User:Epsilon the Eternal/Formation of UNIT

The formation of UNIT and its British contingency was a pivotal point in history, being the beginning of UNIT's Golden Period after its quick expansion. (PROSE: UNIT History: Fighting the unknown) Despite this, many accounts disputed the exact reason for its formation as well as exactly when it happened. (TV: The Web of Fear, The Invasion, Survivors of the Flux, PROSE: UNIT History: Fighting the unknown, The Secret Lives of Monsters, UNIT, Fear of the Web, et al.)

History
According to one account, the United Nations had been working on a taskforce for alien threats since at least 1958. General Farquhar was tasked with setting up UNIT's British end and asked for Prentis's assistance in setting it up. There was a thirty-year investment plan by 1967, though UNIT was embarrassed when they missed the Post Office Tower incident (TV: Survivors of the Flux)

Most accounts, however, agreed the Great Intelligence's use of Robot Yeti and web-like fungus to invade the London Underground (TV: The Web of Fear) was the catalystic incident that led to the formation of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce over the course of the next four years, (TV: The Invasion, et al.) and, at the recommendation of ICMG's Ian Gilmore, (PROSE: The Scales of Injustice) Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart was promoted from rank of Colonel to Brigadier, and was placed in charge of leading (TV: The Invasion) the British contingent of the taskforce, (PROSE: The Ambassadors of Death, The Secret Lives of Monsters, UNIT, et al.) being instrumental to the organisation's set up. (PROSE: The Scales of Injustice) The "London Menace", as one alientologist noted, had been documented by UNIT, despite it taking place prior to their formation, however they had little information upon the Whisper Men. (PROSE: The Secret Lives of Monsters)

While Alastair was the Commanding Officer of the British Section, (PROSE: The Ambassadors of Death, The Five Doctors, et al.) but still had to report to his superior and longtime friend, Major-General (TV: The Invasion, PROSE: The Secret Lives of Monsters, et al.) William Routledge until he was convinced to shoot himself by Tobias Vaughn, (PROSE: The Invasion) and his replacement, Major-General Scobie. (TV: Spearhead from Space, PROSE: Doctor Who and the Auton Invasion, The Secret Lives of Monsters, et al.) That being said, the heirarchy of command led UNIT Central Control in Geneva to have the highest authority. (TV: The Invasion)

However, many accounts disputed the dating of these events: some accounts date the "Yeti invasion" to 1975; (TV: The Web of Fear, PROSE: The Enfolded Time) while others date it to August 1966; (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy) 1968; (PROSE: Downtime, Revolution Man, UNIT History: Fighting the unknown, HOMEVID: Global Conspiracy?) or February 1969. (PROSE: The Forgotten Son)

As the formation of UNIT was four years later, it would've been formed in 1979, (TV: The Invasion)

According to some accounts, Lethbridge-Stewart, unable to get the British government to form a permanent special operations force for alien threats, went over their heads to the UN Security Council, who proved more receptive. (PROSE: Who Killed Kennedy, Fear of the Web)