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Biggles #39
Another Job for Biggles
After being promoted to Detective Air-Inspector, Biggles investigates the supply of a particularly addictive drug called Gurra.
191 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1951
58 people want to read
About the author
W.E. Johns
613 books113 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 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 1, 2025
This is the Biggles drug adventure.
I suspect that Captain Johns was intrigued by the Middle East, in particular the desert, which features in a number of Biggles stories: in North Africa, with Sergeant Bigglesworth, C.I.D., Australia; Biggles in Australia, and overtly in Biggles in the Gobi as well as here in the Middle East in Another Job for Biggles.
Mix in the imminent destruction of civilisation as we know it through an extremely addictive new drug called gurra (one hundred times worse than marijuana!) and the scene is set.
Biggles, Ginger and Bertie are off to Arabia, a British Protectorate at the time. But Algy is on holiday. What! No Algy!? From the beginning there was always Biggles and Algy, thereafter Ginger joined them, then Bertie, but from time to time one dropped out. I always thought Ginger the liveliest of Biggles chums so when he was absent the stories slowed. The nadir comes with just Biggles and Bertie in Orchids for Biggles, a dismal tale.
In Another Job for Biggles the boys have orders to destroy this dangerous new drug which conveniently is being grown in just one location. So what to do? Burn the lot, burn the crop. Simple. But lo and behold when they get there the job is already done. But no! They find one dead Arab and one nearly dead Arab (Zahar) in the Rub al Khali, together with a bag of seeds. Biggles realises the task has not ended, but has just begun and ‘the fate of western civilisation may rest on a handful of seeds.’ (p372) Page numbers are from the Biggles Air Detective Omnibus).
Of course there is a mastermind behind the deadly game, one Nicolo Ambrimos, of lineage undetermined, although his view point becomes clear soon enough. Biggles fronts the villain, rescues Zahar again, and follows the trail across the Red Sea into the country of the Danakil, which I believe would be Ethiopia, but this is not disclosed, to the new drug plantation.
Ginger inadvertently drinks heavily from a hash-flavoured water hole and wanders off. Biggles is ‘invited’ to join him, where Ambrimos volunteers his assessment of the British character as he offers Biggles a job as a pilot: ‘The British are an obnoxious, meddlesome breed, but they have one characteristic which we who hate them must admire. Having given their word they keep it.' (p451). Shortly thereafter he reveals his master plan,Mr Bond. Which is to flood Britain with gurra: ‘More and more will go to your miserable country of fog and rain.’ (p452) Interesting to consider where the power balance lies today.
Biggles decides he would rather be hanged.
Cue Land of Hope and Glory!
I suspect that Captain Johns was intrigued by the Middle East, in particular the desert, which features in a number of Biggles stories: in North Africa, with Sergeant Bigglesworth, C.I.D., Australia; Biggles in Australia, and overtly in Biggles in the Gobi as well as here in the Middle East in Another Job for Biggles.
Mix in the imminent destruction of civilisation as we know it through an extremely addictive new drug called gurra (one hundred times worse than marijuana!) and the scene is set.
Biggles, Ginger and Bertie are off to Arabia, a British Protectorate at the time. But Algy is on holiday. What! No Algy!? From the beginning there was always Biggles and Algy, thereafter Ginger joined them, then Bertie, but from time to time one dropped out. I always thought Ginger the liveliest of Biggles chums so when he was absent the stories slowed. The nadir comes with just Biggles and Bertie in Orchids for Biggles, a dismal tale.
In Another Job for Biggles the boys have orders to destroy this dangerous new drug which conveniently is being grown in just one location. So what to do? Burn the lot, burn the crop. Simple. But lo and behold when they get there the job is already done. But no! They find one dead Arab and one nearly dead Arab (Zahar) in the Rub al Khali, together with a bag of seeds. Biggles realises the task has not ended, but has just begun and ‘the fate of western civilisation may rest on a handful of seeds.’ (p372) Page numbers are from the Biggles Air Detective Omnibus).
