14 replies to this topic

[danielcraigisjamesbond007]

Sorry if this question has already been asked. I was wondering if Q branch was ever mentioned in any of the Fleming Bond novels. If so, is it really a "gadget shop" like in the films? I know that Gardner talked about Q branch in his novels, but I must have missed it in the Fleming novels.

[MkB]

Actually yes, the Q Branch is mentioned in several Fleming novels.
Since some people think the Q Branch has been entirely made up by EON, I took the time to spot the mentions in the Fleming novels

In CR, there's a mere mention of a "Q section", at the end of chapter 2: "(For details see Morgue: Section Q.)"

But there are exact references to the "Q Branch" in:

* LALD:
"It fitted like a glove and Bond blessed the efficiency of M's 'Q' Branch." (ch. 18)

* DAF:
""Who cares anyway? Can you get an American visa in two days? And a vaccination certificate?" "Don't see why not," said Bond. (Q Branch would fix all that.)" (ch. 5)
"This had been prepared for him by Q Branch and there was a narrow compartment under the leather at the back which contained a silencer for his gun and thirty rounds of -25 ammunition." (ch. 6)

* FRWL:
"Now Q Branch in London is trying to fix some way of wiring the damn thing for sound. It's not going to be easy " (ch. 16)
"Unless Q Branch can think up something very clever, I shall have to be content with keeping an eye on them." (ibidem)
"The right hand that seemed to be clawing at his pierced heart, was within inches, when he could release the book, of the little attaché-case - within inches of the lateral stitching that held the flat-bladed throwing-knives, two edged and sharp as razors, that he had mocked when Q Branch had demonstrated the catch that held them." (ch. 27)

* GF:
"He picked up the green receiver and dialled Q Branch and talked to the section duty officer." (ch. 5)
"There was a BOAC Britannia leaving in the morning . Q Branch would see that the crate caught the plane." (ibidem)

* OHMSS:
"He glanced at the new Rolex on his wrist - the shops were still shut and he had had to blarney it out of Q Branch - and guessed they would be on time, 6 pm at Marseilles." (ch. 23)

* TMWTGG:
"I can just see Q Branch dreaming it up. I suppose one of the pearls has a death pill in it." (ch. 4)

[danielcraigisjamesbond007]

Thanks a lot MkB! I didn't notice those before! I was particularly interested in knowing whether or not Q branch was a "gadget shop" or if it was just an armory?

Thanks for that!!!!

[MkB]

Thanks a lot MkB! I didn't notice those before! I was particularly interested in knowing whether or not Q branch was a "gadget shop" or if it was just an armory?

Thanks for that!!!!

You're welcome : )

Yes, the literary Q Branch is definitely more than an armoury, but maybe it's less on the gadget side than its cinematic equivalent

[Donovan Mayne-Nicholls]

Thanks a lot MkB! I didn't notice those before! I was particularly interested in knowing whether or not Q branch was a "gadget shop" or if it was just an armory?

Thanks for that!!!!

You're welcome : )

Yes, the literary Q Branch is definitely more than an armoury, but maybe it's less on the gadget side than its cinematic equivalent

What's totally Eon's invention is the fact that Major Boothroyd is the Head of Q Branch. The Armourer gets mentioned twice (Dr No and The Living Daylights) but no connection to Q Branch is established.

[MkB]

What's totally Eon's invention is the fact that Major Boothroyd is the Head of Q Branch. The Armourer gets mentioned twice (Dr No and The Living Daylights) but no connection to Q Branch is established.

That's very true!
I even wonder if Boothroyd is even named in TLD, or if there's not a simple mention of 'the Armourer' (who is certainly Major Boothroyd, since he'sreferred as the Armourer in DN).

[Jeff007]

Great list MkB. Thanks for that.

[Mark_Hazard]

What's totally Eon's invention is the fact that Major Boothroyd is the Head of Q Branch. The Armourer gets mentioned twice (Dr No and The Living Daylights) but no connection to Q Branch is established.

That's very true!
I even wonder if Boothroyd is even named in TLD, or if there's not a simple mention of 'the Armourer' (who is certainly Major Boothroyd, since he'sreferred as the Armourer in DN).

I think that it was The Spy Who Loved Me when Eon decided to join the two characters

In the Fleming books Major Boothroyd was the Armouer and a seperate character to that of the Head of Q-Branch (I don't think he was even called Q, although I stand to be corrected). And I think that it was John Gardner who perpetuated this error in subsequent novels.

[Jeff007]

Normally a Quartermaster is responsible for all of the logistics and weapons systems.

[Single-O-Seven]

What's totally Eon's invention is the fact that Major Boothroyd is the Head of Q Branch. The Armourer gets mentioned twice (Dr No and The Living Daylights) but no connection to Q Branch is established.

That's very true!
I even wonder if Boothroyd is even named in TLD, or if there's not a simple mention of 'the Armourer' (who is certainly Major Boothroyd, since he'sreferred as the Armourer in DN).

I think that it was The Spy Who Loved Me when Eon decided to join the two characters

In the Fleming books Major Boothroyd was the Armouer and a seperate character to that of the Head of Q-Branch (I don't think he was even called Q, although I stand to be corrected). And I think that it was John Gardner who perpetuated this error in subsequent novels.

