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  • Published: 4 February 2016
  • ISBN: 9780241973202
  • Imprint: Penguin Audio
  • Format: Audio Download
  • RRP: $19.99

Mussolini

His Part in My Downfall




Reissued for the first time since publication, Volume Four of Spike Milligan's outrageous, hilarious, legendary War Memoirs

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall, written and read by Spike Milligan.

A voice is calling across the land, "Bombardier Milligan.""Bombadier Milligan is dead," I replied in a disguised voice.The voice replied, "Then he's going to miss his breakfast."

The fourth volume of Spike Milligan's legendary account of his time in the army during World War Two begins as he and his regiment land in sunny Italy in 1943 ('The ship touched the beach very gently, so gently I suspect it's not insured'). After a bout of Sandfly Fever, from which he soon recovers ('I'm ready to be killed again'), our plucky hero is piddled on by a farm dog ('Mussolini's revenge?') before forging his way inland towards the enemy and the sound of guns ('We're getting near civilisation'), where matters suddenly take a dark turn ('I was not really me any more') ...

  • Published: 4 February 2016
  • ISBN: 9780241973202
  • Imprint: Penguin Audio
  • Format: Audio Download
  • RRP: $19.99

About the author

Spike Milligan

Spike Milligan (1918–2002) was a famous British comedian, poet, writer and musician. His wild imagination and madcap humour had a timeless appeal that continues to delight audiences of all ages to this day.
Spike (Terence Alan) was born to British parents in India, where his father, an army captain, was stationed in Poona (Pune). The family lived in India and Rangoon (Yangon) before returning to Britain when Spike was twelve.
When the Second World War (as Spike called it, the Adolf Hitler Show) began, he enlisted and served in the 56th Heavy Regiment as a signaller. During his time in the army he joined the Bill Hall Trio and performed for the troops.
He is perhaps best known for creating, writing and performing the popular 1950s BBC Radio show The Goon Show. He has written several story books and poetry for children. His novels include Puckoon, and he produced seven volumes of war memoirs.
Badjelly the Witch, which Spike wrote for his daughter Jane, was first published in 1973. It was performed on BBC radio in England, and later on Radio New Zealand’s Sunday morning children’s programme.
Spike was awarded an honorary knighthood and CBE for his services to entertainment, and also the British Comedy Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award. A BBC poll voted him as the ‘funniest person of the last 1000 years’. His poem ‘On the Ning Nang Nong’ was voted Britain’s funniest poem.
Spike died at the age of 83 and his tombstone inscription – ‘I told you I was ill’ – ensures that he will forever be remembered first and foremost as a comic genius.

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