The Navy Lark

[Stephen Byers]

Hope this helps id. the eps.:

1st Series Spring 1959

1. 1- 1 29 Mar 1959 The Missing Jeep
2. 1- 2 5 Apr 1959 Operation f*g End (pilot episode)
3. 1- 3 12 Apr 1959 Number One's Chair
4. 1- 4 19 Apr 1959 The Fairground Lights
5. 1- 5 26 Apr 1959 The Comfort Fund
6. 1– 6 3 May 1959 Stuck up the Inlet
7. 1– 7 10 May 1959 The Admiral's Party
8. 1– 8 17 May 1959 The Hank of Heather
9. 1– 9 24 May 1959 The Multiple Mine
10. 1–10 31 May 1959 The Gun Mechanism Test
11. 1-11 7 Jun 1959 The Whittlesea Bay Yacht Regatta
12. 1-12 14 Jun 1959 The Psychology Test
13. 1-13 21 Jun 1959 A Watch on the Initiative
14. 1-14 28 Jun 1959 An Exercise in Filming
15. 1-15 5 Jul 1959 The Smuggling Spy
16. 1-16 12 Jul 1959 The Whittlesea Carnival and Fête

2nd Series Autumn 1959

17. 2- 1 16 Oct 1959 New at the Helm
18. 2- 2 23 Oct 1959 Fatso's Box Brownie
19. 2- 3 30 Oct 1959 Bring Back the Barge
20. 2- 4 6 Nov 1959 The Mock Action
21. 2- 5 13 Nov 1959 Going Dutch
22. 2- 6 20 Nov 1959 The Figurehead
23. 2- 7 Nov 27 1959 Gunboat to Gumba. This is still missing in 2015, but the
script is included in the BBC Audiobooks CD release "The
Navy Lark Series Two Volume 1".
24. 2- 8 4 Dec 1959 Johnson Finds Treasure
25. 2- 9 11 Dec 1959 The Charter Trip to Antarctica
26. 2-10 18 Dec 1959 Cementing Relations
27. 2-11 25 Dec 1959 Strike up the Band
28. 2-12 1 Jan 1960 The Route March. The script is included in "The Navy
Lark Series Two Volume 1." Also on 'The Navy Lark:
The Collection: Series 7'
29. 2-13 8 Jan 1960 A Trip up the Thames
30. 2-14 15 Jan 1960 Radar Talk Down System
31. 2-15 22 Jan 1960 A Crisp Romance
32. 2-16 29 Jan 1960 The Lighthouse Lark
33. 2-17 5 Feb 1960 Pertwee Posted to Portsmouth
34. 2-18 12 Feb 1960 Johnson's Diet
35. 2-19 19 Feb 1960 Tug of War
36. 2-20 26 Feb 1960 Return to Portarneyland. This is still missing in 2015,
but the script is included in the BBC Audiobooks CD
release "The Navy Lark Series Two Volume 2".
37. 2-21 4 Mar 1960 The Cross Country Run
38. 2-22 11 Mar 1960 The Morning After
39. 2-23 18 Mar 1960 The Admiral's Present
40. 2-24 25 Mar 1960 Secret Mission to Calais
41. 2-25 1 Apr 1960 Mr Murray Goes Sick
42. 2-26 8 Apr 1960 The Portarneyland Fishing Limit

3rd Series 1960

43. 3- 1 2 Nov 1960 In Portsmouth for a Re-Fit

xx. Sp-01 5 Nov 1960 Wrens' Reunion at the Royal Festival Hall. Not broadcast.
The team took part in a special appearance on stage at
the Royal Festival Hall in the presence of The Queen
and The Queen Mother in celebration of the WRNS 21st
anniversary. The 20 minute performance was not broadcast,
but a recording survives.

