Captain George Mainwaring

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Captain George Mainwaring () is a fictional

Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting w ...

captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

television

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...

Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran fo ...

''. In the 2016 movie he is played by

Toby Jones Tobias Edward Heslewood Jones''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com (born 7 September 1966) is an English actor. Jones made his film debut in Sally Potter's period drama '' Orlando'' in 1992. H ...

and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is played by

Kevin McNally Kevin Robert McNally (born 27 April 1956) is an English actor and writer. He is known for portraying Joshamee Gibbs in the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' film series. Early life Born in Bristol, McNally spent his early years in Birmingham, atte ...

. Mainwaring is the

bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Because ...

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

and

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...

commander, in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. He is considered a classic British comic character owing to the continuing currency of ''Dad's Army'' via regular repeats and Lowe's portrayal. Many of his quotes, such as, "You stupid boy!", are engrained in

British popular culture British culture is influenced by the combined nations' history; its historically Christian religious life, its interaction with the cultures of Europe, the traditions of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and the impact of the British Empir ...

. In a 2001

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

poll Captain Mainwaring was ranked 21st on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.

Personality

Mainwaring was born in 1885 to Edmund Mainwaring and is a pompous, blustering figure with an overdeveloped sense of his importance, fuelled by his social status in Walmington-on-Sea as the bank manager and his status as captain and commander of the local Home Guard volunteer unit. He became commander of his home guard unit by saying that he had served as a captain in the last British conflict, despite serving 'somewhere in the

Orkneys Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...

' during the Great War and only being deployed to France in 1919, the year after the armistice was signed. He was later officially designated as the captain by the GHQ, in the episode " Room at the Bottom", after his brief reduction in rank. Despite his claim to be the son of a master tailor, it is revealed that his father was a poor draper and a heavy drinker, as is his profligate brother, Barry, who is a travelling salesman specialising in novelty toys. He has many redeeming qualities: he is essentially brave, loyal and industrious, generally kind-hearted beneath the bluster and unfailingly patriotic. Mainwaring believes in following rules and orders, sometimes to a ludicrous degree and is

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

-conscious and a

snob ''Snob'' is a pejorative term for a person who believes there is a correlation between social status (including physical appearance) and human worth.De Botton, A. (2004), ''Status Anxiety''. London: Hamish Hamilton ''Snob'' also refers to a per ...

. Being educated at the local Grammar School – as a scholarship student – he considers himself

middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Com ...

and looks down on anyone he considers beneath him, which may be because he struggled to rise above his

working class The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colo ...

background. He claims to be the son of a successful tailor in

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

, but

Lance Corporal Jones Lance Corporal Jack Jones is a fictional Home Guard platoon lance corporal and veteran of the British Empire, first portrayed by Clive Dunn in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. His catchphrases are "Don't panic!", "Permission to speak, ...

reveals that Mainwaring's father was actually a poor draper who sold badly-made workmen's trousers and Barry Mainwaring confirms this. "If I had a title I'd be on the board of directors at the bank!" he shouts at

Sergeant Wilson Sergeant Arthur Wilson is a fictional Home Guard platoon sergeant and bank chief clerk, first portrayed by John Le Mesurier in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. Background Wilson was born in 1887, and is carefree, cheerful and well ...

when the latter gains a title in the episode "

The Honourable Man "The Honourable Man" is the fifth episode of the sixth series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 28 November 1973. Synopsis When Wilson lets it be known that his family has 'moved up one place' and th ...

". Despite his arrogance being encouraged by his status as the bank manager (having started as a clerk and working his way up to assistant chief clerk, chief clerk and eventually manager), Mainwaring reveals in the same episode that he considers it a mere "tinpot branch" and his career is at a seemingly permanent standstill, as revealed in " A. Wilson (Manager)?": whenever he applies for promotions he is always turned down due to his unimpressive background. Mainwaring's pomposity and snobbery work against him, as he is frequently dependent on those in the Home Guard that he considers beneath him, such as Sergeant Wilson, his chief clerk at the bank with whom he shares an antagonistic friendship and

Private Walker Private Joe Walker is a fictional black market spiv (or Wholesales Supplier, as he politely puts it) and Home Guard platoon member, first portrayed by actor James Beck in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. In real life, Beck died suddenly ...

, a

black-market A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a clandestine market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality or is characterized by noncompliance with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the ...

eer who interrupts during Mainwaring's lectures with a quip or a sly revelation that Mainwaring is benefiting from underhand deals. Mainwaring is particularly jealous of Wilson, who is more relaxed and charming and possesses combat experience that Mainwaring does not and takes every opportunity to remind his sergeant who is the senior. As a bank manager, he is efficient if ruthless and stingy; as a military commander he can at first glance be seen as barely competent, confused by the 24-hour clock, his plans often resulting in chaos. Mainwaring nonetheless managed to pull a group of local shopkeepers "up by their bootstraps" to become some kind of fighting unit. Mainwaring has no combat experience, which causes tension with the other members of the Home Guard, particularly Wilson, who was a decorated captain in the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

( Mons, Gallipoli) during the First World War. Mainwaring did, however, serve in the Army of Occupation in France, "during the whole of 1919 – somebody had to clear up the mess."Webber, Perry, Croft p. 132 He volunteered to enlist in 1914 but was rejected with poor eyesight. (During the Second World War,

John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is perhaps best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation c ...

, who played Wilson, had been a captain while Arthur Lowe was a Sergeant Major. Lowe tried to enlist in the Merchant Navy prior to the Second World War but was also rejected with poor eyesight.) Despite his shortcomings as a leader, Mainwaring considers himself an excellent military tactician. His height and background are frequently mocked as indicating a

Napoleon Complex The "Napoleon complex", known informally as small man syndrome, is a syndrome normally attributed to people of small stature. It is characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, such as lying about earnings, and carries th ...

and often referred to by his nemesis, ARP Warden Hodges. In one episode, "

A Soldier's Farewell "A Soldier's Farewell" is the third episode of the fifth series of the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 20 October 1972. Synopsis Mainwaring is depressed: his men are falling short of his expectations, ...

", Mainwaring dreams he is

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

and is thwarted at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...

by a

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish people, Anglo-Irish soldier and Tories (British political party), Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of Uni ...

resembling Wilson. His pomposity and conviction of his prowess mean that Mainwaring yearns to be in control of any situation and he behaves in an arrogant manner; for instance in the first episode he organised the Home Guard unit and appointed himself commanding officer despite lack of experience and qualifications (and had to wait until the episode " Room at the Bottom" before he received his commission). Mainwaring's patriotism can lead to

xenophobia Xenophobia () is the fear or dislike of anything which is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression of perceived conflict between an in-group and out-group and may manifest in suspicion by the one of the other's activities, a ...

(he is not keen on the French, because they are emotional and smell of garlic, the

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

ns, because of their former alliance with Germany and their

communism Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a ...

, the

Americans Americans are the citizens and nationals of the United States of America.; ; Although direct citizens and nationals make up the majority of Americans, many dual citizens, expatriates, and permanent residents could also legally claim Ame ...

because of their late entry into the war and the fact that many of them have German names, the

Italians , flag = , flag_caption = The national flag of Italy , population = , regions = Italy 55,551,000 , region1 = Brazil , pop1 = 25–33 million , ref1 = , region2 ...

because of their

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

and being the enemy and the

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

for obvious reasons). Mainwaring often refers to

Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

and the Germans as if he is leading his own personal war, insisting that "In fact I do wish he'd have a go – I'm spoiling for a fight" in " Asleep in the Deep", regarding his desire in an air raid to get out of a bunker and face the attacking Germans (who are in planes and beyond his reach). Mainwaring's position as captain of the Home Guard is a great source of pride and he dislikes being reminded that he is merely a volunteer, part-time soldier. In particular, in the episode "

My British Buddy "My British Buddy" is the second episode of the sixth series of the British television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on BBC 1 on Wednesday 7 November 1973. Synopsis Following Pearl Harbor, the Americans have joined the fig ...

" he is chagrined when Wilson tells an American colonel that the Home Guard are not real soldiers. Mainwaring's patriotism and eagerness to see combat tend to make him overconfident, and "I don't want to hear any of that sort of talk, Wilson" is a common response when Wilson points out problems. Mainwaring sees all regular British servicemen ("Our Boys") as exceptionally brave and resourceful, while seeing the Germans as inept and cowardly. Mainwaring's character flaws, however, are presented in a comical rather than a spiteful manner and there is often a sympathetic subtext to his own personal neuroses; it is apparent several times that he devotes his energies to his Home Guard unit for a sense of comradeship and purpose lacking in other parts of his life, such as his career and marriage. On one occasion when his men spurned a parade to play darts against the ARP he expressed bewilderment, saying coming to the platoon is "the highlight of my day". It is frequently implied that he is trapped in a loveless and unhappy marriage to

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

, his unseen wife, who is domineering, neurotic and withholding of affection. For example, in the 6th series episode 6 " If the Cap Fits..." Mainwaring reveals he learned to play the bagpipes on his honeymoon in Scotland because "there was nothing else to do". Captain Mainwaring's home address was 23 Lime Crescent, Walmington-on-Sea and he lived there with his wife. In the episode, " My Brother and I", Mainwaring admits to Wilson that he had a lonely childhood and was devoted to his schoolwork, whereas his brother, Barry, always had friends. It is revealed in " Absent Friends" that Captain Mainwaring and his wife have a pet cat called Empress. In " The King was in his Counting House", it is mentioned that Captain Mainwaring and his wife have three goldfish. In " The Royal Train", Mainwaring reveals his desire to drive a train ever since he was a child and that wish comes true. Mainwaring has several redeeming qualities, including a deep concern for the welfare of the men under his command. His bravery and courage cannot be denied: he is willing to endanger himself for his country and platoon and to take the risks that he orders his men to undertake. In one episode, "

The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage "The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage" is an episode in the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Saturday 8 March 1969. Synopsis The church bells are to be removed to provide metal for the war effort, so the vicar h ...

", the platoon thinks the Germans have invaded and Mainwaring, with his men, fights what they think is the German army but turns out to be other members of the platoon. He also clears bricks from a bombed-out corridor which could have fallen at any moment. Mainwaring insists he work in the most dangerous position even though in drawing lots he had picked the safest (" Asleep in the Deep"). He also places the safety of his country above his own interests. In " Command Decision", Mainwaring is prepared to relinquish control so that the platoon could gain rifles, arguing that the defence of the country is more important than his ego. In addition he is prepared to "march in the ranks as Private Mainwaring" when he is briefly decommissioned as he had never actually been made an officer, implying that he was merely overzealous rather than a control freak. He hates conscientious objectors; he sees them as abnormal as they do not want to fight for their country, as shown when he discovers

Private Godfrey Private Charles Godfrey MM is a fictional Home Guard platoon member, first portrayed by Arnold Ridley in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. and in the 1971 ''Dad's Army'' film. He is retired and was previously a tailor for the Civil ...

was a conchie. However, when he learns Godfrey served at the Battle of the Somme and risked his own life (and received injuries) crawling into No Man's Land to save several men, earning him the

Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...

, he changes his opinion of Godfrey. Mainwaring says he cannot understand why Godfrey doesn't wear the medal. Mainwaring is also capable of acting decisively and independently, although not always with the best of results. In " A Man of Action", Walmington is cut off when a bomb damages the railway and waterworks. Mainwaring imposes

martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

and takes power from the Mayor. Under his law people need permits to take a bath and looters will be shot. He changes position when this power is taken from him by an official from GHQ, describing such an act and the imposition of martial law as "monstrous". Mainwaring often claims to know something, only to be proven wrong almost immediately. Men under him, however, are mostly devoted to him. At heart, he is a kind-hearted man with a deep-rooted sense of duty. Mainwaring has nearly had two affairs. One is in "

Mum's Army "Mum's Army" is the ninth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Friday 20 November 1970. Synopsis Mainwaring's plans to involve the women of Walmington in the platoon become ra ...

