Colonel White

Charles Grey, (COMIC: Traitor Black Gives In!) codenamed Colonel White, was the head of Spectrum, Earth's primary defence against the Mysterons during the Mysteron War. (COMIC: Traitor Black Gives In!, PROSE: They Watch the World et al.) Varying accounts dated Spectrum's founding and the ensuing conflict to either the 2060s (COMIC: SPECTRUM et al.) or the 2080s. (PROSE: 'Jinx Ship' Blasts Off For Mars et al.)

With the USS
Prior to his service in Spectrum, Grey was the second-in-command of the Universal Secret Service (PROSE: SPECTRUM is Green) under Brent Cleever. (PROSE: This is 2065)

As head of Spectrum
According to one account, Grey was recruited to Spectrum as its head, becoming Colonel White, in 2067. (PROSE: SPECTRUM is Green) According to another, Spectrum's founding and Grey's promotion was dated to sometime in the 2080s, (PROSE: Get the Gunman! et al.) no later than 2086, (PROSE: Rogues Gallery) shortly after which the organisation became a "pet project" of World President Melchior when it saved his life. (PROSE: They Watch the World)

White was involved in the decision to assign Captain Black to the Zero X mission to Mars, (COMIC: SPECTRUM) which investigated the "strange radio signals received from the planet, (PROSE: Capt. Black Mars Expedition Lost!, 'Jinx Ship Blasts Off For Mars) in either June 2067 (PROSE: Capt. Black Mars Expedition Lost!) or 2087. (PROSE: Rogues Gallery) On 23 September 2067, one recorded date of the craft's return to Earth, White advised Destiny Angel to call the World Air Force in the Bahamas in order to stop TGW 197 K from pursuing her. The aircraft carried the TV 21 reporters Pete Tracker and Lens Sharpe, who were investigating Spectrum which was, at the time, a top secret organisation. TGW 197 K later collided with Zero X, causing both vehicles to crash at Glenn Field. White immediately asked Lieutenant Green for Black's report but he told him that Black had gone. White ordered a full-scale search of the base to no avail, leading him to suspect Tracker and Sharpe of orchestrating some kind of plot. His fears were eventually allayed, however, and White was eventually convinced to take part in an interview to ensure the secrecy of the organisation did not pose any more problems. Tracker's article was published on the front page of TV 21 that day, announcing the new security organisation to the world. (COMIC: SPECTRUM) White also confirmed that Spectrum was to take over all USS commitments on Earth, a task Tracker was confident they could handle. (PROSE: SPECTRUM is Green)

In January 2089, (PROSE: Sniper!) World Senators were keen to know why Spectrum had not responded following a Mysteron threat to Unity City. In fact, Cloudbase was seen to be moving away from Bermuda, towards the Pacific. Action 21 speculated that this had something to do with Colonel White being against holding peace talks in Unity City on security grounds. (PROSE: Get the Gunman!) It later transpired that Cloudbase had been attacked by knock-out gas, explaining Spectrum's silence and Cloudbase's strange movements. (PROSE: Zero X Beats Space Curse!)

As a member of the World Security Council, White was a member of the Kaplan Commission, formed to investigate the assassination of the Kaplan of Astra during a state visit to Earth. Friction was expected between White and World President Lhomel, who was convinced that the original incidents on the Astran border were engineered by the Mysterons. Meanwhile, White insisted he knew the Mysterons better than any politician and would not admit a mistake on his part. (PROSE: They Watch the World) Lhomel later resigned after Steve Zodiac found evidence the Kaplan's successor was behind his predecessor's death. (PROSE: Lhomel to go as freedom force hits Astra!)

In 2068, White went through a number of comics produced by the readers of TV 21 so he could choose one to be printed in the magazine. He eventually selected The Pillager by Spectrum Shade Philip Bevan. He praised Bevan's use of colour as well as the amount of action in the story. White was also aware Bevan's piece was one of ten he had written, drawn and coloured, with each containing over two hundred pictures. He thought "such determination and interest" to be worthy of recognition and so rewarded Bevan with ten pounds. (PROSE: Comic Shades)

A change in career
Later in 2068, Colonel White headed a meeting with Captain Scarlet, Captain Blue and Captain Black after the latter had been freed from the control of the Mysterons and lost all knowledge of them. Following the results of Doctor Fawn's tests which indicated that Black was fit for a return to active service, the conversation turned to how best to take advantage of the Mysterons' loss of power. White eventually approved a plan to destroy the Mysteron City with an electrode cannon mounted on a spaceship and later attended the lift-off from Helsinki.

The mission was successful and six months past with no sign of Mysteron activity, prompting World President T.J. Younger to disband Spectrum at the final celebration of humanity's victory. Grey chose to join the President's staff in Unity City while the former Captains Scarlet and Blue joined the World Space Patrol and Black retired. Though he enjoyed life in the civil service for a time, getting a chance to improve his golf, Grey was soon ordered to head to Astra to become Earth's ambassador when his predecessor hit the Kaplan. Upon arriving, the Kaplan noted it would be a nice change to have a "military man" around, while Grey expressed his hope of a long stay on the planet.

Sometime later, it became clear that the Mysterons' defeat had been a ruse and that they posed an imminent threat to Earth. The World Security Council soon decided to reassemble Spectrum, immediately recalling Grey, who pledged to leave within the hour on a borrowed Astran spaceship. After the immediate threat had been dealt with, White was with Scarlet and Blue on Cloudbase as the Mysterons reiterated their position to seek vengeance for Black's original attack. (COMIC: Traitor Black Gives In!)

Further battles against the Mysterons
On 27 September 2069, Colonel White sent out a personal message to all members of Spectrum which stated they had all been tricked by the Mysterons. He elaborated that the whole world breathed a sigh of relief for several weeks as they believed the Martian threat had gone, unaware as they went about their business that the "deadliest Mysteron attack" was merely days away. He finished his message by proclaiming that Spectrum was once more in a "bitter struggle" and was relying on its agents to play their part and report any and all suspicious activity without delay. (PROSE: Stingray Strikes Back!)

On a later occasion, White assured reporters there would be "no repeat of history" as Spectrum officers prepared to oversee security arrangements at the opening of London's rebuilt Car-Vu, which was to be attended by the World President. (PROSE: Thunderbirds Film for Sale!)

Behind the scenes

 * A pastiche of Colonel White appears in PROSE: The Indestructible Man: Colonel LeBlanc.