Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart

The Brigadier, as he appears in The Claws of Axos

Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Daughter)

Unnamed children

Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (grandson)

Kadiatu Lethbridge-Stewart (Granddaughter)

Brigadier General Sir **Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart** (also spelt **Alastair** and **Lethbridge Stewart**) often called **the Brigadier**, was an important figure within UNIT. Through his work, he became a trusted ally of the Doctor, as well as a personal friend.

A turning point in his life was the Great Intelligence's invasion of London, where he met the Second Doctor and Anne Travers and was inspired to defend Earth from alien threats. Working closely with Travers, Lethbridge-Stewart founded and led the Home-Army Fifth Operational Corps for a short period — during which he was promoted to Brigadier — before becoming the commander of UNIT's UK operations.

Lethbridge-Stewart grew close to the Doctor's third incarnation in the several years they spent together combating alien incursions during the Doctor's exile on Earth. After the Third Doctor's regeneration — which the Brigadier witnessed — the Doctor became more distanced from Alistair and UNIT. After several adventures with later incarnations of the Doctor, the Brigadier retired from UNIT and became a teacher at Brendon Public School.

Lethbridge-Stewart eventually left Brendon and returned to working with UNIT, having many more encounters with the Doctor and extraterrestrial menaces, though he would eventually settle down in a small village to retire.

## Biography

### Early Life

Alistair attended school at Holborough, where he first met Teddy Fitzoliver. (AUDIO: *The Paradise of Death*) He was of Scottish descent. (TV: *Terror of the Zygons*)

### Military Career

Alistair enlisted at Sandhurst Military School. He became acquainted with fellow student Billy Rutlidge. (TV: *The Invasion*)

At some point he joined the Scots Guards and was stationed for a time at Aldgate. (TV: *The Green Death*)

Sometime in the 1960s, eleven years before the spider invasion, he had a romantic encounter with Doris in a Brighton Hotel. (TV: *Planet of the Spiders*)

### First Contact

On returning to Britain, he met and married his first wife. This first wife was Fiona and they married eight years before his second encounter with Silurians. (TV: *Downtime*)

Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, while serving in Libya with the Scots Guards 2nd Battalion, was called back to England on the request of his old mentor and friend, Colonel Spencer Pemberton, to assist with the London Event. He replaced the deceased Colonel Pemberton, who was killed in hand-to-hand combat with a Yeti. He and Driver Evans were the sole survivors of a Robot Yeti ambush at Holborn before heading down to the London Underground to take command. It was at this time that Lethbridge-Stewart first met the Doctor, in their second incarnation. Lethbridge-Stewart showed a quick, decisive manner - though with a brief moment of shellshock after losing a second platoon in a running battle - and a ready acceptance of events, even believing the story about the TARDIS from the start. (TV: *The Web of Fear*)

Brigadier Oliver Hamilton sent him to meet with Vice-Marshal Ian "Chunky" Gilmore, who told him about the Shoreditch Incident and gave him military files on "Cosmic Hobo". The encounter showed him evidence of alien visits to Earth that went back thousands of years. He was also used as bait: the Vault was operating out of government control and Hamilton & Gilmore had hoped the "Cosmic Hobo" files would draw out its agents, allowing them to find and shut down its Citadel bunker. This led to Lethbridge-Stewart and Gilmore being pursued by a Yeti and after finding the Citadel, the Colonel was distraught to learn his old Sandhurst friend Leslie Johnston was working for the Vault. Johnston and the base were captured. (PROSE: *Downtime*)

Just before joining UNIT, he attended a Middle Eastern peace conference. (AUDIO: *The Paradise of Death*)

Three years into his marriage to Fiona, his daughter Kate was born. (TV: *Downtime*)

### The UNIT years

Upon UNIT's creation, Lethbridge-Stewart was promoted to Brigadier and appointed head of the United Kingdom branch.

