SPITFIRE
PARADE - BIGGLES AT WAR
by Captain W.
E. Johns
V. ONE GOOD TURN (Pages 82 – 96)
Ginger Hebblethwaite decides to land at
Dewton, the home of Number 701 (Hurricane)
Squadron. However, before he does so, “in
accordance with custom” “for the honour and glory of the squadron to which he
belonged he first treated any casual spectators of his arrival to a short
exhibition in the art of aerobatics” such as zooming so low over the mess that
his wheels almost touched the roof.
“Loops, slow rolls, half rolls, rolls on the top of loops, upward spins,
and whip-stalls followed each other in quick succession”. When he lands, he is confronted by a Flight
Lieutenant who is in command during the temporary absence of Squadron Leader
Wilkinson. The officer asks Ginger what
he means by acting like a madman over his aerodrome and gives him a sound
ticking off, finishing with Ginger being placed under open arrest and told to
give his name and unit to the Duty Officer.
Making enquiries, Ginger finds out the officer is called Bitmore – and he hasn’t shot down any German planes. Ginger returns to his own aerodrome at Rawlham and informs Algy Lacy, his Flight Commander and
Lord Bertie Lissie that he is under arrest and has been reported to Wing
Command. Algy says they ought to do
something about it. “Bertie fingered his
wisp of moustache, “Absolutely”, he declared.
Sometime later two Spitfires appear over the Hurricane aerodrome at Dewton and put on a show of terrible flying. They make flat turns, try to land and
undershoot, then overshoot, narrowly escaping disaster. Eventually they land, as badly as possible.
The two pilots in brand new flying kit and crash-helmets get out, only to be
confronted by Flight Lieutenant Bitmore with anger
and disgust on his face. He calls the
two pilots over and proceeds to give them a stern dressing down. “You’re not fit to pilot down a promenade,
either of you. A steam-roller driver
would have put up a better show. I’ve
never seen such an exhibition of supreme inability in my life. You make me ……”. His voice trails away in silence as the two
pilots remove their flying kit and reveal the uniforms of an Air Commodore and
a Wing Commander. The Air Commodore then
takes Bitmore’s name and gives him a dressing down in
front of his own men for daring to criticize “officers who have learnt their
flying in the field”. They insist their
aircraft are cleaned and refuelled which is done. Before taking off, the Air Commodore says to Bitmore “I shall bear your name in mind”. A quarter of an hour later, Algy, in Air
Commodore’s uniform and Bertie, in Wing Commander’s tunic, are laughing their
heads off at the embarrassment they have caused Bitmore
“right in front of the whole blinking squadron”. Two days later, Squadron Leader Wilkinson,
D.S.O. comes to visit his old friend Biggles at Rawlham. Wilks, as he is known to Biggles, tells
Biggles that he has just returned from leave and ran into Air Vice-Marshall
Logan. Logan happened to mention that he
was going to make a surprise inspection at Biggles’s squadron sometime
today. Wilks leaves and Biggles has his
whole squadron get ready for the surprise inspection. Everything is cleaned, all ranks parade in
their best uniforms. Time passes. One hour, then two. The afternoon wears on and nobody
arrives. Then nine Hurricanes flying
over low and one drops a message. It
reads “It is requested that Flight Lieutenants Lacey and Lissie be asked how
they like their eggs boiled. For and on
behalf of the officers of Number 701 (Fighter) Squadron. (Signed) A. R. Wilkinson,
Squadron-Leader”. Biggles is annoyed and
asks his flight commanders to his office.
There, Algy explains what they did.
Biggles says that Wilks has done this for the squadron to get their own
back. Had he reported the matter
officially, both Algy and Bertie would have been court-martialled. Biggles says every officer of 701 squadron
will be laughing their heads off now.
Suddenly, Toddy, rushes into Biggles office to tell him that a load of
officers from the Air Ministry have arrived – including the Air Chief
Marshall! The Air Chief Marshall is
extremely impressed by what he finds at Biggles’s squadron and gives a speech
commending them all. Biggles is asked if
there is any particular request he would like to make. Biggles asks for his squadron to come off
reserve and go on to first-line duties and he also takes the opportunity of
mentioning Ginger’s arrest. The Air
Marshall promises “to put things right Wing” and Ginger need no longer worry.
This chapter was originally a story spread over five pages – with
illustrations – from issue number 363 of “The Modern Boy” (week ending 19th
January 1935) entitled “Biggles’ Borrowed Plumes”. The story was collected in “Biggles in
France” and published by the Boys’ Friend Library in issue number 501 dated 7th
November 1935. The differences in the
original story are these. Firstly, the
original story was a First World War story rather than a Second World War
story. It starts at 266 Squadron, R.F.C.
and it is Algy in the Ginger role. Algy
lands at 301 Squadron at Cassel to get the severe telling off from Bitmore. Captains
Bigglesworth and Mahoney then don the uniforms of a Colonel and a Major to get
their revenge. It is a Major Benson, who
comes from 301 Squadron to see Major Mullen, at Biggles Squadron at Maranique
and it is nine Bristol Fighters that fly over to drop the message. General Sir Martin Ashby is the visiting
senior officer who puts thing right with Wing for Algy.