CHAPTER TITLES FROM THE BIGGLES BOOKS

 

I have done an analysis of the chapter titles from the Biggles books.

I typed EVERY Biggles book chapter title into a spread sheet (don’t ask!).

I could then see which ones had been previously used and where.

I could also then search for “key words” and come up with some interesting information.

 

What do I mean by “every Biggles book chapter title”?  I mean every single chapter title from every FIRST EDITION Biggles book and EXCLUDING all reprints.  So that means including all the original chapter titles from the Boy’s Friend Library versions of ‘Biggles Learns to Fly’ (24 chapters) and ‘Biggles in France’ (25 chapters, incidentally, the highest number of chapters in any Biggles book) and not including ‘Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter’ and “Biggles of 266’ which are reprints.  I included the solitary Biggles story from ‘Comrades in Arms’ (“Thunder over Germany” – which is a unique chapter title).  I did not include any “preface” to a book.  I included all the stories from “Biggles – Air Ace” as separate chapter titles and also the four named chapter titles from “Biggles Does Some Homework”.

To my astonishment, the figure came to exactly 1500!   W.E. Johns wrote EXACTLY 1500 chapter titles for the Biggles books!

I wanted to know how many were unique and how many were repeated.  If you want to know as well ……..  this is where you can find out ……

 

There are 1323 different and unique chapter titles

 

177 were “duplicate” chapter titles – this is only 11.80%

 

There are some very similar sounding “unique” titles.  For example, “Back to the Wall” is the title of chapter 11 of  BIGGLES & Co., whereas “BackS to the Wall” (with an ‘S’ on the end of the word “back”) is the title of chapter 20 of BIGGLES GOES TO WAR but neither of those chapter titles appear in any other Biggles book written by W. E. Johns.  Both are therefore unique chapter titles.

 

What is the most common chapter title?

 

“TRAPPED”. It appears in 10 Biggles books

 

•     The Cruise of the Condor – Chapter 12

•     Biggles – Air Commodore – Chapter 15

•     Biggles Flies South – Chapter 10

•     Biggles Flies North – Chapter 18

•     Biggles in the South Seas – Chapter 15

•     Biggles Defies the Swastika – Chapter 14

•     Biggles Forms a Syndicate – Chapter 6

•     Biggles and the Missing Millionaire – Chapter 9

•     Biggles Takes it Rough – Chapter 8

•     Biggles and the Noble Lord – Chapter 10

 

What were the first Biggles books to duplicate previous chapter titles?

 

Well, W. E. Johns started early.  BIGGLES FLIES AGAIN – chapter 13 was called “The Last Show” and this was a repeat of the title of chapter 17 of THE CAMELS ARE COMING.  THE BLACK PERIL – chapter 13 was called “Fog” and this was a repeat of the title of chapter 15 of THE CAMELS ARE COMING.  In BIGGLES LEARNS TO FLY (BFL) - chapter 12 was “The Decoy”.  This was the same title as chapter 10 of THE CAMELS ARE COMING.  In BIGGLES HITS THE TRAIL – chapter 6 was “Marooned” – This was the same title as chapter 13 of THE CRUISE OF THE CONDOR.  BIGGLES HITS THE TRAIL – chapter 11 was “Council of War” – This was the same as chapter 6 of THE BLACK PERIL.  BIGGLES FLIES EAST – chapter 8 was “Forced Down” – and this was the same as chapter 1 of THE BLACK PERIL.  BIGGLES FLIES EAST – chapter 22 was “Biggles Explains” – This was the same as chapter 15 of THE BLACK PERIL.  BIGGLES & CO. – chapter 5 was “What Happened to Algy?” – This was the same as chapter 11 of THE BLACK PERIL.

 

It’s not until the 12th Biggles book that we find the chapter title “Trapped” being repeated.  “Trapped” was originally used as the title for chapter 12 of THE CRUISE OF THE CONDOR.  It was then used as the title of chapter 15 of BIGGLES – AIR COMMODORE.

 

By the time we have got to the end of BIGGLES GOES TO WAR, W. E. Johns had invented 250 different chapter titles and he had only repeated 9 of those chapter titles.  That’s 241 ORIGINAL chapter titles.  Obviously as he wrote more and more books, it was harder and harder not to repeat the chapter titles of the previous books!

 

That said, even as late as 1967, when BIGGLES SORTS IT OUT was published, that book has 17 chapters all with unique chapter names!  They repeat no other chapter titles that have ever gone before in the Biggles books.

 

 

“WHAT HAPPENED TO ALGY?”


