Algy Quotes
Showing posts with label Algy Quotes. Show all posts

Amazing Algy Moment of the Week

Biggles Takes Charge might as well have been named Algy Takes Charge, for the first half of the book is basically Algy doing everything by himself, musing about his past, going up against Von Stalhein. (Why couldn't you have written more books like this, eh, WEJ?)

The best Algy moment comes near the end, when Biggles and some other people have left the plane to get something and left Algy with the plane (as usual). Don't want to give away too much, but suffice to say that people are shooting at Algy and he has taken off and flown off somewhere else.

Meanwhile, we have this conversation between Biggles and his companions:
"You're sure he'll come back?" Boris spoke with marked anxiety.
"If there's one thing certain in this uncertain world it is that Algy won't go home without us," returned Biggles curtly. "We don't leave each other in the lurch, whatever happens."
--Biggles Takes Charge

Not really an "Algy" moment as he isn't even there, but amazing and shows what kind of a person Algy is, so still counts as an Amazing Algy Moment! I love how Biggles doesn't even doubt that Algy will come back: he knows that Algy will always come back, no matter how bad the situation is. 

Wish he'd remembered that he and Algy didn't leave each other in the lurch when he happily left Algy in the lurch and drove away in the stolen (?) cab after his meeting with Smith...

Amazing Algy Moment of the Week

So, thanks to a friend of mine I have now managed to get my hands on a copy of Sees It Through, and I must say the action level is on eleven, with Biggles, Ginger, and Algy getting their hands on some papers, losing the papers, losing the papers again, and then losing the papers some more.

But the one scene that makes the book absolutely magnificent is when Biggles and  his friends have been captured by good old Erich, who has threatened to start killing people if Biggles doesn't tell him where the papers are:
Biggles sat on one of the beds. "It looks as if we're in a jam," he announced.
"You're telling us!" muttered Algy.
...
"What are we going to do?"
"Obviously, I'm going to show von Stalhein where the papers are hidden."
"What?" There was a chorus of dissent.
"But don't be silly," argued Biggles. "You heard what von Stalhein said about bumping you off at eight o'clock? He'll do it too, as sure as fate, unless I tell him what he wants to know."
"Well, let him," declared Algy desperately. 
--Biggles Sees It Through

Oh, Algy, Algy, Algy. I do believe that you would have willingly given your life to keep those papers safe, just as you would have given your life for any one of your friends if it would keep them out of danger. You are the most fantastic person I've ever met.

*fangirl moment*

Amazing Algy Moment of the Week

When Biggles fails to return in the aptly titled Fails to Return, Algy, Ginger, and Bertie make their way to the one man who can give them the answers they need--Air Commodore Raymond.

"Be reasonable, you fellows" protests Raymond, going on to add, "I know exactly how you feel, but war isn't a personal matter."

To which Algy, being Algy and all sorts of amazing, comes right back with,
"You didn't take that view when you were trying to rescue the princess," returned Algy shortly. "Frankly, I don't care two hoots about her, because I've never seen her and I'm never likely to; but Biggles happens to be my best friend. Apart from which, he is one of the most valuable officers in the service. Surely it is worth going to some trouble to try to get him back--or at least, find out what happened to him?"
--Biggles Fails to Return

What a speech! I get the feeling that even if Raymond had not given permission for him to go, he would have gone anyway, even if it meant getting court-martialed.

Amazing Algy Moment of the Week

This week’s amazing Algy moment comes from Biggles Works It Out (or, to give the book its real name, Algy Works It Out). This snippet has a few spoiler elements in it, so I’m hiding it from those who haven’t read the book and don’t want to be surprised. Those who have read the book can read on by clicking the “Show Amazing Algy Moment” link below.

Biggles Works It Out
Image from yabs.isambard.com.au

Show Amazing Algy Moment
Algy has overheard Von Stalhein ordering his men to kill Bertie, who has gone undercover as a pilot down on his luck. Naturally Algy flies to the rescue, but ironically, Marcel is on his tail:
“Algy had a good look at [his attacker] for the first time, and then, also for the first time, he saw who it was. He recognized the machine, and immediately afterwards, with a curious feeling of unreality at the irony of the situation, the pilot. He had hoped to find Marcel. Instead, Marcel had found him. That was something he had not reckoned on, although Marcel would, of course, be looking for a D.C.3. Having found it, he was not to be blamed for what he was doing. Having been shot at himself, he had apparently carried out his avowed intention of remounting his guns.” 
--Biggles Works It Out

Even with the possibility of being shot down by his French colleague cannot dull Algy’s sense of humor, however:
“Algy’s lips parted in an exasperated smile. First, there was Bertie shooting at Marcel; now Marcel was shooting at him. There seemed to be something awry with their arrangements.” 
 --Biggles Works It Out 

Of course, only Algy could keep a cool (and amused) head under the circumstances. Bertie would no doubt be muttering darkly, Biggles would be wearing his famous fighting/mirthless smile, while Ginger…well…Ginger’s always been an easily excitable sort of kid. He’d probably do something crazy and end up wrecking his own machine as likely as not!

Amazing Algy Moment of the Week

This week’s Algy moment comes from Biggles Cuts It Fine. Don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but as usual, Biggles and his friends have gotten themselves into a jam (well, not so much Biggles, but everyone else), and Algy, Ginger, and Bertie are talking the position over.

Ginger, of course, wants to get violent, while Algy is more cautious:
“’Are you suggesting that we start something that may end in total war?’ inquired Algy cynically. ‘Have a heart!’
‘We might as well go out with a bang as sit here and be shot to bits when these stiffs find us, because that’s what’s going to happen,’ argued Ginger.

[Algy returned coldly,] ‘I don’t want my name to go down in history as the man who started the Third World War.’

‘The only thing your name will go down on, if we stand here nattering much longer, is a tombstone,’ replied Ginger firmly.”
--Biggles Cuts It Fine

Algy Quote of the Week

Algy's threshold for boredom is notoriously low. He may make remarks about how much easier life would be if someone dropped a bomb in Von Stalhein's lap, but we all know that he's never happier than when he's risking his life and shooting things.

Biggles Goes to War
Image links to Amazon
The beginning of Biggles Goes to War gives us an idea of what Algy does when he's bored:
"[Biggles] turned down the page of his book he was reading and pulled his chair a little nearer to the fire. 'Algy,' he announced quietly, 'you're smoking too much.'
Captain the Honorable Algernon Lacey deliberately blew a neat smoke-ring into the air before he replied. 'You think so?' he murmured, pushing his finger through the ring.
'I'm sure of it.'
'What are you going to do about it?'
'The question is, rather, what are you?'
'Nothing--that is, unless you can think of something else for me to do besides twiddle my thumbs in front of the fire.'
'Go to the pictures.'
'And see war-flying as it exists in the fertile imaginations of film producers? No, thank you.'"
--Biggles Goes To War

Bah! Smoking too much? That's a bit rich coming from you, Biggles, considering that you were probably the one who got Algy smoking in the first place...

Algy Quote of the Week

"Algy stood beside the Camel and watched the Halberstadt until it disappeared from sight. 'Those soulless hounds at the Air Board need boiling in oil for sending a fellow like Biggles on a job like this,' he muttered huskily. 'Still, I suppose it's what they call war,' he added, as he climbed slowly into his cockpit."
--Biggles Flies East

Possibly the only time during the entire war that Algy really got emotional.

Unlike Biggles, Algy wasn't really what we might describe as "sensitive". He got angry, and then he shot things or bombed things, but his emotions rarely depressed him or put too much strain on his nerves. That's what makes the quote above so amazingly special. He would never say as much to Biggles' face, of course, but it shows just how deeply he cares.

Biggles Flies East
Image links to Amazon

If you haven't read Flies East before, definitely try to get your hands on a copy. It's plain and simple Biggles and Algy, when both were young and naive and in their prime, and there are some great great bits showing just how strong the bonds of friendship were between them.

Algy Quote of the Week

Having been shot down and taken prisoner by the Japanese in Delivers the Goods, Algy is then taken to be interrogated by the Japanese admiral, Tamashoa. If you’ve ever thought it was impossible to be cool under pressure, read the following conversation and think again!
 [Tamashoa asked] “What were you doing in airplane?”
“Flying,” answered Algy.
Tamashoa appeared to see nothing facetious in this answer…“Quite so. What were you doing in sea?” he asked.
“Swimming,” replied Algy.
“Quite so. I mean, what are you doing here?” queried Tamashoa.
“Standing,” replied Algy evenly. He did not smile.
“Why?” asked Tamashoa.
“Because no one has offered me a seat.”
.....
“Why did you carry petrol?”
“Because a plane needs petrol to fly.”
“Quite so. You are at Elephant Island?” asserted Tamashoa, getting his tenses mixed.
“No, I’m here,” corrected Algy.
“Quite so. Why are you at Elephant Island?”
“I’m not at Elephant Island,” asserted Algy, truthfully.
“There are British officers at Elephant Island.”
“Are there?”
“Why?”
“You tell me.”
--Biggles Delivers the Goods

If I had been the Japanese admiral, I would probably at this point have gotten up and thrown something at Algy’s head. It’s a very frustrating business to question someone who couldn’t care less about giving you the answers you’re looking for. Good old Algy!

Algy Quote of the Week

"If we fly over the place they'll see us. If we land in that wadi they'll shoot us up as we come in, so that's no use. If we try to reach the oasis any other way we're liable to be blown up. Suffering Spitfires! What a kettle of fish."
--Biggles Flying Detective

Algy at his most sarcastic and frustrated as he tries to figure out a way to help Biggles.

Poor dear. He really is worried. You can see it in the way he "snarls", "grates", and "sneers with biting sarcasm" at Bertie and Ginger in the subsequent conversation. Algy only ever gets sarcastic when he's worried.

Algy Quote of the Week

Not an Algy quote as such, but a lovely bit of WWI banter between Biggles and Algy that we see so little of after Ginger appeared on the scene. This is from "The Thought Reader", Biggles, Pioneer Air Fighter:

"'You taking up star-gazing?' said a voice. It was Algy's.
'I should be if there were any to gaze at. You ought to know, at your age, that they only come out at night,' replied Biggles coldly.
'You'll be boss-eyed staring up that way,' warned Algy. 'Do you expect to see something, or are you just looking into the future?'
'That's it,' agreed Biggles.
'What's it?' asked Algy.
'I'm looking into the future. I can tell you just what you'll see up there in exactly three and a half minutes' time.'
'You're telling me!' sneered Algy. 'You mean a nice blue sky!'"
--"The Thought Reader", Biggles, Pioneer Air Fighter

Oh, Algy, Algy, Algy. If only you'd stayed lovely and sarcastic like this and not gotten all serious and responsible and everything. Look how cool and carefree you were in WWI. 

Algy Quote of the Week


“My gosh! Did you see that old Hun two-seater scuttle when he saw us?” [Algy chuckled.]
--Biggles and the Rescue Flight

Compare the above to Thirty’s reaction to the same event:
“’Yes,’ answered Thirty lamely, wondering how Algy could laugh. He himself felt oddly weak. His mouth was dry, and the skin seemed to be tightly drawn over his face. Stiffly, he climbed out on to the wing and jumped to the ground.”
--Biggles and the Rescue Flight

And keep in mind that it was Thirty’s brother that they had just successfully rescued when this conversation took place. You’d think he’d be happier….

Algy Quote of the Week

"I've been thrown out on my ear before today, but I believe this is the first time I've gone in on it. If this is how you visit your uncles, you might have warned me to bring some overalls. This is my best suit--"
--Biggles in the Cruise of the Condor

Just WHO had the nerve to throw Algy out on his ear?

And, awww, how sweet, he actually got out his best suit to come and visit Biggles' uncle (who is very indirectly related to him as well, but still. It shows that he has manners.)

Algy Quote of the Week

Young and carefree Algy of WWI is hard to dislike and will forever and ever remain my favorite. How is it possible not to love someone who says this:
"Too true I did! What a wizard it was! I hooted like a coot in spite of the archie."
--Biggles Flies East 

For those who haven't read Flies East, you may be wondering, okay, so that's a pretty cheerful and enthusiastic comment, but so what? To understand the context that makes this comment remarkable, you have to realize that:

a. Algy was flying a British plane, and he was on the German side of the lines
b. There were anti-aircraft gunners firing on him, and searchlights shining on him

And, as if that wasn't stressing enough,

c. He was delivering a message to Biggles

All this, and he still "hooted like a coot" when he saw the giant...er...display of fireworks (don't want to spoil this for you if you haven't read the book, so let's leave it at that) that Biggles had set off.

Marvelous marvelous Algy quote. And marvelous marvelous Algy.

Algy Quote of the Week

Bombing a flowerbed? Yes, it’s the kind of thing only our Algy would do. “The Battle of Flowers” is a typical Algy story, and one of the rare WWI short stories that didn’t get recycled for Spitfire Parade (although you can find loose imitations of pilots going fighting mad after their goldfish or pet pig have been shot).

My favorite bit is just at the end, where the Biggles and Algy dialogue is simply brilliant:
 “Yes, and I’ve made a salad of their lettuce-patch,” added Algy triumphantly.
“But why? What have the lettuces done to you?”
“Done to me? Haven’t you seen what that swine did to my sunflowers last night?”
---"The Battle of Flowers", Biggles, Pioneer Air Fighter

 If only we could have had more of these moments in the later books, instead of Algy getting left in the office, or to stay with the plane…

Algy Quote of the Week

Algy's first ever words to Biggles:
"You're Biggles--aren't you? I know you from the photo at home."
---"The Boob", Biggles, Pioneer Air Fighter

Biggles’ reply…leaves much to be desired. 
© The Algy Chronicles
Maira Gall