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Goldsboro Books

978-0340031285

Biggles in Australia

Biggles in Australia

by Captain W. E. Johns

Publisher Hodder & Stoughton

Genre:

Released:

  • Unsigned
  • UK First Edition
  • First Printing
  • Hardcover

£95.00
£95.00
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  • Professionally Packed

    All of our books that have a dust wrapper are covered in clear protective, removable film and are packed professionally in bubble wrap and a box for shipping so that they reach you in perfect condition.

  • Book Condition & Notes

    Near-fine first edition with slight bruising to top and bottom of spine and foxing along page edges. In an unclipped dust jacket with small tears to top and bottom edges and tape along inside top edge.

About the book

A picture of Erich von Stalhein in an Australian paper is the clue that starts this adventure. Von Stalhein was rescued with others after apparently being shipwrecked. Biggles flies to Australia to investigate exactly what von Stalhein was up to. Searching the islands and atolls of northwest Australia, Biggles and Ginger settle on a lagoon for the night. Here a giant squid attacks their seaplane and this is the picture that is on the dust cover of the book. Eventually, they find the island where the shipwreck happened. They also find a number of bodies, a Geiger counter and what appears to be part of a list of German agents in Australia. It appears that another boat was also shipwrecked and a fight ensued to get the one and only lifeboat. Biggles enlists the help of local police officer Sergeant William Gilson and they take him to the island to show him the bodies. However, von Stalhein has returned in a boat called the Matilda and cleaned away all evidence of any crimes. Enquiries about the Matilda lead to further clues. A man name Smith chartered a plane to rescue von Stalhein and his cronies after they were shipwrecked. Meanwhile, Algy and Bertie have arrived and an Aborigine tries to kill Biggles. It appears that various Iron Curtain agents are stirring up the local natives and encouraging them to murder white people. Travelling to Tarracooma with Bill Gilson there is a confrontation with the bad guys and some arrests are made. Meanwhile, von Stalhein is unexpectedly found at the airport. His pilot, a man called Cozens is befriended by Biggles and his comrades. He knows nothing of the villain's affairs, as he is just a pilot. However, by just talking to Biggles, Cozens' life is now in jeopardy and he is taken away on the Matilda. Biggles has to fly to Sydney and so it is down to Algy, Ginger and Bertie to rescue Cozens. This they do by flying after the boat. Cozens jumps into a crocodile infested river to escape and get to the Seaplane. Cozens takes Ginger and Bertie to the Smiths' operational base at a place called Daly Flats. Here they find that hostile Aborigines have already attacked and they have to fight them off. Smith is killed in the fighting but von Stalhein escapes to fight another day.

About the Author

Captain W. E. Johns

Williams Earl Johns, born 1893, was an English First World War pilot, and writer of adventure stories, usually written under the pen name Capt. W. E. Johns.


He was the creator of the fictional air-adventurer Biggles. In his 46-year writing career (1922–68) he penned over 160 books, including nearly one hundred Biggles books, more than sixty other novels and factual books, and scores of magazine articles and short stories.


His first novel, Mossyface, was published in 1922 under the pen name "William Earle". After leaving the RAF, John became a newspaper air correspondent, as well as editing and illustrating books about flying. At the request of John Hamilton Ltd, he created the magazine Popular Flying which first appeared in March 1932. It was in the pages of this magazine that Biggles first appeared.

Journal & Events

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