“He was certainly good looking…that black hair falling down over the right eyebrow. But there was something a bit cruel in the mouth, and the eyes were cold.”
This is how British super-spy James Bond is described in the first ever Bond novel, Casino Royale, published way back in 1953. In the books, Bond is a heavy-drinking, chain-smoking womanizer as well as an expert gambler and assassin. He also served in World War II with the British Secret Service, participating in several missions against the Germans.
Bond creator Ian Fleming certainly drank, smoked, and could often be seen in the world’s most high-profile casinos. He had a taste for fine living and despised small portions of anything. And, like Bond, he was a spy during World War II.
When war with Nazi Germany looked inevitable, Fleming joined the Royal Navy and was immediately recruited by Rear Admiral John Godfrey into Naval Intelligence. Godfrey was brilliant, eccentric, and had a talent for annoying everyone around him. He also served as the basis for “M,” Bond’s boss.
World War II Service
Fleming’s real life spy work for “M” included coming up with some bizarre secret missions including one he titled, “A Suggestion (not a very nice one).” In the dossier for this operation, he described the plan: “a corpse dressed as an airman, with despatches in his pockets, could be dropped on the coast, supposedly from a parachute that has failed. I understand there is no difficulty in obtaining corpses at the Naval Hospital, but, of course, it would have to be a fresh one.” This would go on to happen in 1942 and become known as Operation Mincemeat.
Another “suggestion” included crash landing a captured German bomber in the English Channel in the hopes a German submarine would come and investigate. Fleming would then personally lead a small group of commandos hidden on the plane to capture the sub and sail it back to England. The plane had been obtained and things were about to go ahead when it was pointed out that crash-landing a heavy bomber on open water might cause it to sink well before the sub could get there, drowning everyone on board.
Annoyed by the shelving of this plan, Fleming went on to form two special commando units to raid secret enemy installations. Known as 30 Assault Unit and T-Force, both groups were involved in attacking German nuclear and poison gas labs and in capturing German rocket scientists. Beginning in 1941, Fleming even worked with the American OSS (which later became the CIA).
Fleming ended the war with the rank of lieutenant-commander (the same rank Bond officially holds). Though never serving on active operations, his knowledge about all aspects of secret intelligence served as the basis for the entire series of books.
After the war, Fleming lived in Jamaica, where he indulged in affairs with heiresses, heavy drinking, and regular all-night sessions at the casino. Like Bond, he also smoked upwards of 60 cigarettes a day. Britain’s most well-known fictional spy is simply an exaggerated version of his creator.