Spearhead

Jul 18, 1978

The Royal Wessex Rangers are on tour in Northern Ireland and are determined to catch a bomber working in the area.

Jul 25, 1978

Given a fortnight furlough, the men of the Royal Wessex brag to one another what a great time they're going to have. But the reality is very different.

Aug 1, 1978

The platoon return home under the temporary command of an NCO. One of his men has gone AWOL after beating up a soldier from another platoon during exercises and he has to show his superiors he can handle it in true military fashion.

Aug 8, 1978

Back on duty in Northern Ireland, the Royals frustrated at having to treat the hostile local youth with kid gloves, especially since one among them may be helping a sniper.

Aug 15, 1974

For assaulting a fellow soldier and going AWOL, Adams must now face a court-martial. If he pleads not guilty, as he intends, he will drag some comrades down with him. Can he be persuaded to change his mind?

Aug 22, 1978

A soldier with a rebellious streak and a drinking problem is posted to the Royals for one last chance to prove himself. Shortly after his arrival, the barracks are hit by a spate of thefts.

Aug 29, 1978

With Adams back from military prison and belligerent newcomer Stephens now apparently an accepted part of the squad, Platoon 6 heads off to the Welsh mountains on exercises. But an unreformed Stephens stirs up antagonisms and threatens the team's unity.

Jun 18, 1979

The Royals are posted to West Germany and 6 Platoon have been given a new CO. Meanwhile, Colby schemes to get rid of the troublesome Stevens, who reveals one of the (many) reasons for his rage.

Jun 25, 1979

The strains in Box's marriage lead him to a blunder during tank exercises. His wife is lonely, homesick and harbouring a secret. And Gadd's stag party (he's getting married in the morning) turns rancourous.

Jul 2, 1979

Twiss and Gilbey are both thinking about promotion. Bilinski wants to marry Helga, but she's an escapee from communist East Germany, and Army Intelligence thinks she may be a spy.

Jul 9, 1979

Adams's father visits from England. Tensions are still high between them, but a visit to the museum of Belsen concentration camp has a surprising effect. Stevens, permanently angry and deeply unpopular, receives some devastating news.

Jul 16, 1979

Pickering causes a serious incident on the heavily defended border between East and West Germany, forcing 6 Platoon to weigh up the conflicting demands of humanity, group loyalty, and military discipline.

Jul 23, 1979

6 Platoon are back on active duty in Northern Ireland. During a nighttime surveillance operation, they're ambushed and Twiss goes missing, presumed captured. Enquiries among locals are met with bitter and mutual hostility.

Jul 30, 1981

B Company has been sent to Hong Kong, still for the time being part of the British empire. Gilbey trains new recruits while 6 Platoon has the inglourious task of hunting down and handing back refugees from China.

Aug 6, 1981

Aug 13, 1981

The platoon is still on furlough. Some of the squaddies have been brawling in the local bars and brothels. Mayhoe encounters racism in the army. Adams's father visits the refugee camps for the Vietnamese boat people. Pickering's love life takes a possibly murky step forward. And Bilinski is having an affair with a Chinese woman, unaware that some shady characters are watching him.

Aug 20, 1981

Bilinski's love affair with the lady from Macau has left him open to blackmail by the snakeheads, who want him to join their trafficking racket. When a search party is sent, his interpreter is found murdered but the man himself has disappeared.

Aug 27, 1981

Bilinski is under investigation for possible complicity in people smuggling for the snakeheads in return for dubious favours received. Box is furious: he should have been going home to England, but he has to replace Bilinski in charge of 6 Platoon, itself festering with resentment.

Sep 3, 1981

It's time to go home. There are debts to be paid, treasured possessions to be left behind, goodbyes to be said. And futures to think about. Can a Black man like Mayhoe get promotion in spite of racism in the British army? Will Box's wife let him re-enlist? What of Bilinski, demoted to store duty? Gilbey's retirement plans? For Pickering, there's a final surprise.