Dear colleagues,

Transportation is a vital part of any field operation and at Q Branch we pride ourselves on provisioning our Double Os with the appropriate vehicles for the task at hand. Of course, the definition of the word ‘appropriate’ tends to vary between agents. 007, in particular, seems to believe a mission-oriented vehicle equates to anything that can move him from A to B while wreaking unbridled carnage upon the intervening landscape.   

We will shortly be receiving a selection of new vehicles, each of which will require specific modifications. One is reminded of the veritable fleet of Bentleys that 007 has retired over the years, kitted out with machine guns, tyre slashers, smoke dispensers and, in one memorable instance, a water jet that fired, for a reason that now escapes me, orange paint. (Personally, I have always been rather fond of the Caterham Seven.) It goes without saying that any such modifications requested by our agents will require approval from myself. 

I am further reminded of a joint MI6-CIA mission from the 1950s: Operation Stopwatch. The op was intended to intercept Soviet communications at their army HQ in Berlin, the Russians at the time being considered somewhat bellicose. (As compared to the pussycats they are now.) As part of the mission MI6 purchased a Mercedes-Benz 170S Cabriolet for their man in Berlin: agent Howard Greville. Greville pottered about the city in said vehicle gathering intelligence. And that’s it. No explosions. No high-speed car chases. How I long for the modern field agent to demonstrate a similar pragmatism!

Finally, congratulations to JAMIE A. for correctly ascertaining the answer to the puzzle in my previous memo, and for being fortunate enough to be picked at random from all the correct entries. The answer, of course, was GORT. Below you will find this edition’s puzzle. Good luck! 

Sincerely,

Major Boothroyd

Head of Q Branch

P.S. Here is this edition’s puzzle. One ‘winner’ shall be picked at random from all correct entries and will be mentioned in my following memo. MI6 Archives shall rustle up a book to send to you* Pot luck, I’m afraid! Fill in this form to enter . . . This month’s puzzle is as follows: 

Which car from a famous film am I referring to below? (Tell us the make of the car!)

A white-haired wizard conquers time,

Using a four-wheeled chariot of grand design,

On a young apprentice he does rely,

To travel to past and future, where skateboards fly.

*UK entrants only, alas!

NOTE FROM VASEEM KHAN

This ‘memorandum’ is one of a series of 12 that we will be publishing, celebrating the launch of Quantum of Menace, the first mystery featuring Major Boothroyd, Head of Q Branch (aka Q) from the James Bond universe. Pre-orders are very important to a new series, so we would be immensely grateful if you considered pre-ordering the novel. Buy from bookshops big and small and online.  Click here for some options.

To keep updated on the progress of Quantum of Menace, and to receive competitions and giveaways with prizes from the Bond-verse,  simply register for my newsletter here . 

You can also receive these updates by registering for the  Ian Fleming newsletter by clicking here .