The BEST episodes of Dad's Army season 3

Every episode of Dad's Army season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Dad's Army season 3!

Introducing the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard, a bunch of hapless old and young men who have kept people all over the world very amused since the 1960s. Writers Jimmy Perry and David Croft made each episode of Dad's Army as funny as the previous one, with an element of humour which has survived decades. It has many of the most memorable catchphrases of any sitcom and due to its public embracing, is one of the most repeated shows in television history. The BBC keeps an episode on queue in case of a fault at Television Centre and it even successfully invaded the big screen with a memorable, well-loved Dad's Army feature film made by Columbia Pictures.

Last Updated: 11/21/2025Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended
Battle School
star
8.35
74 votes

#1 - Battle School

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/18/1969

The platoon travels to a secret location to be trained at a battle school. After a long train journey and a march in which they get hopelessly lost, they arrive late and end up missing two meals and the third is virtually inedible. Starving and tired the platoon tackles the assault course in which they try their best to get back at Mainwaring for getting them lost. The platoon then has to capture the 'enemy's camp' held by Capt. Rodrigues and his men. This task looks impossible but can Mainwaring save the day and win back the respect of his troops? Meanwhile Walker tries to raid the nearby farm to get food for his starving comrades.

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Something Nasty in the Vault
star
7.97
71 votes

#2 - Something Nasty in the Vault

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/9/1969

The bank takes a direct hit during an air raid, but the bomb fails to explode, leaving Mainwaring and Wilson stuck in the vault with it. When the bomb disposal officer leaves to collect the right tools, the platoon members take matters into their own hands.

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Room at the Bottom
star
7.92
64 votes

#3 - Room at the Bottom

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/16/1969

Capt. Mainwaring is found not to have held the King's Commission so he is reduced to the ranks and Sgt. Wilson takes over command of the platoon. After a disastrous war game against the Eastgate Platoon, his men ask the Colonel for him to be reinstated.

Sons of the Sea
star
7.89
64 votes

#4 - Sons of the Sea

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/11/1969

Capt. Mainwaring has the idea of small armed patrols to wreak havoc upon the enemy using a small re-processed boat the bank has acquired. After a practice on the river they get lost in the fog, and thinking they have drifted across the channel and are about to be captured by the Germans, they are in for a shock when they find out where they really are.

The Bullet is Not for Firing
star
7.76
102 votes

#5 - The Bullet is Not for Firing

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/2/1969

When a low-flying German aircraft attacks Warmington-on-Sea, the platoon, under the command of LCpl. Jones, fires at the aircraft and uses up all its ammunition. Mainwaring is furious and orders an investigation.

No Spring for Frazer
star
7.65
34 votes

#6 - No Spring for Frazer

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/4/1969

The search begins for a butterfly spring for a Lewis gun that Frazer has lost whilst cleaning it. The trail leads them through Frazer's workshop to a Funeral Director, to Mr. Bluett's dining room table, to a graveyard. The platoon stops at nothing, committing various crimes including house breaking and grave robbing to get the spring back. But will they find it in time to save Frazer from a court martial?

Menace from the Deep
star
7.58
71 votes

#7 - Menace from the Deep

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/13/1969

The platoon is assigned guard duty on an isolated, disused pier for a week. However, thanks to Pike's poor judgement over how to moor the boat, they end up stranded with no contact with the mainland and no food. Attempts at Morse code only prompt Hodges to pursue the platoon to get them to 'Put that light out!' and he ends up stranded himself. If that wasn't enough, Jones spots a stray mine under the pier, but does Hodges have a solution that'll 'bowl them over'?

War Dance
star
7.44
68 votes

#8 - War Dance

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/6/1969

The platoon holds a dance where Pike is going to announce his engagement to a local girl. Sgt. Wilson tries to get him to change his mind but Pike will not be put off.

The Day the Balloon Went Up
star
7.34
67 votes

#9 - The Day the Balloon Went Up

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/30/1969

The platoon captures a runaway barrage balloon, and while trying to secure it, Capt. Mainwaring is carried aloft.

Big Guns
star
7.32
101 votes

#10 - Big Guns

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/23/1969

The platoon is given a heavy naval artillery piece but the town's bandstand, a rare example of Victorian ironwork, stands in its field of fire. The town council insists it must be preserved but Mainwaring reasons that a demonstration of the gun's capabilities will quiet any protests.

The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones
star
7.13
88 votes

#11 - The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/11/1969

Mainwaring is under orders to be more co-operative with the ARP wardens; a task that's made very difficult by their newly appointed chief. Walker strikes a deal with Jones to make it easier for him to carry rationed goods without being stopped by the police - he is to let the platoon use his butcher's van as a troop carrier and ambulance by day and let Walker use it by night. He bribes Jones with the promise that Jones will receive petrol coupons for it. Unfortunately things don't go entirely to plan...

Man Hunt
star
7.12
65 votes

#12 - Man Hunt

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 11/27/1969

The platoon is told to be on the lookout for any abandoned parachutes so Walker tells Mainwaring that he has found one. They also take on a dog which they use to track an escaped German pilot but accidentally arrest a bird watcher.

The Lion Has Phones
star
7.12
75 votes

#13 - The Lion Has Phones

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/25/1969

Capt Mainwaring teaches the platoon the tactical use of the phone system when a German plane crashes into the towns reservoir. Because Mainwaring and Wilson cannot decide what to do it is left to Walker to come up with a plan to make the Germans surrender

Branded
star
7.09
65 votes

#14 - Branded

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/20/1969

Godfrey asks to leave the platoon because he doesn't want to fight. Mainwaring is furious and the rest of the platoon shuns him until they find out that he was a hero from The Great War. So he rejoins the platoon as a medical orderly.