The inspiration for James Bond's amazing spy gadgets did not come from MI6 - but from it's unsung lesser known “cousin” MI9.
A bagpipe flamethrower, tickertape watches, x-ray glasses and a mini helicopter hidden in a suitcase all featured in the Ian Fleming books which were later turned into successful films.
But it has emerged that it was the MI9 agency which came up with all the ingenious ideas.
The real MI6 - officially named the Secret Intelligence Service - has always thought of itself as a much more sober outfit.
This was illustrated in the film Skyfall, when 007 complains about the gun and radio he’s just been given, saying “not exactly Christmas. Q.”
Bond’s boss replies: “What were you expecting, an exploding pen? We don’t really go in for that sort of thing any more.”
The accepted role of MI9 was to help recover service personnel trapped behind enemy lines, or assist those attempting to escape from German custody.
MI9 designed special equipment to hide escape aids.
Flexible wire saws were hidden in shoe laces.
Hidden compartments in pipes, buttons and shaving brushes contained compasses.
British Prisoners of War in in Germany were allowed to receive gifts from home.
They were even permitted to have board games sent out to relieve boredom.
Waddingtons, the games manufacturer, produced a special Monopoly set with escape and evasion devices hidden in the pieces.
Knights used on chess boards were modified to hide a watertight compartment in which special ink would be hidden, for making forged documents.
MI9 also arranged for grey woollen blankets to be sent to prisoners.
Some had the complete pattern of an item of clothing printed on them in invisible ink.
The design was only revealed once the blanket had been dipped in a bucket of water containing certain chemicals smuggled in separately in jam pots or dried milk tins.
