Roger Harris Presents

W.E. JOHNS IN

“MEN ONLY”

A GUIDE TO THE ARTICLES OF W. E. JOHNS IN “MEN ONLY”

 

(SCROLL DOWN TO SEE ALL THE ORIGINAL COVERS)

 

 

MEN ONLY was first published in December 1935 by C. Arthur Pearson Ltd.  It was a monthly “pocket-sized” publication, each issue having pages just under 5 inches wide by just over 7 inches high (120 cms by 180 cms).  The paper cover overlapped the pages by 4 millimetres, top and bottom, and up to one centimetre at the side, making issues difficult to store vertically.  Initially costing one shilling an issue (12 pence in old money), from the January 1941 issue the cover price rose to one shilling and 3d (15 old pence).  It was announced in that issue of the magazine that this was in order to continue (no doubt due to wartime paper shortages).  W.E. Johns first contributed an article to the November 1936 issue, which was the 12th issue published.  His last contribution (that I can find) is in the 65th issue, April 1941.  Of course, the magazine was ‘risqué’and contained the occasional tasteful picture of a naked lady.  It is quite amusing reading one of   W. E. Johns witty articles and then seeing a picture of a naked woman on the very next page.  Whatever would Biggles say??   Well, he would have loved it, because in the original version of the Biggles story “The Bottle Party” published in the April 1933 issue of ‘Popular Flying’ Biggles is looking through “a well-thumbed copy of La Vie Parisienne” but you wouldn’t know that if you have only ever read the Biggles books because even in the very first edition of ‘Biggles of the Camel Squadron’ this reference had been changed (on page 63) to “a well-thumbed paper”!  This is another reminder that the Biggles stories were original written for adults, of course.  La Vie Parisienne was a mildly risqué publication that General Pershing personally warned American servicemen against purchasing, which immediately boosted its popularity!  (At the bottom of this page is a picture of an issue from 1918).  In 1971, Paul Raymond bought “MEN ONLY” and turned it into a well-known top-shelf adult magazine.  It is interesting to note how Johns’ credit varies between “Captain” W. E. Johns and just W. E. Johns for different articles.  By April 1941, Johns stopped contributing articles.  Maybe his success as a children’s author made him think it was no longer appropriate.  Maybe ‘Men Only’ decided they didn’t want to print his articles. I imagine the real reason was that he was concentrating on his successful Biggles books as three were published in August 1941 alone!

(Biggles Defies the Swastika, Biggles Sees it Through and Spitfire Parade – Biggles at War).

 

CLICK ON ANY COVER TO ENLARGE IT OR ARTICLE TITLE TO FIND OUT MORE

 

 

Issue 12 – NOVEMBER 1936

featuring

“Motorists in the Air”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 16 – MARCH 1937

featuring

Stratospherics

by W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 17 – APRIL 1937

featuring

“War in the Air”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 19 – JUNE 1937

featuring

“The Wheel of Fortune”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 21 – AUGUST 1937

featuring

“Ship or Aeroplane?”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 23 – OCTOBER 1937

featuring

“Learning to Fly”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 25 – DECEMBER 1937

featuring

“On Drinking Wine”

by W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 27 – FEBRUARY 1938

featuring

“Treasure Trove”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 35 – OCTOBER 1938

featuring

“Bombs and Bombers”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 51 – FEBRUARY 1940

featuring

“For Valour”

by W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 52 – MARCH 1940

featuring

“Night Patrol”

By Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 54 – MAY 1940

featuring

“It’s Happened Before”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 57 – AUGUST 1940

featuring

“Ace High”

by W. E. Johns

and

 “They Built a Wall”

by W. E. J.

Issue 62 – JANUARY 1941

featuring

“Escadrille Lafayette”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 64 – MARCH 1941

featuring

“Keeping it Clean”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

Issue 65 – APRIL 1941

featuring

“War is Different Now”

by Captain W. E. Johns

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALL PICTURES OF COVERS OF “MEN ONLY” ARE FROM MY OWN PERSONAL W.E. JOHNS COLLECTION

 

The copyright in all of W.E. Johns work is owned by the estate of W.E. Johns as represented by W. E. Johns (Publications) Limited.

This private limited company have appointed literary agent Pat White of Rogers Coleridge White to represent the interests of the estate. Their web site is here:

http://www.rcwlitagency.com/

This is a non profit making fan based web site purely for the information of fellow fans - no infringement of copyright is intended.

The intention of this web site is to encourage people to read the works of William Earl Johns, one of the great authors of the 20th Century.

 

An issue of ‘La Vie Parisienne’ from 1918

 

Don’t forget to visit Biggles.Com and W. E. Johns.Com for information about W. E. Johns books

 

E - ME

 

This webpage was launched on 1st June 2013 – to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the death of W. E. Johns on 21st June 1968