Get Some In!

Sadistic Drill Instructor, Corporal Percy Marsh takes charge of C Flight, a new intake of National Servicemen who have joined the Royal Air Force. Ken Richardson is a former grammar school pupil, Jakey Smith is a teddy boy, Bruce Leckie is a pessimistic Glaswegian and Matthew Lilley is a vicar’s mild-mannered son. Marsh tries to fiddle a good posting to Hong Kong for himself and his wife, Alice.

C Flight visit Sqn Ldr Baker, the Medical Officer, for their physical examination. Smith has a plan to get thrown out and pretends his hearing is poor. Marsh subjects the recruits to square-bashing. Leckie wants to quit and makes a casual remark about shooting himself. When Leckie and some ammunition go missing, his friends fear the worst and look for him.

Lilley’s attitude gets him into trouble with Marsh who punishes the whole group with extra bull. Infuriated by Lilley’ stubbornness to violate his self-esteem, Marsh nails Lilley’s boots to the floor and leaves him abandoned in the hut for hours. Richardson helps Smith write a letter to Jakey’s girl, Edna.

Sergeant Dobson, soon to be demobbed, is in charge of the picket detail. C Flight enjoy his company and consider him to be the complete opposite to Marsh. However, when the sergeant turns up drunk and the Air Commodore is on a surprise inspection, the lads have to think fast to protect Dobson’s reputation and pension.

C Flight get their first chance to travel home to see family. Marsh tries to keep them late and Leckie misses his train. Alice wants to visit Paris but Marsh makes excuses. Matthew offers Ken and Jakey a lift to London and they meet his sister, Agnes who leaves an impression on Ken. Jakey runs afoul of some local teddy boys and they all risk a charge for being AWOL when Agnes’ car won’t start.

C Flight head to RAF Wareham for target practice and their first time in an aircraft. Lilley's ineptitude on the rifle range has everyone ducking for cover. A last minute change of plan forces Marsh to confront his deepest fear.

The camp is in the grip of a severe cold spell. Fuel is scarce and rationed. Despite their objections and best efforts, C Flight cannot stop Marsh from stealing their coke for his own house, to keep Alice warm. Ken finds out that Agnes is engaged and is crestfallen. Ken gets tasked to help Squadron Leader Fairfax’s wife and soon forgets about Agnes.

Jakey and Ken head to the local pub and meet two girls. Ken’s efforts fail while Jakey leaves triumphant. Marsh finds a way to avoid paying Leckie the two quid he owes him. Ken is sent to help Mrs Fairfax again and discovers she is leaving for Aden with her husband. A surprise encounter at the bus stop infuriates Marsh, much to everyone else’s delight.

Fed up with the disgusting food served in the canteen, the four friends try to complain. Marsh volunteers them to clean the large vats and they observe a double standard. Matthew has to complain and Corporal Jenner plots revenge with Marsh to lock Matthew in the freezer as payback.

Flt Lt Grant wants C Flight to win the Inter-Flight Competition but feels that Marsh does not have the respect of the men in his command. He bribes Marsh with sergeant stripes if Marsh can deliver on the trophy. The lads are suspicious when Marsh lets slip that Grant is dying. Marsh throws his weight about in the Sergeant’s Mess but is soon put in his place by the other sergeants. To make matters worse, a careless moment in the hut spells disaster. With Don Henderson as Flt Sgt Tidy.

As the basic training ends, the recruits attend a trades training interview in order to determine where they will serve the remainder of their National Service. Lilley is concerned they will go into separate trades and lose touch. Richardson aims too high attempting for a commission, Jakey tries some reverse psychology for his trade and Alice threatens to walk out on Marsh when he loses his stripes. As the recruits leave ahead of their postings, they have a special gift for Marsh.

The lads find they have all been posted to RAF Midham in Lancashire. They are all training to become nursing attendants. Jakey brightens up when he discovers WAAFs in the new camp. Flight Sergeant Wells welcomes them warmly, their accommodation is superb and, for the first time since enlisting, everything appears to be going their way - at least until Marsh turns up.

Jakey teases the WAAFs and later, in the canteen, Bruce bumps into their NCO, Corporal Wendy who takes an interest in him. Marsh is preparing for Alice to arrive and forces the four friends to redecorate his dilapidated married quarters instead of allowing them to revise for their next lesson. Jakey plans to prank Marsh.

Ken thinks his luck has changed when he meets Melody waiting for her bus. It falls through when she realises he hasn’t much money and she leaves. His unhappiness is short-lived when he comes to the aid of Alice who was hurt her finger at the bar. Short on cash himself, Marsh proposes a card game but Alice is angry when she discovers what he has wagered.

After just a week in Malta, the lads are posted back to RAF Hospital Druidswater in England. Bruce meets Wendy at RAF Lyneham after she arranges to be posted to Luqa. Druidswater receives a VIP patient, a recently promoted, heroic corporal who selflessly carried his Commanding Officer 84 miles in sub-zero temperatures.

Recovering from frostbite, Marsh makes life horrible for the medics by using them to tend to his every need. As a result, they cannot complete their regular tasks. Lilley begins to read a story to Marsh and reacts in horror as he realises it is a saucy novel. Group Captain Ruark is furious when he discovers a terrified patient has been cornered by the medics.

Happy to be away from Marsh, the lads are reassigned to morgue duty with Sgt Foot. The sergeant welcomes the lads and notices a special talent in Bruce. Meanwhile, Alice worries what will happen to the lovely married quarters when Marsh is declared fit for duty and posted. Marsh discusses his options with Gp Capt Ruark.

Invited as the ‘Meet the Celebrity’ guest speaker at the local church, Marsh embellishes his account of how he carried his CO, Wg Cdr ’Pinky’ Pinkerton, over 80 miles. Flashbacks reveal what actually happened. Matthew is furious that his parents have been taken in by Marsh’s lies. When Pinky’s diary turns up, it threatens to expose Marsh when it falls into Lilley’s hands.