Biggles: The Camels Are Coming

Biggles #1

by W.E. Johns

The Camel closed up until it was flying beside him; the pilot smiling. Biggles showed his teeth in what he imagined to be an answering smile. 'You swine,' he 'you dirty, unutterable, murdering swine! I'm going to kill you if it's the last thing I do on earth.' Set in the last years of the First World War air combat has now become the order of the day and air duelling is a fine art. Biggles and his fellow pilots now have to contend with the enemy using their own British aircraft, a Sopwith Camel, to lure the British pilots to their deaths...Please ask if you need a specific version. The data provided here may not be correct. With buying and not asking you are accepting the book as is.

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, War, Historical, Childrens, Classics

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 1932

About the author

Invariably 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.

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! As I began reading this book I was thinking it was a novel instead of multiple short stories, but I think it was better that way. Great book for readers of classic books.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1932, this is the first Biggles book that Captain W E Johns wrote. It is structured rather like an anthology of short stories. Each of the seventeen chapters sees Biggles fly a different mission, or become embroiled in a different escapade, and there is little over-arching narrative to connect them, which means this is a very easy book to dip in and out of as time or circumstances allow. The chapters are short and fast-paced, with plenty of action and the occasional touch of humour, and on the whole I found it to be a very enjoyable read.

I missed out on reading Biggles’s adventures as a child, and I am now closer to forty than fourteen, but I did not find that this lessened my enjoyment. The book is not especially childish, and is darker in places than the popular conception of a Biggles story led me to believe – by the last chapters, Biggles is drinking half a bottle of whisky for breakfast and his friends are becoming increasingly concerned for his sanity.

There are numerous footnotes in the text that explain some of the words that readers may not be familiar with ("archie", for example, and "onions") and I found these to be quite helpful. From what I understand, Biggles’s adventures are drawn largely from Johns’s own experiences, and for readers looking for an introduction to First World War aviation this is a good place to start.

[Olivia · Rating 1 out of 5]

What in the world went wrong here!!?? Biggles all of a sudden is a swearing, hard-core fellow with no emotions. I totally did not like him in this one. Technically, W.E. Johns wrote this book first of any other Biggles stories (it is the third one that I've read). So I've imagined a scenario for why his first book is different than his others: Everyone disliked Biggles because he swore too much. Why would they let their kids read such a book? And so they asked the author if he could create a cleaner character, who smiled sometimes and wasn't so coarse with his speech.

Okay. So other than the swearing, why didn't I like it? One main thing I felt was that it repeated a lot from Biggles Learns To Fly. Also, once Biggles shoots down two German planes just so he can win twelve bottles of whiskey. Really! Then toward the end his "romance" with the French girl. That was cheesy and made him even more blah and mediocre.

I've started the next one and it is much more promising. Something must have changed in the authors mind in how he wanted to represent Biggles. So, I'm not saying goodbye to him yet, but I do not recommend this book.

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 2 out of 5]

Denna skrevs under åren innan andra världskriget, om det första. Så tekniskt sett historisk roman..?

Det är den kronologiskt första Bigglesboken, och består av flera kortare noveller av väldigt varierande kvalitet. Jag kan i allmänhet säga att de senare böckerna antingen är oerhört mycket bättre, att svensköversättningen till min styvars gamla äventyrsböcker var mycket bättre, eller att böckerna inte håller för läsning över deras avsedda tonårspublik. Oavsett så har jag tillbringat sämre sjukdomskvällar/nätter/morgnar.

[Jennifer Biggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book. It allows a little bit of insight into the mind of WWI pilots and I really enjoyed it. It had all the great aspects of good story telling and the forward by Captain W.E Johns is insightful and a treat as well. Highly recommend this book if you can find a copy

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's no narrative to this book, its basically a collection of short stories, adapted, if Captain Johns' Foreword is to be believed, (and who wouldn't believe an ex-RFC officer!) from events he's either witnessed personally or heard about from reliable sources. I have read them before, but published under a different title. The publishing notes say that the Armada edition was called Biggles, Pioneer Air Fighter, but I'm fairly sure I read them first as a schoolboy, before the Armada edition. The one that didn't seem so familiar related Biggles one and only love affair, with beguiling blonde Marie Janis, who turns out to be a spy, and tricks him into delivering information which could have led to the destruction of 266 squadron's officers' mess (and the officers with it!). However, British Intelligence is on the case, substituting false information. The thought of Biggles canoodling in the orchard with this Mata Hari must have traumatised my young mind and obliterated all memory of this story! This is also the book that introduces us to Algy, or Algernon Montgomery as he is known initially, and his devil-may-care eccentricities!

