The Two and a Half Feathers
Encyclopedia
The Two and a Half Feathers is the eighth episode of the fourth series of the British
comedy series Dad's Army
that was originally transmitted on Friday 13 November 1970.
member, George Clarke reveals that he served with Jones in the Sudan
and questions the Lance Corporal's service record.
. Mainwaring, Wilson and Pike are in the British Restaurant, ordering their lunch. Wilson orders toad in the hole
, and Mainwaring and Pike order the fish and potato pie, but when they find out that the fish is snoek
, they soon change their minds. Walker enters and gives the dinnerladies knicker elastic in exchange for a steak.
As they sit, Jones enters in his old Sudanese uniform, and informs Mainwaring that he's off to the 42nd annual reunion for the veterans of the Battle of Omdurman
. He gives Mainwaring and Wilson a gory account of the battle, spreading mothballs everywhere, and putting Wilson and Mainwaring off their food. Mainwaring is even further put off when he eats one of the mothballs, which landed in Walker's pickle pot.
That evening, Frazer brings in a new recruit for the platoon, Mr George Clarke. He's very loyal and trustworthy, as he stood Frazer several pints in the bar at The Anchor last Thursday. Clarke tells Mainwaring that he joined the army in 1897 and, like Jones, served at the Battle of Omdurman. Wilson and Mainwaring are shocked at the coincidence, especially when Clarke mentions that he was in the Warwickshire Regiment
(the same as Jones) and gives an accurate description of Jones. Mainwaring decides to wait until tomorrow to see if it's the same man.
Jones arrives, tired, the next evening, and Frazer, Pike and Walker follow him into the office, where Godfrey is fitting Clarke with his uniform. Clarke immediately recognises Jones, and seems very civil... until his tone of voice turns hostile. Mainwaring quickly organises the parade
, and Frazer announces his suspicions about their relationship.
Later, Frazer rings someone on the telephone, and tells them that after a couple of pints, Clarke told him that Jones and Clarke were captured by the Fuzzy Wuzzies. He then told him that Jones managed to escape, and left Clarke to die. The rumour soon spreads, and Walker is torn between his friendship with Frazer and his friendship with Jones.
Jones, meanwhile, receives malicious letters that contain two and a half white feathers, and saying that he shouldn't have left Clarke in the desert. Jones has had enough, and leaves on a mysterious errand.
At the next parade
, Mainwaring is determined to get to the bottom of the incident. Clarke tells Mainwaring that after Jones allegedly left him in the desert, a native rescued him. He remarks the native must have saved his life, even if he did pinch his wallet. Jones creeps into the office, and tells his side of the story...
He tells the story of a patrol to see the strength of the Mahdi
's army. It was led by Colonel Smythe (who looks extraordinarily like Wilson), with another officer, a 2nd Lieutenant (Pike), who was the Colonel's nephew. The NCO was Sergeant Ironside (Mainwaring), a rough, coarse man who kept giving them the rough side of his tongue. One of the main Privates was a Cockney, Private Green (Walker). As they travel through the desert, they meet an old fakir (Godfrey), who warns them that when the sun sets, they will all be dead. When Ironside gives him a mouthful of coarse abuse, the fakir curses them all.
Suddenly, a fusillade of shots rings out, and the patrol are quick to respond. Colonel Smythe suggests that two men should go for help. Jones volunteers, and Smythe asks him to take Private Clarke with him. By morning, their water bottles are empty. They stop for a rest, and are captured by two Dervish
es (Frazer and Hodges). They peg Clarke out in the desert and take Jones with them.
When they start to cook a meal, they scuffle between each other, giving Jones the chance to free himself. One of the Dervishes runs off, and the other (Hodges) is scared by the burning branch thrust in his face, and the Dervish tells him, in Arabic, to put that light out. Jones puts on his robes and takes his horse. When he rescues Clarke, he notices a photograph of the Colonel's wife in his wallet. Carrying an unconscious Clarke on his back, they meet up with a relief column...
