Spike is hospitalised in Italy
In February 1944, Spike was admitted to hospital in Naples
with 'battle fatigue'. He was suffering from a range of
symptoms, including depression, which he described as "just
suddenly black, black doom".
Reg Bennett, a non-commissioned officer in the British
Army in World War Two, first met Spike Milligan when he
was organising a show for the troops in North Africa. Spike
talked Bennett into including his four-piece band in the
show, to "liven it up".
Many months and battles later, they ended up in the same
hospital after both being injured at Monte Cassino in Italy.
Suffering shell-shock when they met again, Spike and Bennett
formed a firm friendship.
"When I went to this rehabilitation centre I was a
complete wreck and it was the blind leading the blind because
Spike wasn’t all that well, but his humour and the
way he looked after me like a father I’ve never forgotten.
He helped me through one of the most difficult periods of
my long life."
Reg Bennett
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Reg Bennett with a portrait of Spike |