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way better than I was expecting - a fun but surprisingly dark (for a kids' book) look into the work of fighter pilots during WW1. It's really informative and taught me lots about an area of history I didn't know much about, whilst the character of Biggles shows the realistic strain of working in such and environment, and goes on a really deep character journey throughout the course of the book.

One slight criticism is that Johns opens the book with an introduction about the perils of war and how no one escapes death forever, and proceeds to follow this by chapter after chapter of Biggles pulling off heroic and death-defying feats that surely would have gotten him killed. Every story is fun but one after another they do seem a little unlikely, especially as the minute he is finally taken down and captured by the Germans, he is lucky enough to have done so just 30 minutes after the armistice was signed.

Jolly good fun. 5 stars.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hated the first couple of pages; I didn't get what was happening in the story. Then I decided to back up and just read it and go with it, not trying to figure out every little anachronistic aviation term. I got it. I flew with these very, very young pilots in World War I. It is a ride. A real ride in the air and a ride through time. It's full of all the things that the book police would hate today: shooting, killing others with a sense of triumph, hatred for other peoples. But, nevertheless, a fabulous adventure book.

[Huw Collingbourne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Biggles book I've read and not as juvenile as I was expecting. This is a collection of short stories about young 1st World War aviators. While there is a good deal of rip-roaring adventure, it also confronts the fear, the danger and the frequent death that were the everyday experience of those young man. A surprisingly enjoyable read.

[Wilson E. Stevens Sr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty interesting book to read. My grandfather drove an ammunition truck during World War One in France where most of this book takes place. I found the description of the airplanes very interesting, and looked up and got photo's of each of the one's mentioned. I may read more of the series, as it was worth while from a plot, as well as a historical view.

[Foisal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who minds to the dust returning,
Who shrinks from the sable shore,
Where the high and haughty yearning
Of the soul shall be no more?

So stand by your glasses steady,
This world is a world of lies;
A cup to the dead already,
Hurrah! for the next man who dies

When I picked it up as a novel, it turned out to be an anthology of 17 short stories. Stories about how James Bigglesworth (who represents the daring, deadly and carefree spirit of R.F.C during WWI ) got involved in various missions throughout WWI as a pilot. Those short stories depicted the day-to-day activities, emotions, bravado, frequent deaths and dangers, coincidences, and last but not least, romances in the lives of WWI pilots.


This book could be a perfect starting point for a young or new reader to know more about WWI aviation and aviators. Initially, you may experience a bumpy ride, but once you get hold of the bearing of the writer's style of writing, the rest of the flight will be swift and smooth. The book is full of footnotes explaining numerous words used during wartime.

Overall, it's a good read, and your time will fly swiftly with Biggles and his Camel.


Favourite Quotes:
1. Many of the lessons which we learned in the hard school of war are being rapidly obscured by the mists of peace-time theory

2. In peace a man may make a mistake—and live. He may not even know of his mistake. If he makes that same mistake in war—he dies, unless it is his lucky day, in which case the error is so vividly brought to his notice that he is never guilty of it again

3. This game (war) makes an old man of a young one without him knowing it. That's the truth.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this as a complete Biggles novice and ended up as a fan. The first couple of stories were a little struggle, as it took me time to get into the author's style, but by the end I was sailing through them and having a great time.

Biggles was one of the great British fictional heroes of mid 20th century. He was a champion aviator who started life in THE CAMELS ARE COMING, a selection of connected short stories that sees him flying a Sopwith Camel and battling the Boche during the First World War.

The stories are short, snappy, and filled with aerial combat scenes which are described evocatively. There's always a twist of sorts in store and a freshness and momentum that make the tales highly readable. Biggles gets a real satisfaction from outwitting and out-flying the enemy and that transfers to the reader; at the same time he's a real gentleman who respects his foe. The next in the series is THE CRUISE OF THE CONDOR and I'll be certain to catch up with it.

[Ted Wenskus · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of things British, I've run across references to Biggles and his trusted companions multiple times, so I thought I'd actually see what some of the source material was like. I found it rather enjoyable for what it was. The story-telling is pretty simple, being pulpy action-adventure stories, but unlike from what I gather later stories are like, these weren't aimed for young audiences yet, which gave them a bit more appeal (e.g., there's drinking, shooting, and other military shenanigans). The thing that I appreciated most was the description and detail of actually piloting these very early aircraft. Johns was an accomplished WWI pilot and that level of familiarity comes through strongly in each story, and as someone interested in WWI as a whole, I found that (and this collection) nicely engaging.

[David Meiklejohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the Biggles books and characters referenced as I grew up but never read any of them. Here was a chance to see what it was all about. Aimed mainly at kids there is a fair bit of technical detail, battle detail and musing on death, so it’s not totally juvenile.
The book is actually a collection of short stories following captain Bigglesworth’s career during World War One. He pilots a Sopwith Camel at the front line in France and regularly crosses the line in sorties against the “Bosch”. It’s all very “stiff upper lip” but good fun, and gives a real insight into the character of the RAF pilots at the time.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1932, 'Biggles - The Camels are Coming' is a collection of 17 short stories set around an airfield in France in WW1 featuring RFC fighter pilot James Bigglesworth. The first 6 stories were subsequently tacked onto the end of the 1950s publication 'Biggles of the Special Air Police', whilst next 11 form the main part of another 1950s publication 'Biggles - Pioneer Air Fighter', so these tales crop up more often than others. And they are very good stories, with a continuity that works well and a style missing from later works by the author.

[Barry Haworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first of the Biggles books written when the target audience was adults rather than children when Biggles was somewhat edgier and rougher around the edges. This book gives a fascinating looking into the life of a pilot in the first World War, drawing from the author's experiences.

For those interested in such things, as well as Biggles himself this book introduces other characters who will turn up in other books in the series, including Colonel Raymond, Biggles' cousin Algy and his friend and sometimes rival Wilks.

[D'face · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first of the Biggles books is a collection of short stories of Biggles exploits in the First World War flying over the front lines. There are footnotes explaining jargon. Biggles here is hard drinking, becoming depressed as the war drags on and he embarks on a romance with a foreign agent. His cousin Algie joins him and is impetuous and lucky but an excellent flier.
I never had Biggles books as a boy but my best friend had a lovely collection in his bedroom and reading this first volume took me back 50 years.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hits a nice balance between gritty war story and boys own adventure.

This is a younger Biggles, he is learning and has some hard edges.
He is a rougher character than the clean cut pulp hero he becomes.

This collection of short stories works well.
Only complaint is the supporting cast, is there, but that's about it.
They get a little bit of screen time and even less personality.

Nice intro to this character and WW1 adventure in general.
Looking forward to tracking down more from this series and comparing the different eras of Biggles.

[Venkataraghavan Srinivasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

You're either discovering Biggles or re-reading him twenty-five years later as an adult. Either way, this collection of episodes reads very well. You're thrown into the thick of WW1 air action right from the start. Each chapter is a quick detailed action-packed read. Highly recommended for holidays.

[Mohammad Sabbir Shaikh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first Biggles book. It's a collection of 17 short stories. These are quick in-and-out stories packed with high-flying adventures. You can also look at it as 17 missions that Biggles took as a WWI pilot. Reading it was as much fun as flying in the sky.

[Paul Devall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only downloaded this book as we had been talking about Biggles at a recent visit to the RAF Museum at Manston Airport in Kent.

Not having read any Biggles books for maybe 50 years it was a bit of turning back the clock.

Real Boys Own stuff.

A superb read.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great series of "Biggles" adventures, but this time with an unexpected twist to the typical Biggles story-line towards the end.
If you enjoy light "easy to follow" adventure stories that you can relax with & enjoy almost anywhere, anytime, then Biggles is for you.

[Amolhavoc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure why I picked this up. It's an enjoyable period piece, and the WW1-era diction and slang are quite charming. I doubt I'll be reading the other 101 books in the series, but it's been a nice palate cleanser after Roberto Bolaño.

[Sean Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biggles #1
First Biggles book is a cracking yarn of linked shorter tales. We meet Biggles and Algy and there is triumph and tragedy and the pain of war is there, as well as life in the war.
Biggles can be a grumpy geeezer, which shows he is not this two dimensional goon.
A great read.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* for a collection of ripping yarns!

[Christine Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the lives of World War One pilots. I loved Biggles as a child, but find the stories a bit unemotional and detached now.

[John Somers · Rating 4 out of 5]

17/20.

[SierraKiloBravo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Link to my review: https://youtu.be/kIQ0EbhAmac

[Nobi Nobes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of WW1 short stories.