The Brits have valued spies throughout their history. Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, served in the early incarnation of the Secret Service against British subversives. In 1909, they divided into internal (MI5) and external bureaus. In 1911, the foreign department became MI6.

Like many old British institutions, MI6 maintains an atmosphere of gentlemanly tradition. Officals usually come from the same British Public Schools (Note: this is the equivalent of Private schools in the USA and Australia) and place great emphasis on their "old-boy networks" (Whether this is a reference to the tradition of thinking of oneself as an Old Boy of a Greater Public School, or the term of endearment "old boy" I cannot discern - AJ). The head of SIS customarily identifies himself as "C", after Captain Mansfield Cumming, the agency's founder. (Therefore, Fleming's "M", after Sir Miles Messervy, is incorrect) Countless other traditions give this agency its color.

The SIS officially limits its operations to gathering information. When WWII broke out, MI6 detached a department known as "Section D" to perform more violent operations. Section D became the Special Operations Executive, an agency devoted to sabotage and uncoventional warfare. It was also disbanded after WWII.

A possible reference for this above work may have been "British Intellgence and Covert Action", by Patrick Fitzgerald and Johnathon Bloch, 1982. It contained details of British Service activities since WWII. Margaret Thatcher was then prompted to pass legislation to prevent further such material ever being published.