Frederick Forsyth Forum

Frederick Forsyth

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It has often been said that Freddie - I can call him that, we have been introduced (you'd never believe who by, or would you? The Jackal himself. He and Freddie were friends and Freddie did a lot of intel and background work for him, probably even on the De Gaulle job. Alexander James Quentin Duggan was a real person, my best friend for 11 years, last spent the day with him just days before he left for Belgium and France. He knew he wasn't coming back, his flat in Adams row was up for sale via a lawyer) - is the equal of Ian Fleming as a writer. Ever read Fleming? There is no comparison, Fleming was a superb writer. Any halfway decent writer can go in and 'clean-up' one of Freddie's books, especially The Jackal, which was appalingly badly written in places, and had an even wonkier plot-line in places. Jimmy would never have planned the job so badly, he never took chances, he KNEW. It isn't possible to improve on Fleming's work, I've tried. To his credit Freddie did vastly improve in the following books. By the way; he knew of the plot to The Odessa file in '61, he narrated it to us (Jimmy and his mates) and the 'Dogs' scenario was a plan put together by Jimmy and Rolf Steiner (Kurt Semmler) the winter '61-'62, Freddie doing quiet a bit of intel and finding a sponser. It was Steiner who did they lions-share of the planning, including the costing, and as Jimmy was off to the USA to suss out a job, it was Rolf who flew into the capitol to do the recon, his father had been a keen birdwatcher, so that's where Rolf got that idea. He got thumped in the belly with a riflebutt and had to rest at Jimmy's place eating babyfood for two weeks. He was ok, he loved reading westerns, and had bought a huge pile of them. He gave me Elliot Arnold's 'Blood Brother', I still have it somewhere. It wasn't signed as 'Big Marc' was deslectic and was too embarressed to try and get his name down, so we left it. Shame. He was a great bloke Marc, loved that guy. By the way, Jimmy probably never intended to do De Gaulle, he actually had a job on the go for Ben Bella (met him several times) and the target was one of the people who would be around De Gaulle. He was only supposed to badly wound him, to set an example. The Jackal knew the OAS guys personally (met them too) and they had been on to him several times to do it, but he thought it too dangerous. Took the chance to earn some free money as he would be there anyway? Freddie knows all, but for some reason isn't telling all. I have written down all I recall, using The Jackal as a base, it's the book Freddie should have written. He's read it but refuses to have anything to do with me, was hoping to republish and give money to charity. sometime in the future I'll find a way?

>>By Sverre Helgesen (Thursday, 24 Apr 2003 18:26)

Wow! Very interesting Sverre! I see you posted this 24 April. Do you flork?

>>By gromit (Saturday, 9 Aug 2003 05:03)

i personaly think ff is grt. ian fleming is toooooo old.

>>By inzoo (Monday, 29 Nov 2004 13:01)

interesting stuff, Helgesen.

>>By xkidonim (Monday, 11 Apr 2005 14:57)

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