44. 3- 3 9 Nov 1960 Refitting Ebeneezer Pertwee's Tug
45. 3- 4 16 Nov 1960 Sea Trials of the Poppadom
46. 3- 5 23 Nov 1960 Mutiny Aboard Troutbridge
47. 3- 6 30 Nov 1960 The Explosive Biscuits
48. 3- 7 7 Dec 1960 Sir Willoughby Takes Over the Island
49. 3- 8 14 Dec 1960 Mount Rumpus Atoll
50. 3- 9 21 Dec 1960 Mr Murray's Houseboat - the 50th show
51. 3-10 28 Dec 1960 Johnson's Birthday
52. 3-11 4 Jan 1961 Povey's Unexpected Leave
53. 3-12 11 Jan 1961 Families' Day
54. 3-13 18 Jan 1961 Falmouth Ghost Ship
55. 3-14 25 Jan 1961 Onabushkan Flu
56. 3-15 1 Feb 1961 The Efficiency Expert
57. 3-16 8 Feb 1961 The Floggle Grummit Missile
58. 3-17 15 Feb 1961 The Hitch Hiking Counterfeiter
59. 3-18 22 Feb 1961 Commodore Goldstein
60. 3-19 1 Mar 1961 Mr Phillips Has Navigation Tuition
61. 3-20 8 Mar 1961 CPO Pertwee and the Laundry
62. 3-21 15 Mar 1961 The Surprise Wedding. It is included in Navy Lark
Collection: Series 6 Part 2, 4th Series 1961
4th Series 1961
63. 4- 1 15 Sep 1961 Returning from Leave
64. 4- 2 22 Sep 1961 Captain Povey's Spy
65. 4- 3 29 Sep 1961 The Secret of Nessie's Youth. It is included in the
Navy Lark Collection - Series 4, Vol 1
66. 4- 4 6 Oct 1961 The Northampton Hunt Ball
67. 4- 5 13 Oct 1961 Hijacked
68. 4- 6 20 Oct 1961 Admiral Troutbridge
69. 4- 7 27 Oct 1961 Relatives and Reservations
70. 4- 8 3 Nov 1961 Humgrummits on the High Seas
71. 4- 9 10 Nov 1961 Are Captain and Mrs Povey Married?
72. 4-10 17 Nov 1961 Cine Cameras at Sea
73. 4-11 24 Nov 1961 The Citizen Adjustment Course
74. 4-12 1 Dec 1961 A Hole Lieutenant
75. 4-13 8 Dec 1961 Spy Catching in Casablanca
76. 4-14 15 Dec 1961 Mount Pot Erupts
77. 4-15 22 Dec 1961 Captain Povey's Shop
78. 4-16 29 Dec 1961 Leading Seaman Goldstein's Party
79. 4-17 5 Jan 1962 The Invitation
80. 4-18 12 Jan 1962 The Cornish Exercise. Still missing in 2015.
81. 4-19 19 Jan 1962 A Strange Hobby
82. 4-20 26 Jan 1962 Mr Phillips Get Engaged
83. 4-21 2 Feb 1962 The Sinking of the Bubble Car
84. 4-22 9 Feb 1962 Long John Pertwee
85. 4-23 16 Feb 1962 The Admiral's Accident Report
86. 4-24 23 Feb 1962 Over the Sea to Rosyth
87. 4-25 2 Mar 1962 The Return of Sir Frederick Flatley
88. 4-26 9 Mar 1962 The Ship's Concert

Christmas Special 1962

xx. Sp-02 Xmas 1962 Calling The Antarctic. Christmas Special 1962.
Not broadcast in the UK. Released on The Navy Lark:
The Collection: Series 4, Vol 2.

The TV Lark 1963

T01. Opening Night
T02. Advertising Drive
T03. The Party Political Broadcast
T04. Back to Portsmouth
T05. Serial Programming
T06. The African Incident
T07. Yours, or MINE!!!
T08. The Portarneyland Election
T09. [Title?]. This is still missing n 2015.
T10. Back in the Navy

5th Series spring 1963

89. 5- 1 5 Apr 1963 First Day out of Dock
90. 5- 2 12 Apr 1963 The New Barmaid (100th edition)
91. 5- 3 19 Apr 1963 A Deliberate Bashing
92. 5- 4 26 Apr 1963 Whittlesea Regatta
93. 5– 5 3 May 1963 HMS Troutbridge Gets a Rocket
94. 5– 6 10 May 1963 The Ghost Ship

