User Reviews

Its C-Flight's second day at R.A.F. Skelton - the conscripts are made to rise at the ungodly hour of five-thirty, and enter a freezing cold washroom. Finding a flick-knife in Smith's pocket, Marsh threatens to put him on a charge. Smith claims it is his razor, and to prove his point shaves with it, resulting in nicks galore. Smith sells the Corporal a packet of lace hankies, which he gives to wife Alice.

Following breakfast, the lads are packed off to Supply Stores to collect their kits. Returning to their quarters, Ken loses his, and frantically searches for it. It has been returned to Supply Stores, but L.A.C. Hodder refuses to hand it back - he is far more interested in girlfriend June.

A furious Marsh demands a new kit for Ken. While Hodder packs one, Marsh finds a lace hankie on the floor, and wrongly assumes Alice is being unfaithful...

A terrific episode, one that gives Marsh a chance to show a little humanity ( he sticks up for Ken when he loses his kit ). Ken's display of concern for Marsh's wellbeing is both believable and touching. The late Clive Hornby, future 'Jack Sugden' of the soap 'Emmerdale', appears as 'L.A.C. Hodder'.

Note the excited reaction of the studio audience when Ken catches sight of the R.A.F. Regiment quarters. Obviously there were one or two ex-R.A.F. conscripts with long memories present. We will see more of the drunken, violent Regiment in future episodes.

Funniest moment - Marsh dispensing Lilley's kit. I cannot do justice to it here, but it is a wonderful scene and rightly earns Tony Selby applause.