The end credits for From Russia with Love name the character Boothroyd though he wasn't called Q until later. So I think the two were basically meant to be one and the same from the start.
But you're right about the novels. I don't believe Boothroyd was meant to be head of Q, just the ballistics man of the department.

[Mark_Hazard]

What's totally Eon's invention is the fact that Major Boothroyd is the Head of Q Branch. The Armourer gets mentioned twice (Dr No and The Living Daylights) but no connection to Q Branch is established.

That's very true!
I even wonder if Boothroyd is even named in TLD, or if there's not a simple mention of 'the Armourer' (who is certainly Major Boothroyd, since he'sreferred as the Armourer in DN).

I think that it was The Spy Who Loved Me when Eon decided to join the two characters

In the Fleming books Major Boothroyd was the Armouer and a seperate character to that of the Head of Q-Branch (I don't think he was even called Q, although I stand to be corrected). And I think that it was John Gardner who perpetuated this error in subsequent novels.

The end credits for From Russia with Love name the character Boothroyd though he wasn't called Q until later. So I think the two were basically meant to be one and the same from the start.
But you're right about the novels. I don't believe Boothroyd was meant to be head of Q, just the ballistics man of the department.

I don't know if Desmond was supposed to be Q or Boothroyd in FRWL, but originally Peter Burton was supposed to reprise his role as Boothroyd, but was unavailable, with the credit unchanged. I suppose it's one of those questions we will never get the definitive answer to.

[Single-O-Seven]

What's totally Eon's invention is the fact that Major Boothroyd is the Head of Q Branch. The Armourer gets mentioned twice (Dr No and The Living Daylights) but no connection to Q Branch is established.

That's very true!
I even wonder if Boothroyd is even named in TLD, or if there's not a simple mention of 'the Armourer' (who is certainly Major Boothroyd, since he'sreferred as the Armourer in DN).

I think that it was The Spy Who Loved Me when Eon decided to join the two characters

In the Fleming books Major Boothroyd was the Armouer and a seperate character to that of the Head of Q-Branch (I don't think he was even called Q, although I stand to be corrected). And I think that it was John Gardner who perpetuated this error in subsequent novels.

Rather surprisingly, perhaps, there was actually a character named Q, the Head of Q Branch, in Fleming's Bond novels. One mention of him comes in in LIVE AND LET DIE, where M makes reference to him to Bond:

'Take some leave,' he had said. 'Plenty of leave. Then get some new skin grafted over the back of that hand. "Q" will put you on to the best man and fix a date. Can't have you going round with that damn Russian trade-mark on you...' (Chapter II, Interview with M).

I agree that EON combined the Armourer character of Major Boothroyd (from Dr No and TLD) with Q, the Head of Q Branch (mentioned in various novels) at some stage in the films, and that in Fleming's novels these were originally distinct characters.

In reference to the quote you take from LALD, I always got the impression that instead of referring to a man nicknamed "Q", M was slangly referring to Q Branch as a whole. Meaning that M knew Q Branch would have a good contact who could perform the grafting procedure. Feel free to disagree!

[MkB]

What's totally Eon's invention is the fact that Major Boothroyd is the Head of Q Branch. The Armourer gets mentioned twice (Dr No and The Living Daylights) but no connection to Q Branch is established.

That's very true!
I even wonder if Boothroyd is even named in TLD, or if there's not a simple mention of 'the Armourer' (who is certainly Major Boothroyd, since he'sreferred as the Armourer in DN).

I think that it was The Spy Who Loved Me when Eon decided to join the two characters

In the Fleming books Major Boothroyd was the Armouer and a seperate character to that of the Head of Q-Branch (I don't think he was even called Q, although I stand to be corrected). And I think that it was John Gardner who perpetuated this error in subsequent novels.

Rather surprisingly, perhaps, there was actually a character named Q, the Head of Q Branch, in Fleming's Bond novels. One mention of him comes in in LIVE AND LET DIE, where M makes reference to him to Bond:

'Take some leave,' he had said. 'Plenty of leave. Then get some new skin grafted over the back of that hand. "Q" will put you on to the best man and fix a date. Can't have you going round with that damn Russian trade-mark on you...' (Chapter II, Interview with M).

I agree that EON combined the Armourer character of Major Boothroyd (from Dr No and TLD) with Q, the Head of Q Branch (mentioned in various novels) at some stage in the films, and that in Fleming's novels these were originally distinct characters.

In reference to the quote you take from LALD, I always got the impression that instead of referring to a man nicknamed "Q", M was slangly referring to Q Branch as a whole. Meaning that M knew Q Branch would have a good contact who could perform the grafting procedure. Feel free to disagree!

Well, that could have been, but there's also this quote from CR (M talking):
"Have a talk to Q about rooms and trains, and any equipment you want."
In this latter occurrence, I'd be inclined to think M refers to a person rather than the Q Branch. But there's still a doubt

[Harry Fawkes]

Normally a Quartermaster is responsible for all of the logistics and weapons systems.

Yep, in the Army every Regiment has a Quartermaster. He is genneraly called Q. It is the same in other services like the RAF, Navy and the Security and Intelligence agencies.

[spynovelfan]

Just an odd bit of related trivia: the hero of Lawrence Durrell's 1957 novel WHITE EAGLES OVER SERBIA works for a British intelligence unit called Special Operations Q Branch.