Lieutenant John Smith was not a gentleman in the opinion of the pilots of 32 Squadron. He hadn’t attended public school and he was dashedly bad at cricket. To top that his own Captain, Thomas Albright-Parker, looked forward to the day when Smith’s flying career would be ended by the Hun.

But Lieutenant Smith, or “Smithers”, was going to prove his doubters wrong when his Flight went on patrol that day.

Smithers Hits a Six is an anti-Biggles story for the modern reader. This is the tale of an officer from a working class background and without the natural talent of Biggles. Like many real pilots he survives more on luck than judgement in the dangerous skies of the Western Front.