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Biggles #13
Biggles Flies West
Out of the corner of his eyes Biggles saw Dick go overboard and disappear under the foam, but he could do nothing to help him. Indeed, as he fought to keep the flying-boat under control, it seemed certain that during the next minute or two the others must join him. Ashen, he looked at Algy. 'Jump when she hits!' he cried, in a shrill, strangled voice, and dived deliberately at the rocks. Biggles, Algy and Ginger help a young lad evade a violent thief and find themselves plunged into a dangerous treasure hunt searching for a long-lost pirate hoard of gold in the Caribbean.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1937
8 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
W.E. Johns
613 books113 followersInvariably known as Captain W.E. Johns, William Earl Johns was born in Bengeo, Hertfordshire, England. He was the son of Richard Eastman Johns, a tailor, and Elizabeth Johns (née Earl), the daughter of a master butcher. He had a younger brother, Russell Ernest Johns, who was born on 24 October 1895.
He went to Hertford Grammar School where he was no great scholar but he did develop into a crack shot with a rifle. This fired his early ambition to be a soldier. He also attended evening classes at the local art school.
In the summer of 1907 he was apprenticed to a county municipal surveyor where he remained for four years and then in 1912 he became a sanitary inspector in Swaffham, Norfolk. Soon after taking up this appointment, his father died of tuberculosis at the age of 47.
On 6 October 1914 he married Maude Penelope Hunt (1882–1961), the daughter of the Reverend John Hunt, the vicar at Little Dunham in Norfolk. The couple had one son, William Earl Carmichael Johns, who was born in March 1916.
With war looming he joined the Territorial Army as a Private in the King's Own Royal Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry), a cavalry regiment. In August 1914 his regiment was mobilised and was in training and on home defence duties until September 1915 when they received embarkation orders for duty overseas.
He fought at Gallipoli and in the Suez Canal area and, after moving to the Machine gun Corps, he took part in the spring offensive in Salonika in April 1917. He contracted malaria and whilst in hospital he put in for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps and on 26 September 1917, he was given a temporary commission as a Second Lieutenant and posted back to England to learn to fly, which he did at No. 1 School of Aeronautics at Reading, where he was taught by a Captain Ashton.
He was posted to No. 25 Flying Training School at Thetford where he had a charmed existence, once writing off three planes in three days. He moved to Yorkshire and was then posted to France and while on a bombing raid to Mannheim his plane was shot down and he was wounded. Captured by the Germans, he later escaped before being reincarcerated where he remained until the war ended.
He went to Hertford Grammar School where he was no great scholar but he did develop into a crack shot with a rifle. This fired his early ambition to be a soldier. He also attended evening classes at the local art school.
In the summer of 1907 he was apprenticed to a county municipal surveyor where he remained for four years and then in 1912 he became a sanitary inspector in Swaffham, Norfolk. Soon after taking up this appointment, his father died of tuberculosis at the age of 47.
On 6 October 1914 he married Maude Penelope Hunt (1882–1961), the daughter of the Reverend John Hunt, the vicar at Little Dunham in Norfolk. The couple had one son, William Earl Carmichael Johns, who was born in March 1916.
With war looming he joined the Territorial Army as a Private in the King's Own Royal Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry), a cavalry regiment. In August 1914 his regiment was mobilised and was in training and on home defence duties until September 1915 when they received embarkation orders for duty overseas.
He fought at Gallipoli and in the Suez Canal area and, after moving to the Machine gun Corps, he took part in the spring offensive in Salonika in April 1917. He contracted malaria and whilst in hospital he put in for a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps and on 26 September 1917, he was given a temporary commission as a Second Lieutenant and posted back to England to learn to fly, which he did at No. 1 School of Aeronautics at Reading, where he was taught by a Captain Ashton.
He was posted to No. 25 Flying Training School at Thetford where he had a charmed existence, once writing off three planes in three days. He moved to Yorkshire and was then posted to France and while on a bombing raid to Mannheim his plane was shot down and he was wounded. Captured by the Germans, he later escaped before being reincarcerated where he remained until the war ended.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 27, 2025
This is a 20th century version of Treasure Island with aeroplanes, hurricaines, galleons, treasure (natch), gun battles and good stiff-upper-lip derring-do. In my limited view, the best Biggles story ever. When I was 10 years old our teacher read it to us at school; then I bought it and read it at least twice more. I have read it to my 3 sons in turn. Biggles flies North and Biggles Flies South are up there as well (he flew all over the place) but this is the most relentlessly exciting story.
The prologue gives some historical background of a pirate ship on the Spanish Main, captained by the notorious Louis "The Exterminator" Le Grand who captures a ship only to discover that in the horde is a cursed doubloon that spells bad luck to those who have it in their possession. Louis contracts the plague (Y. pestis), his crew mutiny and abandon him aboard the ship which runs aground on a Carribean island. Louis recovers and, determined to rid himself of "Bawn's accursed doubloon", drags all the gold off the ship and hides it, save one coin that somehow gets trapped in his clothing and he allows this to get the better of him.
We then come forward to the mid 20th century and a sailor falls into the rotting ship whilst being chased. Falling ill after being captured he sends a letter to his son, Dick, a 15 year old Londoner, explaining about the ship and enclosing a doubloon that he found there. Dick nearly gets run over by a lorry and is saved by a passing Biggles who takes Dick under his wing. The ensuing adventure takes Biggles, Algy, Ginger and Dick to the Caribbean in search of the treasure while dogged by a) the villain who'd chased Dick's father and b) inexplicable bad luck all the way.
The prologue gives some historical background of a pirate ship on the Spanish Main, captained by the notorious Louis "The Exterminator" Le Grand who captures a ship only to discover that in the horde is a cursed doubloon that spells bad luck to those who have it in their possession. Louis contracts the plague (Y. pestis), his crew mutiny and abandon him aboard the ship which runs aground on a Carribean island. Louis recovers and, determined to rid himself of "Bawn's accursed doubloon", drags all the gold off the ship and hides it, save one coin that somehow gets trapped in his clothing and he allows this to get the better of him.
We then come forward to the mid 20th century and a sailor falls into the rotting ship whilst being chased. Falling ill after being captured he sends a letter to his son, Dick, a 15 year old Londoner, explaining about the ship and enclosing a doubloon that he found there. Dick nearly gets run over by a lorry and is saved by a passing Biggles who takes Dick under his wing. The ensuing adventure takes Biggles, Algy, Ginger and Dick to the Caribbean in search of the treasure while dogged by a) the villain who'd chased Dick's father and b) inexplicable bad luck all the way.
March 24, 2021
Not so much flying in this one, but that doesn't make it any worse. The thought of pirates and long lost treasure are enough to spike anyone's interest. Adding the cursed doubloon to those makes this a book that once picked up, can't be put down.
December 12, 2025
In dit avontuur laat W.E. Johns het verleden en het heden door mekaar lopen. Het begint met het verhaal van de (korte) gesschiedenis van de zeeroverij en de laatste uren van een berucht zeeroverkapitein die zijn piratenschat begraaft en er een kaartje van tekent, vooraleer we naar het heden overspringen en met de belevenissen van de ontdekker van de schar. En daar komen Biggles en zijn vrienden aan te pas.
Waar in vele verhalen Biggles bij het leger of voor de geheime dienst in aktie komt - en dan ook alles met militaire precisie en steun van minstens 1 regering verloopt - is dat hier niet het geval. Integendeel, bij aankomst in wat hun basiskamp moest worden gaat het al meteen volledig fout. Een corrupte politiemacht zet Biggles en zijn vrienden in de gevangenis. Bovendien leggen ze niet alleen beslag op de vliegboot van de schattenjagers, ze geven die ook nog eens in handen van de man die hun al meerdere keren naar het leven stond.
Toch raakt Biggles ter bestemming, al is dat eerder aan het toeval en een enorme dosis geluk te wijten. En daar herbeleven ze een stukje van het verleden doordat ze op een verlaten fort van de zeerovers stutien. Daarbij krijgen we een mooi stukje geschiedenis dat voor velen (de meesten?) onbekend is: de oorsprong van boucan -> boekanier.
In een eindstrijd zullen Biggles en de zijnen vanuit hun fort het met behulp van de oude kanonnen opnemen tegen de moderne piraten, te weten de would-be moordenaar en zijn kornuiten van de corrupte poltie.
Daarmee levert Johns een mix af van een vliegavontuur, een puur avonturenverhaal met onbewoond eiland en jungle en dan ook nog eens schatgraversverwikkelingen met verkleedpartij als zeerovers.
Begrijpelijk gezien de tijd waarin dit geschreven werd maar toch niet meer van deze tijd is dat alles draait om een vervloekt goudstuk dat ongeluk (en de dood) brengt aan de bezitter ervan.
Dit wordt als een waarheid voorgesteld en de schrijver zal zelfs op geen enkel moment dit gegeven in vraag stellen of een andere oorzaak van een heleboel ellende zoeken. De verhalen rond Biggles zijn nochtans helemaal geen bovennatuurlijke verhalen - dat past gewoon niet in het genre.
Waar in vele verhalen Biggles bij het leger of voor de geheime dienst in aktie komt - en dan ook alles met militaire precisie en steun van minstens 1 regering verloopt - is dat hier niet het geval. Integendeel, bij aankomst in wat hun basiskamp moest worden gaat het al meteen volledig fout. Een corrupte politiemacht zet Biggles en zijn vrienden in de gevangenis. Bovendien leggen ze niet alleen beslag op de vliegboot van de schattenjagers, ze geven die ook nog eens in handen van de man die hun al meerdere keren naar het leven stond.
