This is the first of a phenomenon. Like many of the early outings, it centres on an occupation at the heart of British life and is, therefore, closer to Ealing whimsy than the raucous fun of the later Carry Ons. William Hartnell (who became a household name as the first Doctor Who) stars as the sergeant determined to make soldiers out of his final batch of national service conscripts. Alongside Bob Monkhouse, a handful of regulars are on duty, with the splendid Kenneth Connor as a weedy hypochondriac, Kenneth Williams as (inevitably) a smarmy know-it-all, Hattie Jacques as a no-nonsense medico and Charles Hawtrey as the wonderfully named Private Golightly.

Sergeant Grimshawe wants to retire in the flush of success by winning the Star Squad prize with his very last platoon of newly called-up National Servicemen. But a motley bunch they turn out to be, and it's up to Grimshawe to put the no-hopers through their paces.