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What would "Dads Army" do and deal with the Migrants by the tunnel

(194 Posts)
12Michael Fri 21-Aug-15 18:56:04

Using the original cast , what tasks would the platoon take if they manned the Channel Tunnel at Folkestone,
For example would the spiv be selling his wears to those he lets through.
Mick

rosesarered Fri 21-Aug-15 19:00:26

A strange question Mick, but Captain Mannering would no doubt be standing by with a clipboard, taking down names and occupations.

rosesarered Fri 21-Aug-15 19:02:14

Private Godfrey would be offering a room and his sister Dolly's nice breakfast for a small fee.

rosesarered Fri 21-Aug-15 19:04:15

Jonesy would be doubtful about the whole thing and saying " they don't like it up 'em!"

vampirequeen Fri 21-Aug-15 19:47:57

The platoon aided by the scouts would put the kettle on and make everyone a nice cuppa whilst Capt Mainwaring organised billets. The ladies of Warmington on Sea would be sorting out clothes, bedding and toys for the children. The mayor would be setting up a welcoming committee and the ARP warden would be vying with Capt Mainwaring as to how many people he could arrange billets for. The vicar and churchwarden would be setting up beds in the church hall and the scout hut.

Joe, the spiv, wouldn't be profiteering from the misery. He'd be giving his chocolate to the children and his cigarettes to the men.

Not sure about your reason for the OP 12Michael but if you think that it woiuld be any other way then you have not only misunderstood the characters in Dad's Army but also misunderstood the members of Gransnet.

Riverwalk Fri 21-Aug-15 19:55:49

It's hardly a comedy situation 12Michael.

Perhaps you can come back and elaborate.

Ana Fri 21-Aug-15 20:08:44

Oh, I wondered when the PC brigade would get here...

rosequartz Fri 21-Aug-15 20:26:02

Presumably Captain Mainwaring would be organising billets for everyone, all carefully notated, with Wilson questioning who went where - 'Do you think that's wise, Sir?', Jonesy telling them all not to panic, 'there is plenty of room for everyone', Frazer worrying about the cost of it all , Joe Walker offering to find some food and clothing for everyone, Godfrey offering to take them to his sister's and Pike worrying what his mother might think about it. The warden would be there trying to send them all back again.

Just like today, really.

Elegran Fri 21-Aug-15 20:59:05

Perhaps 12michael will prefer to let his post stand with further "elaboration" If I had started up a thread with an innocuous post like that and been told it wasn't a comedy situation, I don't think I would bother explaining myself to the humourless. The situation behind Dad's Army wasn't a comedy one either, was it? An invading army expected at any moment and men being killed holding them back, while the old, the very young and the incompetent kept watch at home ?

Elegran Fri 21-Aug-15 20:59:32

Without, not with!

vampirequeen Fri 21-Aug-15 20:59:42

I don't understand your comment about the PC brigade, Ana.

I, too, wonder about the intention of the OP.

Elegran Fri 21-Aug-15 21:00:40

Then assume it is an innocent intent and don't make a fight of it.

etheltbags1 Fri 21-Aug-15 21:38:03

I know that Dads army was a comedy but if we were to put it into todays situation it just wouldn't make sense as we have moved on.

I is a serious situation and we shouldn't make fun, there is two sides to this situation and I can see both, we are much more PC as someone has said and I cant see this as a funny situation.

Jane10 Fri 21-Aug-15 21:53:24

Oh no -looks like this thread is "Doomed. Doomed I tell you"!

Ana Fri 21-Aug-15 21:54:47

grin

vampirequeen Sat 22-Aug-15 06:48:55

OK 12Michael, have I jumped to an unfair conclusion? What was the intention of your OP?

Did you intend to make light of the current situation or did you have other motives?

12Michael Sat 22-Aug-15 07:21:13

I am trying to a light side to a current situation, remember although it was set in 2nd world war, but bring it forward to today , where access to this country is easy since the channel tunnel was built.
Like defending the country from invasion which in away it is but putting a humorous side to a serious situation.
But 2nd world war things in mind like rationing, remember in the original series they did capture some Germans, and then had to and them over.
Mick

Ceesnan Sat 22-Aug-15 07:25:55

12Michael - don't bother, you will be shot down anyway! Sometimes it's just not worth the effort smile

Elrel Sat 22-Aug-15 08:17:52

Not really an invasion in any way. Desperate people. Only 1% of migrants who get to Europe end up in Calais. No one undertakes a journey like they do without good reason.
Greatly relieved to see some of the early posts with gently humorous suggestions as to how the essentially decent men of Dad's Army would react!
Like the Polish initiative this week - give blood to UK to remind people of their contribution to British life during and after WWII. In a book about Polish history I noticed a photograph from the 1940s of starving Polish refugees being welcomed to Iran ...

thatbags Sat 22-Aug-15 08:35:53

jane10 grin

elegran, exactly.

Anniebach Sat 22-Aug-15 09:43:48

Quite sure lovely Wilson would say ' would you mind awfully turning back , you are seen as a threat to our standard of living, awfully sorry '

rosequartz Sat 22-Aug-15 09:50:51

Oh, I wasn't thinking of it as an 'invasion by an enemy'; I thought you meant how would Dad's Army have dealt with a flood of refugees fleeing persecution through the Channel tunnel.

So my previous post still stands but in that light.

Elegran Sun 23-Aug-15 09:18:47

Neither was I, rose. My post was a response to the comment that the situation was not a comedy one, and my point was that the setting for Dad's Army was not a comedy one either. That was life and death for the whole country, but the series treated it with humour and compassion and created some memorable characters as a result.

We can speculate on how those characters would react without losing any of said compassion.

Jane10 Sun 23-Aug-15 11:49:56

One thing the young men back then, the Pikes, wouldn't have done was pile into boats in numbers massively outnumbering women and children and set off for America or somewhere perceived as safe.....
Wouldn't have occurred to Pike to cut and run. Those young men stayed and fought and won. Those were the days.

Anniebach Sun 23-Aug-15 12:04:03

Like the Jews did in Germany? Yes those were the days