 Though most of their intake are sent off to fight in the Korean War, he and Percy are made sergeants and spend their days teaching typing.The bane of their life is Sergeant-Major Bradley (David Thewlis), a decorated veteran of World War II who is obsessive about doing things by the book.An ally against Bradley is the orderly Redmond (Pat Shortt), who teaches them the military arts of "skiving" (evading work).