UNIT

A pair of UNIT soldiers, as seen in Battlefield

Winifred Bambera

**UNIT** was an international military organisation which operated under the auspices of the United Nations under the name of the **United Nations Intelligence Taskforce**. Its remit was to investigate and combat paranormal and extraterrestrial threats to the Earth, (TV: *Spearhead from Space*) to protect humanity, no matter what. (PROSE: *UNIT History: Fighting the unknown*) UNIT was not the only alien defence organisation, but it was certainly the one with which the Doctor had the closest personal involvement.

During his exile on Earth, the Third Doctor was even on the UNIT payroll, as scientific advisor. During this time, the Doctor maintained a lab, worked on the TARDIS, and was sent out to investigate unusual going-ons, usually elsewhere in England. The Doctor worked closely with Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, who left a mark on this organisation, even after he was gone. The organisation would further be transformed under the leadership of Brigadier Winifred Bambera.

## History

### Roots and predecessors

The roots of UNIT itself lay in certain alien encounters. The Intrusion Counter-Measures Group headed by Group Captain Ian Gilmore, which got involved in the Shoreditch Incident, served as a specialised military force with scientific assistance would seem almost a trial run for UNIT, though not an international organisation. Though Gilmore did have two scientific advisors serving much as the Third Doctor and Liz Shaw would later, the Seventh Doctor did most of the work on the technical end. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*)

### 20th century

#### Early history

##### Formation

The United Nations were aware the world faced threats from extraterrestrial sources. As space programmes sent probes deeper and deeper into space, mankind was drawing attention to itself. (TV: *Spearhead from Space*)

According to some accounts, an incident which led directly to the creation of UNIT was the takeover of London by the Great Intelligence, with robot Yetis and a deadly cobweb-like fungus. Assisted by the Second Doctor, a group of British infantrymen, led by then-Colonel Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, beat back the Yeti from the tunnels of the London Underground. (TV: *The Web of Fear*)

The UN established UNIT with the mandate to investigate, monitor and combat such threats. This contingent was organisationally known as Department C19 within the British government.

As a United Nations group, UNIT often served as security at peace conferences, (TV: *The Mind of Evil*, *Day of the Daleks*) and the British contingent had foreign soldiers such as Sergeant Zbrigniev. (TV: *Battlefield*, *Network*)

UNIT often faced hostility to its operations when investigating research facilities and companies. A common tactic against them was an appeal to any contacts in the Westminster government. These forced Lethbridge-Stewart either to back down or go over the government's heads to Geneva. (TV: *The Invasion*, *The Green Death*, *The Claws of Axos*)

##### Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart

Lethbridge-Stewart was promoted to brigadier and put in charge of UNIT's British contingent. He would later refer to the promotion happening "since the Yeti do". (TV: *The Invasion*)

One of UNIT's first missions was an intensive investigation of International Electromatics, which turned violent. UNIT agents were killed and UNIT launched a helicopter raid to liberate prisoners at an Electromatics' facility. With the help, again, of the Second Doctor, UNIT discovered the company was a front for a Cyberman invasion, and was able to defend against it. Initially they had only intervened thinking Tobias Vaughn was involved in strange criminal activity, with the Brigadier agreeing with Captain Turner that Geneva would think he was mad without proof of the Cybermen's existence. (TV: *The Invasion*)

Lethbridge-Stewart became convinced of the necessity of scientific advice in battling extraterrestrial threats. He recruited Liz Shaw from the University of Cambridge. Around that same time, the Third Doctor had been exiled to Earth by the Time Lords. He agreed to join UNIT as its scientific advisor just in time to help defeat the Nestene Consciousness' invasion of Earth using its Autons in an attack on the Auto Plastics factory. (TV: *Spearhead from Space*)

The Doctor continued to assist UNIT. In Wenley Moor, UNIT soldiers guarded the cave entrances to prevent the Silurians from getting out. Against the Doctor's wishes, the Brigadier ordered Corporal Nutting to blow up the Silurian base beneath Wenley Moor, permanently sealing the base off. (TV: *Doctor Who and the Silurians*)

UNIT investigated the *Mars Probe 7*. They discovered alien ambassadors had replaced the astronauts upon their return to Earth and had subsequently been kidnapped by General George Carrington who was planning to convince the world's authorities to wage war against them. UNIT thwart his plans and arrange the safe exchange of ambassadors for astronauts. (TV: *The Ambassadors of Death*) Whilst providing security at the Inferno Project in Eastchester, UNIT encountered the Primords. (TV: *Inferno*) Upon returning to headquarters, UNIT became embroiled in a minor conflict with the Cybermen. (TV: *Destination: Holocaust*)

Jo Grant was recruited to be the Doctor's new assistant. Not a scientist, Jo had only managed to take science up to A level, of which she later stated, "I never said I passed". As Jo began assisting the Doctor, UNIT met and made an enemy out of another Time Lord — the Master. (TV: *Terror of the Autons*) After foiling several of his schemes, including using the Keller Machine, (TV: *The Mind of Evil*) and bringing the parasitic lifeform Axos to Earth, (TV: *The Claws of Axos*) UNIT finally caught and imprisoned the Master after his attempt to awaken Azal in Devil's End. (TV: *The Dæmons*)

With tensions rising between superpowers, UNIT was called upon to provide security at a crucial conference at Auderly House. The conference was disrupted by attacks from misguided guerilla fighters from an alternate future and the Daleks, however UNIT were able to evacuate the delegates whilst fending off the Daleks, preventing a diplomatic incident. This prevented the timeline which the guerillas and Daleks had come from existing. (TV: *Day of the Daleks*)

At some point, the Master was transferred to the Fortress Island. He managed to arrange his escape by manipulating the prison's governor, George Trenchard, and awakening a nearby colony of Sea Devils. (TV: *The Sea Devils*)

During Omega's attempt to escape the anti-matter universe, UNIT HQ was besieged by gell guards. Various personnel and UNIT HQ itself were transported to the anti-matter universe, but returned home by efforts of the Second and Third Doctors. The Doctor's exile ended soon after. (TV: *The Three Doctors*)

At Jo's urging, UNIT investigated Global Chemicals and discovered they had unwittingly created giant maggots and were run by an insane computer, BOSS. After the Doctor helped shut down BOSS, Jo decided to leave UNIT. (TV: *The Green Death*)

After Jo's departure, the Doctor became less involved with UNIT but still helped them investigate the disappearances of scientists (TV: *The Time Warrior*) and thwart Operation Golden Age, which UNIT Captain Mike Yates betrayed his colleagues to help. (TV: *Invasion of the Dinosaurs*) The Doctor also made use of UNIT's resources whilst researching ESP. His research embroiled him in the machinations of the Eight Legs, which resulted in him sacrificing his life to stop them. Fatally poisoned, the Doctor returned to UNIT HQ where he regenerated in front of the Brigadier and Sarah Jane Smith. (TV: *Planet of the Spiders*) After recovering from his regeneration, the Fourth Doctor helped UNIT investigate the Think Tank and deal with their K1 robot. He subsequently departed, with Sarah Jane and UNIT's medical officer Harry Sullivan. (TV: *Robot*)

The Fourth Doctor worked with UNIT on much fewer occasions. He was summoned back to Earth by the Brigadier using the Space-Time Telegraph to investigate a series of attacks on oil rigs, discovering the Zygons were responsible and averting their gambit in London. Afterwards Harry Sullivan chose to return to duty at UNIT, whilst the Doctor and Sarah set out for UNIT HQ by TARDIS. (TV: *Terror of the Zygons*) After several detours on the way back to UNIT, (TV: *Planet of Evil*, *Pyramids of Mars*) the Doctor and Sarah arrived in time to stop the Kraal invasion of Earth alongside UNIT forces led by Colonel Faraday (the Brigadier having gone to Geneva). (TV: *The Android Invasion*)

UNIT recommended the Doctor to investigate the Krynoid pods that an expedition had discovered in Antarctica. Sir Colin Thackeray later called in UNIT to assist the Doctor and Sarah Jane after one of the pods fell into the hands of Harrison Chase, who let a Krynoid germinate. With Lethbridge-Stewart in Geneva, Major Beresford led the response, sending soldiers to Chase's mansion and ordering an air strike to destroy the Krynoid before it could spread its seeds. (TV: *The Seeds of Doom*)

