. ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁bank ▁manager , ▁he ▁is ▁efficient ▁if ▁r uth less ▁and ▁st ing y ; ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁commander ▁he ▁can ▁at ▁first ▁glance ▁be ▁seen ▁as ▁bare ly ▁compet ent , ▁confused ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 4 - hour ▁clock , ▁his ▁plans ▁often ▁resulting ▁in ▁cha os . ▁Main w aring ▁non eth eless ▁managed ▁to ▁pull ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁local ▁shop keep ers ▁" up ▁by ▁their ▁boot stra ps " ▁to ▁become ▁some ▁kind ▁of ▁fighting ▁unit . ▁Main w aring ▁has ▁no ▁combat ▁experience , ▁which ▁causes ▁t ension ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Home ▁Guard , ▁particularly ▁Wilson , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁decor ated ▁Captain ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Art illery ▁( M ons , ▁Gal lip oli ) ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁Main w aring ▁did , ▁however , ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Occ up ation ▁in ▁France , ▁" d uring ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁— ▁somebody ▁had ▁to ▁clear ▁up ▁the ▁mess ." ▁He ▁volunte ered ▁to ▁en list ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁but ▁was ▁rejected ▁with ▁poor ▁eyes ight . ▁( D uring ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁John ▁Le ▁Mes ur ier , ▁who ▁played ▁Wilson , ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁captain ▁while ▁Arthur ▁L owe ▁was ▁a ▁Serge ant ▁Major . ▁L owe ▁tried ▁to ▁en list ▁in ▁the ▁Mer chant ▁Navy ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁but ▁was ▁also ▁rejected ▁with ▁poor ▁eyes ight .) ▁ ▁Despite