Dad's Army
Author: McKay, Sinclair
ISBN: 9780241772324
Publisher: Penguin UK
Year first published: 11 Aug 2026
Pages: 432
Format: Hardback
The remarkable story of the Real P#39;DadP#39;s ArmyP#39;, from the bestselling historian
Plt;pPgt;With the threat of invasion from HitlerP#39;s forces looming large in 1940, men of all ages and backgrounds assembled under the banner of the Home Guard. A voluntary force much later nicknamed P#8216;DadP#8217;s ArmyP#8217;, at its height there were almost two million volunteers prepared to defend every corner of the kingdom, including notable figures like George Orwell, A.A. Milne, and C.S. Lewis. Many women took part too, including in the WomenP#39;s Home Defence Force which formed in 1941.Plt;BRPgt;Plt;BRPgt;Far from the stereotype of charming incompetence, the Home Guard were in fact entirely serious in their approach. Many volunteers had fought in World War One, and radical veterans from the Spanish Civil War taught these men and boys new techniques in lethal guerilla fighting. Chocolate-box village greens were re-imagined as bloody battlefields, with duties including rifle and mortar training, night-time patrols and manning anti-aircraft guns P#8211; all on top of volunteersP#8217; everyday jobs. Yet all of this was underpinned by an essential good humour, with moments of levity and comradery vital in keeping up a much-needed spirit of defiance.Plt;BRPgt;Plt;BRPgt;Plt;iPgt;Sunday Times Plt;/iPgt;bestselling author Sinclair McKay tells the remarkable story of these courageous, highly-trained and often pioneering men and women through original archival research, vivid storytelling and insights into the beloved television comedy which has shaped the national memory of the Home Guard. With its vibrant personalities and high nostalgia factor, P#39;DadP#39;s ArmyP#39; tells this extraordinary story in full colour.Plt;/pPgt;
ISBN: 9780241772324
Publisher: Penguin UK
Year first published: 11 Aug 2026
Pages: 432
Format: Hardback
The remarkable story of the Real P#39;DadP#39;s ArmyP#39;, from the bestselling historian
Plt;pPgt;With the threat of invasion from HitlerP#39;s forces looming large in 1940, men of all ages and backgrounds assembled under the banner of the Home Guard. A voluntary force much later nicknamed P#8216;DadP#8217;s ArmyP#8217;, at its height there were almost two million volunteers prepared to defend every corner of the kingdom, including notable figures like George Orwell, A.A. Milne, and C.S. Lewis. Many women took part too, including in the WomenP#39;s Home Defence Force which formed in 1941.Plt;BRPgt;Plt;BRPgt;Far from the stereotype of charming incompetence, the Home Guard were in fact entirely serious in their approach. Many volunteers had fought in World War One, and radical veterans from the Spanish Civil War taught these men and boys new techniques in lethal guerilla fighting. Chocolate-box village greens were re-imagined as bloody battlefields, with duties including rifle and mortar training, night-time patrols and manning anti-aircraft guns P#8211; all on top of volunteersP#8217; everyday jobs. Yet all of this was underpinned by an essential good humour, with moments of levity and comradery vital in keeping up a much-needed spirit of defiance.Plt;BRPgt;Plt;BRPgt;Plt;iPgt;Sunday Times Plt;/iPgt;bestselling author Sinclair McKay tells the remarkable story of these courageous, highly-trained and often pioneering men and women through original archival research, vivid storytelling and insights into the beloved television comedy which has shaped the national memory of the Home Guard. With its vibrant personalities and high nostalgia factor, P#39;DadP#39;s ArmyP#39; tells this extraordinary story in full colour.Plt;/pPgt;
