Algy Gets Posted

Most of Biggles Flies East is written from Biggles’ point of view (for obvious reasons, such as the name Biggles in the book title…), but there is one chapter in the beginning of the book that is written from Algy’s point of view.

And what a fantastic chapter it is, because it shows us exactly what Algy was doing while Biggles was away in London “on leave”.

The chapter, entitled “Algy gets a Shock”, starts with Algy (“acting flight-commander in the absence of Biggles, his friend and flying partner”) landing his Camel at Maranique “more carefully than usual” (implying that he usually landed un-carefully???) and “feeling particularly pleased with himself, for he had just scored his third victory since Biggles had departed on leave”.

It strikes me as funny that Algy is acting flight-commander and apparently the sole member of his flight when Biggles goes on leave. (Poor thing, going out alone on the afternoon patrol rather than at Biggles’ wingtip.)

I would also have given a lot to see the “feeling particularly pleased with himself” look on Algy’s face as he got out of the Camel. His day, so far, was going great until…

Major Mullen tells him that there is “bad news”, and Algy’s immediate thought is:

“Don’t tell me Biggles has crashed.”

(How adorable is it that his first thought with anything connected to bad news is something connected to Biggles?)

And then, on being told that he is to be posted to the Middle East, Algy’s first reaction is “But what have I done?”, followed by “So that’s all the thanks—”

(Intriguing, that. “So that’s all the thanks—” What was at the end of that sentence? Some secret mission for Raymond that he and Biggles did? Or, fantastic fic opportunity, some mission he did for Raymond on his own while Biggles was away on leave? Oh, the possibilities…)

And Algy’s next thought:

“Wait till Biggles gets back; he’ll have something to say about it.”

His absolute certainty that Biggles will be angry on his behalf is just too adorable for words. (Another fic opportunity? What would Biggles have done if he had gone on leave somewhere and come back to France to find that his best friend had been posted to the Middle East with no sort of explanation whatsoever? Just the thought of it is too fantastic for words! I can well imagine Biggles setting fire to Headquarters in France…).

I’ve said it before, and I’m happy to say it again: Biggles Flies East is the truest description of Biggles and Algy’s friendship that anyone will ever be able to find. I don’t think they really react with that level of intensity to official orders in any other book—they learned responsibility as they got older, perhaps…