BIGGLES IN FRANCE
First Published in the Boys' Friend Library Issue No. 501 - dated 7th November 1935
and republished in 1993 -223 pages
This contains 12 short stories in 25 chapters, six of which were rewritten and published in
SPITFIRE PARADE (1941) and eight of which were republished in BIGGLES OF 266 (1956)The stories are:-
FORWARD
Chapter 1 - Down to Earth & Chapter 2 - A Desperate Chance!
Shot down, Biggles escapes from behind the lines in a German observation balloon.
(This story was called
A RIDE TO REMEMBER in BIGGLES OF 266)
Chapter 3 - One Bomb and Two Pockets & Chapter 4 - 'Stand Clear - I'm Coming!'
After Biggles blows up a German wine cellar, he is invited to pay for the wine or fight a duel.
The story then continues with Biggles trying out a captured German tank and wreaking havoc
(The first part of this story was called
THE CHALLENGE in BIGGLES OF 266 and the rest cut)
Chapter 5 - Biggles Gets a Bull & Chapter 6 - Lost in the sky
After Biggles goes flying in bad weather, he is forced to land in a field and charged by a bull.
Later in a French farmhouse he meets a jealous French pilot who takes him on a ride to remember.
Chapter 7 - The Human Railway & Chapter 8 - Orange Fire!
Clarence Forbes joins 266 squadron and he has a talent for mimicking machines.
Biggles takes Clarence on a flight over the lines and discovers that Forbes also has other talents.
Chapter 9 - Out for Records! & Chapter 10 - Biggles' Bombshell!
Biggles and Wilkinson compete to see who can shoot down the most Germans in one day.
Chapter 11 - The Camera & Chapter 12 - Thumbs to Noses! & Chapter 13 - What a Bullet Did
Colonel Raymond asks Biggles to recover a recognisance camera with a highly valuable lens.
(This story was called
THE CAMERA in BIGGLES OF 266)
Chapter 14 - Suspicions & Chapter 15 - Off and Away!
Biggles suspects that a visiting Canadian pilot is really a German spy. A trap is set, but all is not as it seems and it is left to Algy to save Biggles from making a tragic mistake.
Chapter 16 - Turkey Hunting & Chapter 17 - Biggles Gets the Bird
Biggles is determined to obtain a turkey for the mess Christmas dinner.
(This story was called
THE TURKEY in BIGGLES OF 266)
Chapter 18 - A Sporting Offer! & Chapter 19 - Getting a Gramophone
266 and 287 squadrons compete to see who can drop propaganda leaflets the furthest over the lines
(This story was called
THE PRIZE in BIGGLES OF 266)
Chapter 20 - Twelve Thousand Feet Up! & Chapter 21 - Returned Unknown
Biggles plays a trick on Wilkinson by arranging to have his kit dropped on a German aerodrome.
(This story was called
HUMBUGS in BIGGLES OF 266)
Chapter 22 - 'He Shot Him to Bits!' & Chapter 23 - 'Written Off'
Biggles seeks revenge after a plane with Green Streamers deliberately kills Parker.
(This story was called
WAR IN HOT BLOOD in BIGGLES OF 266)
Chapter 24 - Under Open Arrest! & Chapter 25 - 'The Laugh's with Us!'
When Algy gets into trouble with Captain Bitmore, Biggles pretends to be a Colonel.
(This story was called
REPRISALS in BIGGLES OF 266)
Biggles in France
Publication Details - originally published by the Boys Friend Library - No. 501 (dated 7th November 1935)
Cover of the 1993 edition
Click on the above to see it in more detail