Comments by "Big Blue" (@bigblue6917) on ""Dad's Army": What Was The Military Career of Lance Corporal Jones?" video.

The amount of detail the BBC and the writers went to for this character is fantastic. The Home Guard Disbanded on the 31 December 1945 but became inactive 3 December 1944. Ironically the German equivalent, the Volksgrenadier, became active in the autumn of 1944. When the Home Guard was made active 14 May 1940 many of the men were WW1 veterans and as such may have had the most combat experience of any British unit. One of the things not depicted in the show was the fact that many WW1 veterans suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and found it very difficult when out on patrol. Despite the newspaper headlines Britain did not issue a formal declaration of war in 1914. I believe the Foreign Office Minister told the press that Britain was at war but there was no formal announcement. Interestingly Private Godfrey who was played by Arnold Ridley was depicted as a WW1 conscientious object whereas the actor suffered so many wounds in combat during WW1, including the Somme, he was discharged on health grounds. He did serve in the Home Guard at Caterham.
3