Questions on the boys in WWII

[calliope85]

What ho chaps ^_^ It's time for me to attempt to pick some more brains! At some point, this brain-picking may actually turn into a fic. Gosh. Now, although Bertie is (for some mysterious reason probably related to monocles) my favourite member of the team, I've never actually read his first appearance in Spitfire Parade. (Largely because I've

Comments

[potatofiend]

Hello!

I shall attempt to answer these questions as best I can, but I haven't got my book with me, and I only read SP for the Bertie-bits, since, as you say, it's a repeat - and a rather poor one - of Biggles in France. However, let me think. I'm pretty sure the squadron is based in Kent. It doesn't mention the mission to Norway at all, nor the Battle of Britain specifically, but I'm pretty sure it's set in 1940. It was only published in '41 - um. The real answer is that I don't think it gives much information on this score, not least because of the fact that the stories aren't original, but I may be forgetting something huge

[calliope85]

...and everybody thinks Bertie's mad. He turns up blowing a hunting-horn and accompanied by his beagle, Towser.

He also memorably does a foxtrot with Algy at some point in Spitfire Parade. I just thought everybody ought to know this.

...*damn you*. You've just forced me to bump Spitfire Parade up my list of Biggles-related priorities to a quite *unreasonable* degree. I am quite unspeakably pleased that we have more info about Bertie's various dogs. Towser the beagle can join his unnamed foxhound, mentioned in Gimlet Goes Again.

Also, oh God *yes* Bertie and Algy doing the foxtrot. That is mind-bendingly perfect. And also makes me suspect that the 666 squadron mess was about the best thing ever.

Thanks for the reply - I think my conclusion is that I need to get hold of a copy of this instanta ^_^

[potatofiend]

*grins* Yes, I love hunting!shooting!fishing!Bertie. He's so cute. And 666 Squadron mess really does sound amazing. The book also features Wilks, as the leader of a rival squadron of Hurricanes - of course. I adore Wilks, because Wilks/Biggles is just So True, in that 'I'm allowed to pick on you but NOBODY ELSE CAN' sort of way that fandom loves. So SP gains points in my book for having Wilks innit, as well as all the Bertie joy. He also apparently sports a 'hay-coloured moustache', a rather disturbing visual which thankfully never seems to recur, but which would suggest that his hair is fair (never otherwise stated).

I think Bertie is in love with Ginger, but Bertie/Algy would be so much fun. What are you planning on writing?

[calliope85]

I'm playing with the idea of some Bertie/Gimlet, actually ^_^ Or possibly the other way round. It's hunting!shooting!fishing!Bertie *squared*, with additional high-explosives. I was wondering about Bertie's and the squadron's activities around the Battle of Britain because Gimlet was in the Air Force until he was in a bad smash during this period, busted his leg up (an injury he's still limping from two years later), and seems to have left the RAF for good. I'm mainly just playing with continuity at the moment (and trying to steer clear of *too* much gratuitous h/c), but it might end up going somewhere.

The idea of Bertie in a moustache is oddly displeasing, but the fact that he has fair hair distinctly the opposite - it confirms me in my mental casting of him as a rather taller and scarier version of Lord Peter Wimsey ^_^

(Y'know, I think Biggles fandom needs Wilks/Biggles. Jus' sayin'. Also Bertie/Algy. Ohhhh yes.)