6th Series autumn 1963

95. 6- 1 27 Sep 1963 Wren Chasen Returns
96. 6- 2 4 Oct 1963 On the Carpet
97. 6- 3 11 Oct 1963 The Bungalese Spies
98. 6- 4 18 Oct 1963 Troutbridge's Party
99. 6- 5 25 Oct 1963 Rescuing Admirals
100. 6- 6 1 Nov 1963 Demise of the Depth Charges
101. 6- 7 8 Nov 1963 The Struggle for Promotion
102. 6- 8 15 Nov 1963 Fred Computables
103. 6- 9 22 Nov 1963 Stormy Weather
104. 6-10 29 Nov 1963 Chasing the Kepeac
105. 6-11 6 Dec 1963 The Submerged Island
106. 6-12 13 Dec 1963 The Sicilian Secret Agent
107. 6-13 20 Dec 1963 German's Troutbridge
108. 6-14 27 Dec 1963 Confirming Povey's Rank
109. 6-15 3 Jan 1964 The Calais Dock Strike
110. 6-16 10 Jan 1964 Johnson's Memoirs
111. 6-17 17 Jan 1964 The Emperor of Tratvia
112. 6-18 24 Jan 1964 Open Day
113. 6-19 31 Jan 1964 Stuck on a Sandbank

7th Series 1965

114. 7- 1 11 Jul 1965 Back in the Muck Again
115. 7- 2 18 Jul 1965 Smugglers in the Solent
116. 7- 3 25 Jul 1965 Mr Murray is Victimised
117. 7- 4 1 Aug 1965 The Poveys Move House
118. 7- 5 8 Aug 1965 Captain Povey Reports Sick
119. 7- 6 15 Aug 1965 Admiral Pertwee's Fleet
120. 7- 7 22 Aug 1965 Let Loose with a Chopper
121. 7- 8 29 Aug 1965 Making a Right Pig's Breakfast
122. 7- 9 5 Sep 1965 The Mysterious Pudding Mine
123. 7-10 12 Sep 1965 The Hovercraft Training Course
124. 7-11 19 Sep 1965 Sabotaged Floggle-Toggle Box
125. 7-12 26 Sep 1965 The Portarneyland Training Exercise
126. 7-13 3 Oct 1965 Going on Leave to Croydon

Christmas Special 1965

xxx. Sp-03 Xmas 1965 Hitting the Ice Floe. (Christmas Special.
Not broadcast in the UK. Released on The Navy Lark:
The Collection: Series 7.)

8th Series 1966

127. 8- 1 4 Sep 1966 Searching for Their Ship (aka Where is Troutbridge?)
128. 8- 2 11 Sep 1966 Float a Peddle Fiddle
129. 8- 3 18 Sep 1966 Gumming Up the Works (aka A Sticky Business)
130. 8- 4 25 Sep 1966 Buoys Will Be Buoys
131. 8- 5 2 Oct 1966 Steamship Day
132. 8- 6 9 Oct 1966 Farewell to HMS Varsity
133. 8- 7 16 Oct 1966 Blowing Themselves Up (aka The Army Lark)
134. 8- 8 23 Oct 1966 Buying Tickets (aka Just the Ticket)
135. 8- 9 30 Oct 1966 Mr Phillips Promotion
136. 8-10 6 Nov 1966 Pertwee and the Tratvian Beer
137. 8-11 13 Nov 1966 The PM Papa
138. 8-12 20 Nov 1966 Getting Rid of Pertwee
139. 8-13 27 Nov 1966 Off to Sea at Last

