BIGGLES DELIVERS THE GOODS
Book First Published in April 1946 - 182 pages
(The printing plates were set up for January 1946 but
there was a delay in printing due to wartime paper shortages. They never changed the plates, so the book
had the incorrect date in it when printed)
I believe this Biggles book was never serialised elsewhere. If anybody knows differently then please E-MAIL ME
The first edition dust wrapper showing the original price of 6
shillings
CHAPTERS
Click on any chapter for a summary of the events in that chapter or
see the general story summary below
III SORTIE TO ELEPHANT ISLAND
V BIGGLES MAKES A RECONNAISSANCE
XII HOW ALGY DITCHED THE GOSLING
XIII ALGY MEETS A FRIEND AND AN ENEMY
Rubber. This is what Biggles is
asked to deliver by Air Commodore Raymond. 500,000 tons of it, to be taken from
Elephant Island, off the coast of Japanese held Malaya to India, as it is vital
to the British war effort. A Chinese man called Li Chi brings details of the
rubber to the attention of the RAF. Biggles has meet Li Chi before (in a story
called 'The
Oriental Touch' in
'Biggles
Flies Again').
Biggles goes to Elephant Island with Li Chi and organises the building of a
wooden runway over the lake, painted blue to disguise it from the air. This is
so that supply planes can fly the rubber back to India and Biggles' squadron
will fly the planes. Biggles organises a trip to Shansie
to meet the reclusive Major Marling and obtain further supplies of rubber. He
arrives just as the Japanese attack Marling's home and he helps to fight them
off. Stealing the Japanese River patrol boat for the return journey, Biggles
plans to seize a ship from the Japanese to help transport the rubber, which he
later does. Meanwhile, the Japanese plan to attack the base on Elephant Island
having been made aware of it by their spies. Japanese destroyers are brought
into the Japanese harbour at the mouth of the river. Biggles and Ginger fly up
river and blow the banks to flood the surrounding landscape, where the Japanese
have an aerodrome. This has the effect of reducing the water in the river and
grounding the destroyers in mud. Algy is forced to ditch his plane in the sea
and is captured by the Japanese. Their leader, Admiral Tamashoa
plans to have him beheaded but another raid lead by Biggles saves him in the
nick of time. Just when the Japanese prepare to launch another major attack on
the base at Elephant Island, Air Commodore Raymond arrives. He has organised a
major air attack on the grounded destroyers and the Japanese reinforcements.
With the opposition completely crushed by this attack, Biggles is left to
finish delivering the goods. The dust cover shows a close up of Biggles waving.
Click here to see the story illustrations from this book
Click here to see different illustrations from a Dutch version of this book
Biggles Delivers the Goods
Subtitle - A 'Biggles Squadron' Story
Publication Details - published by Hodder & Stoughton
Frontispiece
Click on the above to see it in more detail
The Hampton Library reprint click on the above picture to
find out more details