Of course there is a mastermind behind the deadly game, one Nicolo Ambrimos, of lineage undetermined, although his view point becomes clear soon enough. Biggles fronts the villain, rescues Zahar again, and follows the trail across the Red Sea into the country of the Danakil, which I believe would be Ethiopia, but this is not disclosed, to the new drug plantation.
Ginger inadvertently drinks heavily from a hash-flavoured water hole and wanders off. Biggles is ‘invited’ to join him, where Ambrimos volunteers his assessment of the British character as he offers Biggles a job as a pilot: ‘The British are an obnoxious, meddlesome breed, but they have one characteristic which we who hate them must admire. Having given their word they keep it.' (p451). Shortly thereafter he reveals his master plan,
Biggles decides he would rather be hanged.
Cue Land of Hope and Glory!
January 23, 2022
I'm loathe to give any of John's Biggle's books less than a four, but in honesty this one is three and a half stars from me. A decent read, but for me the "Desert" adventure books tend to be a little less interesting, with a less complex story line than the normal series. A tad "dry", if you'll pardon the pun. Our heroes thirstily traipse about in the sand under scorching heat, with bleached bones scattered about. Like clockwork, there is inevitably a devastating sandstorm.
I'll now discuss some aspects of the book in detail; I'll try not to reveal more than what the introductory précis at the beginning has already told us all. But I may discuss points about the storyline in the book... so for those who want a complete surprise it may be best to stop reading this now.
This book opens with Biggles getting a much deserved promotion, but he has to pay for it with a tediously lonnnnng lecture from Air Commodore Raymond about the evils of the Demon Marijuana. Raymond always has a jolly nice box of cigarettes on his desk, and as usual urges them upon Biggles to "calm his nerves". They proceed to sit and puff merrily away as the Chief tells him about all the unhealthy aspects of marijuana. Air Commodore's vivid and almost loving description of what happens when you smoke a dreaded joint unwittingly makes the experience sound like Paradise; I wouldn't be surprised if it quite likely sent many a schoolboy into a frenzy of curiosity. Apparently if this demon drug gets unleashed upon the world, it will end civilisation as we know it, etc..
Never one to shirk his duty to King and Country, Biggles accepts this dangerous mission. He, Ginger and Bertie ( Algy is away on leave) set off on a search that first begins hunting for "Gurra", and then later onto Hashish. Biggles makes two of his repeated mistakes in this book. As often happens, he sits down at a cafe or another public place, to gab about the case to a colleague. The conversation is always overheard by a spy in the form of a waiter or a nearby customer. Thus, Biggle's intentions become known to the Enemy. Time and time again he has done this; you'd think he'd have learned by now that Loose Lips Sink Ships, and to take a walk somewhere discrete to discuss business. But from the viewpoint of our eager reader, what better way to get the ball rolling and get into the camp of the enemy than by sending them your calling card? Secondly, when going into the desert he takes a bare minimum quantity of water with him. Seemingly, according to his calculations, a bottle of water should last for a one or two day march in the desert. Personally, I'd have drained that bottle dry in the first 20 minutes. This inevitably leads to all sorts of water deprivation, and sometimes near-death experiences. In this case, it lead to a terrible decision by poor Ginger.
There are all sorts of purposely derogatory stereotypical terms used that in 2022 are considered shocking and blatantly racist, but this was the way of the world. Johns was a messenger that tells us know how life was in 1951. As shocking as these are to read, it's a reminder to us of some of the unsavoury aspects of our social history.
As for an adventure store, even a mediocre Biggles is a worthwhile read and will provide a good yarn. Quite a clever, and dramatic conclusion to this one, and one that I enjoyed envisioning! As usual, everyone gets what they deserve! Good show, chaps! You really are a brick, Biggles.
