Fleming’s War

With the latest James Bond blockbuster out next year, MHM assistant editor Calum Henderson explores the life of the man who created him: Ian Fleming, whose wartime adventures rivalled those of 007 himself. Ian Fleming in the 1950s. His series of espionage thrillers transformed the genre both in print and on-screen. In the summer of 1940, British codebreakers at Bletchley Park had a problem. They had enjoyed great success in deciphering the messages of the German air force, army, and intelligence services. But the vital naval codes continued to elude them. A plan was devised by the Naval Intelligence Department (NID) of the Admiralty. British agents disguised as German airmen would i