This was used as a chapter title 4 times – in THE BLACK PERIL, BIGGLES & CO., BIGGLES FLIES SOUTH and BIGGLES IN THE BALTIC

 

There were then a further 23 chapter titles that referred to Algy.

 

•     Algy Gets a Shock

•     Algy’s Antelope Hunt

•     Algy to the Rescue

•     Algy Explores

•     How Algy ditched the Gosling

•     Algy Meets a Friend and an Enemy

•     Algy Takes a Hand

•     Algy Carries On

•     The Coming of Algy

•     Algy Learns the Answers

•     No Rest for Algy

•     Algy and the Dragon

•     Algy Makes a Wager

•     Algy Spoils Some Breakfasts

•     Hard Going for Algy

•     Algy Speaks His Mind

•     Problems for Algy

•     Algy Meets Trouble

•     An Anxious Day for Algy

•     Where is Algy

•     Algy Explains

•     Worry for Algy

•     Algy Reports

 

 

“WHAT HAPPENED TO GINGER?”

 

This was used as a chapter title 4 times – in HITS THE TRAIL, SOUTH SEAS, SWEEPS THE DESERT and BREAKS THE SILENCE

 

•     “Ginger Goes Alone” is used 4 times – SPAIN, GETS HIS MEN, IN THE BLUE and COMBINED OPERATION

•     “Ginger Takes a Walk” is used 3 times – DELIVERS THE GOODS, SERGEANT BIGGLESWORTH and LEOPARDS OF ZINN

•     “Ginger Gets a Shock” is used twice – BIGGLES & CO. and DELIVERS THE GOODS

•     “Ginger Goes Back” is used twice – SECRET AGENT and BORNEO

•     “Ginger Has a Fright” is used twice – SOUTH SEAS and LOST SOVEREIGNS

 

That’s 17 “Ginger” chapter titles ………… but there are then another 43 chapter titles that refer to Ginger to add to that total.

 

•     Ginger Takes a Hand

•     Ginger Strikes

•     Ginger’s Night Out

•     Ginger Comes Home

•     Ginger Takes the War-Path

•     Ginger Gets a Prisoner and a Shock

•     Ginger Goes Scouting

•     Ginger Acts

•     More Shocks for Ginger

•     Ginger Goes Exploring

•     Ginger Makes a Discovery

•     Ginger Loses His Temper

•     Dusky Tells His Story and Ginger Learns a Lesson

•     Ginger Gets Some Shocks

•     Ginger Starts Something

•     Ginger Climbs a Tree

•     Ginger Climbs Down

•     Ginger Runs Away

•     Ginger Falls Out

•     Ginger Brings News

•     Ginger Wins an Argument

•     Ginger Goes Ashore

•     Tough Going for Ginger

•     Ginger Takes a Turn

•     Up to Ginger

•     Bad Luck for Ginger

•     Ginger Takes a Chance

•     Ginger Drops In

•     Ginger on a Spot

•     Ginger’s Dilemma

•     Shocks for Ginger

•     Troubles for Ginger

•     Ginger Takes Charge

•     Ginger Finds a Scent

•     Ginger Sets Off

•     No Fun for Ginger

•     Ginger Reports

•     Ginger Goes to Somerset

•     Where is Ginger?

•     Tough Going for Ginger

•     Ginger Gets a Fright

•     A Message from Ginger

•     Why Ginger was Late

 

 

“WHAT HAPPENED TO BERTIE?”

 

•     This title is used three times – PLANE THAT DISAPPEARED, SCORES A BULL and DARK INTRUDER

•     but there is also a chapter called “What Happened to Bertie (continued)” in SCORES A BULL that follows on from “What Happened to Bertie”!

 

There are then are a further 21 chapter titles that refer to Bertie:-

 

•     Bertie Picks the Lock

•     Bertie Meets a Friend

•     Bertie Picks a Lemon

•     Bertie Flies Alone

•     Bertie Takes a Turn

•     Bertie Gets a Fright

•     Bertie Takes a Job

•     Bertie Has Some Fun

•     Bertie Gets Busy

•     Bertie Climbs a Tree

•     Bertie Takes a Hand

•     Bertie Has a Brainwave

•     Bertie Gets His Way

•     Bertie Goes Ashore

•     Bertie Makes a Blunder

•     Bertie Gets Tough

•     Bertie Takes a Chance

•     Bertie Brings News

•     Bertie Takes a Walk

•     Problems for Bertie

•     What Became of Bertie?

 

 

“WHAT HAPPENED TO BIGGLES”

 

Below is a list of the most common chapter titles referring to Biggles.

 

•     “Biggles Makes a Call” – 5 chapters – ORIENT, ANOTHER JOB, MEXICO, BLUE MOON and LITTLE GREEN GOD

•     “Biggles Explains” – 4 chapters – BLACK PERIL, FLIES EAST, GOES ALONE and SETS A TRAP

•     “What Happened to Biggles?” – 3 chapters – FLIES WEST, IN THE BALTIC and BLUE MOON

•     “Biggles Speaks His Mind” – 3 chapters – TAKES A HOLIDAY, PLOT THAT FAILED and PENITENT THIEF

•     “A Shock for Biggles” – 3 chapters – BREAKS THE SILENCE, TAKES A HAND, DARK INTRUDER

•     “Biggles Takes a Chance” – 3 chapters – FOLLOWS ON, MAKES ENDS MEET and LITTLE GREEN GOD

•     “Biggles Gets Tough” – 3 chapters – MAKES ENDS MEET, SPECIAL CASE and UNDERWORLD

 

•     “Biggles Gets a Shock” – 2 chapters – CRUISE OF THE CONDOR and FLIES EAST

•     “Biggles Gets Busy” – 2 chapters – FLIES EAST and MYSTERY ISLAND

•     “Biggles Has Visitors” – 2 chapters – GOES TO WAR and BREAKS THE SILENCE

•     “Biggles Meets an Old Friend” – 2 chapters – SOUTH SEAS and IN THE JUNGLE

•     “Biggles Takes Over” – 2 chapters – FAILS TO RETURN and SPITFIRE PARADE

•     “Biggles Investigates” – 2 chapters – ORIENT and BIGGLES INVESTIGATES

•     “Biggles Asks Some Questions” – 2 chapters – SECOND CASE and LITTLE GREEN GOD

•     “Biggles Takes a Turn” – 2 chapters – HUNTS BIG GAME and WORKS IT OUT

•     “Biggles Plays for Time” – 2 chapters – BREAKS THE SILENCE and GETS HIS MEN

•     “Biggles Decides” – 2 chapters – MYSTERY ISLAND and LEOPARDS OF ZINN

•     “Biggles Arrives” – 2 chapters – GOES HOME and IN THE TERAI

•     “Biggles Makes a Plan” – 2 chapters – TAKES IT ROUGH and BLUE MOON

•     “Biggles is Worried” – 2 chapters – BLACK MASK and IN THE TERAI

 

Then in addition to those 50 chapter titles there were 101 other Biggles chapter titles!

 

•     Biggles Finds His Feet

•     Biggles’ Day Off

•     Biggles’ Special Mission

•     Biggles Declares War

•     Biggles Disappears

•     Biggles Flies a Bomber

•     Biggles Gets a Bull

•     Biggles’ Bombshell

•     Biggles Gets the Bird

•     Biggles Tells the Story

•     Biggles Sums Up

•     Biggles Speaks

•     Biggles Makes a Proposition

•     Biggles Makes Some Suggestions

•     Biggles Wins Through

•     Biggles Strikes

•     Biggles Gets a Letter

•     Biggles Goes to Prenzel

•     Biggles Strikes Back

•     Biggles Takes a Trip

•     Biggles Comes Back

•     Biggles Makes a Capture

•     Biggles Strikes Again

•     Biggles Takes His Turn

•     Biggles Hears the News

•     Where is Biggles?

•     Biggles Briefs Himself

•     Biggles Makes a Wager

•     Biggles Plays Fox

•     Biggles Sums Up

•     Biggles Makes a Reconnaissance

•     Shocks for Biggles

•     Biggles Follows On

•     Biggles Takes to Water

•     Biggles Offers Terms

•     Biggles States the Case

•     Biggles Takes Charge

•     Biggles Turns the Tide

•     Biggles Calls the Tune

•     Biggles Takes a Ride

•     Enter Biggles

•     Biggles Hits Back

•     Biggles Has Something to Say

•     Biggles Baits the Trap

•     Biggles Makes His Plans

•     Biggles is Surprised

•     Biggles Then and Now

•     Bad Luck for Biggles

•     Leave it to Bigglesworth

•     Biggles and the Pirate Treasure

•     Biggles Buys a Watch

•     Biggles Nets a Fish

•     Biggles Startles the Chief

•     Biggles Chinese Puzzle

•     Biggles Answers Some Questions

•     Biggles Goes Alone

•     Biggles Turns the Trick

•     Biggles Has Doubts

•     Biggles Walks In

•     Biggles Works Overtime

•     Biggles Makes a Bet

•     Biggles Lays a Ghost

•     Biggles Changes His Mind

•     Biggles Makes His Plan

•     Biggles Makes a Deal

•     Biggles Sees Daylight

•     What Biggles was Doing

•     Biggles Gives Advice

•     Biggles Goes Hunting

•     Biggles Cooks Some Dirt

•     Biggles Makes a Suggestion

•     Biggles Sits Back

•     Biggles Makes Plans

•     Biggles Has a Fright

•     Biggles Has a Visitor

•     Biggles Plans Action

•     Biggles Learns Something

•     Biggles Understands

•     Biggles Remembers

•     Biggles Cracks a Nut

•     Biggles Picks Up a Club

•     Biggles Makes Plans and a Trip

•     Biggles is Puzzled

•     Biggles Does Some Thinking

•     Biggles Show How

•     Biggles Makes Some Calls

•     Biggles Has a Problem

•     Biggles Faces the Music

•     Biggles Plays the Last Card

•     Biggles is Not Impressed

•     Biggles Makes a Decision

•     Biggles Learns the Facts

•     Biggles Makes Some Inquiries

•     Biggles Shows His Hand

•     Biggles Xmas Box

•     Biggles Christmas Tree

•     Biggles and the Joker

•     Biggles Night Out

•     Biggles on the Spot

•     Biggles Exciting Night

•     Biggles Takes the Bait

 

We can now look at the statistics relating to the above information.

 

•     1500 chapter titles

•     27 featured Algy

•     60 featured Ginger

•     25 featured Bertie

•     151 featured Biggles

•      

•     That’s a total of 263 chapter titles featuring our heroes …..

•      

•     So there is a reference to a hero character in 17.53% of all chapter titles!

 

 

How many chapter titles refer to “Von Stalhein”?   The answer is 9

 

•     Enter Von Stalhein (Secret Agent – Chapter  8)

•     Von Stalhein Plays a Trump Card (Secret Agent – Chapter 10)

•     Von Stalhein Again (Baltic – Chapter 14)

•     Von Stalhein Again (Sees it Through – Chapter 13)

•     Von Stalhein is Annoyed (Follows On – Chapter 14)

•     Von Stalhein Comes Back (No Rest – Chapter 14)

•     Von Stalhein Says His Piece (Buries a Hatchet – Chapter 15)

•     Von Stalhein Gives a Hint (Takes a Hand – Chapter 3)

•     Von Stalhein Explains (Looks Back – Chapter 5)

 

 

How many chapters featured a “PROBLEM”?   The answer is 17

 

•     Problems (Gun Runners & Sees Too Much)

•     More Problems (Works it Out – Missing Millionaire – Lost Sovereigns – Looks Back – Blue Moon – Deep Blue Sea)

•     Knotty Problems (Another Job for Biggles)

•     Problems for Algy (Mystery Island)

•     The Problem (Biggles Looks Back)

•     Pearls and Problems (Blue Moon)

•     A Policeman has a Problem (Scores a Bull)

•     No Ordinary Problem (Dark Intruder)

•     A Plan and a Problem (Dark Intruder)

•     Biggles has a Problem (Penitent Thief)

•     Problems for Bertie (Underworld)

 

How many chapters featured a “SHOCK”? –   The answer is 25.

 

•     Biggles Gets a Shock (Cruise)

•     Algy Gets a Shock (East)

•     Biggles Gets a Shock (East)

•     More Shocks (East)

•     Still More Shocks (East)

•     Ginger Gets a Shock (& Co.)

•     Ginger Gets a Prisoner and a Shock (War)

•     An Unpleasant Shock (North)

•     A Nasty Shock (Spain)

•     More Shocks for Ginger (Spain)

•     Ginger Gets Some Shocks (Jungle)

•     More Shocks (Borneo)

•     Ginger Gets a Shock (Delivers)

•     Shocks for Biggles (Delivers)

•     A Shock for Biggles (Silence)

•     Shocks in the Plural (Gobi)

•     The Final Shock (Home)

•     Shocks and More Shocks (Poor Rich Boy)

•     Shocks for Ginger (Millionaire)

•     A Shock for Biggles (Hand)

•     Shocks (Black Mask)

•     A Shock and a Journey (Looks Back)

•     A Shock for Biggles (Dark Intruder)

•     A Shocking Discovery (Underworld)

•     Shocks (Sees Too Much)

 

 

Something or someone “TAKES A HAND” a dozen times …

 

•     Ginger Takes a Hand (Black Peril)

•     Sterne Takes a Hand (Biggles Flies East)

