Documents say Fleming aided MI6

LONDON, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Author Ian Fleming, creator of the fictional spy hero James Bond, helped insert "new blood" into MI6, Britain's real-life intelligence agency, documents reveal.

Released National Archives documents show the man behind secret agent "007" used his position with the British Navy's intelligence department during World War II to help solidify the Secret Intelligence Service, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

The situation began when an Army official was placed in charge of the British intelligence group, leading naval officials to call for the formation of a separate intelligence-gathering organization.

While a naval official was traditionally the head of MI6, Fleming convinced the angered military heads to instead work toward adding "new blood" to the existing spy group.

"I think that the infusion of new blood into the existing organization would be better than chopping off hoary but experienced heads," the spy author said in a 1940 document.

The Telegraph said while naval officials still were interested in an alternative unit, no separate organization ever came into being in Britain. Fleming then went on to create the spy known to literary and film fans worldwide.