A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF CAPTAIN W. E. JOHNS
PART TWO
Please note that this brief summary of Johns' amazing life is just
that, a brief summary. If you are interested in the full details of his life
you MUST read By Jove, Biggles!
- The Life of Captain W. E. Johns by Peter Berresford Ellis and Jennifer
Schofield. This well researched and comprehensive account was reprinted in August
2003 by Norman Wright -
limited to 300 signed copies.
BACK TO CIVILIAN LIFE
After the war, Johns didn't
want to return to life as a sanitary inspector but wanted to stay in the Royal
Air Force. However, the Armed Forces were being drastically reduced to
peacetime levels. Initially Johns was posted as a flying instructor to Cranwell but by 11th April 1919 he was transferred to the 'Unemployed List' which meant no pay.
His marriage to his wife Maude, was breaking down.
Maude had developed acute arthritis and Jack was a sickly child. Johns took up
painting, a childhood hobby, until on 23rd November 1920 he was reinstated on the RAF Active List for a three-year
commission and promoted to the new RAF rank of full Lieutenant. He was sent to
join the Inspectorate of Recruiting in London's Covent Garden and the family
moved to Lancaster Gate. It was here that Johns recruited 'John Hume Ross' into
the RAF. Hume was really Lawrence of Arabia. Johns actually rejected Lawrence
because he didn't like his attitude but was forced to take him by higher
authority. Between 1921 and 1924, Johns claims that he spent time serving in
Iraq and India, but his RAF records do not show that he served outside the UK.
Friends from that time have said that Johns did not serve in Iraq and India and
he was simply 'gilding the lily'. Speaking of which, this may be the
appropriate time to mention that Johns' title 'Captain' was self-imposed. If
asked, he would say it was his old RFC rank, but Johns was a 'Flying Officer'
which was the equivalent of Lieutenant. It appears that Johns gave himself a
promotion purely because children would more easily understand what a Captain
was, rather than a 'Flying Officer'. It is not known whether Johns really did
serve in India and Iraq, or whether he merely picked up stories from other
officers who had served there. His books, a number of which are set in those
countries, certainly have the ring of authenticity about them, as if they were
written by someone who was familiar with those countries. Johns also produced
artwork from those places, which may indicate his claims are true, but the real
truth is something of a mystery. In 1922 Johns wrote his first novel, "MOSSYFACE". It was published by the Weekly
Telegraph Novel under the pseudonym William Earle (Johns adding the
"E"). In 1923 his RAF commission was extended another four years and
Johns was in Birmingham working on RAF recruitment. By this time, his wife and
son had moved back to live with her father, the Reverend Hunt, the marriage
having completely broken down. Johns wanted a divorce, but the Reverend would
have none of it and Maude wouldn't go against her father's wishes. Whilst
living in a hotel in Hackney Road, Edgbaston, Johns got friendly with the Leigh
family next door. He fell in love with Doris May Leigh (born 6th September 1900) and explained his situation to her. When
Johns was posted to Newcastle, Doris went with him, calling herself Doris Johns, they were inseparable until the day he died. Johns
continued to pay for his wife and son's upkeep as well
as for nurses to look after Maude.
ILLUSTRATOR AND AUTHOR
In 1927, Johns' commission in
the RAF was coming to an end and Johns had started making a living by selling
his artwork to various magazines such as the Illustrated London News. He
specialised in aviation art. Johns moved to Lingfield
in Sussex to a cottage with a studio. Doris's family moved nearby and her
brother Howard Leigh, then 18, joined Johns to learn to be an artist as well.
Howard Leigh was to become a famous aviation artist, and illustrated many of
the Biggles books. Johns began selling aviation illustrations to THE MODERN BOY magazine, published by Amalgamated Press from 11th February 1928 and soon after started writing aviation
articles. These were initially credited to 'Our Aviation Expert' but by 1930,
were being credited to Flying Officer Johns. In 1931, Johns edited two books, THE MODERN BOY'S BOOK OF AIRCRAFT and WINGS: A BOOK OF FLYING ADVENTURES. John Hamilton Ltd, a publisher that
specialised in aviation books, published the latter. Johns then illustrated THE PICTORIAL FLYING COURSE with text by Harry Schofield. A few
months later Johns wrote FIGHTING PLANES AND ACES. John Hamilton Ltd decided to launch a new aviation
magazine and they asked Johns to edit it.
POPULAR
FLYING, aimed at an adult market, was first published on 16th March 1932 (cover dated April 1932). Wanting to
write authentic stories about flying in the Great War, Johns decided to create
a fictional airman for the first issue and James Bigglesworth, known as
'Biggles' was born. Biggles first appeared in Popular Flying Volume 1, No 1, April 1932 credited as being written by 'William
Earle'. If you click on the turquoise 'Popular Flying' above you will find a
list of all his appearances in the magazine. In August 1932, John Hamilton published a collection of
Biggles stories as THE
CAMELS ARE COMING.
This was the first Biggles book and Biggles was to become a British
Institution.