Where the first volume of Milligan’s memoirs gave us a unique set of ingredients – wisecracks, vivid descriptions, Spike’s introduction to life in the service and the madcap antics of a troop in training – then the second volume is a little more sombre. Or as sombre as a Milligan can be, anyway. We follow his exploits, day and night, as a hard-working gunner, fighting his way – not always him though, not personally – across to Tunis. With regular guest appearances from Hitler, Churchill and Mussolini (in exclusive conversation with Gunner Milligan, you understand), we see how Spike gets used to the desert, avoids getting killed (and work) as a priority, and generally comes to understand this might not be over by Thursday. Funny, vivid, vulgar in equal measure, with a hefty dose of reality as to life and living on the front line. This is volume two, so pace yourself. There’s a lot more to come…
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