“The name’s Bond, James Bond” is a salutation synonymous with Ian Fleming’s world-renowned fictional spy. Yet, in a bizarre blend of fact and fiction, it has emerged that a real-life British agent could well have used the same greeting.
The discovery of the namesake was revealed by Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance which chronicles the country’s communist past.
It prompted the institute to speculate on Twitter as to whether any Polish spies could be compared to 007.
Unlike Mr Fleming’s Scottish-born Bond, the real-life Bond heralded from Bideford, Devon, in 1928.
He was “talkative, but cautious” according to the Poles, not attributes readily associated with the fictional Bond. They did share at least one trait in common, however: a keen interest in women.
Keeping a low profile is an integral responsibility for any spy so Britain’s decision to send James Bond to Poland was somewhat misjudged.
He arrived in Warsaw on February 18 1964, INR archives reveal, where he took up a low ranking position in the British embassy as a military attaché. The institute said that this was a ruse to “penetrate military facilities”.
By this stage the fictional Bond was already a global phenomenon. Mr Fleming had published 11 novels and Dr No had been released in cinemas two years prior.
“The arrival of such a famous agent did not go unnoticed by the officers of Department II (counterintelligence) of the Ministry of the Interior,” the INR said. “An operational surveillance case code-named “Samek” was established and he was placed under strict surveillance.”
Under such scrutiny, Mr Bond’s spell in Poland was not a success. He left the Eastern Bloc territory on January 21 1965, leaving Polish authorities neither shaken nor stirred.
The IPN archivist who discovered the Bond files, Wlodzimierz Lechnio, said the agent was sent back home by the British secret service.
“This case mainly shows that after one year in communist-era Poland, Bond was effectively discouraged from staying on,” he said. “It was common practice for diplomats to cover up their real profession and purpose.”
Mr Bond’s background didn’t mark him out as a likely intelligence officer. He was the son of a farm labourer and rabbit trapper, and married Janette Tacchi in Taunton in June 1954. They had a one son together, born the following year.
Ms Tacchi confirmed to The Telegraph that Mr Bond was a spy and that she and their son had gone with him to Poland.
The true nature of his work was a mystery to her at the time she told The Telegraph although she "knew it was dodgy and he was doing things he shouldn't have been doing."
Ms Tacchi is now widowed following her husband’s death in 2005, after he spent most of his life in the British military.
Next time the UK wishes to recruit a secret agent named after a fictional character, it would be well advised to steer clear of any creation from Mr Fleming’s tales of seduction and espionage.
This gallery depicts some more noteworthy real-life spies:
SPEC%20SHEET
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
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Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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Euro 2020 qualifier
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Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
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Match info
Manchester United 1 (Van de Beek 80') Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 7', Zaha pen 74' & 85')
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- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
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Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Company%C2%A0profile
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)
34 - Ciro Immobile (68)
31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)
28 - Timo Werner (56)
25 - Lionel Messi (50)
*29 - Erling Haaland (50)
23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)
23 - Jamie Vardy (46)
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
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The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
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Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
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Retirees:
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- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
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Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adrie de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Ottoman, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Liwa Oasis – Group 2 (PA) 300,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeemat Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ganbaru, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
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Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
Profile of Tarabut Gateway
Founder: Abdulla Almoayed
Based: UAE
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 35
Sector: FinTech
Raised: $13 million
Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m
8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
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Napoleon
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Dark Souls: Remastered
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