BIGGLES GOES TO SCHOOL

The Story of Biggles' Early Life and School Days

by Captain W. E. Johns

First Printed June 1951

CONTENTS – Page 5

ILLUSTRATIONS – Page 6

FOREWORD (Pages 7 - 8)

"The events narrated in this book have been set down to satisfy the many readers who have expressed a desire to know something of Biggles' schooldays". W. E. Johns introduces us to the book and tells us a bit about Biggles and the time when the events occurred. "It must be realised that at the time of which we are writing things were very different from what they are to-day". "When he arrived at Malton Hall Biggles had never seen an aeroplane. Few people had".

I. ENTER BIGGLES (Pages 9 - 16)

In this fundamentally important chapter, W. E. Johns tells us about Biggles family life and sets the scene for all future Biggles books by explaining the things that shaped Biggles’ character.

A fourteen and a half year old Biggles goes to meet his Headmaster at Malton Hall School, Colonel Horace Chase, M.A. (In an effort to try and date the stories in this book, one needs to note that in “BIGGLES LEARNS TO FLY”, reference is made to the date of September 1916 and Biggles being eleven months off his 18^th birthday, so this tells us he was born in August 1899. If Biggles was exactly fourteen and a half, then the stories in this book would be commencing around February 1914. As the stories themselves run to November and then Christmas and there is no mention of the First World War having started, the book cannot be set in 1914. It must be set in 1913, with Biggles starting a new term in September 1913. He would be just over fourteen, so fourteen and a half should be taken loosely, to reflect that age, rather than exactly, as it makes far more sense that the book is set in the period September to December 1913). Biggles is introduced with this description, "The master saw a slight, neatly-dressed, delicate looking boy, with a sensitive face, thoughtful eyes and a small but firm mouth. Fair hair was parted at the side". "So you're the new boy, Bigglesworth, eh?" says the Headmaster. Biggles has arrived at school that morning and Chase asks him about his brother. Biggles says he has left Sandhurst and been gazetted to the Rifle Brigade (a footnote tells us that Major Charles Bigglesworth, D.S.O., M.C., was killed in action in September, 1918). Biggles says his father wants him to be a soldier, but Biggles himself doesn't think he is cut out for it. Biggles is currently staying with his Uncle, Brigadier-General Bigglesworth in Norfolk since being sent home from India to recover from fever. Biggles' father is in the Indian Civil Service, he is the Assistant Commissioner in the United Provinces. Biggles was born out there and his mother died "some years ago". Biggles has been taught to ride horses and to shoot. He is asked if he ever bagged a tiger and he replies "No, sir. I had a chance one day, but I only wounded him. My father was very angry about that because the beast was a man eater. My father shot him at the finish". Biggles has got a leopard though. (We are destined to hear much more about these adventures in 1968, the year of Johns' death, as one of his last books is "THE BOY BIGGLES"). Biggles says his best subjects are history and geography but he is no good at maths. He speaks Hindi and is fair at French. Chase says he is going to put Biggles in the Fourth Form where they are taking French now. Biggles departs.