ive seen advertised a documentry on spike millagen and how he helped in hitlers down fall it was bbc monday 9pm but not sure if its tv or radio
Hi All I have been reading Spike Milligan`s books about his service during WW2. He and his comrades come across as a group of loonies, the way they joke about and the things they get up too. nothing wrong with that like Just wondered, do you think lots of servicemen would tell the same story, and do you think they acted that way because of the situation they faced? just thought it might be an interesting subject. cheers. Tony.
Did any of you watch the chat on the "WW2TV" YouTube channel about Spike Milligan's books? It's up on YouTube still so you can watch it. Guests include Peter Caddick Adams, Stewart Lee, and Spike's daughter Jane. I've learned some things about Spike I never knew and about the books. Like that he stayed in touch with many of his wartime friends and his battery. I have one of his books in my collection to re-read at some point but now I feel like getting the entire set.
They are very much worth reading. At their best, they are both very funny and very honest. Spike's account of his breakdown under fire in Italy is both terrifying and very sad. The funniest parts are in first volume, when his unit is still mostly playing at soldiers with ancient 9.2" howitzers. Things get progressively more serious and less funny as time passes, and doubtless that was the experience of many British soldiers as the units which had been cooped up at home early in the war finally got into action in the Med and NWE. Spike was hardly the soldier commanders dream of, but he plainly had a sense of pride in his outfit and a strong bond with his fellow gunners. The books are flawed, however, and need to be handled cautiously. Spike has a strong tendency to turn the story into a series of blackout sketches with perfectly recollected dialogue in which he always gets to deliver the punchline. The books are illustrated with a mix of photos and sketches done by Spike. He claims to have done some of the latter on the spot, but unless my eyes deceive me a number of them are actually copied from photos I have seen in published books and on the IWM website. Like so many veterans, Spike liked to embellish.
Thanks for the link Chris, I've just watched it, very interesting. I've only read Spike's 'north Africa' book as I wanted to get a feel for the day-to-day detail of life in the RA, as my dad was also there at the same time. I found Spike's humour incredibly tedious, but picking out the real experiences from the jokes made it worth my while. I must follow up with the Italian book. Its very interesting that they consider Spike was damaged by his WW2 experiences, and probably explains so much about both his subsequent professional and private life.
Looking at SM's sketch map of Stuka Riidge in Feb '43, he seemed to get it about right, the view my Dad and his mates had for a month or so....and I can vouch that from the OP on the ridge looking north, you can just about make out Catford.. or it might actually be Goubellat.
Oh, was his artillery supporting at Stuka Ridge?!? I read a Canadian infantry officer's account of that recently. Will really have to order some books or see if the library has them.
Recently on BBC Radio 4... 28mins audio... BBC Radio 4 - My Dream Dinner Party, John Cleese's Dream Dinner Party John Cleese's Dream Dinner Party Actor, comedian and writer John Cleese hosts a dinner party with a twist - all his guests are from beyond the grave, his heroes brought back to life by the magic of the BBC radio archive. John is joined by writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley, Hollywood actress Bette Davis, comedian and writer Spike Milligan, the film maker and writer Susan Sontag and neurologist Oliver Sacks. While John and his guests wait for the Indian takeaway to arrive, they don't waste any time in discussing past drug experiences, the trauma of war, being a superstar, the threat of technology - and the joy of silliness. Then the comedians Peter Cook and Dudley Moore turn up for a late night brandy. Presented by John Cleese Produced by Sarah Peters and Peregrine Andrews Researcher: Edgar Maddicott Executive Producer: Iain Chambers A Tuning Fork and Open Audio production for BBC Radio 4
Oh and at the end of the discussion Jane Milligan mentioned she and her sisters have taken over charge of Spike's writings etc and they were approached about a reprint of the first of the memoirs and they agreed. I believe she said they hope to re-release them one a year or something like that.
Thanks for posting this Chris. I agree with what most of that panel were saying, particularly about the books appealing to all ages. I read the early ones as a kid as my Dad had them and was a huge Milligan fan ( one of the Goons generation). I used think the Illustrated London News drawings and photographs that he doctored and captioned were the funniest things and can see where Milligan was an influence on Python and the like. I re-read the first four in recent years and cannot believe how sad parts of them are, in particular the last quarter of 'Mussolini- My part in his downfall'. I really need to read the final three. If you are going to get the whole set I believe Penguin published them as one book several years ago. If you are going to buy them individually hunt around for the early black covered hardjackets as the early paperbacks fall apart along the spines. There is a very funny documentary somewhere on youtube that Jane Milligan produced many years ago that is worth watching on Spike's life. He was a quite unique voice. Scott
You're very welcome, Scott! I am not exactly a "second generation" Goon Show fan, but - I'm a fan because my mother's cousin sent us Goon Show records when I was a kid (around 1980 I guess) and that hooked me. You may have seen Goon Show "signatures" on my posts. Of course there were a lot of Goon Show episodes which satirized the military, and of course Major Bloodnok. (Where on earth did that name come from?) It looks like the public library has all the books so I shall request them and read them one at a time.
As for Spike's choice of the galloping Major's name I always thought it was a juncture from Army/medical paperwork; Blood (type) nok (next of kin) hence "Bloodnok". Always tickled me, but please note this is my theory, and my theory alone, and therefore cobblers! Kind regards, always, Jim.
After yesterday's Remembrances the weather turned in the afternoon, lashing it down, dark earlier as a result, and blowing a gale to boot. With this discouraging me form spending anymore time outside I took myself up to the space of the loft and whilst it still being dark I was at least out of the rain and wind, and able to intersperse banging my nut on the rafters with torch dropping, cursing, and rooting through boxes unopened for many a year (yes, I'm easily pleased and it keeps me out of the family's hair). From the same box came these three (amongst others), and I guess they had not seen the light of day (or torch) since the eighties or nineties when they were packed away. Three books, from three decades, all connected in their own way. And for all of us, and volume No.3, thank goodness for the conscientious cabbie, Mr Moy. Kind regards, always, Jim.
