New 'Bondlike' escape gadget book

TruebritTruebrit Posts: 1MI6 Agent
edited May 2016 in James Bond Literature
If anyone is interested in the fantastic gadgets 007 uses throughout the various films, you may be interested in a new (and huge) book on WW2 evasion and escape devices produced by MI9, MIS-X and SOE.

The book covers the evolution, formation and role of the secret British wartime organisation known as MI9 and its US mirror organisation MIS-X. These two organisations were responsible for the invention, production and covert distribution of a huge variety of ingenious evasion and escape devices issued to allied air crew and Special Operations personnel to enable them to evade capture after being forced down, or cut off behind enemy lines in occupied Europe during (and after) WW2, hopefully to enable them to evade, or escape, and eventually return to their Squadrons and Regiments to continue the struggle against Axis powers.

The book concentrates not specifically on MI9 or MIS-X - although their histories are well covered - but on the innovative and rare gadgets themselves, and includes over 700 unique images of these immensely rare devices, over 600 in full colour...

Although the book is aimed at recording the history of MI9 and MIS-X, there is actually a very firm linkage to Bond. As we know Ian Fleming was Lieutenant Commander RNVR in Naval Intelligence, and formed 30 Commando; his "Intelligence Commandos". This unit was certainly a prime user of MI9 gadgets, and will have introduced Fleming to these unique devices, which he later introduced into the Bond stories...

Another MI9 related link, is that Desmond Llewelyn "Q" was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the British Army in WW2, serving with the Royal Welch Fusiliers. In 1940, he was captured by the Germans in France and was held as a prisoner of war for five years, spending time at the notorious Colditz Castle - itself a 'customer' of MI9 escape gadgets. Post war, Llewelyn met a number of times with Charles Fraser-Smith, a supply officer of MI9, to discuss the gadgets supplied by MI9. (See image below) Subsequently both "Q" and Bonds gadgets began to appear in the Bond movies...

The book is not cheap, at £58.50 (better prices from Amazon.com) but is a fantastic and definitive insight into these fantastic devices, which helped our air crew, special forces and special operations personnel to retain their liberty - or regain it - during WW2, and which eventually served 007 (and his real life compatriots) in very similar ways...

http://www.schifferbooks.com/evasion-and-escape-devices-produced-by-mi9-mis-x-and-soe-in-world-war-ii-5811.html

http://www.amazon.com/Evasion-Escape-Devices-Produced-MIS-X/dp/0764348396


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Comments

  • Donald GrantDonald Grant U.S.A.Posts: 2,241Quartermasters
    That looks pretty good. Right up my alley. I may have to get a copy.

    DG
    So, what sharp little eyes you've got...wait till you get to my teeth.
    image_zps6a725e59.jpg
    "People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Richard Grenier after George Orwell, Washington Times 1993.
  • stagstag Posts: 2,083MI6 Agent
    That sounds like a great read but the price is too rich for me. I have quite a few books on this subject anyway so I'll content myself with those.

    BTW this thread may be of interest:

    http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/45415/soe-special-operations-executive/
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,644MI6 Agent
    It sounds like a great book. I wonder if Truebrit is the author? :)
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • stagstag Posts: 2,083MI6 Agent
    It sounds like a great book. I wonder if Truebrit is the author? :)

    I hadn't thought of that! If he is I wish him luck as it sounds like a good book.
  • Donald GrantDonald Grant U.S.A.Posts: 2,241Quartermasters
    stag wrote:
    That sounds like a great read but the price is too rich for me. I have quite a few books on this subject anyway so I'll content myself with those.

    BTW this thread may be of interest:

    http://www.ajb007.co.uk/topic/45415/soe-special-operations-executive/

    Yes, I am aware of that. A great thread started by a great guy!

    DG
    So, what sharp little eyes you've got...wait till you get to my teeth.
    image_zps6a725e59.jpg
    "People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Richard Grenier after George Orwell, Washington Times 1993.
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