War nevers rubs off
"I've always bumped into Spike, it's most extraordinary,"
says Reg. "On a fortnight's leave [from my regiment]
in Amalfi, Spike was there too. He writes about it in his
book actually and he’d never forgotten that evening
up at Revello. Every time I used to see Spike, he used to
say, 'Do you remember that evening up at Revello?' It was
absolutely wonderful. I played the piano and he danced with
this hatstand.
"Spike found the sadness of life very difficult to
cope with. He would joke about these sad things rather than
confront them."
In June 1944, Spike was moved to an officer’s rest
camp south of Naples, where he joined a dance band. From
there, he was posted to the newly formed Central Pool of
Artists (CPA) at Vomera, near Naples, where he met Bill
Hall and formed the Bill Hall Trio. There, he also met Gunner
Harry Secombe.
After the War ended, the CPA changed its name to Combined
Services Entertainment and Spike was offered officer status,
wages and accommodation to continue performing with the
Bill Hall Trio, which he did until 1947 when he met Michael
Bentine and Peter Sellers and they formed, with Secombe,
the team that would become the Goons.
Unlike many of Spike’s colleagues in the entertainment
world, Reg Bennett visited him often when he moved to Rye
with his third wife Shelagh.
"He always treasured the old days. He treasured his
old pals, you know, he kept in touch with them and thoroughly
appreciated them," says Reg.
"To me it appeared that he preferred his old pals
to what I call the theatrical group."
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