### After Lethbridge-Stewart

Lethbridge-Stewart retired in 1976 to teach mathematics at Brendon Public School. His successor was Colonel Charles Crichton. (TV: *The Five Doctors*) Benton and medical officer Harry Sullivan also left. (TV: *Mawdryn Undead*)

During Crichton's tenure as Colonel, he hosted an anniversary reunion of UNIT, which Lethbridge-Stewart and the Second Doctor attended. (TV: *The Five Doctors*)

#### 1990s

In 1995, UNIT, led by Brigadier Crichton, combatted the manifestation of the Great Intelligence at New World University. (TV: *Downtime*)

In 1997, Brigadier Winifred Bambera was tasked with overseeing a nuclear weapon convoy. The convoy became stuck in Carbury where Bambera was forced to work with the Seventh Doctor and Ace against an invasion by Morgaine and her armoured knights from another dimension, calling Lethbridge-Stewart out of retirement to assist her. (TV: *Battlefield*) She would help the Eighth Doctor, Raine Cunningham and Guinevere Hoult deter an attack from Bertilak and the Sontarans only a few weeks later. (TV: *The Green Knight*) That same year, Bambera oversaw the quarantining of Addersly Firms, and called upon the Eighth Doctor to help get through to Norman Manning and defeat *it*. (TV: *Nothing*) Later in 1997, Bambera and the newly recruited Kate Lethbridge-Stewart were assisted by the Ninth Doctor and Lena Haigh in solving the Rani's escape and kidnap of several UNIT troops. Her Aberrants created as a result of these kidnappings were dispatched when Bambera attacked the base. (TV: *Evolution*)

In 1998, UNIT responded to a call from the Pyramid about a wormhole that had opened on their premises which connected Little Caldwell to Gallifrey. Bambera and Kate worked alongside the Doctor, Lena, Evelyn Webster, Bernice, Norman, Romana and Veylon to rectify matters, and UNIT would assist in defending the parties closing the wormhole by killing the interdimensional monsters that emerged through the wormhole. (TV: *Visions of Tomorrow*)

In 1999, Bambera oversaw an investigation into the University of Avanced Galactic Education, calling on the Eighth Doctor and Guinevere to help her. With their assistance, they were able to override the Rani's Network and arrest her for her crimes. (TV: *Network*)

## Headquarters and command centres

### British branch

Whilst investigating International Electromatics, British UNIT had a command centre in the cargo hold of a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft and could use the plane itself as a mobile base. (TV: *The Invasion*)

The British branch of UNIT later operated out of an office building in London. (TV: *Spearhead from Space*) It also maintained a mobile headquarters in the form of a large bus-like vehicle that could be driven to the site of an incident. (TV: *The Dæmons*) The HQ subsequently moved a number of times, finally settling in a building in the country that had been built over the ruins of a priory. (TV: *Pyramids of Mars*)

UNIT's mobile headquarters were updated by the end of the 20th century, with it taking the form of a large, armoured truck. (TV: *Network*) This truck contained a small office, and a laboratory. (TV: *Visions of Tomorrow*)

## Organisation

UNIT's status was supported by enabling legislation that allowed it to assume emergency powers when necessary. Although it operated under the authority of the United Nations, its members were seconded from the host country's military and were still bound to obey that chain of command. Lethbridge-Stewart, for example, reported to the Ministry of Defence and the Prime Minister. (TV: *Terror of the Zygons*) However, when such orders conflicted, appeals could be made to Geneva. The Enabling Acts helped establishing jurisdictional guidelines: article 17 of the Third Enabling Act set up Geneva's role, while article 18 was "Matters of Domestic Concern" and stated in such cases, UNIT "will place itself at the disposal of the host nation in all respects". (TV: *The Time Monster*, *The Green Death*)

In the United Kingdom, its secrecy was guaranteed by the Official Secrets Act. (TV: *The Time Monster* onwards)

## Equipment and uniforms

### Equipment

Its personnel had a wide range of weaponry to call on, some custom-made to combat specific threats.

The standard issue firearm in the 1970s was the L1A1 SLR, a British version of the FN FAL, which was the current rifle used by the British Army. In the late 1990s, UNIT troops were armed with the Steyr AUG assault rifles. (TV: *Battlefield*) As the Brigadier explained to the Doctor, these could be loaded with armour-piercing munitions for use against robots, explosive rounds for Yetis or gold-tipped rounds for use against Cybermen, as well as silver-tipped rounds kept in inventory "just in case". (TV: *Battlefield*) Some of these ammunition types were seemingly given to retired members of UNIT in the event of emergency, as the Brigadier had gold-tipped bullets on his person at Old Marley, despite being retired. (TV: *Destiny*) UNIT had a laser rifle at its disposal to deal with a Krynoid, though the weapon did not manage to kill it. (TV: *The Seeds of Doom*)

### Uniforms

Early in its history, UNIT troops and officers wore beige uniforms consisting of a Velcro-fastening jacket with a green/grey shirt and silver/green tie; and beige berets not unlike the British Special Air Service. (TV: *The Invasion* through TV: *Doctor Who and the Silurians*) Apart from Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, who retained his regular uniform, the exceptions to this were new futuristic-looking uniforms, which consisted of a zip-up jacket without lapels worn over a rolled-neck sweater; (TV: *The Ambassadors of Death*) and combat gear, as worn by the troops stationed at the Inferno Project in Eastchester. (TV: *Inferno*)

They reverted to uniforms not unlike that worn by the British Army, but with the addition of UNIT logos and cap badges. (TV: *Terror of the Autons* through *The Seeds of Doom*)

In the 1990s they retained the standard military look, with the addition of a blue beret, with blue representing the United Nations. (TV: *Battlefield* onwards)

## Call signs

UNIT used a variety of call signs and code words for their agents. The most common call sign was Greyhound. By convention the senior officer (usually Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) was Greyhound One (TV: *Invasion of the Dinosaurs*) or Greyhound Leader. Other Greyhounds included Mike Yates as Greyhound Two, (TV: *The Dæmons*) and Oliver Hawkins as Greyhound Four. (TV: *Nothing*)

The commander of operations was often called Trap One, with both Lethbridge-Stewart (TV: *Invasion of the Dinosaurs*) and Brigadier Bambera (TV: *Network*) using the call sign at times. An alternative term was Watchtower. (TV: *Doctor Who and the Silurians*)

More unusual were the call signs used during the first World Peace Conference, which were based on planets of the Sol system, with the Brigadier as Jupiter and Mike Yates as Venus. (TV: *The Mind of Evil*) Lieutenant Richards, commanding a missile convoy, was designated Salamander Six-Zero. Brigadier Bambera, in the same operation, was Seabird. (TV: *Battlefield*)

Helicopter call signs included Windmill 347, (TV: *The Mind of Evil*) Eagle (TV: *The Green Death*) and "Uniform November Nine-Zero". (TV: *Battlefield*)

## UNIT in parallel worlds

The fascist Britain in a parallel universe the Third Doctor visited had its own version of UNIT, the Republican Security Forces, led by a counterpart of Lethbridge-Stewart. (TV: *Inferno*)

## Behind the Scenes

### Copyright

UNIT was created by Derrick Sherwin for the serial *The Invasion*, which served as a pilot for the Earth-bound years of the Doctor's exile. However, uncharacteristically, the rights for UNIT at least partially stayed with the BBC rather than belonging fully to the writer because at the time Sherwin worked as a BBC staff-member. This prevented him from independently developing a science-fiction series starring UNIT at the end of the 1980s.

### *The Making of Doctor Who*

* According to the non-narrative source *The Making of Doctor Who*, UNIT was overseen by a Commander-in-Chief in Geneva in the early 1970s.

### Other matters

* In 1984, a comedic stage play titled *Recall UNIT: The Great Tea-Bag Mystery* was produced, written by Richard Franklin (Captain Mike Yates) who also reprised his character in the play. The cast included Nicholas Courtney as the Brigadier and John Levene as Sergeant Benton and was performed between 20 August and 24 August as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
* The UNIT vehicles and the mobile headquarters used in many of the adventures from 1969-1975 were BBC Outside Broadcasting vans used by the BBC production unit, with the BBC logos on the vehicles covered up.

## 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*

### Season 13

* *Terror of the Zygons*
* *The Android Invasion*
* *The Seeds of Doom*

### Season 30

* *Network*
* *Destination: Holocaust*