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Worrals #3
Worrals Flies Again
Meet Joan Worralson, better known to her friends as "Worrals".. Captain Johns, alive to every phase of RAF history, was not likely to overlook the part women are playing in this new heroic age. So he created "Worrals of the W.A.A.F.", and now 'Worrals Flies Again' with an even more exciting job of work this time than ferrying fighter aircraft. She has a mission to accomplish in France under the very noses of the Gestapo and she carries it off with a courage, resource and dash that rivals Biggles' own.
Bibliographical note: Although 'Worrals Flies Again' was the second Worrals' book published, it was the third story of Worrals. This is because the story of the third book, 'Worrals Carries On', published in October 1942 first appeared as a serialisation in 'The Girl's Own Paper' between October 1941 and September 1942. The second Worrals book, this one 'Worrals Flies Again', contained a story that had been serialised in 'The Girl's Own Paper' between October 1942 and December 1943 and from the content, it is clear that it was written after 'Worrals Carries On'
Bibliographical note: Although 'Worrals Flies Again' was the second Worrals' book published, it was the third story of Worrals. This is because the story of the third book, 'Worrals Carries On', published in October 1942 first appeared as a serialisation in 'The Girl's Own Paper' between October 1941 and September 1942. The second Worrals book, this one 'Worrals Flies Again', contained a story that had been serialised in 'The Girl's Own Paper' between October 1942 and December 1943 and from the content, it is clear that it was written after 'Worrals Carries On'
- GenresAdventure
220 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1942
13 people want to read
About the author
W.E. Johns
610 books115 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 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 14, 2022
Our intrepid heroine Flying Officer Worrals and her sidekick Frecks in another thrilling adventure set in Nazi occupied France during World War-II.
The ladies helped by men in shining armor (read spies) hoodwink the not so smart Germans at each turn. The bad guys (read Nazis) swallow it hook, line and sinker in a proverbial carpet being pulled under your feet theme.
War is much murkier, darker and heart wrenching compared to the story line of these books but you need to remember that that Biggles and Worrals books by Capt. W.E Johns were targeted at kids and teens rather than serious readers of War stories genre.
Nevertheless, Worrals Flies Again is a thrilling and enjoyable quick paced page turner which will keep you glued till you turn the last page of the book.
The ladies helped by men in shining armor (read spies) hoodwink the not so smart Germans at each turn. The bad guys (read Nazis) swallow it hook, line and sinker in a proverbial carpet being pulled under your feet theme.
War is much murkier, darker and heart wrenching compared to the story line of these books but you need to remember that that Biggles and Worrals books by Capt. W.E Johns were targeted at kids and teens rather than serious readers of War stories genre.
Nevertheless, Worrals Flies Again is a thrilling and enjoyable quick paced page turner which will keep you glued till you turn the last page of the book.
February 2, 2025
WE Johns has made Worrals, of the WAAF, a compelling character and he fits her snugly into another thrilling adventure in this novel which finds her spending most of her time, with her compatriot Frecks, in occupied France.
'There are times when I could scream. I don't know what you think abut it, but on occasion there is a character of monotony about service life that gives me the willies. Drill, breakfast, more drill, lunch, tea, lectures, dinner bed. Next day; drill breakfast ...'. Flight-Officer Joan Worralson was saying this to her friend Section-Officer "Frecks" Lovell in their dormitory but she spoke too soon! Because notlong after the words had come out of her mouth than an aircraftwoman entered the dorm to tell her that the Commanding Officer was outside and wanted to speak to her urgently.
This resulted in a meeting with Squadron-Leader Marcus Yorke, from Intelligence Branch, and her own Squadron-Leader McNavish. The latter told her that Intelligence had a problem and that Yorke would outline it for her. but he did advise her to turn it down as it seemed to be an unenviable task.
Be that as it may after Yorke had told Worrals the problem and had stressed that he knew she had a leaning for 'dangerous duties', which this one was as it involved espionage and counter-espionage in occupied France where British agents were having trouble getting their messages back to headquarters as Nazi interference was proving effective in preventing the transmission of vital information.