" with a woman called Fiona Gray who joins the Home Guard when they recruit female soldiers. The two start meeting in cafes all over the town. Gossip starts about them and Mrs Gray leaves by train. Another is with a bus conductress in "A Soldier's Farewell" whom Mainwaring compliments and defends when she is being flirted at. At the end of the episode, when Mainwaring dreams he is Napoleon, he dreams that the bus conductress is

Marie Walewska Marie Walewska, Countess Walewska (née Łączyńska; pl, Maria Walewska; 7 December 1786 – 11 December 1817) was a Polish noblewoman and an important figure at the court of Emperor Napoleon I with the role to influence him positively for t ...

(Napoleon's mistress). In "

War Dance A war dance is a dance involving mock combat, usually in reference to tribal warrior societies where such dances were performed as a ritual connected with endemic warfare. Martial arts in various cultures can be performed in dance-like setti ...

", Mainwaring claims to have been very vexed at Mrs Mainwaring and gave her a "good dressing down" when she burnt some sausage rolls. He turns and it is revealed he has a

black eye A periorbital hematoma, commonly called a black eye or a shiner (associated with boxing or stick sports such as hockey), is bruising around the eye commonly due to an injury to the face rather than to the eye. The name refers to the dark-colo ...

. Mainwaring claims he did it on the wardrobe door, but it was obviously done in a domestic dispute. Walker later jokes, asking if Mrs Mainwaring has a rolling pin. ''Dad's Army'' ends with the

still in progress, Mainwaring giving Mrs Fox away when she marries

Corporal Jones Lance Corporal Jack Jones is a fictional Home Guard platoon lance corporal and veteran of the British Empire, first portrayed by Clive Dunn in the BBC television sitcom ''Dad's Army''. His catchphrases are "Don't panic!", "Permission to speak, ...

, because her father is dead. As shown at the start of the first episode, set in 1968, Mainwaring, who was born in 1885, would have been 82 years old then and 60 at the end of the Second World War. In a radio sequel to ''

'', '' It Sticks Out Half a Mile'', which is set in 1948 (three years after the Second World War ended), it is revealed that Mainwaring spent two years

manufacturing Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to ...

cuckoo clocks A cuckoo clock is, typically, a pendulum clock that strikes the hours with a sound like a common cuckoo call and has an automated cuckoo bird that moves with each note. Some move their wings and open and close their beaks while leaning forward ...

in Switzerland. However, the first episode of ''Dad's Army'' shines light on Mainwaring's future: briefly set in the then present-day 1968, it features Mainwaring as guest of honour at the launch of Walmington's "

I'm Backing Britain ''I'm Backing Britain'' was a brief patriotic campaign, which flourished in early 1968 and was aimed at boosting the British economy. The campaign started spontaneously when five Surbiton secretaries volunteered to work an extra half-hour each d ...

" campaign, where he is referred to by Wilson as a

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judic ...

alderman An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members t ...

and chairman of the Rotary Clubs for both Walmington and Eastgate. A series of

Barclays Bank Barclays () is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services. Barclays traces ...

adverts featured George Mainwaring retiring from his position at the bank, to be succeeded by Pike, to whom Mainwaring nevertheless refers as 'stupid boy'. Mainwaring appears in one with his granddaughter on their way to her wedding, notwithstanding the fact that in the closing scene of " Absent Friends", he tells the platoon that his marriage has been childless.

Relationship with Sergeant Wilson

Mainwaring's class pretensions stand in contrast to his Sergeant, who is genuinely upper middle class. Mainwaring is often bitter about Wilson's wealthy upbringing; being raised by a nanny, a father who held a career in " the City", and having attended public school, believing it made him "wet", while his own

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

background is a positive attribute (Mainwaring went to Eastbourne Grammar School and Wilson went to Meadow Bridge public school). Mainwaring is an inverted snob who believes that it is the class system that prevents his promotion to the higher echelons of the Bank. By contrast, Wilson seems to have no social ambitions at all, is down to earth and easy going and seems amused by Mainwaring's hostility. Ironically, when Mainwaring tries to ingratiate himself with local potentates and dignitaries, they often turn out to be far more interested in talking to Wilson – much to Mainwaring's chagrin. This feeds Mainwaring's sense of social inferiority. This comes to a head when in "

" Wilson inherits a courtesy title and becomes ''

The Honourable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' ( American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...

'' Arthur Wilson. Whilst Wilson resented this, Mainwaring became infuriated and did everything in his power to demonstrate that he outranks Wilson, even going to the lengths of telling Wilson when he was allowed to smoke. While believing Wilson to be involved in some kind of orchestrated social conspiracy against him, it transpires that Mainwaring's inverted snobbery goes as far as doing all he can to hold Wilson back from promotion by writing negative reports on him to Head Office – as we discover in " A. Wilson (Manager)". He often rants about how society will be different "after the war", and is often disdainful of the upper classes and their pretensions. In "

Wake Up Walmington "Wake Up Walmington" is the first episode of the ninth and final series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on 2 October 1977. Synopsis When nobody seems to be too concerned about the war, the platoon dress ...

", Mainwaring raves about how after the war, the country will be run by professionals, by people who have worked like him, but does not approve of Hodges being Chief ARP Warden because he is a greengrocer. Mainwaring is generally ill at ease in social situations that require him to communicate with people on an equal social level and this is probably the main reason for his lack of promotion. Mainwaring is

prudish A prude (Old French ''prude'' meaning honourable woman) is a person who is described as (or would describe themselves as) being concerned with decorum or propriety, significantly in excess of normal prevailing standards. They may be perceived as ...

and repressed and can be judgmental about people who do not share his moral outlook. Contrastingly Wilson is portrayed as flirtatious with women and has slightly more bohemian ideas about sexual morality (as he is in a secret relationship with Private Pike's mother). We discover in " When You've Got to Go" that Mrs Mainwaring was the daughter of the (fictional) suffragan Bishop of Clegthorpe and her parents look down on Captain Mainwaring for "marrying beneath her"; which may go some way to explaining Mainwaring's extreme class consciousness and slight prudery. Mainwaring talks up his own social background by claiming that his father was a "Master Tailor" but in " My Brother and I" his brother reveals that he merely owned a

draper Draper was originally a term for a retailer or wholesaler of cloth that was mainly for clothing. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher. History Drapers were an important trade guild during the medieval period, ...

's shop. On occasion Mainwaring has even described some of Wilson's ideas as "Bolshie" (i.e.

Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

), when he says something along the lines of "Let's have none of your Bolshie ideas here!". Despite their various issues with each other, Mainwaring and Wilson do have moments during the series where they reach a sort of understanding, if not actual friendship. In the episode " Boots, Boots, Boots", Mainwaring tells Wilson that he considers him a friend and that he actually admires how Wilson handles the men "quietly and subtly". In the episode " Something Nasty in the Vault", Mainwaring and Wilson bond during their time trapped in the bank's vault while holding an unexploded (and potentially unstable) German bomb that was dropped during an air raid, with Mainwaring even going so far as to scratch Wilson's nose for him when it began to itch and Wilson could not reach it and at the end of the episode "

", a drunken Mainwaring bonds again with Wilson, as they both have been kicked out of their homes by their respective partners that evening and are forced to sleep in Mainwaring's Home Guard office at the church.

Catchphrases

* "You stupid boy!" – his most famous line, to Pike, on average a couple of times an episode. * "Is that you, Jones?" – usually uttered when Jones has donned some outlandish disguise. * "I think you're entering the realms of fantasy there, Jones" – often his response to some of Jones' more fanciful plans or ideas. * "Just testing you Wilson" – often said when Wilson points out an obvious flaw in one of Mainwarings' plans or he corrects one of his factual errors. * "Ah, just waiting to see who'd be the first one to spot that" – whenever a member of the platoon makes a good suggestion that he's missed, or spots an obvious flaw in one of his plans. * "Oh, there's no time for that sort of thing" or "There's not time for all this red tape" – usually to Wilson if his deputy is pointing out that permission ought to be obtained first. * "Hello ... Elizabeth?" – when answering telephone calls from his wife

, in an almost sheepish and low voice. * "Don't be absurd" / "How dare you!" – usually in response to a statement that contradicts Mainwaring's delicate British sensibilities. * "Come away, Wilson" – always in response to one of Hodges' tantrums. * "Let's not have any of that sort of talk here" – whenever a member of the platoon makes a comment even slightly criticising the British or a positive comment about the Germans. * "Good, good- What?!" – When told some bad or distressing news which he, at first, does not recognise or comprehend at once. * "This is war, you know!" / "Don't you know there's a war on?" – spoken to anyone who trivialises an aspect about the war. * "That's a typical shabby Nazi trick!" – whenever he hears of something that the Nazis are formatting against him and his men. * "Oh no, my men wouldn't do a thing like that." – his ''pro forma'' denial of any accusation against his men. * "We're not savages, we're British!" – Mainwaring uses this remark when a member of the Platoon attempts some sort of vandalism or damage to achieve a goal. An example is in "

Menace from the Deep "Menace from the Deep" is the tenth episode of the third series of the British comedy series ''Dad's Army''. It was originally transmitted on Thursday 13 November 1969. Synopsis Marooned on the pier head, the platoon have no food or phone – th ...

" where the Platoon are trapped on a pier overnight with no food. Mainwaring makes the Platoon win the chocolate from a machine fairly when breaking the glass would allow them easy and convenient access to the only nutrition available to them.Webber, Perry, Croft p. 140 * "Stop talking in the ranks!" – said when Mainwaring wants silence.

Tributes

The British sitcom '' Goodnight Sweetheart'' paid tribute to ''Dad's Army'' in episode one of its second series in 1995, "Don't Get Around Much Any More". Here, lead character Gary Sparrow – a time-traveller from the 1990s – goes into a bank in 1941 and meets a bank manager named Mainwaring and his chief clerk named Wilson, both of whom are in the Home Guard. When he hears the names Mainwaring and Wilson, Gary begins singing the ''Dad's Army'' theme song. In June 2010, a statue of Captain Mainwaring by sculptor Sean Hedges-Quinn was erected in the

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

town of

Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , in 2015 had a population of 24, ...

, where most of the TV series ''

'' was filmed. The statue shows Captain Mainwaring sitting upright on a simple bench in Home Guard uniform, with his

swagger stick A swagger stick is a short stick or riding crop usually carried by a uniformed person as a symbol of authority. A swagger stick is shorter than a staff or cane, and is usually made from rattan. Its use derives from the vine staff carried by Rom ...

across his knees. The statue is mounted at the end of a winding brick pathway with a

Union Flag The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...

patterned arrowhead to reflect the opening credits of the TV series and the sculpture has been designed so that one can sit next to Captain Mainwaring and have one's photo taken.

Other portrayals

In 1995, the series 2 episode of '' Goodnight Sweetheart'' entitled ''Don't Get Around Much Anymore'' had a meta reference to the character, whereby the series protagonist, Gary Sparrow, travels back in time to visit a wartime bank and finds that its manager is in fact the "real" Mr Mainwaring (portrayed by Alec Linstead) who, accompanied by his chief clerk Mr Wilson, serves in the Home Guard. In the 2015 Docudrama ''We're Doomed!'', the fictional role of Captain Mainwaring and his actor Arthur Lowe are portrayed by comedian

John Sessions John Marshall (11 January 1953 – 2 November 2020), better known by the stage name John Sessions, was a British actor and comedian. He was known for comedy improvisation in television shows such as ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'', as a panellist o ...

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mainwaring, George Dad's Army characters Fictional British Army officers Fictional military captains Television characters introduced in 1968 Fictional bankers