Four years after the Yeti invasion, UNIT investigated the mysterious activities of electronics industrialist Tobias Vaughn. Vaughn was allied with the Cybermen in their attempt to conquer Earth. With the help of the Second Doctor and his companions, the Brigadier and his men thwarted them. (TV: *The Invasion*)

Having found the Doctor's help to have been invaluable, the Brigadier set out to recruit a full-time scientific advisor to UNIT. He approached Dr Elizabeth Shaw, who was initially sceptical of both the offer and the idea of aliens. At the same time, he re-encountered the Doctor at Ashbridge Cottage Hospital, as he was recovering from being forced to regenerate into his third incarnation and exiled to 20th century Earth by the Time Lords. The Brigadier had to fend off the press after word spread of a supposed alien patient. After he worked with UNIT to stop the Nestene Consciousness’ invasion of Earth, the Brigadier recruited the Doctor as UK UNIT's scientific advisor, with Liz Shaw acting as his assistant. (TV: *Spearhead from Space*)

He and the new Doctor at first lacked the easy rapport they had enjoyed during the Doctor's previous incarnation. Their relationship was further strained when Lethbridge-Stewart ordered Corporal Nutting to set off explosive charges around the Wenley Moor Silurian colony, after promising the Doctor he had no hostile intentions towards them, killing the Silurians. (TV: *Doctor Who and the Silurians*) Nonetheless, the two would eventually re-develop their friendship, (TV: *The Five Doctors*, et. al) with the Brigadier and the new Doctor also coming to respect and rely on each other's strengths during times of danger. (TV: *The Dæmons*, *Day of the Daleks*, et. al)

The Brigadier was present at Space Control when *Recovery 7* docked with the mysterious silent *Mars Probe 7*. When an alien signal was heard and responded to, the Brigadier led his forces to the source of the transmission. He led the recovery of *Recovery 7* after it returned to Earth, however his convoy was ambushed and the capsule stolen. The Brigadier returned to Space Control to report the theft and was astonished to find the Doctor had recovered it. When General Carrington claimed to have the astronauts only for them to be kidnapped, the Brigadier and the Doctor investigated further and discovered the astronauts who had come back to Earth were peaceful alien ambassadors and Carrington was exploiting them in a conspiracy to unite the world against the aliens. The Brigadier escaped Carrington and led an attack on Space Control arresting the general. (TV: *The Ambassadors of Death*) He later joined the Doctor in assisting and later shutting down the Inferno Project. (TV: *Inferno*)

Around this time, Fiona filed for divorce. Kate later became estranged from both of her parents. (TV: *Downtime*)

#### Battle with the Master

The Brigadier employed Jo Grant as the Doctor's new assistant. Along with Captain Yates, they were immediately plunged into another Nestene invasion of Earth where the Brigadier met the Master for the first time. (TV: *Terror of the Autons*)

Lethbridge-Stewart oversaw UNIT when it provided security for a World Peace Conference, while the Doctor investigated an unusual machine at Stangmoor Prison. However, both their jobs coincided, as the Master had devised an elaborate plan to disrupt the conference — first through an assassination attempt and then through a hostage situation at the prison. With the Doctor trapped inside, the Brigadier and UNIT infiltrated Stangmoor to retake control and rescue the hostages. However, the Master's allies within the prison hijacked a missile as well. Due to some careful bargaining by the Doctor, the Master was distracted enough for UNIT to destroy the Machine and the missile, although the Master managed to escape. (TV: *The Mind of Evil*)

UNIT troops took charge of a crashed spaceship near the Nuton Power Complex in south east England. The Brigadier accompanied the Doctor, Jo, Government Minister Horatio Chinn and some scientists in gaining access to the ship and encountering the, seemingly benign, Axons. They then presented their new material Axonite which could do many wondrous things but it was Chinn who gained possession of the Axonite before any negotiations could be started. It became clear that the Master was helping the Axons to invade the Earth and UNIT troops fought many battles against the now hideously tentacled beings. They were only stopped when the Doctor managed to put a time loop around their ship. (TV: *The Claws of Axos*)

