The Day the Balloon Went Up

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8th episode of the 3rd series of Dad's Army

"The Day the Balloon Went Up"

Dad's Army episode

Episode no.

Series 3
Episode 8

Directed by

David Croft

Story by

Jimmy Perry and David Croft

Original air date

30 October 1969 (1969-10-30)

Running time

30 minutes

Episode chronology

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"Big Guns"

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"War Dance"

List of episodes

"The Day the Balloon Went Up" is the eighth episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Thursday 30 October 1969.

Synopsis

A runaway barrage balloon has to be brought down to earth – along with Captain Mainwaring.

Plot

The platoon are parading out in the yard. Mainwaring is appalled by the lack of attention taken in their appearance: Jones is standing with his legs apart, Walker has his pockets stuffed with sugar and sultanas and Godfrey is wearing his cap "like George Formby", a slipper and carrying a walking stick. Mainwaring mentions that he received a message from his Commanding Officer the other day: he came through and did not receive a single salute, and Jones had his hands plunged into his trouser pockets. Jones admits that it was because he forgot his braces and did not want to cause any embarrassment.

Mainwaring decides to dedicate the rest of the parade to practising saluting. However, the Vicar disrupts the practice and informs Mainwaring of some illicit graffiti on the back of his spare harmonium. Mainwaring's men sleep in the tower room when on fire watch, so they are the prime suspects. Mainwaring instantly denies this, so he and Wilson decide to go up to the tower room to see for themselves. When Mainwaring and the Vicar reach the top, Mainwaring decides to bring up Jones' section to compare the handwriting. An exhausted Wilson has only just reached the top before he is asked to go down again and bring up Jones' section.

Leaving Wilson at the bottom of the stairs, each man writes the same word next to the graffiti, much to the Vicar's annoyance. Suddenly, Jones notices something: the Verger passes the window hanging on the cable of a barrage balloon. They all rush downstairs, just as Wilson reaches the top. Before they can pull it down, they notice that its rope is caught around the church tower, so Mainwaring tells Wilson (who has just come down again) to run up to the top and get it free. Since Wilson is too tired, they simply pull it free and manage to get the Verger and the balloon down safely, but they are left hanging onto the ropes for dear life. ARP Warden Hodges arrives and tries to take charge of the situation. He and Mainwaring phone the RAF, but they will not be available until nightfall, leaving the platoon with a dilemma.

It is Walker who suggests taking the balloon to Pinner Woods and tying it to a tree. Jones decides to take his van to prevent it being carried away by the wind. They find a fallen tree just outside the woods. Unfortunately, while Mainwaring is securing one of the ropes, Jones and the platoon release their ropes too soon, and the balloon floats away, taking Mainwaring with it. The platoon, Vicar and the Verger follow it in the van, while Hodges, after his motorbike fails to start, borrows a tricycle from Mr Blewitt, and later, a tandem from a young couple. Jones suggests shooting holes in the balloon to make it descend, but Walker and the others fail to hit it. Meanwhile, the RAF have also spotted the balloon, as well as Mainwaring, whom an air patrol identify as "a little fat round thing" on the end of the rope. Mainwaring gets entangled in haystacks, topiaries and washing lines before the balloon finally comes to rest on a railway bridge. Walker notices a train coming, so they quickly drag Mainwaring and the balloon off the bridge, and Mainwaring collapses as the platoon secure the balloon.

Unfortunately, when an RAF Squadron Leader turns up, Jones orders the platoon to salute, thus releasing the balloon, and starting the chase all over again.

Cast

Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson
Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jones
John Laurie as Private Frazer
James Beck as Private Walker
Arnold Ridley as Private Godfrey
Ian Lavender as Private Pike
Bill Pertwee as ARP Warden Hodges
Frank Williams as The Vicar
Edward Sinclair as The Verger
Nan Braunton as Cissy Godfrey
Jennifer Browne as W.A.A.F. Sergeant
Andrew Carr as Operations Room Officer
Thérèse McMurray as Girl in the Haystack
Kenneth Watson as the RAF squadron leader
Vicki Lane as Girl on the Tandem
Harold Bennett as Mr Blewitt
Jack Haig as Gardener

Notes

The brief clip of the train approaching the railway bridge was taken from The Titfield Thunderbolt. The railway location used was Wendling railway station, which had also been used on Battle School.

External links

Dad's Army

Characters

Episodes

Adaptations & spinoffs

Merchandise

Other articles

Episodes
Series 1	"The Man and the Hour" "Museum Piece" "Command Decision" "The Enemy Within the Gates" "The Showing Up of Corporal Jones" "Shooting Pains"
Series 2	"Operation Kilt" "The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage" "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker"†‡ "Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret" "A Stripe for Frazer"†‡ "Under Fire"†‡
Series 3	"The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones" "Battle School" "The Lion Has 'Phones" "The Bullet Is Not for Firing" "Something Nasty in the Vault" "Room at the Bottom" "Big Guns" "The Day the Balloon Went Up" "War Dance" "Menace from the Deep" "Branded" "Man Hunt" "No Spring for Frazer" "Sons of the Sea"
Series 4	"The Big Parade" "Don't Forget the Diver" "Boots, Boots, Boots" "Sgt – Save My Boy!" "Don't Fence Me In" "Absent Friends" "Put That Light Out!" "The Two and a Half Feathers" "Mum's Army" "The Test" "A. Wilson (Manager)?" "Uninvited Guests" "Fallen Idol"
Series 5	"Asleep in the Deep" "Keep Young and Beautiful" "A Soldier's Farewell" "Getting the Bird" "The Desperate Drive of Corporal Jones" "If the Cap Fits..." "The King Was in His Counting House" "All is Safely Gathered In" "When Did You Last See Your Money?" "Brain Versus Brawn" "A Brush with the Law" "Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel" "Time on My Hands"
Series 6	"The Deadly Attachment" "My British Buddy" "The Royal Train" "We Know Our Onions" "The Honourable Man" "Things that Go Bump in the Night" "The Recruit"
Series 7	"Everybody's Trucking" "A Man of Action" "Gorilla Warfare" "The Godiva Affair" "The Captain's Car" "Turkey Dinner"
Series 8	"Ring Dem Bells" "When You've Got to Go" "Is There Honey Still for Tea?" "Come In, Your Time Is Up" "High Finance" "The Face on the Poster"
Series 9	"Wake Up Walmington" "The Making of Private Pike" "Knights of Madness" "The Miser's Hoard" "Number Engaged" "Never Too Old"
000!!Specials	"Santa on Patrol"† "Resisting the Aggressor Down the Ages" "Cornish Floral Dance"† "Battle of the Giants!" "Broadcast to the Empire" "My Brother and I" "The Love of Three Oranges"
† Missing episode has been reconstructed using animation. ‡ Missing episode has been recreated with new cast

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