Captain W.E. Johns Books In Order

Publication Order of Biggles Books

Publication Order of Steeley Books

Publication Order of Worrals Books

Publication Order of Gimlet Books

Publication Order of Timothy 'Tiger' Clinton Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Captain W.E. Johns was the pen name used by an English author of adventure novels William Earl Johns. He is famously known as the pioneer of the famous character- Biggles. Johns was born and raised in Bengeo, Hertford, England the son of Elizabeth and Richard Johns. The author’s dreamt of being a soldier. He attended Hertford Grammar School and also attended art classes at the local art school.

Johns was never a “serious” scholar, and this is evident in his novel Biggles Goes to School which was published in 1951. During the summer of 1907, Johns served as an assistant to a county municipal surveyor for four years, and later in 1912, he served as a sanitary inspector in Norfolk. In 1916, Johns enlisted in the military, and in 1916, he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps- and while serving in Macedonian front in Greece, he was hospitalized with malaria. Soon after his recovery, he was enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps in September 1917 and later posted back to England for flight training. He took his initial flying training at Coley Park in Reading where he flew the Farman MF.11 aircraft. He was then sent to a flying school at Thetford a place closer to where his family was living. In 1918 he was appointed a flying instructor. The aircraft of the time where unreliable dismissed three planes in three days because of engine failure- first crashed into the sand, then the sea and then flew over through a fellow officer backdoor and later was caught in fog flying over trees and narrowly escaped crashing into a cliff.

After the Second World War, Johns remained in the Royal Air Force still with the rank of Pilot Officer. His promotion to the position of Flying Officer was gazette in 1920 and worked in London as a recruiting officer.

After the death of his father, Johns married the love of his life, Maude Penelope Hunt from 1882 to 1961. Johns was a prominent author and also an editor. During his career as a writer, he authored over 160 novels including 100 Biggles books and more than 60 factual books and novels, short stories and magazine articles. John’s debut novel was Mossyface published in 1922 under the pseudonym William Earle. He also worked as a newspaper air correspondent and edited and illustrated books about flying.

The first book in Biggles series was The Camels Are Coming published in 1932. Johns continued writing the series until 1968. At first, the novels in the series were attributed to William Earle, but later Johns adopted a more familiar name “Captain W.E. Johns.”

Johns was a regular contributor to Modern Boy magazine in the late 1930’s and was wrote and edited for both Flying and Popular Flying. Johns died while writing his last Biggles novel Biggles does some Homework which was an indicator that he intended to retire after the publication of this book. The twelve chapters of his final story were published privately in 1997.

Apart from the famous Biggles series, Johns also published other novels which include- Steely series a six-volume series which began publication in 1936 to 1936 featuring a first world war pilot now a crime fighter Deeley Delaroy also known as Steeley. The author also wrote a six-volume series titled Worrals series published from 1941- 1950 a series that details the exploitation of plucky WAAF Flight Officer by the name Joan “Worrals” Worralson. This novel series was created at the request of the Air Ministry. The series was intended to inspire young women to enlist in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

Johns also wrote a ten-volume book titled Gimlet featuring a hero in the “Gimlet” King. The author also wrote other eight books in the juvenile fiction and other eight factual books, twelve fictions for adults and several other books in aviation and treasure hunting pirates and a book on gardening. Unusually amongst the children authors of the time, from 1935, the author employed working-class characters as an equal member of the Biggles team named Ginger Hebblethwaite- the son of a Northumberland mine. However the readers of novels that featured Ginger never learn of his real Christian name, and he claims himself to be of a Yorkshire origin.

Biggles, the Camels Are Coming

First published in 1932, Biggles the Camels are Coming is structured in a rather like an anthology of short stories. Each of the seventeen chapters in the book sees the main character in the book fly a different mission or either becomes embroiled in a distinct escapade. There is a little over-arching story to connect them which means that this is a straightforward read book to dip in and out of as circumstances or time allow.

The chapters are brief and fast-paced with plenty of occasional touch of humor and action, and overall it is a brilliant read.

Biggles and the Cruise of the Condor

First published in 1933, Biggles…..of the Condor is an intruging thriller in which the main character, Biggles helps his explorer uncle in a trip the Amazon to find a long-lost Inca Treasure and in their adventures they encounter crooks.

Biggles stories are sort of simple, relaxing, light and entertaining British war stories. The second novel is much different from the first book since he isn’t working as a pilot during wartime- which makes Biggles bored to the point that he goes to visit his uncle Dickpa who leads him into an entirely different adventure than he had anticipated.

Biggles Flies Again

In the fourth novel in Biggles series, Biggles continues his adventures into the far corners of the earth. He finds himself stranded in the swamps of British Guiana after the company that employs him as pilot folds up. Then he takes the possession of amphibian planes and proceeds to earn his daily bread by undertaking different and risky missions by air.

Accompanied by Smyth and Algy, Biggles searches for treasure in the jungles, kidnaps a brigand- chief and also leads expeditions into a reef bound lagoon. Biggles is a man who thrives on thrills, and his resourcefulness and courage are equal to the many lethal emergencies that arise in the middle of this quest.

One Response to “Captain W.E. Johns”

1. Dennis Malcolm Gedye: 7 years ago

   I read & enjoyed most of the Biggles books, starting in Grade 6, 1963, & have read a few Worrals & Gimlet books & 1 or 2 stand alone books, but many of them must be collector’s items now! Little demand so few libraries seem to have them, even Biggles!

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