The Brigadier and Jo tried to dissuade the Doctor from experimenting on a new dematerialisation circuit. He stepped outside for a moment after an agent claimed to have a lead on the Master. When he returned to the laboratory the TARDIS, the Doctor and Jo were gone, however it rematerialised in front of him immediately. (TV: *Colony in Space*)

When the Doctor and Jo investigated an archaeological dig in the village of Devil's End, they discovered the Master masquerading as the local vicar. With them and other members of UNIT in the village the Brigadier was unable to access Devil's End because of a heat barrier which had been generated by the Master. He and his men eventually gained entry through the barrier, but could not pass the animated gargoyle Bok, who was unaffected by gunfire and a bazooka shot. When Bok was rendered immobile after the Dæmon Azal's powers turned against himself, the Brigadier and UNIT managed to arrest the Master and take him away to stand trial for his many crimes. (TV: *The Dæmons*)

While in talks over an international incident, the Brigadier arranged an investigation into the "ghost" that delegate Sir Reginald Styles had apparently met at Auderly House before the delegates arrived for the World Peace Conference. After the Doctor drove off in the Brigadier's Land Rover to follow some 22nd century guerrilla fighters, the Brigadier took part in the Conference. When the Doctor returned from the 22nd century, the Brigadier and UNIT helped repel a Dalek attack. The Brigadier evacuated Auderly House, as Shura's dalekanium bomb would have killed all the delegates inside, sparking World War III. (TV: *Day of the Daleks*)

During the investigation of Arthur Ollis’ disappearance, the Brigadier led the defence of UNIT HQ when it was besieged by Omega’s gell guards. During the crisis, he was astonished when the Second Doctor arrived to help and entered the TARDIS for the first time. When UNIT headquarters was transported to Omega’s anti-matter universe, the Brigadier remained sceptical they were in a different universe, claiming it looked more like Cromer. He found Mr Ollis and together they explored the barren landscape, reuniting with Benton, Jo and Tyler as they escaped Omega’s palace. When the two Doctors struck a deal with Omega, they were sent back to Earth with the Brigadier saluting the Doctors as he departed. Back on Earth, he mourned their loss with Jo. After the Doctor returned to UNIT HQ, the Brigadier ordered Benton to do an inventory to ensure nothing had been lost in the anti-matter universe. (TV: *The Three Doctors*)

On Jo‘s persuasion, the Brigadier had UNIT investigate Global Chemicals. His investigation was nearly curtailed when Global Chemicals went over his head to the Prime Minister. After the crisis was over, the Brigadier attended the party where Jo announced her engagement to Clifford Jones, with Lethbridge-Stewart toasting the happy couple. (TV: *The Green Death*)

The Brigadier invited the Doctor to a scientific research centre to find out what happened to the leading scientists that had vanished there. The Doctor found them (TV: *The Time Warrior*) in the 13th century, (TV: *The Sontaran Experiment*) and returned the scientists home. (TV: *The Time Warrior*)

Investigating a new theme park run by the Parakon Corporation, the Doctor persuaded the Brigadier to try out the new Experienced Reality Grid and found it manipulated the wearer. Revealing themselves to be aliens, Tragan and Freeth, the heads of the corporation, captured Sarah Jane Smith and took off in their rocket disguised within the theme park. The Doctor, the Brig and Jeremy Fitzoliver gave chase in the TARDIS and eventually arrived on the planet Parakon. However, they ran into Tragan and Freeth again and escaping into the mountains outside the main city, the Brigadier led the Kimonya tribe on an attack of the city using dozens of giant bats to save the day. (AUDIO: *The Paradise of Death*)

