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Biggles #96
Biggles Sees Too Much
'Biggles hurled the parcel to the far side of the road. It struck the wall and bounced back on to the pavement that skirted it. Simultaneously there was a shattering explosion.'
Even on holiday in Cornwall, Biggles cant avoid finding trouble. He soon realises that the local shark fishing business is in fact a cover-up for smuggling in illegal immigrants - and men on the run.
When a parcel bomb is delivered, Biggles and his friends realise that the gang will stop at nothing to keep their secret. But it takes a dangerous chase by sea to the Channel Islands for them to discover just how ruthless the gang is.
Even on holiday in Cornwall, Biggles cant avoid finding trouble. He soon realises that the local shark fishing business is in fact a cover-up for smuggling in illegal immigrants - and men on the run.
When a parcel bomb is delivered, Biggles and his friends realise that the gang will stop at nothing to keep their secret. But it takes a dangerous chase by sea to the Channel Islands for them to discover just how ruthless the gang is.
- GenresAdventure
176 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1970
52 people want to read
About the author
W.E. Johns
615 books114 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 30, 2023
Biggles stories always provide high adventure and plenty of excitement and although this one was his last of the main series and was published posthumously it maintains the intensity and keeps the reader on the edge of the seat throughout.
Biggles in on holiday in Cornwall and when relaxing by the harbour he spots a known criminal leaving one of the boats that were supposedly used for tourist to do a spot of shark-fishing. He reports it to headquarters, perhaps an unfortunate thing to do because it signalled the end of his holiday as he and his three trusty companions, Bertie, Algy and Ginger get mixed up in a case of people smuggling that involves them in a number of life and death situations, including the death of one of the locals who was helping in the investigation, a chase to the Channel Islands and a shoot out with some of the villains.
The tale develops nicely with the usual inter-play between Biggles and his three colleagues and Air Commodore Raymond adding to the excitement.
Biggles in on holiday in Cornwall and when relaxing by the harbour he spots a known criminal leaving one of the boats that were supposedly used for tourist to do a spot of shark-fishing. He reports it to headquarters, perhaps an unfortunate thing to do because it signalled the end of his holiday as he and his three trusty companions, Bertie, Algy and Ginger get mixed up in a case of people smuggling that involves them in a number of life and death situations, including the death of one of the locals who was helping in the investigation, a chase to the Channel Islands and a shoot out with some of the villains.
The tale develops nicely with the usual inter-play between Biggles and his three colleagues and Air Commodore Raymond adding to the excitement.
June 16, 2021
Biggles har alltid varit en bra bok serie att läsa om man vill att det ska hända saker redan på de första sidorna och även om just den här boken är en av de få som är lite trögstartade så tyckte jag att Biggles och människosmugglarna var helt okej.
Det tog dock lite tid innan man fick lust att läsa mycket på en gång och inte lägga boken åt sidan någon dag eller två.
Men karaktärerna var lätta att lära känna, även de som inte pratades om så mycket. Jag gillade också hur lätt W.E Johns har vävt in franska konversationer på ett sätt som även icke fransktalande kan förstå, detta användes dock inte speciellt mycket i den här boken men det verkar vara ett upprepande mönster i nästan alla hans böcker.
Det enda negativa med boken var att det kunde bli lite tröttsamt att läsa den, även om den helt klart var spännande. Problemet var nog att jag tyckte den var bra men suget att ha den överstökad var större en att njuta av berättelsen.
Det tog dock lite tid innan man fick lust att läsa mycket på en gång och inte lägga boken åt sidan någon dag eller två.
Men karaktärerna var lätta att lära känna, även de som inte pratades om så mycket. Jag gillade också hur lätt W.E Johns har vävt in franska konversationer på ett sätt som även icke fransktalande kan förstå, detta användes dock inte speciellt mycket i den här boken men det verkar vara ett upprepande mönster i nästan alla hans böcker.
Det enda negativa med boken var att det kunde bli lite tröttsamt att läsa den, även om den helt klart var spännande. Problemet var nog att jag tyckte den var bra men suget att ha den överstökad var större en att njuta av berättelsen.
April 30, 2020
This is a reread project.
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.”
June 28, 2016
Tijdens zijn vakantie in een klein gehucht ontdekt Biggles iets vreemds. Een jacht dat op haaien gaat vissen vertrekt met 4 personen aan boord, maar komt een paar uur later met andere personen terug.
Dit vertelt Biggles aan zijn superieur Commodore Raymond, die hem terstond verzoekt om dit verder uit te zoeken.
Samen met Bertie neemt hij zijn intrek in een hotel, en al snel wordt hij aangesproken door een chauffeur van een Daimler. Biggles ontsnapt aan een bom-aanslag maar weigert zich gewonnen te geven.
Na de nodige avonturen weten Biggles, Algy, Ginger en Bertie in samenwerking met de Kustwacht dit verhaal tot een goed einde te brengen.
Dit vertelt Biggles aan zijn superieur Commodore Raymond, die hem terstond verzoekt om dit verder uit te zoeken.
Samen met Bertie neemt hij zijn intrek in een hotel, en al snel wordt hij aangesproken door een chauffeur van een Daimler. Biggles ontsnapt aan een bom-aanslag maar weigert zich gewonnen te geven.
Na de nodige avonturen weten Biggles, Algy, Ginger en Bertie in samenwerking met de Kustwacht dit verhaal tot een goed einde te brengen.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews