Ian Lancaster Fleming (May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) was a British writer, best known for his post-war James Bond spy novel series. Fleming grew up in a wealthy family connected to the merchant banker Robert Fleming & Co. His father was the Member of Parliament for Henley from 1910 until his death on the Western Front in 1917. Fleming was educated at Eton and Sandhurst, and then briefly at the universities of Munich and Geneva, and held various jobs before taking up writing.
While working for British Naval Intelligence during World War II, Fleming was involved in the planning of Operation GoldenEye and in the planning and supervision of two intelligence units: No. 30 Strike Group and T Force. Fleming drew from his war service and his career as a journalist much of the background information, detail, and depth in his James Bond novels.