Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages

"Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages" is the second Christmas Night with the Stars sketch from the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Christmas Day (Thursday, 25 December) 1969.

"Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages"
Dad's Army episode
Directed byDavid Croft
Story byJimmy Perry and David Croft
Produced byDavid Croft
Original air dateThursday 25 December 1969
(Recorded Friday 21 November 1969)
Running time10 mins

Synopsis

The platoon are busy rehearsing their performance for the town pageant, a propaganda show to inspire the locals and raise funds for "War Weapons Week".

Plot

The platoon's pageant item tells of England's defeat of many oppressors down the ages, including Julius Caesar (played by Godfrey), William the Conqueror (Frazer), Philip of Spain (Pike) and Napoleon (Wilson). Captain Mainwaring, in the guise of John Bull, is, as usual, struggling to motivate his platoon to give convincing performances.

The conceit of the item is that England has always defeated its aggressors (generally ignoring historical fact), with each aggressor in turn saying "England shall be defeated, never to rise again" and each segment ending with the proclamation "The aggressor shall not pass, the aggressor did not pass" jointly said by the spirits of Agriculture and Commerce (Jones & Walker respectively).

However, the rehearsal is rudely interrupted by an air raid and Chief ARP Warden Hodges brings a bailed out Luftwaffe pilot to see the Home Guard. When presented to Captain Mainwaring, the airman proclaims "England shall be crushed, never to rise again - Heil Hitler!", at which point Corporal Jones pokes the pilot from behind with a pitchfork (to the pilot's obvious discomfort) and proclaims: "They don't like it up 'em, Captain Mainwaring".

Cast

Notes
  1. An extract from this sketch was shown as part of "Fry & Laurie Host a Christmas Night of the Stars" BBC 2 special (broadcast 27 December 1994) as part of a 20-minute Dad's Army item.[1]
  2. Robert Aldous appeared as a German pilot in "Man Hunt", which was recorded on the same day.

References
  1. Pertwee, Bill (7 September 2009). Dad's Army (The Making of a Television Legend). Conway. p. 181. ISBN 978-1844861057.
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