hen it comes to fictional world war I veterans who could occupy this platform, we’re spoilt for choice. Biggles, the protagonist of W. E. Johns’ series of adventure books, might be deemed as worthy of the slot as he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross for his insouciant valour (his tally of 49 aircraft, three balloons and one submarine retired from action speaks for itself), as well as his eternally stiff upper lip on being shot down, might claim the spot for his unshakeable, intelligent charisma, while Lord Flashheart, from , is a contender due to his stirring trench anecdotes (“So I flew straight through her bedroom window, popped a box of chocs on the dressing table, machine-gunned my telephone number into the wall, and then shot off and shagged her sister!”).
