The man who had Bonds back
The man who had Bonds back…….
As all Fleming aficionados know, the author was a stickler for detail, he often carried a note book around with him and made notes of interesting things which he subsequently used in his novels. Fleming also passed many of his attributes on to his literary Hero, the way he dressed, how he liked his eggs and this included suffering from back problems.
In Thunderball Flemings M sends Bond to Shrublands a health farm, where he is treated for Osteopathic Manipulation and treatment for some back issues. There is a whole chapter (chapter 3) which refers to his treatment and subsequent torture by SPECTRE, in the book called “The Rack”. The equipment described in the book which is used to stretch Bonds back and carry out the torture is called a Hercules motorised traction table. This piece of equipment is described in great mechanical and visual detail in the book. This is a story of how I deduced where Mr Fleming may have got his ideas from for a great scene in the book.
As a keen fan of Flemings literary work, I’ve always wanted my own little bond story, and luckily enough a few years ago, I was lucky enough to date someone who could have come straight out of the pages of a Fleming novel, she had the education and upbringing that says “you better be good enough” with all the style and looks of a dark slim elegant lady, how I imagined Vesper from the books to act and look. Eventually I was invited to the beautiful part of the Lake District to meet the parents of this delightful lady. There not too far away from a famous racecourse, and a shop which purveys the best sticky toffee pudding in the world, hidden away down a long meandering rough road, surrounded by sheep and jutting rocks, I had the pleasure of being introduced to this lady’s father. A huge giant of a smiling man, in his eighties, still extremely strong and full of vitality. His commanding presence would have ensured even Bonds respect. In many ways he had the presence of M or how you’d imagine someone in his position to be. He had a warmth that radiated genuine kindness, and very large hands through which you felt great strength, but a gentleness too. Peter was a man of much history, having served in the war in India in a hospital in Poona and subsequently in Korea. He subsequently ran an Osteopaths near London. Now retired but still active through his work with a local hospice, as a local church warden and a keen magician.  I was lucky to be able to spend many days over the years with this man, and he taught me a lot. However what really blew my mind, was on finding me reading a Fleming novel, he chirps up “I met him you know”. I immediately lay down the book and started firing questions, where, when, why how all came tumbling out of my mouth like an excited young school boy.
Before moving to the Lakes, and on leaving the Army Peter had been an Osteopath on Blackheath High Street. He owned his own practise, he described the incident so casually, yet everything he said fitted, timewise and factually (I checked to the best I could). Ian Fleming had come in to his surgery for back problems. Obviously I asked what he was like and Peter explained him as a young good looking fellow, polite but didn’t take any nonsense. Whilst talking to Peter he asked a lot of questions and noted down lots of details in his note book. Peter said he was very interested in his back stretching machine the Hercules motorised traction table and asked a lot of questions about it. I’m told somewhere there’s a diary with the dates and details within of the visit. Is this the same Hercules machine mentioned in the book? Did Flemings meeting with Peter inspire him to write a whole chapter, the rack? I’m inclined to think so…….
I’m telling this true story as a way of remembering the kind man Peter who to me was a man who “had Bond’s back”. A man who recently passed away, but will remain in my heart for a long time. RIP Peter.
Spion