Sabotage in Ceylon (Action Comics)

Sabotage in Ceylon is the second story in issue 53 in the Adventures of Biggles comic series published by Action Comics of Sydney, Australia around Jan 1957. The story was preceded by another story Rescue Mission.

The story was later republished in the U.K. by Strato Publications as the second Biggles story in the album which formed issue 5 of their Adventures of Biggles series. The Strato issue comprised 68 pages and had as its leader another Biggles story entitled China Mission along with some non-Biggles stories.

Synopsis[]

Biggles is sent to investigate incidents of sabotage in Ceylon.

Plot[]

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Raymond sends Biggles to Trincomalee in Ceylon to invesitgate incidents of sabotage in the harbour facilites. There is great concern because of a proposal in government circles to revive naval basing facilities in the harbour there. Biggles arrives in Trincomalee and is greeted by Mr Sheki, who appears to be some kind of local government adminstrator. He is also introduced to Mr Omad, who is from Sheki's office, but who is also one of the local area's biggest land owners and is thus interested in assisting with anti-sabotage efforts.

Working alone, Biggles starts by keeping surveillance over the dock facilities by night. There is a warehous full of government machinery which he thinks will be a good temptation for saboteurs. As he expects, he spots two suspicious characters inside and he attempts to arrest them. They put up a resistance but Biggles succeeds in knocking them out. Unfortunately, some others, including Mr Omad, are secretly watching Biggles and Omad succeeds surprising him from the back and knocking him out.

Biggles is dumped in a launch packed with explosives. The boat is started and its steering wheel is tied up to make it head straight for a group of warships in the harbour. Biggles wakes up in time and manages to untie the steering and turn the boat away from its target. He steers it back towards the pier.

Omad and his cronies are on the pier waiting to see the warships explode. Instead they see Biggles's boat coming towards them and they run away in panic. Biggles jumps off the boat just before it hits the pier with a massive explosion. Biggles climbs ashore and hears moaning and discovers a dazed Omad under the wreckage. Apparently he didn't get away fast enough. Omad promises to tell everything if Biggles gets him out. According to Omad, the chief of the sabotage operations is a rebel named Cerdi Mandus who has a headquarters 15 miles north of Yerokis.

Biggles sends Omad off in an ambulance and reports his findings to Sheki. Now to track down Cerdi Mandus. Biggles borrows a helicopter and heads to Yerokis which is set in rugged mountainous terrain. He finds nothing after a brief air search so he lands and decides to proceed on foot. Along a road, Biggles spots a truck. He steals on board and discovers that it is loaded with arms and ammuntion--most likely this cargo belongs to Cerdi Mandus and is headed for Yerokis. Biggles hijacks the truck and drives the rest of the way to the enemy HQ himself.

After entering the compound, Biggles abandons the truch and attempts to hide in a shed. Cerdi Mandu sees him and wonders why the truck driver is running into his arms storage and decides to investigate.

While the truck is being unloaded, Biggles explores the shed which turns out to be the main arms storage. There is plenty of raw material for a demolition job so Biggles gets to work. Shortly thereafter, Cerdi Mandus enters the shed to investigate but Biggles has already lit the fuse and is heading for the now empty truck. Biggles drives away quickly just as the arms warehouse explodes. Biggles drives back to his helicopter and heads for base to report on the successful elimination of the saboteurs.

Sabotage in Ceylon (Action Comics)

Contents

Synopsis[]

Plot[]

Characters[]

The Special Air Police[]

Others[]

Aircraft[]

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