THIS ISLAND LIFETHE recent death of Dad’s Army co-writer and producer David Croft will have evoked plenty of memories for those of a certain age.
He and his partner, Jimmy Perry, were responsible for writing the most durable and best-loved comedy series in television history.
Dad’s Army was first broadcast more than 40 years ago, yet it still occupies a prime slot on BBC 2 every Saturday evening.
No other show of its kind has enjoyed such sustained popularity; something which can only be achieved when a comedy does the impossible and transcends generations.
There are plenty who think the madcap exploits of the lads from Walmington-on-Sea were an exaggeration.
There are others, such as my late uncle, Ron Butt, who reckoned truth was funnier than fiction and his tales concerning the fighting men of the Havenstreet Home Guard were a constant source of amusement.
He was the equivalent of young Private Pike and can be seen fourth from the right in the back row of this photograph, appearing to take his duties very seriously.
And they say a camera never lies …
Most of his yarns revolved around his uncle, my great-uncle Will Newbery, who was nominated as the platoon’s despatch rider on the perfectly reasonable grounds he was the only bloke in the village with a motorcycle.
He was also a man who enjoyed a glass or two — and it was when these two qualities collided the fun usually began.
There was the occasion he was given money by his comrades in arms and instructed to ride to the White Hart to collect a sackful of brown ales.
Night patrols were thirsty work and the idea was for him to return to the platoon’s temporary base at the top end of Combley Woods.
He was discovered the following morning sleeping soundly in a roadside ditch near the railway station, complete with the bag of bottles. They were all empty.
Will’s fighting spirit came to the fore one evening as German planes droned their way over the village towards their target in Portsmouth or Southampton.
Will rushed out into his back garden, colander on head, and gave them a few passing blasts from his shotgun. Ron reckoned it must have put the fear of God up the Luftwaffe.
Fred Winter told me of the time the platoon was given a display of rifle drill in the village hall by one of the local lads who served in the regular army and was home on leave.
Fred said: "He finished by hammering his rifle on to the ground with a flourish, caught his thumb in the trigger and sent a bullet whistling up by his right ear and into the hall ceiling. The hole remained there for years afterwards. Apparently he forgot to empty the round from the weapon and almost became the first British soldier to shoot himself while on ceremonial duty."
I’m glad he didn’t, because the soldier in question was my father.
It would appear villagers all over Britain were fairly sanguine when it came to the possibility of a German invasion.
Cyril Stotesbury was in the regular army and his training base was an old manor house in Horam, East Sussex, for a while.
He once told me: "We took part in several elaborate exercises and on one occasion me and a couple of mates drew the short straw and had to be disguised as Germans.
"After it was all over we went into the local pub for a pint and I still had a Gestapo uniform on, complete with swastika on the arm.
"Nobody batted an eyelid."
Ooh, Betty! Hear the man who created an institution
ANOTHER man to create a comedy institution in this country was Ryde’s very own Ray Allen, who wrote Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em.
I remember seeing Michael Crawford interviewed on Parkinson many years ago and most of the conversation revolved around the show, which was then at the peak of its popularity.
Crawford gave the impression throughout Frank Spencer was his creation and contrived not to mention Ray once during the entire programme.
Most actors are only too pleased to lavish credit on the writers, without whom their careers would not exist.
But Crawford has an ego the size of a barrage balloon and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so indignant on someone else’s behalf.
However, if you want to hear the real story behind Some Mothers, why not pop along to Newclose County Cricket Ground on Wednesday, November 2, to hear Ray talk about his career.
He has some hilarious anecdotes (ever heard the one about his conversation with Frankie Howerd while standing in a telephone box?) and the evening costs £10, which includes a fish and chip supper.
Tickets can be obtained from Ken Hamblin on 01983 524267 and must be bought in advance.