Bond in the Royal Navy

DAWUSSDAWUSS My homepagePosts: 517MI6 Agent
in James Bond Literature
What exactly was his role in the Royal Navy anyway? All I know is he walked out as a Commander, but never really heard much more than that.


I was curious because I was thinking of a fan fiction that happens when Bond is still in the Navy (hey, if we can have the YJB series featuring Bond in his teens, I can write a fan fiction featuring Bond in his 20's!). Naturally he wouldn't necessarily be the 007 we all know of (he probably won't necessarily be the 007 in CR, before he truly gets embedded into the lifestyle of a 00-Agent), and it should be fun to write :))

Comments

  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
    Depends on whether you want to base it on the literary or the cinematic Bond...if the latter, I'd base something upon the dossier posted on the offical CR website, which has all kinds of great ideas...

    If you want a PDF version of the dossier, just send me a PM, as I acquired a copy last year via 'aggressive negotiations' B-)
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • superadosuperado Regent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,656MI6 Agent
    In the books, I believe Bond was then currently in the Royal Navy Reserves. On this board or somewhere else, I remember there was much discussion about the differences between the Royal Navy proper and the Royal Navy Reserves, with the latter carrying some technicalities and implications about Bond's rank, tenure, etc., that supposedly made things dramatically different about Bond's current military status.
    "...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
  • DAWUSSDAWUSS My homepagePosts: 517MI6 Agent
    Loeffelholz wrote:
    Depends on whether you want to base it on the literary or the cinematic Bond...if the latter, I'd base something upon the dossier posted on the offical CR website, which has all kinds of great ideas...

    If you want a PDF version of the dossier, just send me a PM, as I acquired a copy last year via 'aggressive negotiations' B-)

    Thanks, I'll have to look into it
  • DEFIANT 74205DEFIANT 74205 Perth, AustraliaPosts: 1,881MI6 Agent
    It's the Ian Fleming novels that matter in my view. Forget about the dossier on the CR website - Bond could not possibly have been born in 1968 when Ian Fleming died in 1964!

    Fleming never discussed what Bond did in the Royal Navy, aside from a few memories of what Bond did during the war, there was no detail as to his role. He didn't "walk out" of the Royal Navy, he is still part of what was known as RNVR - Royal Navy Volunteer Reserves. Bond was recruited by the MI6 - but due to secrecy reasons, I believe not even the Navy are aware of that. I'm sure that there are times when Bond would be called into service. In the books, there are still numerous occasions when he is referred to Commander Bond, and has authority that is accorded to that rank. If he had walked out of the Navy, he wouldn't be Commander Bond anymore, just plain old Mr Bond.
    "Watch the birdie, you bastard!"
  • DAWUSSDAWUSS My homepagePosts: 517MI6 Agent
    DEFIANT 74205 wrote:
    It's the Ian Fleming novels that matter in my view. Forget about the dossier on the CR website - Bond could not possibly have been born in 1968 when Ian Fleming died in 1964!

    Fleming never discussed what Bond did in the Royal Navy, aside from a few memories of what Bond did during the war, there was no detail as to his role. He didn't "walk out" of the Royal Navy, he is still part of what was known as RNVR - Royal Navy Volunteer Reserves. Bond was recruited by the MI6 - but due to secrecy reasons, I believe not even the Navy are aware of that. I'm sure that there are times when Bond would be called into service. In the books, there are still numerous occasions when he is referred to Commander Bond, and has authority that is accorded to that rank. If he had walked out of the Navy, he wouldn't be Commander Bond anymore, just plain old Mr Bond.


    I think they (CR dossier) gave him that birthdate for realism reasons. I think in one of Dalton's movies his (Bond's) was 1948 (again, IIRC).


    I will say I'm unsure if the Royal Navy knew that Bond had been recruited by MI-6. On one hand, if they didn't know, wouldn't questions have been raised if he was called into service while on assignment? I think some individuals knew; however that group was a quiet circle based on a "need to know" basis. Though on the other hand, knowing the secrecy of MI-6, it also wouldn't surprise me to know that no one in the Royal Navy knew...
  • DEFIANT 74205DEFIANT 74205 Perth, AustraliaPosts: 1,881MI6 Agent
    M himself holds a flag officer rank in the Royal Navy. If I recall correctly, he was wearing Vice Admiral's rank badges whilst in uniform in the submarine on You Only Live Twice. Fleming's books have sometimes referred to M as "the Admiral". I'm sure a person of that position and rank would be able to pull a few strings to ensure that Bond was excused from military duty while he is on an MI6 assignment.
    "Watch the birdie, you bastard!"
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
    DEFIANT 74205 wrote:
    It's the Ian Fleming novels that matter in my view. Forget about the dossier on the CR website - Bond could not possibly have been born in 1968 when Ian Fleming died in 1964!

    ...

    Well, if DAWUSS isn't doing a period fan-fic tale set in the fifties or early sixties, he's going to have to fiddle with Bond's age a bit, just as subsequent Bond authors and the movies have done...otherwise, you've got an 87 year-old protagonist...

    ...which means that Roger Moore is too young to play 007... :D
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,948MI6 Agent
    Loeffelholz wrote:
    If you want a PDF version of the dossier, just send me a PM, as I acquired a copy last year via 'aggressive negotiations' B-)

    Or just simply copy and paste from the HTML version of the website! :)
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,948MI6 Agent
    DEFIANT 74205 wrote:
    Fleming never discussed what Bond did in the Royal Navy, aside from a few memories of what Bond did during the war, there was no detail as to his role. He didn't "walk out" of the Royal Navy, he is still part of what was known as RNVR - Royal Navy Volunteer Reserves. Bond was recruited by the MI6 - but due to secrecy reasons, I believe not even the Navy are aware of that. I'm sure that there are times when Bond would be called into service. In the books, there are still numerous occasions when he is referred to Commander Bond, and has authority that is accorded to that rank. If he had walked out of the Navy, he wouldn't be Commander Bond anymore, just plain old Mr Bond.

    There's not much to suggest Bond ever served in the Navy in Fleming- he has an RNVR rank, but M suggests that the Naval rank was cover for Bond's real activites in the obituary in YOLT. Bond famously recalls hearing guns in the Ardennes in one book, which a Naval officer wouldn't have had much chance to hear. It's more likely he was in a Special Forces unit of some kind; which makes the CR dossier probably closer to Fleming's intentions than you may think. I don't think the SBS existed at the time, but there were forerunners.
    From the few bits of evidence, it's reasonable to say that Fleming wouldn't have had Bond serving on any ships.
  • DEFIANT 74205DEFIANT 74205 Perth, AustraliaPosts: 1,881MI6 Agent
    Well, take this quote from Thunderball, then:

    "Well gentlemen. Welcome aboard. Commander Bond, it's a pleasure to have a member of the Royal Navy visit the ship. Ever been in subs before?"

    "I have," said Bond, "but only as supercargo. I was in intelligence - RNVR Special Branch. Strictly a chocolate sailor."

    - quoted from Fleming, I, (1961), Thunderball

    So I think you were right on the account that he was in the Special Branch, but he was in the Royal Navy Special Branch. He may not have been much of a sailor - not all Navy personnel are - but I think with that quote we can comfortably surmise that Bond is a member of the Royal Navy.
    "Watch the birdie, you bastard!"
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,948MI6 Agent
    DEFIANT 74205 wrote:
    Well, take this quote from Thunderball, then:

    "Well gentlemen. Welcome aboard. Commander Bond, it's a pleasure to have a member of the Royal Navy visit the ship. Ever been in subs before?"

    "I have," said Bond, "but only as supercargo. I was in intelligence - RNVR Special Branch. Strictly a chocolate sailor."

    - quoted from Fleming, I, (1961), Thunderball

    So I think you were right on the account that he was in the Special Branch, but he was in the Royal Navy Special Branch. He may not have been much of a sailor - not all Navy personnel are - but I think with that quote we can comfortably surmise that Bond is a member of the Royal Navy.

    That's a good quote- forgotten about that one! Of course it depends who Bond was talking to- if being in the Navy was cover then he really wouldn't have been telling everyone about it! :)
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
    edited January 2007
    emtiem wrote:
    Loeffelholz wrote:
    If you want a PDF version of the dossier, just send me a PM, as I acquired a copy last year via 'aggressive negotiations' B-)

    Or just simply copy and paste from the HTML version of the website! :)

    Yes of course...although the HTML version of the site didn't yet exist when I did the transcription ;)

    Anyway, my offer stands :)
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
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