The platoon is given a heavy naval artillery piece but the town's bandstand, a rare example of Victorian ironwork, stands in its field of fire. The town council insists it must be preserved but Mainwaring reasons that a demonstration of the gun's capabilities will quiet any protests.

Mainwaring announces that a dance will be held to raise morale. He is less than pleased when Pike announces that his date for the evening will be the daughter of Mainwaring's cleaning woman.