Toch raakt Biggles ter bestemming, al is dat eerder aan het toeval en een enorme dosis geluk te wijten. En daar herbeleven ze een stukje van het verleden doordat ze op een verlaten fort van de zeerovers stutien. Daarbij krijgen we een mooi stukje geschiedenis dat voor velen (de meesten?) onbekend is: de oorsprong van boucan -> boekanier.
In een eindstrijd zullen Biggles en de zijnen vanuit hun fort het met behulp van de oude kanonnen opnemen tegen de moderne piraten, te weten de would-be moordenaar en zijn kornuiten van de corrupte poltie.
Daarmee levert Johns een mix af van een vliegavontuur, een puur avonturenverhaal met onbewoond eiland en jungle en dan ook nog eens schatgraversverwikkelingen met verkleedpartij als zeerovers.
Begrijpelijk gezien de tijd waarin dit geschreven werd maar toch niet meer van deze tijd is dat alles draait om een vervloekt goudstuk dat ongeluk (en de dood) brengt aan de bezitter ervan.
Dit wordt als een waarheid voorgesteld en de schrijver zal zelfs op geen enkel moment dit gegeven in vraag stellen of een andere oorzaak van een heleboel ellende zoeken. De verhalen rond Biggles zijn nochtans helemaal geen bovennatuurlijke verhalen - dat past gewoon niet in het genre.
January 6, 2020
Jag gick in i boken med inga som helst förväntningar, men den lyckades positivt överraska mig. Handlingen i sig är inget unikt, men utförandet är förvånansvärt bra. Nästan från början till slut är boken proppad med action och den förhäxade dublonen medför mycket till berättelsen. Dock märks det tydligt att den inte skrevs idag. Vissa ord används inte längre idag i språket, och engelska fraser som “All right” har i saknad på en svensk motsvarighet (som dock finns nu) inte översatts. Nedsättande ord, såsom “Neger” kastas fram och tillbaka, även när karaktären i sig ges ett namn - något som jag absolut inte tyckte om. Slutet var lite väl abrupt, men det är något som är typiskt för yngre äventyrsböcker. Jag hoppas verkligen en nyöversättning har gjorts, då berättelsen i sig är bra men de föråldrade uttrycken påverkar det hela negativt och skulle inte få tryckas idag.
April 11, 2024
I see a lot of reviews here saying that this book is a classic, a favourite of people from their childhood story times. It does contain a lot of fun, adventure and whimsy, however maybe a bit too much for my liking. I was thrown off by the prologue following various pirates as they fell victim to the the cursed doubloon - completley different from any other Biggles book which are firmly planted in the present. The mystical - supernatural - curse of the doubloon is a real thing here, and another departure from previous books by including such a mystical element. That's not to say that I don't think a series should ever try new things, but I felt it wandered a bit too much from the noraml strand of storytelling.
I liked the very deliberate parralels to 'Treasure Island' as well as Deutch who served as a worthy and blood-thirsty villain. 3 stars.
I liked the very deliberate parralels to 'Treasure Island' as well as Deutch who served as a worthy and blood-thirsty villain. 3 stars.
June 12, 2022
En weer een aardig verhaal uit de Biggles' serie. Destijds een van mijn favorieten
April 16, 2022
A corker of a book - Treasure Island meets Biggles, what a combo.
May 23, 2025
First published in 1937 as a 12-parter in a boys' comic, Johns had the decency and courtesy to make a reference or several in the story to Stevenson's "Treasure Island" and its cast of characters. Fast paced, not to be taken too seriously, but a thoroughly entertaining read which transported this reader back half a century and beyond to his boyhood and early love of Biggles ... and affection for Stevenson's book.
November 15, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed re-reading this book that I first read in 1953 as a lad of eight
As a child I as a veritable bookworm, and used to read Biggles books at a rate of about two a week,then in 1954 I ran out and took to reading the Worrals & Gimlet books by the same author. After that I discovered science fiction , to which I became addicted .
As a child I as a veritable bookworm, and used to read Biggles books at a rate of about two a week,then in 1954 I ran out and took to reading the Worrals & Gimlet books by the same author. After that I discovered science fiction , to which I became addicted .
December 9, 2021
First published in 1937, 'Biggles Flies West' takes Biggles and his colleagues on a trip to the Carribean in search of lost pirate treasure. There is very little in the way of flying in the tale, and it does have one of the daftest plots. Nevertheless, the pace and action content is of the highest standard, making for an exciting read.
April 6, 2023
Not your typical war time Biggles adventure as this story instead involves our illustrious trio (Biggles , Algy & Ginger ) aided by a young Dick Denver in a search for hidden pirates treasure .
Whilst slow paced at first it develops into a reasonable tale . It finishes well which is why I give it 3 stars rather than just 2 .
Whilst slow paced at first it develops into a reasonable tale . It finishes well which is why I give it 3 stars rather than just 2 .
December 1, 2020
Good yarn. A tad racist but one of the better ones.
January 17, 2021
Every Biggles story is throughly enjoyable and excellent in every way. This one is certainly one of the best.
November 13, 2021
A classic Biggles adventure, this time with a pirate slant. There is a long historical build-up to set the scene for a tale that really only gets exciting towards the end.
August 21, 2023
Sweet lord of all fiction
October 15, 2023
Different tone to usual, but well written!
June 16, 2025
It was an okay reada
November 25, 2025
Excellent plot. Very adventurous. Best Biggles I have read in years. I love it.
March 14, 2020
Slow going at first but got exciting half way through
September 15, 2024
Jeugdsentiment. Fantastische boeken.
December 22, 2025
I am reviewing the series as a whole, rather than the books individually
The Biggles series is great adventure fiction: we get high stakes, aerial action (in most of the books), and a hero who is endlessly loyal, competent, and calm under pressure.
I love the dogfights, recon missions, and wartime scenarios.
Where the series falls short is character depth. Some attitudes and simplifications reflect the period in which the books were written. There are very definitely dated elements, but considering the era the books were written - overall the series performs well. More than a few of the stories defy plausibility, but who doesn't love to curl up with a good adventure book or 10?
“Never say die.”
The Biggles series is great adventure fiction: we get high stakes, aerial action (in most of the books), and a hero who is endlessly loyal, competent, and calm under pressure.
I love the dogfights, recon missions, and wartime scenarios.
Where the series falls short is character depth. Some attitudes and simplifications reflect the period in which the books were written. There are very definitely dated elements, but considering the era the books were written - overall the series performs well. More than a few of the stories defy plausibility, but who doesn't love to curl up with a good adventure book or 10?
“Never say die.”
April 20, 2014
With a cursed doubloon, a lost treasure trove of pirate gold, and running around ship wrecks and Caribbean islands, I half-suspect that the writers of the Pirates of the Caribbean films took some inspiration from this book. However, while Biggles Flies West has much of the same relentless adventure and action, it also carries even more overt racism than the other Biggles books I've read so far. Even if I could ignore that, the fun of the plot was somewhat undermined by the fact that, given that Biggles and co will never die, there was no believable tension. That and a few plot points that were just a little too convenient... well, let's just say I'm glad that I only have one more of these lying around.
February 22, 2017
It seems W.E. Johns read about pirates in 1936/1937 and just had to tell someone. This book takes Biggles and friends treasure hunting, while being chased by a 200 year old curse that kills most everyone in its path.
It's not the worst Biggles book, but he has now left flying pretty much which means it is a bit disappointing if you want to read about side slipping landing and evasive maneuvers. There are also better Biggles' adventure books.
It's not the worst Biggles book, but he has now left flying pretty much which means it is a bit disappointing if you want to read about side slipping landing and evasive maneuvers. There are also better Biggles' adventure books.
December 14, 2013
OK, I admit it, I haven't read this for forty years... But the fact that I still remember being thrilled by it in primary school says something, doesn't it? Maybe it was a more innocent time then, but the main character is a man of old-fashioned honesty and integrity. Perhaps in these cynical times we have something to learn from that somewhat naïve view...
August 15, 2011
I have to be honest and give this 5 stars - even at my age and with my education I was swept up into an exciting tale of piracy and cursed gold. Wonderful stuff. It is very vividly written - all these years later the characters & settings leap off the page.
October 4, 2012
Biggles adventures never failed to amuse me, even the translate versions to my language (Sinhalese). Thrilling actions of the Biggles, Algy and Ginger always kept my mind and eyes in the story. A worthy series to read.
August 17, 2014
It was a proper pirate story: with gold, dead pirates, skeletons and treasure hunt. And that is actually the problem: I am not into pirates and I don't very much see the connection between this story and Biggles from war planes, now known as Biggles Who Believes In Cursed Gold.
October 18, 2016
My favourite Biggles book. Probably my favourite book for some years when I was a child. The first Biggles book I ever read. The blend of air travel in exotic climes, history lessons about pirates, and that wonderful, wonderful, battle scene on the verge of madness...
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September 20, 2022Biggles does Treasure Island. A brilliant opening involving spanish pirates and cursed coins sets the story up nicely but it all gets rather silly in the end with a shoot out. You know the peril the main characters are in isnt real as they are the heroes of the book series so it felt a bit flat.
August 8, 2014
Very hard to read, I don't like his writing style at all
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews