Fleming's secret war comes to light in readable tale

It is not generally known that Ian Fleming, begetter of James Bond (007), was a very, very senior figure in British intelligence during World War 2.

This account of 30 Assault Unit looks at the many triumphs, and occasional disasters, under his authority as deputy director of naval intelligence between 1940-45.

Their main task was to "pinch" German and Italian secrets. To achieve this they were proactive in Norway, North Africa, the Aegean, Italy, France and Germany. The one unbridled disaster with which they were involved was Dieppe, for which men much more senior than Fleming (such as Mountbatten and Montgomery) had the responsibility.

There were never more than a few hundred of them, and they were nearly all men, in 30 Assault Unit. What varied backgrounds they came from, and the word which best sums them up is "insouciant" - meaning "unconcerned." Their courage was generally careless, unthinking.

They were ordered to "pinch" - yes, "steal" - whatever they could. There were tonnes of it. Ships and aeroplanes had to be comandeered to carry it home. Some of it was absolutely priceless, war-winning stuff. The best-known coups with which they were associated involved stealing the Enigma machines and components to break the German codes. Some of their missions were targeted but many were just "search and take" whatever came to hand.

Two other threads run through the book.

One is the labyrinthine machinations of war politics. There were several, unco-ordinated, intelligence bodies competing and squabbling over intelligence. This became much worse when American military muscle and influence emerged later in the war. It is not surprising that information was not always shared and major opportunities were lost.

The second thread looks at how Fleming wove his experiences into his James Bond plots. The names of the characters and their organisations crop up as being based on fact. This aspect of the book will appeal more to fans of 007 than to students of military intelligence.

Fleming does not emerge as a very attractive man. How many of the heroes of 1939-45 have since been revealed as having feet of clay?

But he and his organisation were very capable. This is an important addition to our knowledge of World War 2. It has the added advantage of being very readable.

• Oliver Riddell is a Wellington writer.