has a Colonel Blimp mentality. Square is angered and says that Mainwaring should prove that or apologise, and the Colonel suggests some initiative tests to settle the argument. Both Square and Mainwaring accept the challenge. Hodges, the Vicar and the Verger volunteer to be umpires.
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