" META CLARE BLANSHARD. The 'original' Moneypenny.

Many Bush House veterans, as well as even older veterans of Foreign News, will remember Clare Blanshard, who died in July at the age of 88. Few may realise that she was a friend of James Bond author, lan Fleming and a valued source of information for Fleming biographers and for Bond 'continuation' author, Raymond Benson, to whom she gave several contacts for his post-Fleming Bond novels.

Meta Clare Blanshard, to use her full name ( her family always knew her as Meta ), joined the BBC in June 1941 and retired in 1976 on her 60th birthday. But her BBC service was not continuous and her career outside the BBC was rather more exotic.

During the war she left the BBC to join the Women's Royal Naval Service. It was then she served with lan Fleming, when he was in Naval Intelligence. Nobody seems to know for certain what her relationship with Fleming was but it obviously was a close personal one extending well beyond the war.

Several people close to Clare believe that it was she that Fleming had in mind when he created the Moneypenny character.

She was personal assistant to the director of Naval Intelligence on Earl Mountbatten's staff, which involved her travelling around Asia and Australia usually by air.

Some of the time was spent in India, which she found most exciting. Her niece, Catherine Asher, now professor of Art History at the University of Minnesota, was inspired by her aunt to take a special interest in Indian Art.

After the war, and before returning to the BBC, she became personal assistant to Sir Gerald Templar, who was then director of Military Intelligence. She then rejoined the BBC.

She held several posts including a period as PA to lan Jacobs when he was Director General, in the. 1960s she worked as an administrative assistant in News, looking after foreign correspondents around the world.

She then became a personnel officer in what was then the External Services, now the World Service. Her final position was senior personnel officer overseeing several foreign language services in Bush House.

Throughout most of her BBC days and beyond she lived in Surbiton. In recent years, when her short-term memory had totally failed her, she would stiff regale visitors with the story of how she came to live in Surbiton, She was about to begin shift work and enquired of friends for a place to live with a decent train service.

On arrival at Surbiton station she buttonholed a porter (those were the days). 'My man,' she said, ' where is the river?' En route she found a block of flats under construction.

She sought out the foreman: 'My man, I wish to live here' - and duly lived there for the best part of 50 years - until she had a fall and was later found stranded in Surbiton Hospital by her BBC pensioner visitor, Peter Menneer who rescued her from the indignities of the Court of Protection.

Her GP said her faculties were sufficient to give powers of attorney, thus enabling her to retain a degree of independence.

Graham Mytton"

May the souls of these and of all who have died rest in peace, & may all who mourn be comforted.