BIGGLES SWEEPS
THE DESERT
A “BIGGLES”
SQUADRON STORY
by Captain W.
E. Johns
First published
September 1942
TITLE PAGE –
Page 3 – This page has effectively the first picture of Biggles by Stead as
this was the first Biggles book he illustrated.
It was said in
Stead’s family that his illustration of Biggles was based on Stead
himself. You can judge for yourself
here:
CONTENTS – Page 5
List of illustrations – Page 6 (Frontispiece by Stead plus an illustration
of Biggles on the title page, then eight other illustrations by the same artist
on pages 27, 40-41, 53, 69, 85, 92, 155 and 184-185)
Page 7 – Has the following dedication:-
DEDICATED TO
THE
CADETS OF THE
AIR TRAINING
CORPS
many of whom
will soon be carrying on
the Biggles
tradition, as those already
in the Service
carried it during the
Battle of
Britain, and are still "Ventur-
ing
Adventure" above the near and
distant corners
of the earth.
I. A
DESERT RENDEZVOUS (Pages 9 - 18)
Six Spitfires arrive at an oasis. Biggles is introduced as 'Squadron-Leader
Bigglesworth" and he has with him, Flight-Lieutenant Algy Lacey,
Flight-Lieutenant Lord Bertie Lissie and Flying-Officers "Ginger"
Hebblethwaite, "Tug" Carrington and "Tex" O'Hara. Biggles has the planes camouflaged and
explains that the oasis lies on an air route about 2000 miles long between the
West Coast of Africa and Egypt and that a number of their planes had
disappeared. He has been sent to protect
them. The rest of the squadron are at Karga Oasis, nearer to the Nile where Angus Mackail is in charge with Taffy Hughes, Ferocity Ferris and
Henry Harcourt. Flight-Sergeant Smyth is
with Biggles and so is his son, Corporal Roy Smyth in charge of the radio
although Biggles has ordered strict radio silence so they can receive incoming
messages only. A Messerschmitt 109 flies
overhead confirming Biggles theory that the Germans are in the area.