The UNIT Chronology

"The UNIT Chronology" was a section of UNIT Exposed, which was Andrew Dylan's final piece about the United Nations in The Metropolitan. (PROSE: An Army of Shadows)

The UNIT Chronology

Italicised titles refer to UNIT documents censored by D Notices in Britain and only revealed thanks to research of published CIA material in the United States. Interested readers should note that although every attempt has been made to verify the dates of the listed incidents, The Metropolitan's access to government documentation has been limited in the extreme; because of this no exact dates can be published at this time. Even as we went to press more information on the history of UNIT was coming to light and we welcome corrections to our research for future publication.

• 1926 The Yeti Affair Professor Travers reports to the War Department on the appearance of robot creatures in Tibet. Further investigations blocked by the Dalai Llama. (TV: The Abominable Snowmen)

• 1943 The Ultima Project Reports of monsters in Northumbria linked with cypher project headed by Commander Millington. War censorship covers subsequent investigations by army intelligence but tales of vampirism persist. (TV: The Curse of Fenric)

• 1959 The Delta Briefing A secret report to the Pentagon by CIA agents Weismuller and Hawk on UFO activity in England suggests the establishment of an alien defence force. The report is buried by the US administration of the day. (TV: Delta and the Bannermen)

• 1961 The Intrusion Counter Measures Group [sic] is established in Britain under the command of Group Captain Ian 'Chunky' Gilmore of the newly formed Royal Air Force Regiment. Its brief was to protect the UK from covert actions by hostile powers, mounting intelligence operations against any such threats. Staffed by RAF personnel; scientific advisors included Professor Rachel Jensen. (TV: Revelation of the Daleks)

• Late 1963 The Shoreditch Incident D Notice suppresses encounters with aliens at Totters' Lane [sic]. Local populace evacuated from the immediate area under the instructions of British High Command, under the terms of the Peacetime Accident Provisions. The physicist, Allison Williams is seconded from Cambridge to assist in undisclosed operations, with the deaths of several operatives described as the unfortunate result of events connected with an emergency wartime bomb disposal Further investigation blocked under the terms of the Official Secrets Act. (TV: Revelation of the Daleks)

• 1964 ICMG called into investigate the death of the industrialist, Forrester [sic]. (TV: Planet of Giants)

• 12th July 1966 onwards The C-Day Incident Robotic machines controlled by the computer WOTAN, run amok in Central London prompting mass evacuation and a secret government enquiry. (TV: The War Machines)

• 20th July 1966 onwards The Chameleon Affair MoD files refer to 'Police Box Incident' at the new Gatwick Airport — a now common UNIT euphemism for alien activity. Unexplained disappearance of many young people. (TV: The Faceless Ones)

• 1967 ICMG called in to investigate events at the Euro-Gas refinery. (TV: Fury from the Deep)

• 1971 The Underground Animals ICMG combines with regular army forces to deal with dangerous animals at loose in the London Underground. Central London evacuated as a mysterious fog— ascribed to 'cleverly orchestrated nerve gas attack' by an unnamed Middle East Terrorist Group which is dealt with by the army. UNIT — the United Nations Intelligence Task Force — formed shortly after this incident, the result of a secret UN resolution. (TV: The Web of Fear)

• Early 1975 The Invasion Strange metal robots sighted in London and photographed by Isobel Watkins, further reports suppressed. Worldwide alert over rogue nuclear missile — no disclosure to this day as to the identity of the country who fired the weapon. UNIT absorbs the properties, scientific laboratories and assets of International Electromatics after the unexplained death of its owner, Tobias Vaughn. (TV: The Invasion)

• 1975 Reports of an alien at the Ashbridge Cottage Hospital appear in the national press, disclaimed by then UNIT leader Brigadier Alister Gordon Lethbridge Stewart [sic]. (TV: Spearhead from Space)

• The Wenley Moor Incident Caves blown up in Derbyshire by UNIT following a series of terrorist attacks on a secret atomic research laboratory. (TV: Doctor Who and the Silurians)

• The Mars Probe 7 Affair Public admission of alien menaces apparently suppressed by UNIT. Renegade army officers. . . (TV: The Ambassadors of Death)

• Project Inferno Near disaster at a drilling plant averted following UNIT intervention. (TV: Inferno)

• 1976 "The Master's Gang Incidents"
  • UNIT foils plot to kill people with radio activated plastic daffodils! (TV: Terror of the Autons)
  • The Mind of Evil UNIT assigned with disarmament duties — the Thunderbolt Nerve Gas missile and security for World Peace Conference in London. (TV: The Mind of Evil)
  • The Axonite Incident (see also ex-CIA agent Bill Filer's book The Nuton Conspiracy). Following the destruction of a nuclear power facility, the United Nations presses for greater powers over national military forces In the event of terrorist emergencies. (TV: The Claws of Axos)
  • Devil's End UNIT called in to investigate events at British village after a broadcast on BBC3 from an ancient barrow is cut off in mid-transmission by freak weather conditions. The terrorist known as The Master is arrested and placed on secret trial, then sentenced to life imprisonment. (TV: The Dæmons)
  • September 1976 Day of the Daleks Terrorists are blamed for the destruction of Auderley House belonging to Sir Reginald Styles, location for the second World Peace Conference. UNIT save the lives of delegates and the Styles' Accord grants the organisation wider powers. (TV: Day of the Daleks)

• 1977 The Sea Devils Parliamentary Secretary Walker is dismissed following the escape of 'The Master' from his island prison with the help of accomplices. He has not been heard of since. (TV: The Sea Devils)

• The Time Monster WWII Doodlebugs spotted over Cambridge — investigated by UNIT. (TV: The Time Monster)

• Terrorists blamed for destruction of government sponsored research facility at Fetch Priory, run by Dr Fendelman and part funded by International Electromatics. (TV: Image of the Fendahl)

• 1979 Eminent archaeologist Professor Amelia Rumford presents her surprise paper on Silicon Life Forms and Habitats to the Royal Scientific Club. (TV: The Stones of Blood)

• 1979 The Green Death Events at the Global Chemicals plant in Llanfairfach, Wales, are suppressed. (TV: The Green Death)

• 1980 Scientists disappear from the Brains Trust. (TV: The Time Warrior)

• The 'Dinosaur' Invasion London evacuated when an LSD-based hallucinogen gas is released in a "freak accident"; later revealed as a terrorist bomb attack by The Metropolitan. Captain Mike Yates dismissed from service and journalist Sarah Jane Smith seconded to UNIT as part of publicity drive for new recruits. (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs)

• The Think Tank incident flight wing scientists attempt to take over nuclear missiles using sophisticated computer programmes developed under duress by Professor Kettlewell, who is subsequently killed in a raid on the organisation's bunker. Government enquiry blames UNIT for death and complaints made to Geneva about national security breaches by UNIT staff. (TV: Robot)

• The Pharos Encounter national newspaper reports on security guards 'Encounter with Aliens' at the Pharos project, which helms friendly messages into space for supposed other civilisations. "They arrived in a spaceship shaped like a Greek column," said Andrew Mitchell, the Head of Security. (TV: Logopolis)

• The Zygon Gambit The World Energy Conference at Stamford House at (what is now UNIT's new London headquarters) is disrupted by a terrorist attack. (TV: Terror of the Zygons)

• The Android Invasion Secret government work on cyborgs stolen during UNIT operation against Middle Eastern terrorists. (TV: The Android Invasion)

• The Seeds of Doom Widespread reports of plants attacking human beings in South East England blamed on sun spots. (TV: The Seeds of Doom)

• 1981 Brigadier Alistair Gordon-Lethbridge [sic] Stewart retires from the armed forces to take up teaching at Brendon School, Colonel Crichton appointed new commander of British forces. (TV: Mawdryn Undead)

• The Hand of Fear Investigation of attack on Nunton nuclear power station. (TV: The Hand of Fear)

• 1982 UNIT powers limited by agreement of the UN Security Council and previous wide-ranging powers of curfew and arrest withdrawn. (PROSE: An Army of Shadows)

• 1983 Part of Amsterdam sealed off by UNIT team after terrorist-explosion. Dutch government protests at action and investigation ordered. (TV: Arc of Infinity)

• A UNIT Reunion at their old country coincidentally marks beginning of withdrawal of funding for the organisation by the United Nations. (PROSE: An Army of Shadows)

• 1984 Following UNIT's appeal to cordon off the village of Little Hodcombe after what was described in the popular press as a "Mass Ghost Sighting!" the organisation is ridiculed and Crichton resigns under a cloud. (TV: The Awakening)

• UNIT national forces apparently disbanded as US funding withdrawn. (PROSE: An Army of Shadows)

• 1985 Heightened UFO reports over Spain, France and Southern Britain are dismissed as hoaxes by authorities. (TV: The Two Doctors, City of Death)

• 1986 The Bogus Planet Antarctic Space Tracking Station attacked by unknown forces. (TV: The Tenth Planet)

• UNIT surveillance operations on known terrorists (such as Gustav Litten) gains increased funding by secret UN resolution. Several government officials of different countries resign in protest. (TV: Resurrection of the Daleks)

• 1988 Wild 'Giant Cat' hunted by UNIT team without success in Perivale in North West London. (TV: Survival)

• UNIT's Geneva Headquarters major refurbishment begins; Bambera working undercover in Eastern Bloc. The organisation's disarmament duties are given highest priority. (PROSE: An Army of Shadows)

• 1991 Brigadier Winifred Bambera sighted as part of UN investigation team in Iraq following the Gulf War. Disarmament duties code-named "Dull Sword." (PROSE: An Army of Shadows)

Behind the scenes

This section of PROSE: An Army of Shadows is one of many attempts to work out the UNIT dating controversy. However, this one intentionally skirts any timeline issues by explicitly establishing that "no exact dates" could be published.