•     Carruthers Takes a Hand (Biggles in the Jungle)

•     Algy Takes a Hand (Biggles’ Second Case)

•     Nature Takes a Hand (Biggles Takes a Holiday)

•     A Soldier Takes a Hand (Black Raider)

•     Nature Takes a Hand (Makes Ends Meet)

•     Bertie Takes a Hand (Buries a Hatchet)

•     The Weather Takes a Hand (World’s End)

•     The River Takes a Hand (Poor Rich Boy)

•     Nature Takes a Hand (Biggles’ Special Case)

•     Horace Takes a Hand (Biggles Flies to Work)

 

Something happens “AGAIN” in sixteen chapters

 

•     Hardwick Again (Biggles & Co.)

•     Southward Again (Flies North)

•     Goudini Again (Biggles in Spain)

•     Von Stalhein Again (in the Baltic)

•     Von Stalhein Again (Biggles Sees it Through)

•     Biggles Strikes Again (Biggles Sweeps the Desert)

•     The Enemy Strikes Again (Biggles Sweeps the Desert)

•     Preuss Tries Again (Sergeant Bigglesworth C.I.D.)

•     Gontermann Does it Again (Sergeant Bigglesworth C.I.D)

•     Von Schonbeck Tries Again (Biggles’ Second Case)

•     The Clock That Ticked Again (Biggles’ Second Case)

•     The Unexpected Again (Biggles Breaks the Silence)

•     Morgan Tries Again (Biggles in the Blue)

•     Yomas Tries Again (Biggles and the Lost Sovereigns)

•     Death Strikes Again (Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea)

•     And Again (Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea)

 

There are certain standard ending chapter titles …

 

4 Chapters are “Conclusion”

•     Cruise of the Condor

•     Biggles Flies North

•     Biggles – Secret Agent

•     No Rest for Biggles

 

2 Chapters are “In Conclusion”

•     Biggles in Africa

•     The Boy Biggles

 

5 Chapters are “The End of the Trail”

•     Biggles Flies South

•     Biggles in the Orient

•     Biggles’ Second Case

•     Biggles on the Home Front

•     Biggles and the Penitent Thief

 

We also have “How it Ended” – 4 times

•     Biggles at World’s End

•     Biggles and the Leopards of Zinn

•     Biggles and the Plot That Failed

•     Biggles and the Gun Runners

 

And “How it all Ended” – 5 times

•     Biggles’ Special Case

•     Biggles and the Plane that Disappeared

•     Biggles Looks Back

•     Biggles in the Underworld

•     Biggles Sees Too Much

 

AND JUST FOR COMPLETENESS ... BECAUSE SOMEONE IS BOUND TO ASK

 

THE WORRALS BOOKS

 

•     165 chapter titles

•     136 of those are not previously used in any Biggles, Worrals or Gimlet book

•     29 repeat previous Johns’ chapter titles

•     “Worrals Takes a Trip” is the most common, being used 3 times

•     “On Thin Ice”, “Fresh Plans” and “Desperate Measures” are used twice in the Worrals books

•     There is only one chapter called “What Happened to Worrals” –  and that is in Worrals Flies Again – (chapter 9)

•     There are 20 chapters with “Worrals” and 11 with “Frecks” in the title

 

 

THE GIMLET BOOKS

 

•     157 chapter titles

•     132 of those are not previously used in any Biggles, Worrals or Gimlet book

•     25 repeat previous Johns’ chapter titles

•     “Gimlet Takes Over” is the most common, being used 3 times

•     “Gimlet Takes a Hand”, “Explanations”, “First Reconnaissance”, “Cub Takes a Chance” and “Gimlet Goes Alone” are all used twice

•     There is no “What Happened to Gimlet” chapter(!)

•     There are 12 chapters with “Gimlet” and 16 with “Cub” in the title

•     There are 6 Chapters with “Copper” and 2 with “Trapper” in the title

 

 

FINAL SUMMARY

 

•     1500 BIGGLES BOOK CHAPTER TITLES

•     165 WORRALS BOOK CHAPTER TITLES

•     157 GIMLET BOOK CHAPTER TITLES

•     A TOTAL OF 1822 CHAPTER TITLES

•     1323 different BIGGLES chapter titles

•       136 different WORRALS chapter titles

•       132 different GIMLET chapter titles

•     1591 unique chapter titles out of 1822 - Therefore 87.32% of chapter titles written by W. E. Johns had unique and original titles!

 

All details are from a presentation given by Roger Harris to the W. E. Johns Appreciation Society on Saturday 14th October 2017.