Spearhead (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Spearhead is a British television
series. Produced by Southern Television
and broadcast on the ITV
network, it ran for a total of three series and 19 episodes from 1978 to 1981. It featured the daily lives of a group of soldiers in 'B' Company, 1st Battalion Royal Wessex Rangers, a fictional British Army
infantry regiment. Set during the late 1970s, the series is regarded as an accurate depiction of life during that time for soldiers in the army.
' for even the most able soldiers of working-class origin, like Colour Sergeant Jackson, is shown to be a barrier to achieving advancement from non-commissioned to commissioned officer. Early episodes of the series show the Army in an unfavourable light; two episodes deal with a petty thief who has a gambling habit, and another deals with an enlisted man going AWOL, and Jackson gets him back. Particularly controversial is an episode set in Northern Ireland, where some soldiers are portrayed as advocating a less aggressive campaign against all hostile civilians (including women and children). In addition to dodging bullets and road side explosives thanks to Britain's poor industrial relations at the time some of the other tasks assigned to the army were fire fighting with 1950s equipment and standing in for striking dustmen.
Through the run of the series, the Royal Wessex Rangers were posted to a number of locations, including to Northern Ireland, to West Germany
with British Army of the Rhine
, and as the resident battalion in Hong Kong
.
"Jacko" Jackson (Michael Billington
). In the opening episode, the Royal Wessex Rangers are completing a tour of duty in Northern Ireland
. Jackson is a member of the battalion's recce
platoon
charged with close reconnaissance of Provisional IRA terrorist suspects. When the battalion completes its tour, it returns to the mainland UK. The battalion is based at barracks in Tidworth
, Wiltshire
where it is the British Army's "spearhead" battalion - an infantry battalion kept at short readiness for deployment worldwide. The battalion CO decides that each company in the battalion will have one platoon commanded by a non-commissioned officer
. The OC
of B Company, Major Taylor, accepts the recommendation of his 2ic, Captain Billings, to appoint Jackson as OC of 6 Platoon.
regiment
portrayed in the series. The regiment is portrayed as a standard infantry battalion in the British Army
during the late 1970s. As an ordinary infantry battalion, during the three year run of the show, the regiment is shown in different roles on different postings; to begin with, the battalion is on an operational tour of Northern Ireland
at the height of The Troubles
as light infantry, during which one of the sergeant
s of the battalion's 'B' Company, Sergeant 'Jacko' Jackson (played by Michael Billington
) is chosen to become a platoon
commander, even though he is only an NCO
. Subsequently, the battalion is posted first as a mechanised infantry battalion to West Germany
as part of BAOR, then as a resident light infantry
battalion to Hong Kong
.
The regiment is titled as a regiment of rangers; this distinguishes it from the majority of real infantry regiments in the British Army at the time (the only regiment of rangers at the time was the Royal Irish Rangers
).
As the regiment has the geographical name Wessex
in its name and Exeter
castle on its capbadge, it can be assumed that it is from the west of England
. As such, it may also be assumed that the regiment is part of the Prince of Wales' Division
.
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
series. Produced by Southern Television
Southern Television
Southern Television was the first ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 30 August 1958 until the night of 31 December 1981. The company was launched as Southern Television Limited and the title Southern Television was consistently used on-air throughout its life...
and broadcast on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network, it ran for a total of three series and 19 episodes from 1978 to 1981. It featured the daily lives of a group of soldiers in 'B' Company, 1st Battalion Royal Wessex Rangers, a fictional British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
infantry regiment. Set during the late 1970s, the series is regarded as an accurate depiction of life during that time for soldiers in the army.
Themes
The series is considered to be a fairly accurate representation of life in the British Army during the 1970s, when the army had the task of trying to keep the peace in Northern Ireland and maintained garrisons in Germany and Hong Kong. It shows the inflexible class divisions in the Army of the time. The 'glass ceilingGlass ceiling
In economics, the term glass ceiling refers to "the unseen, yet unbreachable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements." Initially, the metaphor applied to barriers in the careers of women but...
' for even the most able soldiers of working-class origin, like Colour Sergeant Jackson, is shown to be a barrier to achieving advancement from non-commissioned to commissioned officer. Early episodes of the series show the Army in an unfavourable light; two episodes deal with a petty thief who has a gambling habit, and another deals with an enlisted man going AWOL, and Jackson gets him back. Particularly controversial is an episode set in Northern Ireland, where some soldiers are portrayed as advocating a less aggressive campaign against all hostile civilians (including women and children). In addition to dodging bullets and road side explosives thanks to Britain's poor industrial relations at the time some of the other tasks assigned to the army were fire fighting with 1950s equipment and standing in for striking dustmen.
Through the run of the series, the Royal Wessex Rangers were posted to a number of locations, including to Northern Ireland, to West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
with British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
, and as the resident battalion in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Series 1: Spearhead in Ulster
The leading character in the first series is Colour SergeantColour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....
"Jacko" Jackson (Michael Billington
Michael Billington (actor)
Michael Billington was a popular British film and television actor....
). In the opening episode, the Royal Wessex Rangers are completing a tour of duty in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Jackson is a member of the battalion's recce
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
charged with close reconnaissance of Provisional IRA terrorist suspects. When the battalion completes its tour, it returns to the mainland UK. The battalion is based at barracks in Tidworth
Tidworth
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
where it is the British Army's "spearhead" battalion - an infantry battalion kept at short readiness for deployment worldwide. The battalion CO decides that each company in the battalion will have one platoon commanded by a non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. The OC
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
of B Company, Major Taylor, accepts the recommendation of his 2ic, Captain Billings, to appoint Jackson as OC of 6 Platoon.
| Episode # | Original Air Date (UK) | Episode Title | Director | Writer | Cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-01 | 18 July 1978 | Suspect | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Michael Billington Michael Billington (actor) Michael Billington was a popular British film and television actor.... , Stafford Gordon Stafford Gordon Stafford Gordon is a British actor.Gordon has played various character roles in British television series such as Crown Court, Minder, Prime Suspect and The Bill. His longest running role was as Company Sergeant Major Gilby in all three series of Spearhead .-External links:* at LocateTV... , Roy Holder Roy Holder Roy Holder is an English television actor who has appeared in various programmes including Ace of Wands, Z-Cars, Spearhead, the Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani and Sorry! His first notable appearance on the screen was in the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind... |
| 1-02 | 25 July 1978 | Leave | Derek Martinus | Nick McCarty | Michael Billington, Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 1-03 | 1 August 1978 | Leave | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Michael Billington, Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 1-04 | 8 August 1978 | Jackal | Derek Martinus | Nick McCarty | Michael Billington, Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 1-05 | 15 August 1978 | Both Ends Against the Middle | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Michael Billington, Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 1-06 | 22 August 1978 | Thieves in the Night | Derek Martinus | Nick McCarty | Michael Billington, Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 1-07 | 29 August 1978 | Truth Games | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Michael Billington, Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
Series 2: Spearhead in Germany
| Episode # | Original Air Date (UK) | Episode Title | Director | Writer | Cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-01 | 18 June 1979 | New Brooms | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon Stafford Gordon Stafford Gordon is a British actor.Gordon has played various character roles in British television series such as Crown Court, Minder, Prime Suspect and The Bill. His longest running role was as Company Sergeant Major Gilby in all three series of Spearhead .-External links:* at LocateTV... , Roy Holder Roy Holder Roy Holder is an English television actor who has appeared in various programmes including Ace of Wands, Z-Cars, Spearhead, the Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani and Sorry! His first notable appearance on the screen was in the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind... , Robin Davies Robin Davies Robin Davies was a Welsh television and film actor.-Early life:Robert Richard Davies was born in Tywyn, Wales and was educated at Gladstone Park School. He trained to be an actor at the Ada Foster Stage School.... |
| 2-02 | 25 June 1979 | Matrimony | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder, Robin Davies |
| 2-03 | 2 July 1979 | Pressures | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder, Robin Davies |
| 2-04 | 9 July 1979 | Leave Takers | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder, Robin Davies |
| 2-05 | 16 July 1979 | Repercussions | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder, Robin Davies |
| 2-06 | 23 July 1979 | Waiting Games | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder, Robin Davies |
Series 3: Spearhead in Hong Kong
| Episode # | Original Air Date (UK) | Episode Title | Director | Writer | Cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-01 | 30 July 1981 | Night Games | Derek Martinus | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon Stafford Gordon Stafford Gordon is a British actor.Gordon has played various character roles in British television series such as Crown Court, Minder, Prime Suspect and The Bill. His longest running role was as Company Sergeant Major Gilby in all three series of Spearhead .-External links:* at LocateTV... , Roy Holder Roy Holder Roy Holder is an English television actor who has appeared in various programmes including Ace of Wands, Z-Cars, Spearhead, the Doctor Who serial The Caves of Androzani and Sorry! His first notable appearance on the screen was in the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind... |
| 3-02 | 6 August 1981 | Have a Happy Day | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 3-03 | 13 August 1981 | Another Happy Day | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 3-04 | 20 August 1981 | The Macau Connection | Derek Martinus | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 3-05 | 27 August 1981 | Loyalties II | Derek Martinus | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
| 3-06 | 3 September 1981 | Futures | James Ormerod | Nick McCarty | Stafford Gordon, Roy Holder |
Royal Wessex Rangers
The Royal Wessex Rangers is a fictional British infantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
portrayed in the series. The regiment is portrayed as a standard infantry battalion in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the late 1970s. As an ordinary infantry battalion, during the three year run of the show, the regiment is shown in different roles on different postings; to begin with, the battalion is on an operational tour of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
at the height of The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
as light infantry, during which one of the sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
s of the battalion's 'B' Company, Sergeant 'Jacko' Jackson (played by Michael Billington
Michael Billington (actor)
Michael Billington was a popular British film and television actor....
) is chosen to become a platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
commander, even though he is only an NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
. Subsequently, the battalion is posted first as a mechanised infantry battalion to West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
as part of BAOR, then as a resident light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
battalion to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
The regiment is titled as a regiment of rangers; this distinguishes it from the majority of real infantry regiments in the British Army at the time (the only regiment of rangers at the time was the Royal Irish Rangers
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
).
As the regiment has the geographical name Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
in its name and Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
castle on its capbadge, it can be assumed that it is from the west of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. As such, it may also be assumed that the regiment is part of the Prince of Wales' Division
Prince of Wales' Division
The Prince of Wales's Division is a British Army command, training and administrative apparatus designated for all land force units in the West of England and Wales. The Prince of Wales's Division was formed in 1968 with the union of the Mercian Brigade, Welsh Brigade and Wessex Brigade...
.