Biggles Flies Again

The fictional 'Biggles' - James Bigglesworth - is in no way intended to bear any similarity to geocacher BigglesNZ...

"Biggles" (nickname for James Bigglesworth), a pilot and adventurer, is the title character and main hero of the Biggles series of youth-oriented adventure books written by W. E. Johns. This Wherigo Geocache is based on a Biggles adventure theme. It involves some basic training, information gathering and then a 'secret mission' to retrieve 'classified documents' - just like Biggles would! There is even an interesting New Zealand connection to Biggles in that his observer on his first combat missions in France in 1916 was a young (fictional) New Zealander named Mark Way.

According to stories in "The Boy Biggles" and "Biggles Goes to School", James Bigglesworth was born in India in May 1899, the son of an administrator in the Indian Civil Service and his wife (née Lacey). James was the younger of two sons, Charles being the elder by five years. The young James had little contact with European culture, and commenced a lifelong affection for India, befriending the local Indian boys, exploring the countryside and learning to speak fluent Hindi. He retained a lifetime gift for languages, and as an adult spoke French and German fluently, with a "fair command" of various other languages. However, he did spend holidays in England, with an eccentric uncle and inventor who lived in rural Norfolk. He then attended Malton Hall School in Hertbury, England. His first encounter with an aircraft was with a Blériot that was forced to land on the school cricket ground.

Biggles left school and initially joined the army as a subaltern in the Rifle Regiment in 1916. He transferred to the RFC and learned to fly in the summer of 1916, at No. 17 Flying Training School, which was at Settling, Norfolk, flying solo after two hours of instruction. He then attended No. 4 'School of Fighting' in Frensham, Lincolnshire.
Posted to France with just 15 hours solo, he first flew in combat in September 1916 with 169 Squadron, RFC, (commanded by Major Paynter). His observer was another youth named Mark Way, a New Zealander. Biggles began flying the F.E.2b "pusher", and later the Bristol F2B. In late summer 1917, he was transferred to 266 Squadron RFC, commanded by a Dubliner, Major Mullen. With 266 Squadron, Biggles flew the Sopwith Pup and the famed Sopwith Camel, developing a friendly rivalry with 'Wilks' (Captain Wilkinson) and the S.E.5’s of 287 squadron and forming a close friendship with his young cousin Algy (the Hon. Algernon Montgomery Lacey). A study of the short stories featuring his World War I exploits suggests that he claimed at least 32 kills, and was shot down or crash-landed eight times. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and the Military Cross and bar.

After the Great War, Biggles' adventures as a freelance charter pilot took him around the world in an unidentified amphibian named the "Vandal" (often illustrated on covers, anachronistically, as either a Supermarine Walrus or Supermarine Sea Otter). The nearest "real" aircraft that fits W E Johns description of the "Vandal", is a Vickers Viking Mk 4. His partners in these adventures grew when he and Algy met young Ginger Hebblethwaite while foiling a possible German plot (post World War II editions of the book change this to a Russian plot) against Britain (in The Black Peril). Ginger brought the energy and daring of youth to these, and many of their later, adventures. Between the wars Biggles and his small team mix their own escapades with ventures on behalf of British Secret Service.

Biggles returned to service in World War II, initially with a Supermarine S6B type machine in the Baltic Sea and then to defy the Nazis and their allies in Norway. He then took up his post as Commanding Officer of 666 Squadron, RAF, a Special Duties squadron that fought in the Battle of Britain before being sent around the world on specific assignments. Biggles, Algy, Smyth and Hebblethwaite are joined by a new companion, the monocle-wearing Lord Bertram 'Bertie' Lissie. The changed venue forced Johns to update his material with references to new flying slang and aeroplanes, unsuccessfully at first but later with more realism. Biggles' new squadron includes a diverse cast, including the American 'Tex' O'Hara (from Texas), the Welshman 'Taffy' Hughes, the Cockney 'Tug' Carrington, the Oxford graduate Henry Harcourt and 'Ferocity' Ferris from the streets of Liverpool.

After World War II Johns reinvents Biggles' career again, with his former boss the Air Commodore Raymond hiring him as a "flying detective" for Scotland Yard. Biggles returns to his rooms in Mount Street, Mayfair, and assumes a role as head of the new Special Air Police division with Algy, Ginger and Bertie making up the flying squad. The group takes on criminals who have taken to the air, both at home in Britain and around the globe, as well as battling opponents behind the Iron Curtain. The team fly a wide variety of machines, with Auster and Percival types doing much of the work.

The Biggles stories were written for boys of a certain age from a certain age. They would certainly seem pretty archaic to people of today. There is much to cringe over in the treatment of female and non-European characters in the stories but still probably much of value in the simple tales of heroism and honour which belong to a bygone time.

This Wherigo cache will take you on a wander around some points of interest near Nelson airport and around the public walkway outside the airport perimeter, collecting information and completing tasks that will lead you ultimately to the physical geocache. At no point will you need to approach the airport terminal itself or any other operational area. All points of interest are accessible from public footpaths outside of any operation zone. The hint object described by Biggles as a shrub or small tree, should now be regarded as 'a rock'. As the information at the first task has degraded, I'll provide the answer for free here - the response to this task is 3. Although the Wherigo is suitable for children of all ages, keep an eye out for younger ones near the roads, it can get quite busy around the airport at times. Please read and obey all posted notices regarding conditions of access. e.g. No dogs or bicycles on the public perimeter walkway. You will find the link to the Wherigo Cartridge Here.