It Ain't Half Hot Mum to Bombardier after Solly is demobbed and sent back to Britain. The soldiers are under the orders of Battery Sergeant Major "Shut Up" Williams, a belligerent Welshman who has spent almost all of his life as a professional soldier. In turn, Williams reports to the two officers in charge of the Concert Party: Captain Ashwood and Lieutenant-Colonel Reynolds. Both Ashwood and Reynolds are characterised as coming from upper-class backgrounds. Ashwood, the younger officer, is rather stupid and slightly excitable, while Reynolds is older and more worldly-wise and sensible. While often bemoaning the rough conditions of Army life, both Ashwood and
It Ain't Half Hot Mum file to that of Williams so that the Sergeant Major will have 'proof' that Parkins is his son. Consequently, Williams becomes very selective about Parkins' achievement – praising him when he does something right and ignoring when Parkins makes huge blunders. For instance Parkins is appointed as Battery Clerk – since he has no exploitable talent for the concert party – and, having misunderstood an order from the Sergeant-Major, proceeds to have the Officer's Mess demolished. (Sergeant-Major Williams had told him to "remove the mess by the Officers' lines", referring to a pile of old beds that were to be