Lost Dad's Army Episodes Rediscovered

Source: BBC Ceefax Teletext Service - "Entertainment News", June 1st 2001

Two episodes of "Dad's Army" which had been missing for over 30 years have been unearthed after the BBC launched an appeal to recover archive material.

The two programmes went missing shortly after they were first broadcast in March 1969 but were found in a skip at Elstree studio in the early 1970's. A man working there rescued them and gave them to a friend who saw the BBC's recent appeal for lost episodes.

No date has yet been set for the episodes to be rebroadcast.

"Operation Kilt" and "The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage" have now been transferred from film onto digital format for permanent storage. David Croft, who produced and co-wrote the show with Jimmy Perry said "It's being a long time, but I always knew they would turn up some day."

The BBC has asked for pre - 1980 recordings of shows not in its vaults.

Missing Dad's Army Tapes Report For Duty

Source: ITV Teletext Service - "TV PLUS Entertainment", June 1st 2001

Two episodes of "Dad's Army", missing for more than 30 years, have been unearthed after an appeal by the BBC. The shows, about the misadventures of the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard, went missing after airing in 1969.

An elderly gentleman handed them over after a remarkable journey, including to the bottom of a skip. Co-Writer David Croft said; "It's been a long time, but I knew they would turn up some day."

Contained in 19 film cans, they somehow found their way into a skip at Elstree Studio's in the '70s. A man working there rescued them and stored them at home for many years until his daughter insisted on getting rid of the rusty old cans. He passed them on to a friend who, now in his 80's, returned them to the BBC after reading an appeal.

Dad's Army co-writer David Croft was delighted to hear two missing episodes of the classic comedy have been found. "Dad's Army is still finding new fans among young viewers and I think the public will be as happy as I am if they get a chance to see these two episodes," he said.

The discovery followed an appeal by the Corporation for recordings of pre-1980 shows. BBC's Paul Flander said "This is smashing, people have been looking for the episodes for years."

"Operation Kilt" sees the hapless Home Guard's men take on a highland regiment in Manoeuvres with the aid of a pantomime cow. And in "The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage", these mistakenly think the Germans have invaded.

Despite been found in rusty cans, the material has now been transferred to digital format and safely stored.