The Funk is a short story which was first published in The Modern Boy issue 289, 19th August 1933 under the title The Funk!. The story was subsequently collected as the sixth short story of the third Biggles book Biggles of the Camel Squadron, published in March 1934. In the book, this story is preceded by The Trap and followed by The Professor Comes Back.
The story was subsequently reworked and appeared in a World War Two setting under the title The Coward as part of the anthology Spitfire Parade.
Synopsis[]
Biggles receives three new pilots for his flight. One of them was soon killed in combat, and another crashed and got badly wounded. The third, Harcourt, bugs out of his first dogfight and declares himself as "finished". But then the enemy does something unexpected which shakes him up and "cures" him of his fear.
Plot[]
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)
Characters[]
- Biggles
- Algy Lacey
- Wat Tyler
- Major Mullen
- Sylvester
- Howell
- Harcourt
Aircraft[]
- Sopwith Camel
- Aviatik
- Albatros
- Bristol Fighter
- Fokker D.VII
Places[]
Visited[]
- 266 Squadron, Maranique
Mentioned[]
- Amiens
Editorial Changes[]
Other Research Notes[]
- Aerial Victories: Biggles 1 (Albatros)
References to the past[]
Incongruities[]
Chronology[]
(see also table at Timeline of the Biggles Stories)
- Algy has been in France for 6 weeks. If he arrived in August (see The Boob), then this story must be set in late September-October 1917, far earlier than the first 5 in the anthology.*[1]
- Unlike the first 5 stories, this one was not published in Popular Flying but came out later for Modern Boy. So there is no reason to suppose that it follows from the events in the first 5.
- If Sept-Oct 1917 is accepted, then the appearance of the Fokker D.VII is anachronistic, like it is on so many other occasions in the World War I stories.
Publication History[]
- The Modern Boy, Issue 289, 19th Aug 1933 (as The Funk!)
- Biggles of the Camel Squadron, John Hamilton, 1934 and reprints
- Biggles Goes to War, Boys' Friend Library, 1938
- Biggles of the Camel Squadron, Thames, 1954 and reprints
- Biggles of the Camel Squadron, Dean and Son, 1960s and reprints
- Biggles of the Fighter Squadron, Red Fox, 1992 and reprints
- Biggles of the Camel Squadron, Norman Wright, 2011
References[]
- ↑ Ward Powers. "What Happened to Biggles in WW1?" Biggles Flies Again Vol. 3 No. 1, June 2009.