9th Series 1967

140. 9- 1 2 Jul 1967 Back from the Antarctic
141. 9- 2 9 Jul 1967 Fishing in Troubled Waters (aka Fishers off the Faroes)
142. 9- 3 16 Jul 1967 Cleaning Up (aka A Filthy Ferryboat)
143. 9- 4 23 Jul 1967 Doing a Disastrical (aka Jigsaws and Jemmies)
144. 9- 5 30 Jul 1967 The Naval Review (aka Deliberately Abandoned)
145. 9- 6 6 Aug 1967 Going Caravanning (aka The Curious Caravan Case)
146. 9- 7 13 Aug 1967 Having a Bit of Trouble with the French (aka Frenchmen in J.41)
147. 9- 8 20 Aug 1967 Tangling with the Law (aka The Police Drop In)
148. 9- 9 27 Aug 1967 Mr Murray's Endurance Course
149. 9-10 3 Sep 1967 Women in the Wardroom (aka Have Been Redecorating)
150. 9-11 10 Sep 1967 Troutbridge's Silver Jubilee (aka Celebrating Their
Important Anniversary)
151. 9-12 17 Sep 1967 Computerising (aka CECIL the Navigation Computer)
152. 9-13 24 Sep 1967 A Russian Rendezvous
153. 9-14 1 Oct 1967 The Bugged and Burgled Beer
154. 9-15 8 Oct 1967 Picking up the Poppadom
155. 9-16 15 Oct 1967 Cuthbert Joins the Navy
156. 9-17 22 Oct 1967 The Flying Machine
157. 9-18 29 Oct 1967 Sub-Lieutenant Phillips at Dartmouth
156. 9-19 5 Nov 1967 Frying Up
159. 9-20 12 Nov 1967 Troutbridge in Quarantine

10th Series 1968

160. 10- 1 13 Oct 1968 Lighting Up (aka Troutbridge Electrifies Portsmouth)
161. 10- 2 20 Oct 1968 The Redundancy Drive
162. 10- 3 27 Oct 1968 The Smugglers Return
163. 10- 4 3 Nov 1968 Captain Trotter Takes Charge
164. 10- 5 10 Nov 1968 The Anti-Submarine Missile
165. 10- 6 17 Nov 1968 Accredited (aka Sub-Conductor Phillips)
166. 10- 7 24 Nov 1968 The South Kawowan Summit
167. 10- 8 1 Dec 1968 Pertwee's Enlistment Expires
168. 10- 9 8 Dec 1968 Capt. Povey Takes Over
169. 10-10 15 Dec 1968 Sir Willoughby Goes to Kawowa
170. 10-11 22 Dec 1968 The Padre's Birthday
171. 10-12 29 Dec 1968 The Portsmouth Kiosk
172. 10-13 5 Jan 1969 The Radio Beacon
173. 10-14 12 Jan 1969 The Wrong Uniform
174. 10-15 19 Jan 1969 Harold Wilson Reviews the Fleet
175. 10-16 26 Jan 1969 Relief of the Weather Ship
176. 10-17 2 Feb 1969 Bunging Up (aka The Mickey Mouse Toothbrush)
177. 10-18 9 Feb 1969 The Brick Smugglers

11th Series 1969

178. 11- 1 28 Dec 1969 The Squatters
179. 11- 2 4 Jan 1970 Admiral Hunting (aka What is the S.S.E.?)
180. 11- 3 11 Jan 1970 The Promotion Ladder
181. 11- 4 18 Jan 1970 Stranded (aka Captain Povey As Governor Of Forbodia?)
182. 11- 5 25 Jan 1970 Sir Willoughby's Party
183. 11- 6 1 Feb 1970 Fleet Initiative Test
184. 11- 7 8 Feb 1970 C.P.O. Pertwee's Long Service Medal
185. 11- 8 15 Feb 1970 The Phenomenal Pertwee Tug
186. 11- 9 22 Feb 1970 The Security Clampdown
187. 11-10 1 Mar 1970 The Anniversary and the Washing
188. 11-11 8 Mar 1970 The Forbodians Hijack Troutbridge
189. 11-12 15 Mar 1970 Getting Spliced (aka Number One Gets Married)
190. 11-13 22 Mar 1970 The Honeymooners Return
191. 11-14 29 Mar 1970 C.P.O. Pertwee and the Lead Half Crowns
192. 11-15 5 Apr 1970 Dartmouth Naval College Has Had a Narrow Escape
(aka Sub-Lt Phillips to Leave for Dartmouth)
193. 11-16 12 Apr 1970 The Mark 31 Radar

