Private Charles Godfrey
Encyclopedia
For the American football
player see Charles Godfrey (American football)
Private Charles Godfrey MM
is a fictional Home Guard
platoon member and retired shop assistant (Civil Service Stores) portrayed by Arnold Ridley
on the BBC
television sitcom Dad's Army
.
", it becomes clear that he was a conscientious objector
in the First World War, a revelation that initially makes him an outsider. However, after saving Mainwaring's
life, his sister reveals that, far from avoiding service, he in fact served with distinction as a stretcher bearer with the Royal Army Medical Corps
, and heroically saved several men's lives during the Battle of the Somme (an accomplishment he plays down modestly), earning him the Military Medal
. This led to him being promoted to First Aid
supervisor of the platoon. Arnold Ridley
actually served during the First World War with the Somerset Light Infantry, and fought in the Battle of the Somme where he was severely wounded. These injuries gave a practical reason for his role, as it was much easier for Ridley to carry the first aid bag than a heavy rifle.
Godfrey is a long standing friend of Sergeant Wilson, and in the episode "High Finance
" he lends Wilson a large sum of money when Mrs Pike is blackmailed by Hodges. He lives in picturesque Cherry Tree Cottage with his hard-of-hearing sisters, Dolly and Cissy, whom he is clearly very fond of and often brings them up in conversation. When there is any need for provisions, his sister Dolly often provides upside-down cake
s.
He is immensely loyal to Captain Mainwaring, who often feels quite guilty whenever he has criticised Godfrey:
He served for 35 years in the Army department of the Civil Service
Stores as a tailor. An aspect of his old age is his weak bladder, which lets him down and postpones all platoon activity, hence his catchphrase, "May I be excused, sir?", and his tendency to fall asleep can be similarly categorised; "I must have dropped off!".
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American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player see Charles Godfrey (American football)
Charles Godfrey (American football)
Charles Godfrey is an American football safety/nickelback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
Private Charles Godfrey MM
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
is a fictional Home Guard
British Home Guard
The Home Guard was a defence organisation of the British Army during the Second World War...
platoon member and retired shop assistant (Civil Service Stores) portrayed by Arnold Ridley
Arnold Ridley
Major William Arnold Ridley, OBE was an English playwright and actor, first notable as the author of the play The Ghost Train and later in life for portraying the elderly Private Charles Godfrey in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army .-Early life:Ridley was born in Walcot, Bath, England where...
on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television sitcom Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
.
Personality
Godfrey is a gentle, mild-mannered and kindly - though more complex than is evident - old man. He is the only member of the platoon that has retired. In the episode "BrandedBranded (Dad's Army episode)
Branded is the eleventh episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Thursday 20 November 1969....
", it becomes clear that he was a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
in the First World War, a revelation that initially makes him an outsider. However, after saving Mainwaring's
Captain George Mainwaring
Captain George Mainwaring is the bank manager and Home Guard platoon commander portrayed by Arthur Lowe on the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army, set in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War...
life, his sister reveals that, far from avoiding service, he in fact served with distinction as a stretcher bearer with the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
, and heroically saved several men's lives during the Battle of the Somme (an accomplishment he plays down modestly), earning him the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
. This led to him being promoted to First Aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
supervisor of the platoon. Arnold Ridley
Arnold Ridley
Major William Arnold Ridley, OBE was an English playwright and actor, first notable as the author of the play The Ghost Train and later in life for portraying the elderly Private Charles Godfrey in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army .-Early life:Ridley was born in Walcot, Bath, England where...
actually served during the First World War with the Somerset Light Infantry, and fought in the Battle of the Somme where he was severely wounded. These injuries gave a practical reason for his role, as it was much easier for Ridley to carry the first aid bag than a heavy rifle.
Godfrey is a long standing friend of Sergeant Wilson, and in the episode "High Finance
High Finance
High Finance is the fifth episode of the eighth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally broadcast on the 3 October 1975.-Synopsis:...
" he lends Wilson a large sum of money when Mrs Pike is blackmailed by Hodges. He lives in picturesque Cherry Tree Cottage with his hard-of-hearing sisters, Dolly and Cissy, whom he is clearly very fond of and often brings them up in conversation. When there is any need for provisions, his sister Dolly often provides upside-down cake
Upside-down cake
An upside-down cake is a cake usually made in a pan with a curved bottom. Once cooked, turned over and allowed to set, the cake is eaten upside-down...
s.
He is immensely loyal to Captain Mainwaring, who often feels quite guilty whenever he has criticised Godfrey:
- Mainwaring: "If you're not fit for active service, perhaps you shouldn't come at all."
- Godfrey: "I didn't want to disappoint you, sir."
- Mainwaring: "Well done Godfrey."
- from the episode "Everybody's TruckingEverybody's TruckingEverybody's Trucking is the first episode of the seventh series of the British television sitcom Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Friday 15 November 1974.-Synopsis:...
".
- from the episode "Everybody's Trucking
He served for 35 years in the Army department of the Civil Service
British Civil Service
Her Majesty's Home Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports Her Majesty's Government - the government of the United Kingdom, composed of a Cabinet of ministers chosen by the prime minister, as well as the devolved...
Stores as a tailor. An aspect of his old age is his weak bladder, which lets him down and postpones all platoon activity, hence his catchphrase, "May I be excused, sir?", and his tendency to fall asleep can be similarly categorised; "I must have dropped off!".
Medals
Although Private Godfrey rarely wore his medals, he was awarded some during the First World War.