Jones tells them that he couldn't have told them this before for fear of slurring the Colonel's name. He has recently been in London at Somerset House
, he now knew that the Colonel and his wife were dead, so he could tell all, and burn the letters that she and Clarke sent to each other. Mainwaring decides to confront Clarke, but Hodges arrives, and tells him he's left by train and will post his uniform back. Jones proceeds to burn the letters, and Hodges tells him to put that light out.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy series 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...
that was originally transmitted on Friday 13 November 1970.
Synopsis
New platoonPlatoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
member, George Clarke reveals that he served with Jones in the Sudan
Mahdist War
The Mahdist War was a colonial war of the late 19th century. It was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese and the Egyptian and later British forces. It has also been called the Anglo-Sudan War or the Sudanese Mahdist Revolt. The British have called their part in the conflict the Sudan Campaign...
and questions the Lance Corporal's service record.
Plot
It is lunchtime in Walmington-on-SeaWalmington-on-Sea
Walmington-on-Sea is a fictional seaside resort where the BBC Television sitcom, BBC radio series and film Dad's Army was based.Located on the channel coast of England in the county of Kent, the national "front line" following the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk during...
. Mainwaring, Wilson and Pike are in the British Restaurant, ordering their lunch. Wilson orders toad in the hole
Toad in the hole
Toad in the hole is a traditional English dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with vegetables and onion gravy....
, and Mainwaring and Pike order the fish and potato pie, but when they find out that the fish is snoek
Snoek
-People with the surname Snoek:*Hendrik Snoek - Belgian show jumper*Paul Snoek - Belgian poetSnoek or Snook is used in various forms as the common name for several species of fish...
, they soon change their minds. Walker enters and gives the dinnerladies knicker elastic in exchange for a steak.
As they sit, Jones enters in his old Sudanese uniform, and informs Mainwaring that he's off to the 42nd annual reunion for the veterans of the Battle of Omdurman
Battle of Omdurman
At the Battle of Omdurman , an army commanded by the British Gen. Sir Herbert Kitchener defeated the army of Abdullah al-Taashi, the successor to the self-proclaimed Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad...
. He gives Mainwaring and Wilson a gory account of the battle, spreading mothballs everywhere, and putting Wilson and Mainwaring off their food. Mainwaring is even further put off when he eats one of the mothballs, which landed in Walker's pickle pot.
That evening, Frazer brings in a new recruit for the platoon, Mr George Clarke. He's very loyal and trustworthy, as he stood Frazer several pints in the bar at The Anchor last Thursday. Clarke tells Mainwaring that he joined the army in 1897 and, like Jones, served at the Battle of Omdurman. Wilson and Mainwaring are shocked at the coincidence, especially when Clarke mentions that he was in the Warwickshire Regiment
The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers
The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, previously titled the 6th Regiment of Foot and The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. In 1968, it was absorbed, with the other Fusilier regiments, into the four-battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.-History:The regiment...
(the same as Jones) and gives an accurate description of Jones. Mainwaring decides to wait until tomorrow to see if it's the same man.
Jones arrives, tired, the next evening, and Frazer, Pike and Walker follow him into the office, where Godfrey is fitting Clarke with his uniform. Clarke immediately recognises Jones, and seems very civil... until his tone of voice turns hostile. Mainwaring quickly organises the parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, and Frazer announces his suspicions about their relationship.
Later, Frazer rings someone on the telephone, and tells them that after a couple of pints, Clarke told him that Jones and Clarke were captured by the Fuzzy Wuzzies. He then told him that Jones managed to escape, and left Clarke to die. The rumour soon spreads, and Walker is torn between his friendship with Frazer and his friendship with Jones.
Jones, meanwhile, receives malicious letters that contain two and a half white feathers, and saying that he shouldn't have left Clarke in the desert. Jones has had enough, and leaves on a mysterious errand.
At the next parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, Mainwaring is determined to get to the bottom of the incident. Clarke tells Mainwaring that after Jones allegedly left him in the desert, a native rescued him. He remarks the native must have saved his life, even if he did pinch his wallet. Jones creeps into the office, and tells his side of the story...
He tells the story of a patrol to see the strength of the Mahdi
Muhammad Ahmad
Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah was a religious leader of the Samaniyya order in Sudan who, on June 29, 1881, proclaimed himself as the Mahdi or messianic redeemer of the Islamic faith...
