“BIGGLES” OF THE CAMEL SQUADRON

by Capt. W. E. Johns

(Although on the spine and dust wrapper of the book the credit is W.E. Johns)

First published March 1934

CONTENTS – Page 7

List of illustrations – Page 9 – written as ix (Frontispiece and four plates all by Howard Leigh. The plates are facing pages 44, 104, 170 and 198)

FOREWORD (Pages 11 - 13 – written as xi - xiii)

In two and a half pages, Johns sets out some of the remarkable aerial stories of the Great War. He finishes with this prophetic paragraph. “Finally, I hope – and I say this in all sincerity – that something may be learned from the “combat tactics” employed by Biggles and his friends, by those who may one day find themselves in the cockpit of a fighting aeroplane, carrying on the glorious traditions of the Flying Service”. W.E.J. Lingfield. 1934.

I. THE PROFESSOR (Pages 15 – 34)

“A slight fall of snow during the night had covered the aerodrome of Squadron No. 266, R.F.C., with a thin white mantle ….” is the first line of the book, clearly setting the first story at winter time. Biggles is arguing with MacLaren, the Flight-Commander of “B” Flight about allowing enough deflection when shooting, when a person who has only joined the squadron an hour before, chips in that “It’s purely a matter of mathematics”. This newcomer is Henry Watkins and he states that “Mental arithmetic is always fascinating, and logarithms will lick luck every time”. Henry is explaining a complex mathematical theory he has for shooting down planes, when Major Mullen comes in and asks Biggles to bomb the “Jerry” Aerodrome No. 32. Biggles takes Algy and agrees to take the newcomer, Henry Watkins, at his own request, with him as well. They take off into a thick cloud bank and Biggles and Algy are soon above it. Henry however, goes the wrong way, and is soon lost in the cold grey mist. Biggles and Algy go on to find Aerodrome No. 32, where a dozen Albatroses have just landed and Biggles and Algy shoot the enemy aerodrome up and each drop their “eight 20-lb Cooper bombs”. “Two Albatroses tried to turn up-wind to take off, and collided with a crash that Biggles could hear above the noise of his engine” (I presume that would count as two kills for either Biggles or Algy or both sharing?). Another Albatros manages to take off and Biggles shoots at it and hits it before Algy finishes it off and shoots it down. Meanwhile, Henry is lost and he is discovering that flying “was not so easy as a careful study of his Flying Training Manual had led him to believe”. Henry is attacked by a German two-seater and fires at it desperately. When he thinks he is over the German Aerodrome No. 32 he drops down through the cloud and finding an aerodrome he bombs it and then sets off in search of home. Biggles and Algy return to their squadron at Maranique and find that “the Professor” as Henry has been christened, is already home. Henry is reporting to Major Mullen a successful mission. A British S.E.5 aircraft lands and out gets Major Sharp from Squadron No. 287. He is furious that a British Camel, number J-7743, has just bombed his aerodrome! “Eight confounded great holes all over the aerodrome! Fortunately nobody hurt. It’ll take my men all day to fill ’em in”. The telephone rings and there is a report of a green German Hannoverana being shot down. Biggles and Algy both confirm they haven’t seen a two-seater. “It’s all right – I got it,” said Henry casually, confirming that he had shot at one. “By the anti-clockwise propeller of my sainted aunt! You must have hit it. How on earth did you manage that?” almost shouted Biggles. “Oh mathematics – it was purely a matter of mathematics,” replied Henry, grinning, as a howl of laughter split the air. “The point is, you got a Hun, and if you’ll leave your copybook at home in future, follow me, and do your fighting by the baldheaded method, you can come with me to-morrow. It is a go?” asked Biggles. “It is!” declared Henry emphatically.