Points of Information

[alynwa.livejournal.com]

I'm not completely sure, but I'm fairly sure that st_crispins gave this list to me and I want to share it with you because in reading a recent story, the writer seemed to have Research and Development, aka The Lab, as Section III.  Because of her background, I think her breakdown of the UNCLE is definitive.  Everyone doesn't have to agree with me (or her), but the case for using this list is strong.

Section I: Policy and Operations
Section II: Operations and Enforcement
Section III: Enforcement and Intelligence
Section IV: Intelligence and Communications
Section V: Communication and Security
Section VI: Security and Personnel
Section VII: Public Relations and Propaganda
Section VIII: Research and Development



What Sections is the UNCLE organization broken down to and what do they do?

Sec. 1 Policy and Operations. Waverly and the 4 other guys; Gabhail Samoy, New Delhi regional office and Harry Beldon, Europe, who turned traitor. Only these two were mentioned in the series. However, there is good reason to believe that Carlo Farenti (of Children's Day Aff) may have been an equal to Waverly. If he was, he was probably Beldon's predecessor who was killed in Birds and Bees Aff. (Samoy seen in Brain Killers Aff and Beldon in Summit Five Aff)

Also in section 1 all station chiefs and people like that. The big 5 meet once a year (see Summit 5 Aff) the others also meet (see Children's Day Aff).

Sec. 2 Operations and Enforcement. These are the top guns, the field agents. Also, head of this section is No. 2 man in the five regional offices. Solo is chief in NY. Brian Morton (Deep Six) is chief apparently for Europe, based in London. (And judging by evidence in episodes, he was running European operations after the Beldon thing --- see Summit 5 and Deep Six Affs)

Sec. 3 Enforcement and Intelligence. These are also field agents but lower echelon. Probably junior agents start here.

Sec. 4 Intelligence and Communications. These are the support people you see running around HQ. People who do research, look stuff up, handle computers, etc. George Dennel is chief of this section in New York (see Waverly Ring Aff)

Sec. 5 Communications and Security. People who "answer the phone" also probably all those cannon-fodder types who get shot at when UNCLE is invaded. Rosey Grier (Brain Killers) is here. Also those security guys who keep running in when alarms sound in Never Never Aff.

Sec. 6 Security and Personnel. We've been talking about this one in regards to terry's character. Medical, personnel, training (and de-training) etc. Carla Drosten (Waverly Ring) was head of this section until she betrayed UNCLE in NY.

There is some controversy over the next two sections: McDaniels and some press material include them; some do not.

Sec. 7 Public Relations and Propaganda. UNCLE has a "front" that looks like an international social service type organization. These people are the ones who would have talked to that minister who came to Pat Crowley in Vulcan Aff/To Trap a Spy.

Sec. 8 As mentioned, Rolfe called it Deception and Camouflage. I like McDaniel's idea better: R & D. Anyway, this is "the Lab".

A mistake some writers make is thinking that section one ONLY contains the five top guys. Not true. All administration people are here --- that is, desk types (unlike Solo) who aren't field agents (see for example that gruff station chief in Seven Wonders of the World Aff)

Comments

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Thanks, this is a very useful piece of information regarding the UNCLE organization. I know for myself, I usually still need to look up the departments when I venture into one of the less familiar ones.

[alynwa.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Always useful information. Great reference tool is the MFU Writer's Bible pdf. Wikipedia has the breakdown of the UNCLE Sections, and I think that info was contributed by St. Crispins as well.

[alynwa.livejournal.com]

Yes, the Writers' Bible is a fantastic reference book.

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

The sections were created and named by Sam Rolfe. They're also on the souvenir U.N.C.L.E. identification cards that were distributed by MGM in the 1960s.

I added the commentary.

I never contributed to Wikipedia, so if the commentary is there, it was posted there by someone else who probably saw my comments, etc. from the past.

If someone thinks the lab is Section III, they are seriously misinformed ---and far off canon.