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Well - what can I say. I don't really know where to start. The funniest man in the world has gone. The lovely Spike Milligan has died. It will be in all the worlds' press by the time you get to read this little homage of mine, but I hope you will indulge me. The Sussex branch, to which I have the pleasure to be the leader of, has long had warm connections with Spike & Shelagh. Indeed, they both turned up one night at our meeting place, The Jolly Tanners in Staplefield near Handcross in Sussex, and spent a happy evening drinking and eating with the lads. On a personal level, it had long been my ambition to actually meet Spike face-to-face and when the TV company making Sir Harry's Highway programme invited a few of us for the day it was a dream come true. I muttered my immortal line (having been rendered dumbstruck in Spike's presence) "I've got all your books" as he signed my copy of Puckoon - "So have I…." he said with a smile. You can see some photo's on my Tribute to Sir Harry page link, which really could be called a Tribute to Harry, Spike and Michael as it shows all three goons together for the first time in 14 years. A truly historic occasion.
Spike telephoned me at home one afternoon and after I had picked myself up off the floor (in complete shock I might add) chatted away for several minutes about my book "Goontime in Sussex" which commemorated ten years of Sussex goonery. He apologised for not coming to the great unveiling but his health wasn't all that good, but we should have a drink on him anyway. (Guess who paid)
I met Spike on several occasions after that and each time I just shook his hand and said thanks. He didn't take kindly to people continually asking for his autograph so I never bothered him like that again. Being born in 1953 meant I never really knew the goon show on radio, but in my childhood years I knew two things which made me laugh so much I cried. They were The Marx Brothers and some man called Spike Milligan. It was the only time I was allowed to stay-up late on a Sunday night (because of school the next morning) "Spike Milligan's on" my mother used to say and I'd run down-stairs to watch this madman on the tele and laugh my socks off. Later his war-years books gave me the truest understanding of what my own father must have gone through in those dark years. But then again, even they made me laugh…
I will miss him. Spike Milligan 1912 - 2002
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