BIGGLES' COMBINED OPERATION
Book First Published in July 1959 - 158 pages
I believe this Biggles book was never serialised elsewhere. If anybody knows differently then please E-MAIL ME
First edition dust jacket showing the original price of 8
shillings and 6 pence
Biggles attends an International
Police Conference in Paris and meets Eddie Ross, a policeman from the United
States. Eddie has major concerns about drug trafficking in the United States
where the problems include teenagers being hooked on drugs by being supplied
them in chocolate. Biggles warns Eddie that his speech at the conference will
draw the attention of the drug gangs to him and indeed, as they speak, Biggles
concludes that Eddie is being followed. With the help of Marcel Brissac and Ginger, the tables are turned and their stalker
becomes the one under surveillance. Ginger follows the man by taxi to a bar
called "The Horse that Laughs". Here Ginger is doped and interrogated
by a gang of villains. Biggles and Eddie, having ascertained Ginger's
whereabouts from the taxi driver, go to the bar. Biggles bursts into the office
where Ginger is being held in order to rescue him. The timely arrival of Marcel
prevents things getting out of hand. Meanwhile, Eddie follows an Egyptian by
the name of Alfondez, who is suspected of being the
carrier of heroin. Eddie follows Alfondez all the way
to Marseilles where Alfondez boards a ship called the
Saphos. Biggles returns to England to get a
suitable amphibian aeroplane and pick up Bertie (Algy being on leave). Biggles
then takes everybody in the plane to follow the ship to its destination. Bertie
has the idea of getting on board the ship by being set adrift in a dinghy in
the ship's path. This is done, but when the ship docks at a Greek island,
Bertie is held prisoner in a Monastery that the drug gang is using to
manufacture their drugs. Biggles lands the plane on the other side of the
island and leaving Marcel with the plane, he sets off with Ginger and Eddie to
find Bertie. Bertie is traced to the Monastery and he is rescued. Finding the
drugs factory, Eddie sets it on fire. In order to complete the job they then go
down to the harbour and set fire to the Saphos,
as this ship is being used to smuggle the drugs. The dust cover shows Biggles,
Marcel and Eddie on the Greek island.
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Biggles' Combined Operation
Subtitle - In this adventure, with some Interpol colleagues
Biggles, of the Special Air Police, cleans up a dope racket threatening the
United States.
Publication Details - published by Hodder and Stoughton
Frontispiece
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The “Children’s Book Club” edition reprint – click on the above
picture to find out more details