Dinosaurs started appearing in London and the Brigadier and UNIT had several skirmishes with various dinosaurs. It soon became clear that Captain Yates was working with the people making the dinosaurs appear. These were a group of scientists and politicians called Operation Golden Age who wanted to take humanity back in time to prehistoric Earth and start again. At another point the Brigadier was relieved of command by General Finch (another of the conspirators), but, having regained command of UNIT and the Doctor having stopped the Golden Age project from going ahead, Lethbridge-Stewart arranged for Yates an "extended sick leave and a chance to resign quietly". (TV: *Invasion of the Dinosaurs*)

The Brigadier was reluctantly involved in the Doctor’s research into ESP, attending Professor Herbert Clegg’s show with him. He was present in the Doctor’s laboratory when the Doctor invited Herbert for an experiment and lent the Professor his wristwatch to test his abilities on. When Lupton stole the Metebelis crystal from UNIT HQ the Brigadier helped the Doctor pursue him, unsuccessfully.

A few weeks later, Sarah and the Brigadier witnessed the Doctor regenerate into his fourth incarnation when he returned to UNIT HQ after defeating the Eight Legs on Metebelis III. (TV: *Planet of the Spiders*) Eager to leave Earth for further travels, the newly regenerated Doctor did help UNIT defeat the K1 Robot before taking off in the TARDIS with Sarah and Lt Harry Sullivan. (TV: *Robot*) Not completely having abandoned the Brigadier, the Doctor had left him a space-time telegraph to contact him in case of emergency. (TV: *Revenge of the Cybermen*) Even so, the Doctor was openly resentful when the Brigadier used it to summon him back to Earth for the destruction of an oil rig, which he initially considered a trivial matter. After defeating the Zygons, who had been behind the attack, the Doctor and Sarah again left in the TARDIS. (TV: *Terror of the Zygons*)

From the Doctor's point of view, this was his last meeting with the Brigadier for some time. Subsequent arrivals by the Fourth Doctor kept finding the Brigadier in Geneva, with Colonel Faraday filling in during the first Kraal invasion (TV: *The Android Invasion*) and Major Beresford during the Krynoid infestation. (TV: *The Seeds of Doom*)

Shortly before he left UNIT, Lethbridge-Stewart was made a Commander of the British Empire. (PROSE: *Downtime*)

### After UNIT

#### Late 1970s, and 1980s

After "thirty years of soldiering", Lethbridge-Stewart retired from UNIT and the army, taking a post as an A-level maths teacher at Brendon Public School in Hertfordshire.

In 1977, the Brigadier saw and touched hands with his own future self from 1983. The time differential shorted out, causing an energy discharge. The Brigadier fell unconscious and spent the next six years in a state of partial amnesia, having forgotten ever meeting the Doctor. In 1983, when his pupils included the humanoid alien Vislor Turlough, the Brigadier encountered the Fifth Doctor, whom he did not recognise as being the Doctor at first, and met his past self from 1977. This completed the temporal paradox and allowed him to restore his memory. (TV: *Mawdryn Undead*)

The Brigadier was attending an anniversary reunion of UNIT. After the Second Doctor arrived, and greeted The Brigadier warmly, both of them were captured and transported to the Death Zone on Gallifrey. They eventually found their way through to the Tomb of Rassilon, where the Brigadier was also reunited with the Third Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith and Tegan Jovanka. He and the Third Doctor knocked out the Master when he appeared shortly later, after which Rassilon returned him to Earth. (TV: *The Five Doctors*)

#### 1990s

By the 1990s, Lethbridge-Stewart had married his second wife, Doris, with whom he had a memorable holiday years before. The Brigadier came out of retirement briefly to help UNIT and its new commander, Brigadier Winifred Bambera, deal with an invasion from a parallel universe by the sorceress Morgaine. Once again, he met the Doctor, now in his seventh incarnation. Together they defeated Morgaine. Lethbridge-Stewart distinguished himself during these events, singlehandedly taking on the Destroyer and dispatching him, armed only with a revolver loaded with silver bullets. (TV: *Battlefield*)

In 1993, (PROSE: *Destiny*) the Brigadier, now firmly retired, had taken up residence at Old Marley in Buckinghamshire. After receiving a surprise visit from the Doctor, now in his eighth incarnation, and Bernice Summerfield, the trio were attacked by Cybermen intending to destroy the Doctor's timeline. He helped take an agonised Doctor to the church, and, after reuniting with the Doctor's third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh incarnations, he assisted in holding back the Cybermen. Upon the destruction of the church, he bade the Doctors farewell, and joined the Eighth Doctor and Benny in taking the Third Doctor and Liz home. (TV: *Destiny*)

## Personality

The Brigadier was charming, but professional and serious, being unwilling to take nonsense from others, although sometimes displaying an acerbic wit of his own. He was frequently exasperated by the Fourth Doctor's rather childish personality, and often argued with his predecessor due to the Third Doctor's preference of solving problems with science rather than weapons.

When once asked by the Second Doctor if he had ever led him astray, he replied with "many times"; however, his absolute loyalty and respect for the Time Lord was undeniable, describing all of the Doctor's incarnations as "splendid fellows", (TV: *The Five Doctors*) and was more than willing to come out of retirement to assist him when he heard the Doctor was back; prior to this discovery, he had refused to come out of retirement no matter what. (TV: *Battlefield*)

The Third Doctor once called the Brigadier a "pompous, self-opinionated idiot", although he apologised later. Indeed, the two enjoyed a strong friendship despite their differences. (TV: *Inferno*) The Brigadier could be ruthless and, in one of his earlier adventures with the Doctor, he committed an act that the Doctor considered to be murder when he ordered Corporal Nutting to wipe out the Silurians, despite the Brigadier informing the Doctor about having no intention of harming the Silurians. (TV: *Doctor Who and the Silurians*)

The Brigadier was a natural sceptic in his early years and was disbelieving of the TARDIS and the Doctor's regeneration ability, but, as he grew older and his understanding of the Doctor and the universe grew, he became less sceptical. Loyal and determined, the Brigadier was dedicated to protecting the Earth, but under the Doctor's influence he learned that violence wasn't always the best solution, and became more willing to negotiate with his enemies, although he still wouldn't hesitate to open fire on them if the situation demanded it.

Even in his later years following his retirement, the Brigadier remained a formidable presence although he did possess a more sentimental side. He was willing to sacrifice himself to save the Doctor and even knocked out the Doctor's seventh incarnation to protect him, while he stood up to the Destroyer with the words, "Get off my world!" (TV: *Battlefield*)

## Alternate Brigadiers

### Inferno Earth

A parallel Earth had its own version of the Brigadier, Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart. Loyal to the fascist leader who governed his version of Britain, the Brigade Leader was the antithesis of the Brigadier. He was shot and killed by his lieutenant, Section Leader Elizabeth Shaw, while trying to force the Doctor at gunpoint to help him escape his doomed Earth. Unlike Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Brigade Leader Lethbridge-Stewart lacked both a moustache and his left eye. (TV: *Inferno*)

## Other Information

### Spelling

The Brigadier's first name was variously spelt "Alistair" (PROSE: *Mawdryn Undead*, *Harry Sullivan's War*, *Transit*, *Destiny,* etc.) and "Alastair". (PROSE: *Doctor Who and the Web of Fear*, *Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion*, *The Ambassadors of Death*, *The Mind of Evil*, *The Time Monster*, *The Three Doctors*, *Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders*, *Doctor Who and the Giant Robot*, *Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster*, *The Five Doctors*, *Battlefield*)