12th Series 1971

194. 12– 1 16 May 1971 The Put-a-Horse-out-to-Graze Fund
195. 12– 2 23 May 1971 Impressions for Survival
196. 12– 3 30 May 1971 The Beard-Growing Race
197. 12- 4 6 Jun 1971 The Mysterious Radio Signals
198. 12- 5 13 Jun 1971 Operation Recovery
199. 12- 6 20 Jun 1971 The Slogan Contest
200. 12- 7 27 Jun 1971 Sir Willoughby at Shanghai
201. 12- 8 4 Jul 1971 Operation Cowes Barge
202. 12- 9 11 Jul 1971 Number One's Anniversary
203. 12-10 18 Jul 1971 The Loch Ness Monster

xxx. 25 Jul 1971 The Forbodian Attaché. No such episode. Some guides
erroneously list one or two other episodes at this
point, but both were repeats which followed on from
the new Season 12 shows. On 25.7.71, Captain Povey As
Governor Of Forbodia / The Forbodian Attaché (S11E04)
was repeated, followed on 1.8.71 by Sir Willoughby's
Party (S11E05).

13th Series 1972

204. 13- 1 26 Mar 1972 The TV Documentary
205. 13- 2 2 Apr 1972 The P.O.W. Escape Exercise
206. 13- 3 9 Apr 1972 Number One's Married Quarters
207. 13- 4 16 Apr 1972 Operating for Profit (aka The Newhaven-Dieppe
Smuggling Run)
208. 13- 5 23 Apr 1972 The Bumble Spit Lighthouse Affair
209. 13- 6 30 Apr 1972 The Tongipouhaha Treasure
210. 13– 7 7 May 1972 The US Navigator Swap
211. 13– 8 14 May 1972 Son of a Sea Lord
212. 13– 9 21 May 1972 Hypnotising Ramona
213. 13–10 28 May 1972 The Master of Sardinia
214. 13-11 4 Jun 1972 Opportunity Knockers
215. 13-12 11 Jun 1972 Friday the 13th
216. 13-13 18 Jun 1972 The New NAAFI

14th Series 1973

217. 14- 1 29 Jul 1973 The Montezuela Revolution
218. 14- 2 5 Aug 1973 The Island Swordfish
219. 14- 3 12 Aug 1973 Bunged in the Brig (aka Bunged in the Rattle)
220. 14- 4 19 Aug 1973 Kidnapped Down Under
221. 14- 5 26 Aug 1973 The Digital Isles Go Unstable
222. 14- 6 2 Sep 1973 Egbert Hitches a Ride
223. 14- 7 9 Sep 1973 Povey an Admiral at Last
224. 14- 8 16 Sep 1973 The Bergan Horse Trials
225. 14- 9 23 Sep 1973 Captain Povey's Wig
226. 14-10 30 Sep 1973 Brain Pill
227. 14-11 7 Oct 1973 Operation Showcase
228. 14-12 14 Oct 1973 Living the High Life (aka CPO Pertwee Yachtmonger)
229. 14-13 21 Oct 1973 The Talpinium Shell

15th Series 1975

230. 15- 1 9 Nov 1975 Sequel to the Talpinium Shell
231. 15- 2 16 Nov 1975 NANA
232. 15- 3 23 Nov 1975 Helen, the New Wren
233. 15- 4 30 Nov 1975 Relief for Station 150
234. 15- 5 7 Dec 1975 Black is Beautiful
235. 15- 6 14 Dec 1975 Sidney and the Stamp
236. 15- 7 21 Dec 1975 Riding to Victory (aka Commander Murray Becomes a
Showjumper)
237. 15- 8 28 Dec 1975 Horrible Horace
238. 15- 9 4 Jan 1976 Officer's and Gent's Lib
239. 15-10 11 Jan 1976 The Case of the HGM Mark 5
240. 15-11 18 Jan 1976 Uncle Wilberforce Pertwee

Special 1977

xxx. Sp-04 16 Jul 1977 The BBC Are Sending The Bill To Buckingham Palace
(Queen's Silver Jubilee Edition)

Special 2008

xxx. Sp-05 17 Apr 2008 Left Hand Down A Bit - With Leslie Phillips.
Cast member Leslie Phillips roams the high seas of
comedy, with a three hour celebration of the
long-running radio favourite. Featuring:
 S01E02 - Operation f*g End (January 1959)
 S01E08 - The Hank of Heather (April 1959)
 S02E16 - The Lighthouse Lark (January 1960)
 S05E03 - A Deliberate Bashing (April 1963)
 S09E18 - Mr. Phillips at Dartmouth (October 1967)

Special 2009

xxx. Sp-06 30 Mar 2009 The Reunion. Sue MacGregor presents the series which
reunites a group of people intimately involved in a
moment of modern history. She brings together some of
the original team behind The Navy Lark, one of the most
popular and longest-running radio sitcoms. Participants
include June Whitfield, Leslie Phillips, George Evans,
Heather Chesen and Tenniel Evans.

[Stephen Byers]

So the missing episodes appear to be:

Navy Lark

23. 2- 7 Nov 27 59 Gunboat to Gumba. This is still missing, but the script is
included in the BBC Audiobooks CD release "The Navy Lark

36. 2-20 Feb 26 60 Return to Portarneyland. "Return to Potarneyland": This is
still missing, but the script is included in the BBC
Audiobooks CD release "The Navy Lark Series Two Volume 2".

81. 4-18 Jan 12 62 The Cornish Exercise << (missing)

207. 12-11 Jul 25 71 The Forbodian Attaché - No such episode. Some guides
erroneously list one or two other episodes at this point,
but both were repeats which followed on from these new
Season 12 shows. On 25.7.71, Captain Povey As Governor Of
Forbodia / The Forbodian Attache (11/4) was repeated,
followed by Sir Willoughby's Party (11/5) on 1.8.71.
[http://missingepisodes.proboards.com/post/27363/quote/3132]

The TV Lark 1963

T09. [Title?] << (missing)


The suggestion to the BBC that Leslie Philips could read and record the scripts of these fell on deaf ears.

[Richard Marple]

That reminds me of some Marx Brothers radio scripts which were reperformed by impressionists, as they were mostly live to air & not recorded.

Eventually some transcription discs turned up.

[roberthammond]

It has just been announced on the Facebook Navy Lark page that the 60th anniversary CD set due out on 7th March will also include the previously 'lost' series 2 episode Return to Potarneyland, first broadcast on 26th February 1960.

[Stephen Byers]

Not so really - it is suspected that the missing episode 'Return to Potarneyland' is just the script that was included on "The Navy Lark Series Two Volume 2".


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Navy_Lark#Episode_guide

[roberthammond]

I contacted Penguin Random House to see if I could get some kind of clarification on this issue, and the reply from the Senior Commissioning Editor is: “I can confirm that Return to Potarneyland is an audio episode” which is great and unexpected news 

[Ed Brown]

Navy Lark - Missing Episodes

s02e07 1959-11-27 Gunboat To Gumba/Goomba
"Gunboat to Goomba" is included in the Series 12 CD box set.

s02e12 1960-01-01 The Route March
"The Route March" is included in the Series 7 CD box set.

s02e14 1960-01-15 Radar Talk-Down System
"The Radar Talk-Down System" is included in the Series 12 CD box set.

s02e20 1960-02-26 Return To Portarneyland
60th Anniversary release: This episode is only included in the download version from Audible, it is *not* on the CD. The download version includes this episode as only a low bitrate mp3 file, not a CD-quality file.

s04e18 1962-01-12 The Cornish Exercise
Remains as the only missing episode.

s12e11 1971-07-25 The Forbodian Attaché
There is no s12e11, this was a misunderstanding (the week after s12e10 aired, an episode from the previous series - s11e04 - was repeated: that repeat was 'Capt Povey as Governor of Forbodia').


TV Lark:

The name of the missing episode is -
s01e09 1963-03-22 The Top Secret Rocket Trials

[Ed Brown]

WARNING - Random House are evidently NOT selling the episode 'Return To Portarneyland'.

It is NOT included on the CDs. It is only available from Audible, as part of their download-only option, and ONLY as a download extra, and in the form of a low bitrate mp3 file.

That makes it, in my opinion, a VERY expensive option.

If you buy the CD-only version, from Random House, you will not get it, nor will you get a refund when you find out. What they didn't tell you is that, yes, it is an audio item, but no, it's not included on the CD, you don't get it unless you buy the download-only option. Which they don't sell. So be sure and check carefully how much EXTRA that option will cost you: i.e. you buy from Random House, but don't get s02e20, so you get to pay the full price again (to Audible).

[Stephen Byers]

Only two eps. missing .... well three really.

NL 83. 4-21 2 Feb 1962 The Sinking of the Bubble Car - only exists as a low bit rate off-air recording.

NL 80. 4-18 12 Jan 1962 The Cornish Exercise.

TVL 09. 1963-03-22 The Top Secret Rocket Trials

However there is also an unknown mini ep. of The Navy Lark on the 60th Anniv. Audible download

The Light Entertainment Show

genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/836521826a5d47a0a143bf4b7510cc27

Dad's Army also has a mini-ep. on this programme - but it is not in circulation.

SB

BTW you can get the 60th Anniv. Audible set for free. Create an account with Audible - you have to provide your debit / credit card no. As a new subscriber you are allowed one free 'purchase.' Choose the 60th Anniv. download option. Then install the Audible Download Manager. Download all files from your 'purchase' - there's about 22 all untitled. You'll also need to download the unencryption key. This will allow you to play the files offline.

[Ed Brown]

I should like to point out that the 60th Anniversary set includes two items, one from 1992 is a genuine mini episode of The Navy Lark, with cast members and a script, but the second is really only an interview, in 1995, with Pertwee and Phillips.

Some comments were made to me about this set having two mini episodes, but the second turned out to be simply an interview with two of the cast talking about the show.

The Dads Army mini episode from 1995, from the same 1995 programme, the last-night at the Paris studios in Regent Street, is in circulation: if you join the Dads Army Appreciation Soc, their library will loan it you on cassette.

Not sure the quality will be up to much, on a dodgy off air cassette, plus you'll have to pay to join the DAAS, but I think you get unrestricted borrowing privileges whilst a member, and their website indicates they have a lot of other Dads Army items in their collection.

I was going to say that I'm not sure you'll get any digital items, but actually I'm almost 100 percent sure - that you won't. Their web pages imply that anything in their library will be on tape, whether audio cassette or videotape.

[Stephen Byers]

Huh - just been beaten by a sniper for a Navy Lark transcription disc. I bid £50 - it went for £51. It was for episodes 80 & 81. I wonder if the '80' was the missing Cornish Exercise episode?

80. 4-1812 Jan 1962 The Cornish Exercise (Missing as of 2019: Now the only missing episode
81. 4-1919 Jan 1962 A Strange Hobby

[richardwoods]

Bad luck

[Ed Brown]

Nov 7, 2019 11:43:46 GMT Stephen Byers said:

Huh - just been beaten by a sniper for a Navy Lark transcription disc. I bid £50 - it went for £51. It was for episodes 80 & 81. I wonder if the '80' was the missing Cornish Exercise episode?

80. 4-18 12 Jan 1962 The Cornish Exercise (Missing as of 2019: Now the only missing episode
81. 4-19 19 Jan 1962 A Strange Hobby

My Transcription Service contact has kindly given me some details about the vinyl disc recordings issued for 'The Navy Lark'.

96 episodes of the show were issued by the Transcription Service. No episodes of Series 4 were ever issued, so there is no possibility that 'The Cornish Exercise' exists in the Transcription Service archives. In point of actual fact, no episodes from Series 3, Series 4 or Series 5 were issued, and only 2 episodes from Series 6.

Don't waste your money bidding on Transcription Discs from doubtful sellers on eBay (telling you how "rare" a disc is, when the episode is readily available on an inexpensive CD release), because the only missing episode, 'The Cornish Exercise', was never issued by TS, so no such TS disc exists.

The Transcription Service disc offered on eBay, reported on this thread, was TS80 and TS81. TS80 is t/x 22.02.1970, s11e09, 'Spy-Catching (a.k.a. The Security Clampdown)'. TS81 is t/x 08.03.1970, s11e11, 'The Forbodians Hijack Troutbridge'. Both of these are on the Series 11 CD:

www.amazon.co.uk/Navy-Lark-Collected-Classic-Archive/dp/1785291750


To clear up any ambiguity, I recently heard very good recordings of 'Sinking of the Bubble Car' and 'Return to Portarneyland'. There is also a circulating rubbish quality recording of 'Bubble Car', certainly. But the only episode that doesn't exist in reasonable quality, now, seems to be 'The Cornish Exercise' from 1962, which simply doesn't exist at all.

Many episodes of 'The TV Lark' do only exist in poor quality, but the only missing episode is 'The Top Secret Rocket Trials' from 1963. The other nine episodes have all aired on Radio 4 Extra.

[Stephen Byers]

As an extension to the above - thanks Ed. great info. - if episodes were never recorded onto t'discs then they wouldn't have been played on overseas radio stations either.

However after the Treasure Hunt some years ago I do recall that eps. of the Navy Lark were introduced as coming from a home-taper in Hing Kong. Apologies were made as to the less than perfect sound.

So could these episodes have been broadcast on the World Service? Graeme Stevenson (ex-Trans Services) tells me that World Service never used t'discs. So they must have aired tapes either on short wave from the UK, or from a local station in HKG itself.

===

Meanwhile - yes, Bubble Car is in circulation - it is very clear at 128kbps. And I didn't even need subtitles to listed to it.

===

Cornish Exercise will turn up, I am sure. Wiki and Genome have details here:

80. 4-18 - 12 Jan 1962 - The Cornish Exercise (Missing as of 2019: Now the only missing episode

genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/451877ee011a45adbf20a5f06a09ffb4

The Navy Lark
Light Programme, 12 January 1962 19.31

A chronicle of events aboard H.M.S. Troutbridge
Leslie Phillips as Sub-Lieut. Phillips,
Stephen Murray as Lieut. Murray, the No. 1,
Jon Pertwee as Chief Petty Officer Pertwee
Captain Povey ........ Richard Caldicot
Heather Heather Chasen
A,B. Johnson/Lieut. Cdr. Stanton: Ronnie Barker
Leading Seaman Goldstein/The Admiral: Tenniel J Evans
Lieut. Bates/Rear Admiral Ironbridge: Michael Bates
Wren Cornwell .......... Judy Cornwell
Written by Lawrie Wyman
Produced by Alastair Scott Johnston
Repeated on Sunday at 2.30 p.m.

Contributors
Unknown: Leslie Phillips
Unknown: Phillips Stephen Murray
Unknown: Jon Pertwee
Unknown: Pertwee Captain Povey.
Unknown: Richard Caldicot
Unknown: Heather Heather Chasen
Unknown: B. Johnson
Unknown: Admiral J Evans
Unknown: Bates Wren Cornwell
Unknown: Judy Cornwell
Written By: Lawrie Wyman
Produced By: Alastair Scott Johnston

===

BTW these are currently available from Genome Explorer and iPlayer

genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/explorer/search/0/10?q=navy+lark

===

TV Lark will also turn up eventually, I guess

T09. 22 Mar 1963 - The Top Secret Rocket Trials (Missing as of 2019)

genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f5f2927a341e4f4ca4a888786d6dc8f3

THE TV LARK
Light Programme, 22 March 1963 20.00

A chronicle of events affecting the production team of Troutbridge Television Ltd.
T-tv with Jon Pertwee , Floor Manager
Stephen Murray , Producer
Leslie Phillips , Director
Written by LAWRIE WYMAN
Produced by ALASTAIR SCOTT JOHNSTON

Contributors
Unknown: Jon Pertwee
Unknown: Stephen Murray
Unknown: Leslie Phillips
Written By: Lawrie Wyman
Produced By: Alastair Scott Johnston
Henry Povey. Deputy Con troller of Programmes: Richard Caldicot
Janet, Production Secretary: Janet Brown
Michael Bates, Design Department: Michael Bates
Fatso Johnson, Camera One: Ronnie Barker
Taffy Goldstein, Camera Two: Tenniel Evans
Announcer: Robin Boyle

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[Stephen Byers]

Additionally 'Return to Portarneyland' was one of the extras on the 60th Anniv. CD. Its quality was only up to 128kbps.

Many downloaded it for free from Audible as part of an intro. offer of 'first download is free' for new subscribers. I think the offer still stands.

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