I'll now discuss some aspects of the book in detail; I'll try not to reveal more than what the introductory précis at the beginning has already told us all. But I may discuss points about the storyline in the book... so for those who want a complete surprise it may be best to stop reading this now.
This book opens with Biggles getting a much deserved promotion, but he has to pay for it with a tediously lonnnnng lecture from Air Commodore Raymond about the evils of the Demon Marijuana. Raymond always has a jolly nice box of cigarettes on his desk, and as usual urges them upon Biggles to "calm his nerves". They proceed to sit and puff merrily away as the Chief tells him about all the unhealthy aspects of marijuana. Air Commodore's vivid and almost loving description of what happens when you smoke a dreaded joint unwittingly makes the experience sound like Paradise; I wouldn't be surprised if it quite likely sent many a schoolboy into a frenzy of curiosity. Apparently if this demon drug gets unleashed upon the world, it will end civilisation as we know it, etc..
Never one to shirk his duty to King and Country, Biggles accepts this dangerous mission. He, Ginger and Bertie ( Algy is away on leave) set off on a search that first begins hunting for "Gurra", and then later onto Hashish. Biggles makes two of his repeated mistakes in this book. As often happens, he sits down at a cafe or another public place, to gab about the case to a colleague. The conversation is always overheard by a spy in the form of a waiter or a nearby customer. Thus, Biggle's intentions become known to the Enemy. Time and time again he has done this; you'd think he'd have learned by now that Loose Lips Sink Ships, and to take a walk somewhere discrete to discuss business. But from the viewpoint of our eager reader, what better way to get the ball rolling and get into the camp of the enemy than by sending them your calling card? Secondly, when going into the desert he takes a bare minimum quantity of water with him. Seemingly, according to his calculations, a bottle of water should last for a one or two day march in the desert. Personally, I'd have drained that bottle dry in the first 20 minutes. This inevitably leads to all sorts of water deprivation, and sometimes near-death experiences. In this case, it lead to a terrible decision by poor Ginger.
There are all sorts of purposely derogatory stereotypical terms used that in 2022 are considered shocking and blatantly racist, but this was the way of the world. Johns was a messenger that tells us know how life was in 1951. As shocking as these are to read, it's a reminder to us of some of the unsavoury aspects of our social history.
As for an adventure store, even a mediocre Biggles is a worthwhile read and will provide a good yarn. Quite a clever, and dramatic conclusion to this one, and one that I enjoyed envisioning! As usual, everyone gets what they deserve! Good show, chaps! You really are a brick, Biggles.
June 28, 2016
Biggles krijgt promotie en gelijk weer een moeilijke zaak in de schoot geworpen. Ergens in Arabiē is een plant gevonden die een nog verslavende werking heeft dan hasj. Samen met Bertie en Ginger neemt Biggles de taak op zich om de plek te vinden waar de plant groeide waar deze drugs van gemaakt werd en indien mogelijk te vernietigen.
Ook in dit deel werden weer typische uitdrukkingen gebezigd die heden ten dage toch wel vreemd klinken. Arabieren werden als 'stink Arabier' neergezet; Bertie bezigde nogal vreemde aansprekingen tegen man die hen hielp.
Het verhaal was verder al snel te bedenken. Natuurlijk vinden Biggles c.s. de plek waar die planten groeien en weten deze te vernietigen.
Ook in dit deel werden weer typische uitdrukkingen gebezigd die heden ten dage toch wel vreemd klinken. Arabieren werden als 'stink Arabier' neergezet; Bertie bezigde nogal vreemde aansprekingen tegen man die hen hielp.
Het verhaal was verder al snel te bedenken. Natuurlijk vinden Biggles c.s. de plek waar die planten groeien en weten deze te vernietigen.
February 3, 2017
"...if marijuana ever got into common use civilisation as we know it would fall to pieces."
Well, that explains a great deal.
Well, that explains a great deal.
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.”
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews