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  1. Royale Mission: S-Branch Debriefing

    By Evan Willnow on 2003-04-07

    A reader of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale is presented the story of one of agent James Bond’s earliest missions. But, at the fiftieth anniversary of the novel’s publication it can be asked, is Fleming’s take to this story the only one? To answer, we present this recently released document which gives an overview of this mission from 007 Days Of Casino Royalethe files of the Secret Service’s lesser-known S-Branch. The S-Branch—among other tasks—is charged with the debriefing of agents and the chronicling the various missions carried out by the members of the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service. This document covers agent 007’s mission at Royale-les-Eaux.

    It must be noted that this document will tell the reader details of the story that he or she may not want to know before reading Fleming’s novel. We recommend that you read the novel Casino Royale before reading this document.

    His Majesty's Secret Service

     
    CONFIDENTIAL
     
     

    2Oth July, l95l.

    to: M
    from: Chief of S-Branch
    cc: Head of Section S., Head of Section F.
     

    Subject:
    Debriefing of agents and assessment of Royale-les-Eaux mission. Mission introduced by Head of Station S. (Soviet Union).

    Plot:
    To discredit a Soviet agent of SMERSH and who had embezzled funds from Communist controlled Trade Union. See Brief of Head of Station S for more details.

    Mission Success: Moderately Successful. (see comments.)

    Locations: (see map)
     

    Agents interviewed: 6th July, l95l and 18th July, l95l.
     
     


    Map: France: Royale-les-Eaux
    click to access map
    from SIS archives

    -2-

    HMSS-
    Agents involved:


    Agent 007

    OO7 – James Bond

    Section:
      Double-O
    Description:
      Height: 6″O’ – Weight: l65 pounds – Hair: Black, thick – Eyes: Grey – Distinguishing characteristic: 3 inch scar on right cheek
    Cover:
      Jamaican millionaire
    Medical condition:
      Agent OO7 performance on this mission was marginal. Originally chosen because of his skill at cards and gambling, OO7 managed to lose the entire bankroll provided by His Majesty. Only through the
    intervention of the C.I.A. and a stroke of good fortune did OO7 manage to win back this money. Agent OO7 also failed to notice that the opposition might have penetrated his ranks, further jeopardising the mission. The damage
    done to this agent’s genitalia is likely to leave him with no sex drive and possibly impotent. The “marking” on his hand may also make OO7 impotent as a field agent and surely as a double-O.

    -3-


    Agent 3030

    3O3O – Vesper Lynd DECEASED

    Section:
      Station S (Soviet) – Personal assistant to Head of Station S.
    Mission:
      Assigned to assist OO7 and organise communications. Fluent in French.
    Description:
      Hair: Black – Eyes: Blue
    Cover:
      Radio salesman’s assistant
    Medical condition:
      Deceased – apparent suicide
    Assessment:
      It appears–at least upon first examination–that agent 3O3O had been compromised


    Agent 1860

    l860 – Name Need-to-know

    Section:
      Station F (France)
    Undercover Agent – Eurasian female.
    Cover:
      Mistress of Le Chiffre.
    Assessment:
      l86O performed flawlessly. She has remained undercover and is currently seeking new opportunities to gather intelligence.


    – Unnamed double agent in Strausbourg

    -4-

    Additional Personnel Used:
    Fawcett – Stationed in Jamaica. Used to relay information to OO7. Alias used: Charles Dasilva

    Two nurses from Medical Branch dispersed to scene to tend to agent OO7

    Staff involved:
    M
    Bill Tanner – Chief Of Staff
    Clements – Head of Double-0 section
    Miss Moneypenny – secretary to M
    Miss Trueblood – secretary of Double-0 section
    Head of Station S
    Station S second-in-command
    The Archivist

    Friendly Agents:


    CIA Agent Felix Leiter
    U.S.A. – Combined Intelligence Agency:
    Felix Leiter
    – Ex-U.S. Marine – Stationed in Fontainebleau, France
    Description: Height: approx. 6″3′ – Hair: Dirty blonde – Eyes: Grey


    Deuxième Bureau: René Mathis
    France – Deuxième Bureau:
    René Mathis
    Mathis has worked this agent OO7 on past missions
    (see file ll4-54123-OO7-a).
    Description already on file.

    Two other agents under Mathis’ command participated in the operation

    Doctor dispatched from Paris to tend to OO7

    -5-

    Opposition Agents:


    Le Chiffre
    Target:
    Le Chiffre
      AKA The Number, Herr Nummer, Herr Ziffer etc. Christian name unknown.
    Deceased
    Russian agent (Leningrad Section III) and paymaster of communist controlled trade union
    Description: Height: approx. 5″8′ – Weight: approx. 250 pounds – Hair: Red-Brown cut in crew-cut

    Targets subordinates:
    Gunman #1: “Basil”
    Identity unknown. Deceased.
    Description: Height: approx. 6″2′ – Weight: approx. 140 pounds
    Only clue to identity is OO7 overhearing Le Chiffre calling this man Basil.

    Gunman #2: “The Corsican”
    Identity unknown. Deceased.
    Description: Height: approx. 5″7′ – Wears a black moustache – Teeth are in poor condition.
    Most probably an expert in ju-jitsu.

    The Muntz Family. Mr. Muntz is German. Mrs. Muntz is possibly Czechoslovakian

    Bulgar
assassinThree Bulgarian assassins. These men were to be paid 2 million Francs to kill agent 007. Their failure resulted in the death of two of the men. The third man is in custody of the Deuxième Bureau.

    -6-

    SMERSH:


    (?) Oborin
    Agent 007 describes an Agent of SMERSH with a hard, wrinkled face. Carries a silenced pistol and a stiletto. This agent to be believed to be a SMERSH operative named Oborin (based on possible photographic identification by
    Agent 007).


    Adolph Gettler
    SMERSH Agent using the name Adolph Gettler
    Cover as a Swiss watchmaker
    Description: Age: 35 to 45 – Hair: dark brown hair brushed back – Wears monocle-like black patch over eye. Has large, white teeth.

     
     
     

    -7-

    TIMELINE
    c. 12th May, l95l……

     
    Agent provides Target’s plan to Station F.
    Station F. relays intel to Station S.


    31st May, l95l………

     
    Head of Station S. presents mission to M.
    Agent OO7 Assigned.


    2nd June, l95l………

     
    Head of Station F. recommends agent 3O3O for assignment.


    3rd June, l95l………

     
    M approves assignment of agent 3O3O.


    11th June, l951……..

     
    Agent OO7 arrives at Royale-les-Eaux.


    15th June, 1951……..

     
    Agent OO7 meets with Mathis of Deuxième Bureau.
    Agent OO7 meets with Agent 3O3O.
    Bulgarian assassins attempt hit on Agent OO7. Two die in bungled attempt.
    Agent 007 meets with Leiter of the C.I.A.
    Third Bulgar arrested at roadblock.
    Agent OO7 engages Le Chiffre in Baccarat.
    “The Corsican” attempts to coerce agent OO7 to drop out of Baccarat game.
    Full Moon in June.


    16th June, 1951……..

     
    Agent 3O3O taken by Le Chiffre and his gunmen.
    Agent OO7 pursues Le Chiffre’s car and falls in to tack carpet trap.
    Agent OO7 captured by Le Chiffre
    Agent OO7 tortured by Le Chiffre.
    SMERSH agent Oborin(?) kills Le Chiffre and his two gunmen.
    SMERSH agent Oborin(?) marks Agent OO7.
    Deuxième Bureau finds agent OO7’s wrecked automobile.
    Deuxième Bureau finds agents OO7 and 3O3O and bodies of Le Chiffre and his men.
    Agent OO7 placed in nursing home for treatment of his injuries.

    -8-

    TIMELINE cont.
    17th June, 1951……..

     
    Deuxième Bureau Doctor and two service nurses arrive at Royale-les-Eaux to treat agent OO7.


    19th June, 1951……..

     
    Agent OO7 wakes from unconsciousness.


    7th July, 1951……..

     
    Agent OO7 released from nursing home.
    Agents OO7 and 3O3O travel to an inn south of Royale to relax and recover.


    16th July, 1951……..

     
    Agent 3O3O found dead of apparent suicide with note confessing that she had supplied intelligence to the Soviets.


    EQUIPMENT
    OO7:
    Gun(s):
      .25 Beretta with Skeleton Grip
      .38 Colt Police Positive with sawn barrel
      .45 Colt Army Special
      Personal:
        Grey Supercharged Bentley Convertible Coupé.
        Cigarette case- flat gunmetal.
        Ronson lighter – oxidised.

    OPPOSITION EQUIPMENT
    Automobile(s):
    Le Chiffre: black Citroën with front-wheel drive. Equipped with “tack carpet”
    Bulgarians: Citroën
    Adolph Gettler: Black Peugeot

    Other Equipment:
    2 square camera cases packed with explosives – one red, one blue.
    Macalla Cane with hidden .45 gun
    Carpet-beater made from twisted cane – 3-feet long approx.
    Carving knife
    Stiletto (Oborin(?))
    Silenced Russian pistol (Oborin(?))

    -9-

    BUDGET
    (see the Treasurer’s report for detailed budget information.)
    Ten million francs issued to agent OO7 in London.
    An additional ten million was forwarded to agent OO7 through Jamaican contact.
    Agent OO7 reports increasing these stake to twenty-four million francs before the baccarat game with Le Chiffre.
    The agent lost all of this stake in the game with Le Chiffre.
    The C.I.A. then provided agent OO7 with thirty-two million francs.
    Agent OO7 won the game after this and ended with a total of seventy-two million francs.
    The agent returned thirty-two million francs to the C.I.A. (note: The C.I.A.
    would have had every right to demand all seventy-two million francs that agent OO7 possessed as he had won that money
    using the C.I.A.’s moneys. It is only through grace of the U.S. agent that His Majesty is not out all of the money
    provided to agent OO7.)

    The invoice for work on agent OO7 has yet to be submitted, but it is known that the agent insisted on very high-priced garage services.

    It is notable that agent OO7 took every advantage of his cover as a Jamaican millionaire taking the
    opportunity to use the moneys provided to dine on cavier and lobster. The agent even seemed to make
    a habit of leaving double gratuities to waiters and hotel staff.

    -10-

    COMMENTS
    While this mission can be categorised as a success, its success cannot definitively be laid at the feet of this service. The primary goal of the mission–to stop Le Chiffre from being able to win back the union funds that he had embezzled at the gambling tables of Royale-les-Eaux–was acheived only because of the intervention of U.S. Intelligence. In fact, had agent OO7’s estimations been correct, Le Chiffre could have very nearly achieved his goal of fifty million francs before agent Lieter of the C.I.A. stepped in with additional funds.

    After completion of the primary goal, agent OO7 failed to keep up his guard, allowing agent 3O3O to be taken by Le Chiffre. Agent OO7 fell into what by his own description was clearly a trap. The point of whether agent 3O3O was turned or not is moot. Agent OO7 should not have pursued her. His recklessness very nearly toar defeat from the arms of victory.

    By agent OO7’s account, he did not crack under the most brutal torture. This however cannot be corroborated as all present at the interigation except agent 007 are now dead.

    The rescue of agents OO7 and 3O3O can only be creditted to the mysterious agent of SMERSH, who shot and killed Le Chiffre and his two gunmen. Had this agent decided to he could have most easily shot our agents as well.

    -11-

    COMMENTS cont.
    In addition, I must make a personal protest about the plan to allow Commander Fleming to “fictionalise” the exploits of this mission. Surely, it cannot seam a sane idea to air the service’s dirty linens–as this mission can only be classified–to the general citizenry. This servant of His Majesty, does not feel that any of the service’s dealing should be presented in this format. However, should we wish to procede with this farce, it should be suggested that the adventures of an agent other than number OO7 be used. Agent OOll seems to be a better choice. His recent mission which took him to Siberia and the Artic Sea would be better suited for this treatment than would the Royale-les-Eaux mission.

    I implore those making this decision to re-examine the current plan.

     
     
    St. John Stillman
    Chief of S-Branch