Top marks to the makers of the new Dad’s Army film who seem to have got their Second World War history a little muddled up.
Originally set between 1940 and 1941, the British-favourite Dad’s Army television sitcom dealt with the dark humour surrounding an amateur army preparing for an invasion that never came. Strangely, the new film is set in 1944, and states that Britain is on the ‘brink of defeat’ – a remarkable and mystifying misrepresentation of history.
While Britain had suffered a low ebb as Hitler prepared his failed invasion of the islands in 1940, the nation held out, and along with allies from the United States and the Commonwealth launched the invasion of Nazi-held territory in France in 1944. A historical event you may have heard of called D-Day.
The same year, Rome fell to the Allies, after bitter fighting all the way up the Italian peninsula and the Russians routed the Wehrmacht at Leningrad.
It was Germany on the brink of defeat in 1944, not Britain. In fact, invasion of the British Isles was such a remote probability by that stage, the Home Guard was actually stood down that year, having moved from a rifles and barbed wire role months before to assisting with anti-aircraft duties.
It seems a shame to spend so much money on hiring an all-star cast and then failing to put in that little bit of extra effort to stave off a farce.
Notice any other clangers? Let us know in the comments. And no matter how grievous they are, remember: Don’t Panic!
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.