Knights of Madness

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3rd episode of the 9th series of Dad's Army

"Knights of Madness"

Dad's Army episode
Episode no.| Series 9
Episode 3
Directed by| David Croft
Story by| Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Original air dates| 16 October 1977 (1977-10-16)
(recorded 22 July 1977)
Running time| 30 minutes
Episode chronology
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"The Making of Private Pike"  | Next →
"The Miser's Hoard"

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List of episodes

"Knights of Madness" is the third episode of the ninth and final series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 16 October 1977.

## Synopsis

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To support the Wings for Victory Week, the platoon restages the Battle of Saint George and the Dragon. This does not go down well with Hodges and his ARP wardens, however, as they have been planning the same thing.

## Plot

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At the town meeting, the council are trying to organise the events that will take place in order to celebrate Saint George's Day. After a vote, it is decided that the Home Guard and the ARP will share the grand finale. Both Mainwaring and Hodges are reluctant to reveal what they each will be doing for the event.

Later that day, Mainwaring is in his office with Wilson and Pike. Mainwaring tells them of his plan to celebrate St. George's Day by staging a fight between St. George and a dragon, representing Britain's fight against Hitler. Mainwaring reveals that he will be playing St. George.

Later at the church hall, Mainwaring insists on wearing a real knight's metal helmet, despite Wilson's objections. After some trouble with getting the helmet's visor open, Mainwaring is ready. Jones and the rest of the men enter in their huge dragon costume. Mainwaring says he will start the fight by shouting "Cry God for Harry, England and St. George!", but the men have trouble getting the dragon's smoke machine to work, and they all soon emerge, coughing, from inside the costume. Meanwhile, an embarrassed Pike is told to dress up as a Squander Bug using a costume his mother made him, but later manages to get out of this and becomes a herald instead.

During the rehearsal of the fight outside, Mainwaring is finding it quite difficult to manoeuver in a real suit of armour, and the men have to hoist him up onto the horse. He is still persistent, stating that "if our forebears could wear it, so can I". After falling off his horse a number of times, he eventually gives up and agrees to let Godfrey's sister knit him a suit of armour.

As the platoon are about to get their staged fight underway, the ARP interrupt them, as they too are staging the fight between St. George and the dragon, with Hodges as St. George. As things take a turn for the worse, Hodges challenges Mainwaring to a duel, which he accepts. The two dragons also face off, with Jones at the head of one and the Vicar at the head of the other. Wilson tells Pike that they "ought to do something" and with that, Pike shoots Hodges' horse in the backside using his herald's trumpet as a peashooter, causing it to rear up and throw Hodges off. The Home Guard dragon eventually defeats the ARP dragon, and Mainwaring salutes the cheering crowd from his horse.

## Notes

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1. This episode references the legend of St George and the Dragon. However it throws a peculiar twist on it by having St George fight St George and the dragon fight the dragon.
2. This episode is mistakenly copyrighted 1972, as it was recorded and filmed in 1977.

## Cast

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* Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring
* John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson
* Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jones
* John Laurie as Private Frazer
* Arnold Ridley as Private Godfrey
* Ian Lavender as Private Pike
* Janet Davies as Mrs Pike
* Bill Pertwee as ARP Warden Hodges
* Frank Williams as The Vicar
* Edward Sinclair as The Verger
* Colin Bean as Private Sponge
* Janet Davies as Mrs. Pike
* Olive Mercer as Mrs. Yeatman
* Eric Longworth as the Town Clerk
* Fred McNaughton as the Mayor

* v
* t
* e

Dad's Army

Characters|

* Captain Mainwaring
* Sergeant Wilson
* Lance Corporal Jones
* Private Frazer
* Private Godfrey
* Private Walker
* Private Pike
* Chief ARP Warden Hodges

Episodes|

* Episode list
* Missing episodes
* Radio episodes
* "Present Arms"

Adaptations & spinoffs|

* 1971 film
* 2016 film
* Stage show
* The Rear Guard
* It Sticks Out Half a Mile
* High & Dry

Merchandise|

* Audio releases
* Books and memorabilia

Other articles|

* Blitz and Pieces
* Dad's Army Appreciation Society
* Dad's Army Museum
* Jones's van
* Walmington-on-Sea
* Bressingham Steam and Gardens

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"

000!!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"

† Missing episode has been reconstructed using animation. ‡ Missing episode has been recreated with new cast
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