The idea was to fly a small aircraft into occupied territory, seclude it and then when messages were received at the French underground post fly them back to Britain thus preventing any Nazi interception. The French outpost for receiving such messages was the Chateau Delarose, which was a mile back from the River Loire, between Tours and Blois [I toured this area as a youngster and stayed not far from where this action took place]. Yorke stressed that it was a hazardous task but as Intelligence knew of Worrals previous exploits and capabilities they felt that a woman taking on the task would be more beneficial than a man. Worrals, insisting on taking Frecks with her so that should anything befall one of them, the other could carry on and with that accepted she began preparing for the adventure.
As was expected it proved to be a most difficult one with Worrals, who spoke perfect French, and Frecks, masquerading as two French cousins of the keepers of Delarose, because there were German soldiers aplenty around the area and as they had suspected some sort of activity at the chateau they were often in and around the place.
So Worrals and Frecks had to be very careful, especially when they encountered von Brandisch of the Gestapo who, with his cohorts, regularly patrolled the area and visited the chateau. Thrills and spills galore followed, with, on one occasion, Worrals fortuitously escaping the ultimate disaster when her aircraft was destroyed thus leaving them without transport in occupied France. But she overcomes all difficulties, even when the rescuer sent to get her home is captured, and lives to fly other sorties in future books.
'There are times when I could scream. I don't know what you think abut it, but on occasion there is a character of monotony about service life that gives me the willies. Drill, breakfast, more drill, lunch, tea, lectures, dinner bed. Next day; drill breakfast ...'. Flight-Officer Joan Worralson was saying this to her friend Section-Officer "Frecks" Lovell in their dormitory but she spoke too soon! Because notlong after the words had come out of her mouth than an aircraftwoman entered the dorm to tell her that the Commanding Officer was outside and wanted to speak to her urgently.
This resulted in a meeting with Squadron-Leader Marcus Yorke, from Intelligence Branch, and her own Squadron-Leader McNavish. The latter told her that Intelligence had a problem and that Yorke would outline it for her. but he did advise her to turn it down as it seemed to be an unenviable task.
Be that as it may after Yorke had told Worrals the problem and had stressed that he knew she had a leaning for 'dangerous duties', which this one was as it involved espionage and counter-espionage in occupied France where British agents were having trouble getting their messages back to headquarters as Nazi interference was proving effective in preventing the transmission of vital information.
The idea was to fly a small aircraft into occupied territory, seclude it and then when messages were received at the French underground post fly them back to Britain thus preventing any Nazi interception. The French outpost for receiving such messages was the Chateau Delarose, which was a mile back from the River Loire, between Tours and Blois [I toured this area as a youngster and stayed not far from where this action took place]. Yorke stressed that it was a hazardous task but as Intelligence knew of Worrals previous exploits and capabilities they felt that a woman taking on the task would be more beneficial than a man. Worrals, insisting on taking Frecks with her so that should anything befall one of them, the other could carry on and with that accepted she began preparing for the adventure.
As was expected it proved to be a most difficult one with Worrals, who spoke perfect French, and Frecks, masquerading as two French cousins of the keepers of Delarose, because there were German soldiers aplenty around the area and as they had suspected some sort of activity at the chateau they were often in and around the place.
So Worrals and Frecks had to be very careful, especially when they encountered von Brandisch of the Gestapo who, with his cohorts, regularly patrolled the area and visited the chateau. Thrills and spills galore followed, with, on one occasion, Worrals fortuitously escaping the ultimate disaster when her aircraft was destroyed thus leaving them without transport in occupied France. But she overcomes all difficulties, even when the rescuer sent to get her home is captured, and lives to fly other sorties in future books.
October 13, 2024
"Okay, so how are we going to go about this review?"
"Perhaps by utilising a rhetorical device that asks me provocative questions whilst also providing a knowing counterpoint to the issues I raise?"
"That's a bit wordy for 'talk it out' but sure, let's go with that."
"I don't know how to segue this bit into the review."
"That's because you're getting carried away with the bit."
"I've given you a backstory and everything."
"You have?"
"Yes."
"Bit weird."
"How are the kids?"
"You're dodging the issue."
"BECAUSE I LIKED THE BOOK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WRITE ABOUT IT."
"Ah, there we are."
"I ACTUALLY REALLY LIKED IT AND ENJOYED IT AND FOUND IT A BIT OF A BANGING AFFAIR ALL ROUND."
"So what's the problem?"
"BECAUSE IT'S STILL NONSENSE I MEAN THIS GIRL COULD WIN THE WAR WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND HER BACK."
"The capital letters are a lot-"
"WORRALS GOES BEHIND ENEMY LINES AND WORKS WITH THE RESISTANCE AND THE ENDING KIND OF PFTS OUT INTO NOTHING BUT BEFORE THAT IT'S EXCELLENT, IT REALLY IS, IT'S JUST A GOOD OLD BRINGING DOWN THE ENEMY SPY ADVENTURE STORY AND YES, ADMITTEDLY IT'S JUST A BIGGLES BOOK WITH THE NAMES CHANGED AND A BIT LESS SHOOTING (BECAUSE OF THE LAYDEES) BUT THE SAME BRITISH IS BEST VIBES AND MORE THAN A BIT OF CASUAL ISMS OVER EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ELSE IS A NUMPTY BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT'S ACTUALLY VERY GOOD I MEAN IT'S NONSENSE BUT ALSO VERY GOOD NONSENSE AND YOU CAN'T NOT ADMIT THAT."
"..."
"IT'S LIKE ENID BLYTON WROTE A SPY BOOK BUT IT WAS GOOD."
"Oh man."
"IT'S LIKE W.E JOHNS WENT YOU KNOW WHAT, SHE IS A LAYDEE BUT I SHALL JUST WRITE HER BEING BIGGLES AND THAT SORT OF HELPED HIM FIGURE IT ALL OUT AND THEN HE WAS AWAY. TONALLY IT'S MAD DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST TWO. ALSO WORRALS IS FLUENT IN FRENCH COMME UNE NATIF AND NOT ONE PERSON GOES EY UP LOVE, YOU SPEAK LIKE AN ENGLISH PERSON AND SOMEHOW SHE OUTFOXES EVERYONE BY JUST BEING BRITISH AND THEN THERE'S THIS BIT WITH A STUFFED RAVEN."
"I think you need help."
"I KNOW."
"I mean - weren't you a bit doubtful about the first two?"
"OH GOD THAT'S TRUE I MEAN THERE WAS THAT STUPID BIT ABOUT A GERANIUM BUT NOW WE'RE HERE AND THERE ARE NO RULES, EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT, THERE'S NO HOPE, I HAVE ACTIVELY ENJOYED A WORRALS BOOK."
"Oh man."
"IT'S A LOT TO PROCESS."
"Look, there's nowhere you can go after this."
"OKAY I GET THAT"
"Perhaps by utilising a rhetorical device that asks me provocative questions whilst also providing a knowing counterpoint to the issues I raise?"
"That's a bit wordy for 'talk it out' but sure, let's go with that."
"I don't know how to segue this bit into the review."
"That's because you're getting carried away with the bit."
"I've given you a backstory and everything."
"You have?"
"Yes."
"Bit weird."
"How are the kids?"
"You're dodging the issue."
"BECAUSE I LIKED THE BOOK AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WRITE ABOUT IT."
"Ah, there we are."
"I ACTUALLY REALLY LIKED IT AND ENJOYED IT AND FOUND IT A BIT OF A BANGING AFFAIR ALL ROUND."
"So what's the problem?"
"BECAUSE IT'S STILL NONSENSE I MEAN THIS GIRL COULD WIN THE WAR WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND HER BACK."
"The capital letters are a lot-"
"WORRALS GOES BEHIND ENEMY LINES AND WORKS WITH THE RESISTANCE AND THE ENDING KIND OF PFTS OUT INTO NOTHING BUT BEFORE THAT IT'S EXCELLENT, IT REALLY IS, IT'S JUST A GOOD OLD BRINGING DOWN THE ENEMY SPY ADVENTURE STORY AND YES, ADMITTEDLY IT'S JUST A BIGGLES BOOK WITH THE NAMES CHANGED AND A BIT LESS SHOOTING (BECAUSE OF THE LAYDEES) BUT THE SAME BRITISH IS BEST VIBES AND MORE THAN A BIT OF CASUAL ISMS OVER EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ELSE IS A NUMPTY BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT'S ACTUALLY VERY GOOD I MEAN IT'S NONSENSE BUT ALSO VERY GOOD NONSENSE AND YOU CAN'T NOT ADMIT THAT."
