Biggles in France (Biggles)

by W E Johns

DESPERATE CHANCES!

Biggles battles through the First World War, honing his flying skills in terrifying battles against the finest fighters the enemy can supply. But not all his adventures take place in the air, and not all of them are deadly serious. Even in the bitter environment of war, the men of 266 Squadron find time to share some laughs as their friendships strengthen, ready for the thrill of next deadly aerial combat.

Join cult hero and flying ace, Squadron Leader James Bigglesworth on another action packed adventure!

• ISBN10: 178295029X
• ISBN13: 9781782950295
• Publish Date: 4 September 2014 (first published 1 July 2004)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 13 June 2014
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Children's UK
• Imprint: Red Fox
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[wyvernfriend]

The surface of this is the derring do of the adventurous World War I pilot, but underneath this is an acknowledgement that many of the pilots ate breakfast together and then didn't ever see each other again. Captain W. E. Johns is writing about stuff he knows about, he served in World War I as a pilot and knew the stories, probably just vaguely fictionalised the stories and they're here as a snapshot of a time and a place.

These are short stories, some a chapter long, others a few chapters looking at life in wartime Royal Flying Corps, yes it's a male only cast but that reflects front-line wartime situations that it's set in.

It's interesting to read as a kid and interesting to read some of the subtext as an adult.