He talked about Bud Flanagan, who sang the Dad’s Army theme tune and was in the Home Guard himself. Captain Mainwaring’s catchphrase, ‘You stupid boy!’, was originally said by the father of the show’s creator, Jimmy Perry, who had also been in the Home Guard.
The Home Guard were originally called Local Defence Volunteers by Anthony Eden. Churchil came up with the more poetic name, the Home Guard.
The early days did have a flavour of Dad’s Army, with new recruits turning up with golf clubs rather than rifles. Trousers were set on fire and false teeth sent flying before, in time, the Home Guard became an effective guerrilla force.
The lunch was kindly sponsored by Hebridean Island Cruises.
