Samson Ware

Regimental Sergeant Major Samson Ware was a key member of the Fifth Operational Corps during the time that it was active. He was a close friend to Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, who saw him as calm and resolute.

His grandfather came from Barbados. (PROSE: The Showstoppers)

Early career
In 1956, Samson served in the British Army with Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. During this time, he became good friends with Alistair. This friendship was brought to an end after Alistair punched a cab driver for racially abusing Samson. Samson was stationed in Cyprus while Alistair was serving punishment.

Samson spent two years fighting the Cyprus insurgency and hated it, leaving with an honourable discharge in 1958. He tried to leave the bad memories behind but could still be haunted by them a decade later.

By 1969, Samson had become a stuntman. As a black man, people tended to ignore him on set.

In August 1969, Samson was hired for the show BLIMEY. During the filming, he began to be suspicious of actor Aubrey Mondegreene. While having a drink at The Gunmaker's Arms, Samson re-encountered Alistair and learned of the newly former Fifth Operational Corps. Working with Anne Travers, Samson investigated Mondegreene and unmasked him as Nazi scientist Vilhelm Schädengeist. After Samson helped the Corps stop Schädengeist from starting a nuclear war, he was offered a position as a regimental sergeant major. (PROSE: The Showstoppers)

Fifth Operational Corps
He took up the role and was on hand to face the Ymir on Strommach (PROSE: The Grandfather Infestation), and in October he was sent on a mission to John o Groats with Professor Travers to distract Harold Chorley from closing in on Lethbridge-Stewart. (PROSE: The Lost Skin) He accompanied Lethbridge-Stewart to Santorini (PROSE: Blood of Atlantis) and took it personally when Lethbridge-Stewart was later assualted while undercover in Wormwood Scrubs Prison. (PROSE: Mind of Stone)

On 24 December 1969, Samson was sent to Llanfairfach after Private Gwynfor Evans sighted a slug-like alien in his house. Working with Evans, Samson discovered that the creature was just one of many which were stealing mechanical pieces from christmas presents to build a dangerous combat machine. They also worked out that pine sap was poisonous to the creatures. Samson stuck a pine needle in one creature so that when it interacted with its fellow creatures it would poison all of them. With the creatures all dead, Samson celebrated Christmas with Evans's family. (PROSE: The Feast of Evans) He returned to Edinburgh on Boxing Day in time for the officers and family meal, where he was introduced to Bob Maddox, husband of Sergeant Jean Maddox. (PROSE: Home for Christmas)

By 1990, Samson had died. (PROSE: The Enfolded Time)

Behind the scenes
More information about Samson Ware is revealed on his character profile on the Lethbridge-Stewart website. He was born in London on 8 April 1936, with his parents being Wesley Ware and Lucia Brown. His surname, and career as a stuntman, was a deliberate tribute to Derek Ware, who died shortly before work began on The Showstoppers.