Posted by John Wilson on September 04, 2006 at 01:13:06 from 202.154.130.97 user hugo.
Saw Biggles and the Secret Mission” in the children’s section of the local public library. A 1994 Red Fox reprint, originally published in 1937 (or 1935?) as “Biggles Air Commodore”.
The reprint has footnotes on some pages explaining older (asterisked - *) words and phrases for present-day readers. Interesting that the Red Fox reprints of AR didn’t need such explanations!
For instance, explaining that when Biggles said “You want me to dress”, it means that he will wear wear formal evening dress. Or that “the paybox” is RAF slang for the Squadron Office. For allusions to earlier adventures, the title of the book is given. And it is noted that “Japs” is a an offensive term for Japanese; though the word is still used.
Peter Jackson is to remake the 1954 film “The Dam Busters” here at Weta Workshops, Wellington NZ. He has not said whether the “N-word” will be used in the remake; it was the name of Guy Gibson’s dog and was used as a radio codeword.