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| Biggles of 266 Image from Wikipedia |
“…a deeply tanned, keen-eyed young officer tapped Biggles on the arm. ‘I’m Mark Way,’ he said. ‘It looks as if we shall be flying together, so the sooner we know each other the better.’
‘That’s true,’ said Biggles. ‘Have you been out here long?’
‘Nearly three months,’ replied Mark simply. ‘But I saw a bit of active service with the infantry before I transferred to the RFC. I came over with the New Zealand contingent; my home is out there.’
‘Sporting of you to come all this way to help us.’”
--Biggles Learns to Fly
Mark’s friendly manner and war flying expertise
soon puts Biggles at ease, and it is his advice that saves Biggles from many a
dire situation. Once, when Mark is sick and Biggles has to fly with another
gunner, he finds himself feeling a little worried: “He realized for the first
time just how much confidence he had in Mark, and the comfort he derived from
the knowledge that he had a reliable man in the observer’s cockpit.”
Oh, Mark, Mark, Mark.
I think I’ve got a crush on you.
So glad you have chosen Mark Way; he is a really great character, enormously important in Biggles early life in the RFC. A good example of WEJ's facility to show character with few words. Mark saves his life, and we see Biggles growing up in his company.
ReplyDeleteAnd if I remember rightly, wasn't he willing to go along with some of Biggles escapades?
ReplyDeleteI always thought that if Biggles had been sent to a scout squadron as he wanted, he'd probably have been killed his first time over the lines.
ReplyDeleteHe never saw the Hun that Mark shot down on their first show together, nor did he see a group of Huns bearing down on the flight at the end.
The first time they were forced down behind the lines together, it was sensible and competent Mark who got the young Biggles safely home.
I think it's a shame Biggles never ran into Mark Way again on one of his other adventures.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been nice to have had a 'Biggles flies to New Zealand' book where he goes to help out an old friend.
Mark is second only to Algy in my affections, which should tell you something about how much I love him!
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's a shame that Biggles and Mark never met up again (that we know of), but Biggles did shoot down that Hun for Mark, and get leave to go see him.
Maybe they've kept in touch all along but never had any wild adventures worth writing about! (Although when I was 15 I wrote an alternate universe Mark fic where he's posted to 266. I shall probably post it here at some point).
Mark and Algy (there will be some Algy won't there?) in the same story!
ReplyDeleteNow that IS something to look forward to! : - )))
Sopwith wrote:
ReplyDelete(Although when I was 15 I wrote an alternate universe Mark fic where he's posted to 266. I shall probably post it here at some point).
Please do, I'd love to read that.
I'll edit it and put it up in a few days.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that I was quite crazy when I was 15 though (I wrote the Mark Way tale around the time of Biggles Married), and that it's an alternate universe Mark (in other words, no injuries, and he's a pilot).
Halfway through re-reading "Learns to Fly" I rushed to the internet to find what I could concerning Mark Way. I'm so glad he's properly appreciated here - in fact (whispers) brilliant though Algy is, I prefer Mark, just by a hair's-breadth.
ReplyDeleteNot sure now whether I should carry on reading all the WW1 books, or stay and read everything on this blog!
I do agree that both Algy and Mark are lovely characters (in fact, I almost don't mind that you rank Mark ahead of Algy, or we might have to fight for Algy...:) *big grin*). They are similar in many ways, both more easygoing and practical than the sensitive and high-strung Biggles.
ReplyDelete