Here we have the fourth volume about the adventures of Jimmie Cordie and his fellow crew of soldiers of fortune. Written by Wirt Winchester Young (1876-1950), who was credited as just “W. Wirt” with most of his stories, and active only in the 1920s and ’30s in the pulps for about 10 years. This series started in other magazines before moving to The Argosy for almost the rest of its run.
It’s another series that may be an inspiration for Doc Savage‘s adventures. In reading these stories, what I saw as a possible inspiration is the interaction with the main characters. You have a group of experienced soldiers, all wanting action, who often bicker amoung themselves. But when the chips are down, they come together as a tough fighting force, their individual strengths working together. Similar to how you see Doc’s aides interact.
Jimmie and his friends, Red Dolan and George Grisby, are all former soldiers, former Legionnaires, former American Expeditionary Forces, and the like. Arthur Putney, who was also part of the group, was killed in the final story in the second volume.
We are told in one early story that they have been fighting together for 10 years. The stories are set in exotic locations, like the Far East. In the third volume, they are formally joined by English fighter pilot John Cecil Carewe, who had first appeared in a story in the second volume.
They are again joined by two other soldiers of fortune: The Boston Bean (John Cabot Winthrop) and The Fighting Yid (Abraham Cohen), who appear in all the stories in this volume. The Boston Bean is also married, having met his wife in a story in the second volume, but unlike in the third volume, this is not mentioned.
In Steeger Books‘ War Dragons: The Complete Adventures of Cordie, Soldier of Fortune, Vol. 4, we get the next four stories, including the title story. The first three stories were cover featured. Cover artwork for the third story was used on the cover, and the artwork from the first is shown on the back. All these stories have the men fighting in China, often against the invading Japanese.
We start off with “War Dragons” (Argosy, Aug. 6, 1932). Again, Jimmie’s connection with the T’aip’ing secret society plays a big role. Japan at the time controls Manchuria and has designs on the rest of China. This is told to the head of the T’aip’ing, who brings in Jimmie to assist. As he has a connection with Sahet Khan of the Urankhes Tartars, being his blood brother, he will take a message to the Khan that will help with the defense of China. He will be accompanied by his friends and a large number of T’aip’ing soldiers. What dangers will they face on their mission?
Next in “The Devil’s Tattoo,” (Argosy, Nov. 12, 1932), Jimmy and friends are helping with the defense of the city of Kitai in northwest China, serving the Manchu prince of the city. The city is being attacked by a rival warlord, when the warlord’s bombers makes a direct hit on their ammunition dump. As they had but recently moved it, there must be a traitor in their midst. Can they hold out with until relief arrives from an alied warlord? Can they figure out who the traitor is?
In “A Manchu Robin Hood” (Argosy, Jan. 21 and 28, 1933), the crew is in Manchuria working for the title character, a Manchurian leader who is leading a group called the Big Swords in a guerrila war against the Japanese. Some of the guys pretend to work for the other side, which is dangerous as a clever Japanese intelligence officer is on to them. The Yid, pretending to be a trader, gets captured, so they must mount a defense. They get lucky when they find an old comrade from the Foreign Legion.
Finally, “The Face in the Rock,” (Argosy, April 29, 1933) takes them back to the Thian Shan mountains of northwest China where Sahet Khan rules. They are still part of the Big Swords, but their group is attacked by Japanese. The title is in reference to finding the entrance to a tomb of one of Tamerlane‘s wives, located within a hollowed out mountain, where live priests who speak Hebrew. Jimmie and his friends are able to get the upper hand. Good thing the Yid speaks Hebrew taught by his rabbi father. They are then rescued by Sahet Khan’s son when they get out of the mountain. Kind of a change of pace with a lost-race story tossed in suddenly.
We have five stories to go, and one three-part serial, so either one or two volumes left. I look forward to them. Or, if you can’t wait, get the two-volume complete collection in hardback. Will the rest of the stories stay with this general theme of fighting agains the Japanese, or have some variety?
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