Captain S Melly is sent to a mixed battalion to sort them out and finally install some discipline into them. But when they’re more interested in other kinds of conquests, this will be far from easy.

Yes, there are many absences from the cast with many of the regulars not appearing. But we do get Kenneth Connor as Melly along with Joan Sims representing the regular troupe.

The rest of the cast is comprised of actors who had appeared in the series before (Windsor Davis is excellent, as is Peter Butterworth) and new arrivals in the form of Patrick Mower, Mervyn Hayes and Johnny Briggs (yes, Mike Baldwin!) who are also very good.

There seems to be an undercurrent of all things gay within the humour here. Whether it’s Melly asking Davis to drop his trousers or, in a later scene, asking him to ‘destress’ his buttocks, the film picks up on the armed forces and the fact that it was an environment ripe for gay men. It’s a shame Kenneth Williams wasn’t involved in the film. He tells very funny anecdotes on the same topic.

People seem to diss Carry On England but again, I thought it was thoroughly enjoyable. If I came across this whilst flicking through TV channels, I’d be more than happy.

This may not be one of the most loved films of the series but it showed how there was still fun to be had from the later films.

3.5 out of 5 stars