The Files

Sarah Jane Smith

The niece of virologist Lavinia Smith, Sarah Jane Smith had a notable career as a journalist before her involvement with UNIT. In January 1974, Miss Smith used her aunt's credentials to investigate the scientist abductions. After her involvement in this event, Miss Smith was involved in a number of UNIT operations in an unofficial capacity, usually as an assistant to the UNIT Doctor, or to the Bohemian Doctor. Her final direct involvement with UNIT was during the Devesham incident, after which she was involved with the Bohemian Doctor's activities. She assisted him during the Chase Mansion Affair, which also involved UNIT, and the Nunton Meltdown - a crisis that she herself may have caused. In addition, Miss Smith was involved in bringing the Moreton Harwood Coven to light in 1981. During her time at UNIT, Miss Smith became one of the co-signatories of an account in the name of R.J. Smith believed to have been used by the UNIT Doctor.

Many aspects of Miss Smith's involvement with UNIT are confusing. As with Captain Mike Yates and also Josephine Grant, her involvement in some of the operations of UNIT raises questions about UNIT security concerning some of its most involved operatives. Perhaps UNIT allowed such people to get involved due to a C-19 directive or the insistence of the UNIT Doctor, although their motives for such actions are completely unknown. Miss Smith has consistently refused to talk to anyone about her time with UNIT and it fails to show up on any official documentation.

Miss Smith's memories of this period have formed the basis of a line of fiction. From 1995 onwards, she has written a series of short stories in Metropolitan magazine, some of which are based on her experiences with UNIT, whilst others are pure science fiction. She has also published a series of popular novels following the same mix of Science Fiction and UNIT history. The central character of the doctor in the short stories owes much to the UNIT Doctor and that in the novels is similarly based on the Bohemian Doctor. The fact that the government hasn't intervened to stop these stories being published presumably owes much to the skilful blend of fact and fiction in them, but also perhaps it is seen as a useful way to cover up UNIT's activities by claiming that witnesses have merely taken fiction as reality.

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