THE CAMELS ARE COMING

 

by W. E. Johns

 

 

XIII.                         THE BOMBER  (Pages 179 – 190)

 

Biggles is flying alone when he sees a well-armed German bomber that he can’t identify.  When Biggles tries to attack from underneath, he is shot at from twin Parabellum guns in a trap door in the floor of the bomber.  (The colour frontispiece used in the fourth edition onwards, illustrates a scene from this story – ‘The Camel soared up like a bird under the big fuselage’.  The scene is on page 181 of the first edition and page 158 of the fourth edition (which was the first edition to have the colour frontispiece).   “Biggles, shaken as never before in all his flying experience, kicked out his left foot spasmodically and flung the stick over and back into his stomach”.  His propeller stops and he has to make a forced landing, but he is able to reach 287 Squadron.  Wilkinson tells Biggles “That’s our pet Friedrichshafen”.  Wilkinson says a number of pilots have had a go at attacking this particular enemy plane, all without success.  Two, Lacie of 281 and Crickson, of 383, have died.  Back at his own aerodrome, Biggles draws the enemy bomber from memory and tries to work out a plan of attack.  He decides to attack under the nacelle using his Lewis gun firing upwards.  The next morning Biggles goes up alone and looks for the bomber.  He is shelled by the enemy.  “Good morning, Archibald, you dirty dog”.  Finding the bomber and approaching 500 feet above it, “The gunner in the rear cockpit gave him a mock salute, and he waved back”.  Biggles dives down and comes up under the nacelle at no more than twenty feet.  Holding his joy-stick between his knees, he fires the Lewis gun up at the bomber and his gun jams!  Biggles has to fly away and unjam the gun before returning, running the gauntlet of the gunners again to get back into position.  This time there is no mistake and Biggles’ shots get the pilot.  Pulling out, Biggles sees the rear cockpit is empty as the rear gunner tries to land the German bomber.  Biggles holds his hands up to indicate that he won’t shoot again, and the plane crashes.  Biggles decides to go and tell Wilks, “He’ll be tickled to death!”