MY SIGNED W.E. JOHNS BOOK COLLECTION – CURRENTLY 46 BOOKS by Roger Harris
The Camels are Coming was published on 7^th September 1932	This signed first edition was dedicated by Johns to C. M. Down – More about C. M. Down here
Any 1^st edition of ‘The Camels are Coming’ is exceptionally rare. This signed 1^st edition may even be a unique survivor. It really is the ‘Holy Grail’ of Biggles collecting
Fighting Planes and Aces was published in November 1932	This signed first edition may have been one of the 100 advertised in Popular Flying here
The Spyflyers was published in August 1933	This is not a contemporary signature. The endpapers here have been replaced and it is a later signature
Biggles Flies East (Pyramid) has plates saying published in 1935	However, the dust jacket lists Biggles books on the back that were published in 1937
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	There are numerous signed copies of this book. The reason can be found here. This is 1 of 9 I own
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	There are numerous signed copies of this book. The reason can be found here. This is 2 of 9 I own
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	There are numerous signed copies of this book. The reason can be found here. This is 3 of 9 I own
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	There are numerous signed copies of this book. The reason can be found here. This is 4 of 9 I own
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	There are numerous signed copies of this book. The reason can be found here. This is 5 of 9 I own
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	There are numerous signed copies of this book. The reason can be found here. This is 6 of 9 I own
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	There are numerous signed copies of this book. The reason can be found here. This is 7 of 9 I own
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	This is my most unusual signed copy of this book. It was the one W. E. (Bill) Johns gave to his mother
	The inscription reads Love from your very industrious son Oct 1937 Bill
The Passing Show was published in September 1937	This is an unusual signed copy of this book. It is NOT one of the ubiquitous signed ones usually seen.
	It was signed in person at the Chelsea Flower Show in May 1938. You can see how I know that here
Biggles Secret Agent was originally published in May 1940	However, this particular version, with a newly designed dust jacket, was first published in 1960
Biggles in the Jungle was originally published in May 1942	This book is a signed 1951 Oxford reprint, one of the “Flying Jacket” reprints
Worrals Flies Again was originally published in September 1942	However, this particular signed edition was the third impression published in June 1948
Worrals Flies Again – Third Impression – Published June 1948	Another signed copy of the same book but this time signed on the title page rather than the fly leaf
Biggles Sweeps the Desert was originally published in September 1942	This fourth edition reprint from 1951 is signed by Johns and the entire cast of the 1960s TV Series
Biggles ‘Fails to Return’ was originally published in October 1943	This second edition reprint from 1948 is signed on the title page as there is a map where Johns usually signs
Biggles Delivers the Goods was originally published in April 1946	However, this particular signed edition was the second impression published in November 1948
Gimlet Comes Home was originally published in December 1946	This particular signed edition must have just been published when Johns gave it as a Christmas gift
Gimlet Comes Home was originally published in December 1946	However, this version, “A Star Book”, a third edition, was published in 1952
Sergeant Bigglesworth C.I.D. was published on 18^th August 1947	This signed first edition is dated with the month of publication and I suspect it is the one referred to in this letter
Sergeant Bigglesworth C.I.D. was published on 18^th August 1947	This particular signed first edition also has a gift inscription that is dated the month of publication
Biggles Second Case was published in March 1948	This is a signed first edition signed on the flyleaf
Biggles Hunts Big Game was published in August 1948	This is a signed first edition signed on the flyleaf
Gimlet’s Oriental Quest was published on 26^th November 1948	You can read the backstory of this particular book here – it guarantees the autograph is genuine
Short Sorties was originally published in May 1950	This particular first edition has a lovely inscription by the author ….. but it is not actually signed!
Short Sorties was originally published in May 1950	This particular first edition is dedicated to Geoffrey Dorman and is signed as “Bill Johns”. Dorman was a pioneer pilot and fellow WW1 veteran as well as an aviation author. See also ‘Biggles in the Blue’ below
Short Sorties was originally published in May 1950	This particular first edition has an inscription by the author ….. but it is not actually signed! It would appear that Johns liked to give this book as a Christmas present as I have ones from Christmas 1953 and 1955
L’Oasis Perdue (The Lost Oasis) (1950) French version of “Short Sorties”	This unusual signed French edition is dedicated to a name I can’t quite read – and Johns adds an amusing quip
Biggles Gets Him Men was originally published in August 1950	This second edition from 1952 was previously owned by a Paul Dutton - See also Biggles Goes Home below
Biggles Works it Out was originally published in October 1951	Although dated 1952, this is a signed 1951 first edition signed on the flyleaf
Biggles Works it Out was originally published in October 1951	This second edition from May 1952 is signed by Johns and the entire cast of the 1960s TV Series
Biggles Follows On was originally published on 14^th June 1952	Johns would nearly always sign on the flyleaf of the book – unless the book has a map or something printed on the flyleaf. This book has lost its flyleaf, so Johns has signed on the title page.
Biggles and the Black Raider was originally published on 5^th March 1953	This second edition from 1959 is signed on the title page as the flyleaf is printed with a map
Biggles in the Blue was originally published on 20^th July 1953	This particular first edition, dedicated “To Geoff” was given to Geoffrey Dorman and Johns has added a little aviation illustration as well. The dedication “With happy memories one old timer to another” is because Dorman was a fellow WW1 veteran as well as an aviation author. See also ‘Short Sorties’ above
	The location of this dedication opposite the first page of the text is most unusual. I’ve not seen Johns write here before
The First Biggles Omnibus was published on 24^th September 1953	However, this particular signed edition was the second impression published in 1955
Biggles at Worlds End was originally published in December 1959	This signed first edition is dedicated to Mrs. M. Squire “for a lot of hard work” in Nov. 1960
Biggles Goes Home was originally published in September 1960	This first edition was previously owned by a Paul Dutton - See also Biggles Gets His Men above
Biggles Forms a Syndicate was originally published in July 1961	This signed first edition is dated November 1961 and has the aviation illustration that Johns occasionally added
Biggles and the Blue Moon was originally published in May 1965	You can read the backstory of this particular book here it was a pair with Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea below
Biggles and the Penitent Thief was published in September 1967	You can read the backstory of this particular book here – it was a pair with the book below
Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea was published in February 1968	You can read the backstory of this particular book here – it was a pair with Biggles and the Penitent Thief above
Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea is rare signed. It was published in February 1968 and W. E. Johns died on 21^st June 1968. However, I do have two signed copies in my collection!
Biggles and the Deep Blue Sea was published in February 1968	You can read the backstory of this particular book here – it was a pair with Biggles and the Blue Moon above
and finally …………………..	Here is a most unusual signed book …………..
Commander Story Annual – published in 1956	W. E. Johns has actually signed as CAPTAIN W E Johns
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