"..."
"IT'S LIKE ENID BLYTON WROTE A SPY BOOK BUT IT WAS GOOD."
"Oh man."
"IT'S LIKE W.E JOHNS WENT YOU KNOW WHAT, SHE IS A LAYDEE BUT I SHALL JUST WRITE HER BEING BIGGLES AND THAT SORT OF HELPED HIM FIGURE IT ALL OUT AND THEN HE WAS AWAY. TONALLY IT'S MAD DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST TWO. ALSO WORRALS IS FLUENT IN FRENCH COMME UNE NATIF AND NOT ONE PERSON GOES EY UP LOVE, YOU SPEAK LIKE AN ENGLISH PERSON AND SOMEHOW SHE OUTFOXES EVERYONE BY JUST BEING BRITISH AND THEN THERE'S THIS BIT WITH A STUFFED RAVEN."
"I think you need help."
"I KNOW."
"I mean - weren't you a bit doubtful about the first two?"
"OH GOD THAT'S TRUE I MEAN THERE WAS THAT STUPID BIT ABOUT A GERANIUM BUT NOW WE'RE HERE AND THERE ARE NO RULES, EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT, THERE'S NO HOPE, I HAVE ACTIVELY ENJOYED A WORRALS BOOK."
"Oh man."
"IT'S A LOT TO PROCESS."
"Look, there's nowhere you can go after this."
"OKAY I GET THAT"
August 29, 2024
The plot had loads of potential, but the book moves so fast that each individual chapter is never given enough time to really go deep. I reckon we could have spent more time in the castle, exploring the cavernous cellars and what lurked down there, and got deeper into the psyche of Lucian. Instead we kept jumping forward and never dwelling - well at least we get good plot progression. Another brilliant Worrals story, even if the trajectory of the series is turning her more and more into a carbon copy of Biggles. 3 stars.
November 26, 2023
Its sweet, I have the first edition, and the original artwork is nice. Thrilling read, easy to get into for the modern reader, excepting some ill-used words for an intellectually disabled character + some (not glaringly) racist remarks. Shrugging those aside, its a really fun mystery.
April 25, 2022
Still fun. What it says on the tin, basically. (This is the third one, though I read it second.)
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September 27, 2023feminism!
January 14, 2022
I had low expectations for this one, assuming it was probably just a watered down version of the Biggles books. I was surprised how interesting the book was, and found it to be well written and exciting. This gripping and realistic story is about two WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) female flyers who are conscripted to undertake a dangerous spying mission in France. Although WAAF members were not allowed in battle or to be in flight crews, they were allowed to fly planes for the Air Transport Auxiliary. Therefore, being assigned a spying mission was really rather bravely going out on a limb for all involved. Of course times were different, and our heroines did have doubts at times that maybe this was not a "job for girls". Indeed, they refer to the male British spies as "boys", too, which is a bit humorous in today's context. However, the plucky duo refuse to give up and rather brilliantly complete their assignment. In essence, John's message to women at the time was that they could very well do the job of men. Considering the mores of the times, this was a progressive and encouraging message for the young female audience that the book was aimed at.
While Biggles, Algie, Bertie and Ginger never show any fear, Worrals and her partner Frecks are more human, and are frequently (and very naturally) worried throughout their ordeal. This realism gives a human touch to the books, and those of us who were not born completely fearless of death can relate well to them.
I should add that I understand that the publishers quite naturally wanted to relate more to the newer generation by updating the artwork, but from my personal opinion I did not like their choice one bit as it struck me as being cartoonish.
While Biggles, Algie, Bertie and Ginger never show any fear, Worrals and her partner Frecks are more human, and are frequently (and very naturally) worried throughout their ordeal. This realism gives a human touch to the books, and those of us who were not born completely fearless of death can relate well to them.
I should add that I understand that the publishers quite naturally wanted to relate more to the newer generation by updating the artwork, but from my personal opinion I did not like their choice one bit as it struck me as being cartoonish.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews