Biggles delivers the goods

According to highly secret documents recently unearthed by WikiLeaks, James 'Biggles' Bigglesworth joined the army as a subaltern in the Rifle Regiment in 1916. He soon transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and learned to fly in the summer of 1916, flying solo after two only hours of instruction. He then attended No. 4 'School of Fighting' in Frensham, Lincolnshire.

Posted to France with just 15 hours solo, Biggles first flew in combat in September 1916 with 169 Squadron, RFC. Biggles began flying the F.E.2b "pusher", and later the Bristol F2B. In late summer 1917, he was transferred to 266 Squadron RFC, commanded by a Dubliner, Major Mullen. With 266 Squadron, Biggles flew Sopwith Pups and the famed Sopwith Camel. He claimed at least 32 kills, and was shot down or crash-landed eight times. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and the Military Cross and bar.

In the photograph Biggles is seen flying his Sopwith Camel across a moonlit Forvie Moor, risking life and limb, to deliver a crate of IPA to the thirsty chaps at the Longside Airship Base, near to Peterhead.