Britain's Warriors in Waiting; BOOKS

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Byline: Simon Griffith

More than 30 years since the final episode of Dad's Army was broadcast, it remains one of the most popular series on TV and it's not hard to see why. The humour, the situations, the characters; all are quintessentially British, and if it seems a little dated, then so much the better.

The essential aspects of the national character remain the same and it's a tribute to the scriptwriting skills of Jimmy Perry and David Croft that they were able to create so many enduring and endearing archetypes.

Just how close the TV show was to reality is amply demonstrated in Norman Longmate's affectionate tribute to the men who served in the real …