His surname was variously styled as Lethbridge-Stewart (TV: *The Web of Fear*, *The Invasion*, *Spearhead from Space*, *Day of the Daleks*, *Mawdryn Undead*, *Battlefield*, *Destiny*; PROSE: *Doctor Who and the Web of Fear*, *Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion*, *The Ambassadors of Death*, *Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons*, *The Mind of Evil*, *Doctor Who and the Claws of Axos*, *The Time Monster*, *The Three Doctors*, *Doctor Who and the Planet of the Spiders*, *Doctor Who and the Giant Robot*, *Doctor Who and the Loch Ness Monster*, *Mawdryn Undead*, *The Five Doctors*, *Battlefield*, *Alixion*, *Transit*, *Destiny*, etc.) and Lethbridge Stewart. (TV: *Doctor Who and the Silurians*, *The Ambassadors of Death*, *Inferno*, *Terror of the Autons*, *The Mind of Evil*, *The Claws of Axos*, *Colony in Space*, *The Dæmons*, *The Time Monster*, *The Three Doctors*, *The Green Death*, *The Time Warrior*, *Invasion of the Dinosaurs*, *Planet of the Spiders*, *Robot*, *Terror of the Zygons*; PROSE: *Doctor Who and the Dæmons*, *Doctor Who and the Green Death*, *Doctor Who and the Dinosaur Invasion*)

### Nicknames

He was often referred to simply as the Brigadier and on rare occasions as "the Brig". (TV: *Planet of the Spiders*, *Terror of the Zygons*) During their second and third incarnations, the Doctor sometimes called him by his surname, while in their third, fourth and eighth incarnations, the Doctor addressed him as Alistair at least three times. (TV: *Planet of the Spiders*, *Terror of the Zygons*, *Destiny*) The Doctor sometimes addressed him by his full name in excitement. (TV: *Mawdryn Undead*, *Battlefield*, *Destiny*)

## Behind the Scenes

### Creation

Colonel Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart was originally to appear only in *The Web of Fear* as a supporting character. He was the creation of writers Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln, to whom royalties had to be paid whenever the character was used, although it is a matter of public record that such credit and payment was rarely given. The character remains the copyright of Mervyn Haisman (via his Literary Estate run by his granddaughter, Hannah Haisman) and Henry Lincoln. In televised episodes, the Brigadier appeared and interacted with every Doctor.

Nevertheless, his most continuous period of interaction with the Doctor was during the Time Lord's second, third and fourth incarnations. There were unsurprisingly numerous comic, audio and prose stories which centred on the Brigadier's adventures with those three Doctors.

Although the historic first meeting between Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart and the Doctor was never shown in *The Web of Fear*, the events leading directly into their first meeting are chronicled in the DWM 483 prose story *The Ambush!*.

Nicholas Courtney's long tenure on *Doctor Who* led to some interesting trivia. Along with Carole Ann Ford, Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton, he was one of only four actors to work with both William Hartnell and Richard Hurndall's interpretations of the First Doctor. Apart from Peter Purves and Hartnell himself, he was the only regular cast member on *Doctor Who* to have played two different roles in episodes featuring Hartnell.

The rehearsal script for *Remembrance of the Daleks* said that the Brigadier was to be put in charge of the "Special Incursions Counter-Measures Unit" and that he had done work for the Special Operations Executive in World War II - which would have contradicted many previous stories. (DWM 464)

The characters of both the Brigadier and Benton appeared in the X-Men comic book *Uncanny X-Men* #218. (DWM 390)

## Appearances

### Season 7

* *Spearhead from Space*
* *Doctor Who and the Silurians*
* *The Ambassadors of Death*
* *Inferno*

### Season 8

* *Terror of the Autons*
* *The Mind of Evil*
* *The Claws of Axos*
* *Colony in Space*
* *The Dæmons*

### Season 9

* *Day of the Daleks*
* *The Time Monster*

### Season 10

* *The Three Doctors*
* *The Green Death*

### Season 11

* *The Time Warrior*
* *Invasion of the Dinosaurs*
* *Planet of the Spiders*