THE RAID
First Published in hardback in April 1935 - 221 pages
Republished in paperback by
Norman Wright in 2001 - 190 pages
THIS BOOK CONTAINS FIVE STORIES
THE RAID
Pages 7 - 146
Flight Lieutenant Guy Baring is in love with Sheila Forbes, whose parents were both killed in flying incidents. Guy cannot give up the Air Force and Sheila feels that she cannot marry an airman, as she will never have a moment's peace. When Sheila and her Uncle come to Baghdad with the mysterious Professor Wiseman from Sweden to excavate at Prensis, Guy accidentally sees a list of friendly and hostile Arab leaders amongst the Professor's possessions. With his suspicions aroused, Guy makes enquiries and eventually discovers that 'Professor Wiseman' is in fact a German spy, called Erich von Lertzhardt. By this time, Sheila has become engaged to the Professor and Guy finds himself in a difficult position, not wishing to denounce a man who would be seen as a rival for Sheila's affections. Flying out to Prensis, Guy warns 'Wiseman' that he knows who he is and asks for his word that he will leave in order to save Sheila and her Uncle from any embarrassment in the affair. Von Lertzhardt agrees to go but Sheila refuses to leave with Guy there and then and later, hostile Arabs raid the camp at Prensis. Von Lertzhardt is shot in the head whilst defending Shelia, who is then captured and carried away by Arabs. Guy rescues Shelia by parachuting ahead of the Arabs (shades of
Mossyface here). Escaping together, there are big shocks coming before Guy is able to save the day.
ALL'S FAIR
Pages 149 - 168
"All's fair in love and business", says Captain Peter Logan. He is the Chief Instructor at South London Aero Club and he has words with one of his pupils, Sheila Sanderson. When Logan takes a dangerous photographic assignment for the Daily Pictorial he finds that Miss Sanderson has pipped him at the post. Or has she? Logan has the last laugh in this battle of the sexes.
STRANGE FREIGHT
Pages 171 - 190
Bill Davenish tells the writer of the story about where he has been for the last three months. Hired by a mysterious stranger to go and collect some Elephant Ivory, Davenish finds that all is not as it appears. This short story has a pleasant surprise for the reader at the end.
OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE
Pages 193 - 199
Jerry Barton and Bill Reeves, old comrades of 296 Squadron, have come up with a clever way to sell aircraft for their employer, the Falkner Aviation Company.
THE ACE OF SPADES
Pages 203 - 221
This was a Biggles story. Biggles is accused of incompetence by a General and has to clear his name. Biggles flies without ammunition during a camera duel with Wilks and is attacked and forced down by an orange coloured German plane with a distinctive Ace of Spades on the side. A General sees this one-sided dual and reprimands Biggles for not firing a shot. Rather than writing a report to explain what happened, Biggles borrows Algy's Sopworth Camel and subsequently shoots the German down. The fabric showing the Ace of Spades is sent to the General as his report. This story was reprinted in
BIGGLES OF THE SPECIAL AIR POLICE and it is interesting to note the differences between the original adult version as printed in this book and the subsequent children's version in the reprint. For example, the phrase "He swore, tersely but effectively", relating to Biggles, is not in the reprint and expressions like "My God!" become "My Gosh!"
First Edition
2001 Reprint of the story 'The Raid' (with Desert Night)