's army. It was led by Colonel Smythe (who looks extraordinarily like Wilson), with another officer, a 2nd Lieutenant (Pike), who was the Colonel's nephew. The NCO was Sergeant Ironside (Mainwaring), a rough, coarse man who kept giving them the rough side of his tongue. One of the main Privates was a Cockney, Private Green (Walker). As they travel through the desert, they meet an old fakir (Godfrey), who warns them that when the sun sets, they will all be dead. When Ironside gives him a mouthful of coarse abuse, the fakir curses them all.
Suddenly, a fusillade of shots rings out, and the patrol are quick to respond. Colonel Smythe suggests that two men should go for help. Jones volunteers, and Smythe asks him to take Private Clarke with him. By morning, their water bottles are empty. They stop for a rest, and are captured by two Dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
es (Frazer and Hodges). They peg Clarke out in the desert and take Jones with them.
When they start to cook a meal, they scuffle between each other, giving Jones the chance to free himself. One of the Dervishes runs off, and the other (Hodges) is scared by the burning branch thrust in his face, and the Dervish tells him, in Arabic, to put that light out. Jones puts on his robes and takes his horse. When he rescues Clarke, he notices a photograph of the Colonel's wife in his wallet. Carrying an unconscious Clarke on his back, they meet up with a relief column...
Jones tells them that he couldn't have told them this before for fear of slurring the Colonel's name. He has recently been in London at Somerset House
Somerset House
Somerset House is a large building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, England, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The central block of the Neoclassical building, the outstanding project of the architect Sir William Chambers, dates from 1776–96. It...
, he now knew that the Colonel and his wife were dead, so he could tell all, and burn the letters that she and Clarke sent to each other. Mainwaring decides to confront Clarke, but Hodges arrives, and tells him he's left by train and will post his uniform back. Jones proceeds to burn the letters, and Hodges tells him to put that light out.
Cast
| Cast | Characters |
|---|---|
| Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:... |
Captain Mainwaring & Sergeant Ironside |
| John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:... |
Sergeant Wilson & Colonel Smythe |
| Clive Dunn Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn OBE is a retired English actor, comedian and author, best known for his role as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army.-Early life:... |
Lance Corporal Jones |
| John Laurie John Laurie John Paton Laurie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Scotland. Although he is now probably most recognised for his role as Private James Frazer in the sitcom Dad's Army , he appeared in hundreds of feature films, including films by Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier... |
Private Frazer & Dervish warrior |
| James Beck James Beck Stanley James Carroll Beck was a British actor best remembered for his role as Private Joe Walker, the cockney spiv in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army. The cast was mainly composed of older actors, but Beck was one of the younger members.-Early life:Beck was born in Islington, North London and... |
Private Walker & Private Green |
| 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... |
Private Godfrey & Fakir |
| Ian Lavender Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender , better known as Ian Lavender, is an English stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Private Frank Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad's Army.-Early life and career:... |
Private Pike & unnamed Second Lieutenant |
| Bill Pertwee Bill Pertwee William Desmond Anthony Pertwee MBE is a British comedy actor. He is best known for playing the part of antagonist ARP Warden Hodges in the popular sitcom Dad's Army.-Early and personal life:... |
ARP Warden Hodges & Dervish warrior |
| John Cater John Cater John Edward Cater was an English actor.His television credits include: Danger Man, Z Cars, The Avengers, The Baron, Doctor Who , Follyfoot, Softly, Softly, Department S, Up Pompeii!, Dad's Army, The Naked Civil Servant, I, Claudius, Alcock and Gander, The Duchess of... |
Private Clarke |
| Wendy Richard Wendy Richard Wendy Richard, MBE was an English actress best known for playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? and Pauline Fowler in EastEnders... |
Edith |
| Queenie Watts Queenie Watts Queenie Watts was an English actress and singer of film and television.... |
Edna |
| Gilda Perry | Doreen |
| Linda James | Betty |
| Parnell McGarry | Elizabeth |
| John Ash | Raymond |