BIGGLES FLIES EAST
First Published in August 1935 - 256 pages
During
the First World War, whilst on leave in London, Biggles is mistaken for a
Captain Brunow and offered the chance of working for
the Germans. Reporting the matter to Air Staff Intelligence, Biggles is asked
to assume the identity of Brunow and take up the
offer so that he can act as a double agent. Before he knows it, Biggles finds
himself at Zabala, the HQ of the German Intelligence
Staff and also the station for two German squadrons. In command is Count von Faubourg and his second-in-command is a certain Hauptmann
Erich von Stalhein, who is to become Biggles'
greatest enemy over numerous future stories. Von Stalhein
is suspicious of Biggles immediately. Biggles' first task for the Germans is to
find some Australian cavalry. Meeting with Major Raymond at a pre-arranged
oasis rendezvous, Biggles is told where the Australians are and that they are
moving out tonight so there would be no harm in him telling the Germans. They
could merely bomb an empty camp. Biggles is also given a bomb and asked to blow
up the German's reservoir. Suddenly, Biggles spots a German plane, a pilot
called Leffens has spotted him meeting with Raymond
and Biggles has to shoot him down to maintain his cover. This Biggles does and
he lands to make sure Leffens is dead. Arriving back
at Zabala, von Stalhein
examines Biggles' plane and finds a bullet in it. Leffens
had been firing a new type of German bullet and Biggles fears that von Stalhein is on to him. Biggles sneaks out during the night
and blows up the Germans' reservoir. Soon he is being confronted by the Count
about this, but he manages to come up with a believable story to save himself. Biggles' main mission is to find a German spy
called 'El Shereef' and after seeing von Stalhein dressed up as an Arab on a secret night time flight,
Biggles begins to suspect that he is 'El Shereef'.
Biggles is caught in a storm and forced to land by an oasis. Here he is
captured by Arabs and sold to the British. Biggles then has to pretend to be
German, until he is surprisingly sprung from prison and picked up by a German
pilot called Mayer. On route back to Zabala, Mayer is
shot down (by Algy of all people) and crash lands. Mayer breaks his leg and
Biggles has to get him to safety, a feat for which he is nominated for the Iron
Cross! Next Biggles meets and falls foul of Kurt Hess, an arrogant German pilot
who is looking to shoot down his 27th British victim - "like roast beef in
his own oven". Biggles is incensed and the next time he meets with Algy,
he borrows his Sopworth Camel to go and shoot down
Hess. Biggles makes sure he knows who he is before he sends Hess down in
flames. A mock airfield has been set up by the British to allow Biggles to give
the Germans some information. Biggles is asked to lead a bombing raid on this
airfield and he distinguishes himself with his excellent bombing and by
accidentally saving his colleagues from a British attack. Biggles later goes to
search von Stalhein's room and is hidden in a
cupboard when an Arab attacks Von Stalhein. The Arab
is killed. Next, Biggles is told that the British have captured El Shereef and he is sent by the Germans to free him. Biggles
is convinced the British have the wrong man and returns to the Germans to say
he is too late, the British have already shot him. On his way back, Biggles is
attacked by members of his own German squadron because his secret identifying
marks are not present. Von Stalhein is trying to have
him killed. Before Biggles can do anything about this, the real Captain Brunow arrives and Biggles has to deal with him before his
cover is blown. Biggles knocks Brunow unconscious and
then is shocked to discover that Algy has been captured by the Germans. Freeing
Algy, Biggles sends him back to the British lines with Brunow
as a passenger. Time is short now for Biggles and he knows he must leave Zabala. He does so by substituting himself for von Stalhein's special mission pilot and flies von Stalhein to the British lines. On arrival von Stalhein is not there - he has bailed out! However, Biggles
has one more trick up his sleeve to capture von Stalhein
and El Shereef for good!
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Biggles Flies East
Publication Details - published by Oxford University Press
Frontispiece
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