Captain W. E. Johns (William Earl Johns) | First Editions
1893 - 1968
William Earl Johns (5 February 1893 – 21 June 1968) was an English pilot and writer of adventure stories, usually written under thepen name Captain W. E. Johns. He is best remembered as the creator of the ace pilot and adventurer Biggles.
Johns' early ambition was to be a soldier, being a crack shot with a rifle. In 1913, while working as a sanitary inspector, Johns enlisted in the Territorial Army as a trooper in the King's Own Royal Regiment (Norfolk Yeomanry). The regiment was mobilised in August 1914, and was sent overseas in September 1915. This was the start of a very successful military career, which was to inspire his Biggles series. Later, Johns became a flying instructor and aircraft bomber. After leaving the RAF, Johns became a newspaper air correspondent, as well as editing and illustrating books about flying. At the request of John Hamilton Ltd, he created the magazine Popular Flying which first appeared in March 1932. It was in the pages of Popular Flying that Biggles, first appeared. In his 46-year writing career (1922–68) he penned over 160 books, including nearly one hundred Biggles books, and scores of magazine articles and short stories. Johns also wrote eight other books of juvenile fiction, twelve books of fiction for adults, and eight factual books, including several books on aviation, books on pirates and treasure hunting, and a book on gardening.
See below our stock of Captain Johns First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
Results 26 - 30 (of 30)
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Biggles and the Noble Lord.
Leicester: Brockhampton Press, 1969. [Children's adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.152. Publisher's light blue cloth, gilt titles to spine, illustrated dust-jacket priced at 12s / 60p. Contents clean, no inscriptions, some spotting to page edges, jacket is clean and bright with some trivial rubbing to crown. A...... More
Biggles of the Camel Squadron.
London: John Hamilton Ltd., no date [c.1934]. [Aviation adventure] FINE LEATHER BINDING. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.254. With colour frontispiece and four black & white plates by Howard Leigh. Elegantly bound in half navy calf over matching cloth sides, spine gilt-titled in six compartments with traditional raised bands. Contents clean..... More
Biggles And The Leopards Of Zinn.
London: Brockhampton Press, 1960. [Adventure novel] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.184. Colour frontispiece and five other colour plates by Leslie Stead. Publisher's blue cloth, red titles to spine, dust-jacket with printed price of 8/6 net. Some spotting to edges, jacket with some chips and tears. Very good. Biggles..... More
Comrades in Arms. Stories of 'Biggles' of the R.A.F., 'Worrals' of the W.A.A.F. and 'King' (Gimlet) of the Commandos.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1947. [Children's adventure story collectionl] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.227; [1], blank. With six green-tinted double spread illustrations by Stead, colour frontispiece and title page on pale green coated paper. Bound in publisher's blue cloth blocked in gilt, pictorial price-clipped dust-jacket. Lacks free endpaper..... More
Comrades in Arms. Stories of 'Biggles' of the R.A.F., 'Worrals' of the W.A.A.F. and 'King' (Gimlet) of the Commandos.
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1947. [Children's adventure story collection] FIRST EDITION. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.227; [1], blank. With six green-tinted double spread illustrations by Stead, colour frontispiece and title page on pale green coated paper. Bound in publisher's blue cloth blocked in gilt, pictorial price-clipped dust-jacket. Edges lightly spotted..... More
Results 26 - 30 (of 30)
Page 2 of 2