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Worrals #2
Worrals Carries On
It is 1941 and Worrals and Frecks are stuck in the routine of delivering new planes to the RAF, until a chance discovery puts them on the trail of a Nazi spy.
- GenresAdventure
216 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1942
12 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 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 25, 2022
5 Stars, and I would have given it 6 if that were an option. An action packed novel of the brave deeds of Worrals and her side-kick Frecks. There is even a little tame romance thrown in for Worrals.
As there is no brief précis given here about the book, I'll just say that the sharp-eyed Worrals and Frecks stumble upon suspicious behaviour by one of the flight officers. They decide to investigate to see if he is a spy, and it leads them on an exciting adventure first to London, and then to France. The characters in the book are very well developed, and the story-line is solid. Johns knew how to create tension and suspense, and he created a book that must have been extremely exciting for young people back in wartime 1942. One thing I found odd was that in this book, Frecks seems to just tag along to keep Worrals company; there doesn't seem to be any other reason why she came along on the mission because she doesn't really do much other than follow Worrals around. A bit more participation from Frecks might have been a good idea, but that is a minor point.
The same as the other Worrals book I read so far, the edition I read has "updated" artwork to replace the original. An unfortunate choice, in my opinion; to my eye it is distracting and cartoonish.
As there is no brief précis given here about the book, I'll just say that the sharp-eyed Worrals and Frecks stumble upon suspicious behaviour by one of the flight officers. They decide to investigate to see if he is a spy, and it leads them on an exciting adventure first to London, and then to France. The characters in the book are very well developed, and the story-line is solid. Johns knew how to create tension and suspense, and he created a book that must have been extremely exciting for young people back in wartime 1942. One thing I found odd was that in this book, Frecks seems to just tag along to keep Worrals company; there doesn't seem to be any other reason why she came along on the mission because she doesn't really do much other than follow Worrals around. A bit more participation from Frecks might have been a good idea, but that is a minor point.
The same as the other Worrals book I read so far, the edition I read has "updated" artwork to replace the original. An unfortunate choice, in my opinion; to my eye it is distracting and cartoonish.
September 27, 2022
The adventures of Biggles and Worrals by Capt. W.E Johns remind me of Commando Comics of yore where everything was cut and dried and the bad guys (the Nazis) ended up biting the dust.
Thoroughly enjoyed this story of German spy in RAF, the intrepid French underground, a bit foolish Nazis and the brave rescue attempt by our heroine wherein they come out with flying colors after having hoodwinked the enemy with a bit of daring, luck, intelligence and camaraderie.
The story is high on adrenaline and adventure and there aren’t any complications which our lady protagonist and her sidekick can’t solve.
Now to the other books of Ms. Worrals.
Thoroughly enjoyed this story of German spy in RAF, the intrepid French underground, a bit foolish Nazis and the brave rescue attempt by our heroine wherein they come out with flying colors after having hoodwinked the enemy with a bit of daring, luck, intelligence and camaraderie.
The story is high on adrenaline and adventure and there aren’t any complications which our lady protagonist and her sidekick can’t solve.
Now to the other books of Ms. Worrals.
August 26, 2024
A really punchy story, featuring mystery and intrigue on both sides of the channel. The characters of Worrals and Frecks continue to be written really well, and there is even some romance here which is a welcome element - as it is so lacking in the Biggles series. Great action scenes at the end. 4 stars.
October 25, 2021
Action packed from the get go.
April 13, 2023
I have been thinking a lot about the idea of "outlandishness" in literature, that is to say the notion of people doing things that you would not normally do or believe or countenance and yet somehow you, as the reader, buy into them entirely and find yourself cheering them on. A typical example of this would be the moment that John McClane brings down a helicopter by launching a car at it in one of the Die Hards. (A Die Hard reference in a Worrals review! Today's unexpected moment!). It is ridiculous and brilliant and stupid and also everything I have every wanted from cinema.
What I am trying to say, in a longwinded sort of manner, is that Worrals Carries On is precisely everything I have ever wanted from a book. It is ridiculous, it is outlandish, it is occasionally deeply stupid (the plot, for example, hinges on the discovery of a geranium leaf on a plane when it returns from a raid....and! it! is! not! a! British! geranium!). And yet it is also amazing. It is everything I have ever wanted.
Let me highlight the amazing. Worrals is built of adamantium and able to survive anything. Amazing. Frecks is her chum and there, as far as I can tell, just to give Worrals somebody to chat with. Amazing. Popping back and forth to France like you're picking up the milk? Amazing. Foiling the Nazis with our eyes closed because that's what we do jolly hockeysticks good show? Amazing. Running into spies and double agents every where we go? Amazing.
Can I give this a more literary review? Let's try. There's a lot of that determinedly Blytonian quality about Johns' writing. You will keep going because the book doesn't allow you to stop. There's not one inch of this that doesn't storm towards the inevitable conclusion. It's a conclusion that wouldn't know subtlety or nuance if it hit it on the head. I loved it entirely and desperately want to adapt these for television because there's no way you don't watch this and then put the next episode on.
Worrals Carries On. What a book. What an absolute car launched at a helicopter kind of book.
What I am trying to say, in a longwinded sort of manner, is that Worrals Carries On is precisely everything I have ever wanted from a book. It is ridiculous, it is outlandish, it is occasionally deeply stupid (the plot, for example, hinges on the discovery of a geranium leaf on a plane when it returns from a raid....and! it! is! not! a! British! geranium!). And yet it is also amazing. It is everything I have ever wanted.
Let me highlight the amazing. Worrals is built of adamantium and able to survive anything. Amazing. Frecks is her chum and there, as far as I can tell, just to give Worrals somebody to chat with. Amazing. Popping back and forth to France like you're picking up the milk? Amazing. Foiling the Nazis with our eyes closed because that's what we do jolly hockeysticks good show? Amazing. Running into spies and double agents every where we go? Amazing.
Can I give this a more literary review? Let's try. There's a lot of that determinedly Blytonian quality about Johns' writing. You will keep going because the book doesn't allow you to stop. There's not one inch of this that doesn't storm towards the inevitable conclusion. It's a conclusion that wouldn't know subtlety or nuance if it hit it on the head. I loved it entirely and desperately want to adapt these for television because there's no way you don't watch this and then put the next episode on.
Worrals Carries On. What a book. What an absolute car launched at a helicopter kind of book.
March 22, 2022
Warning: contains one mild spoiler.
What I liked:
1) This is a rip-roaring adventure! Captain W.E. Johns really understood story, and knew how to keep us turning the pages.
2) Gender equality!! The good Captain was waaaay ahead of his time in this respect! Worrals gets to be every bit as level-headed, resourceful, and courageous as Biggles ever was. Indeed, at one point she gets to kick a Nazi storm trooper out of a lorry in a manner of which Indian Jones would be proud.
And yes, there are times when she's probably a bit too good to be true... but then, you know, so was Biggles...
3) The characters may not be exactly complex, but they're very likeable, and soon have you rooting for them.
4) I especially enjoyed the flying scenes. Captain Johns' own experience as a pilot really shines through, making these scenes especially vivid.
What I didn't like so much:
1) There a few minor bits of plot that don't quite add up or aren't adequately explained.
2) The adverbs. Oh, SO many adverbs!!
3) This edition has enough typos that it really becomes quite noticeable.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book! I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good adventure story.
What I liked:
1) This is a rip-roaring adventure! Captain W.E. Johns really understood story, and knew how to keep us turning the pages.
2) Gender equality!! The good Captain was waaaay ahead of his time in this respect! Worrals gets to be every bit as level-headed, resourceful, and courageous as Biggles ever was. Indeed, at one point she gets to kick a Nazi storm trooper out of a lorry in a manner of which Indian Jones would be proud.
And yes, there are times when she's probably a bit too good to be true... but then, you know, so was Biggles...
3) The characters may not be exactly complex, but they're very likeable, and soon have you rooting for them.
4) I especially enjoyed the flying scenes. Captain Johns' own experience as a pilot really shines through, making these scenes especially vivid.
What I didn't like so much:
1) There a few minor bits of plot that don't quite add up or aren't adequately explained.
2) The adverbs. Oh, SO many adverbs!!
3) This edition has enough typos that it really becomes quite noticeable.
Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book! I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good adventure story.
June 26, 2022
Not sure why this was on hiatus for so long, but it's an enjoyable and exciting read, with the women getting most of the action.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews