Thomas Preston was the British consul in Ekaterinburg, Russia during the early stages of the Russian Civil War.
On 16 July 1918, Hoping to rescue the Romanov family from Ipatiev House, Preston lied to Barbara Wright and Susan Foreman that he knew where the Doctor's TARDIS had ended up, drafting them into his service. At his instruction, the two posed as nuns to sneak into the house but were unable to find any useful information. When Ian Chesterton and Makerenkov arrived at the consulate, the latter shot Preston. (AUDIO: Last of the Romanovs [+]Jonathan Barnes, The First Doctor Adventures: Volume Four (The First Doctor Adventures, Big Finish Productions, 2020).)
Behind the scenes
- The real-life Thomas Preston was not shot by Bolshevik agents; his assailant, Makerenkov, is a fictional character. He lived until 1976. Although his injuries remove him from the remainder of the story, Last of the Romanovs [+]Jonathan Barnes, The First Doctor Adventures: Volume Four (The First Doctor Adventures, Big Finish Productions, 2020). never establishes that he died of his wounds.
- Timewyrm: Exodus [+]Terrance Dicks, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1991). references real-world Nazi plans, discovered after World War II, to arrest many significant British figures during Operation Sealion. Known as The Black Book in real life, Thomas Preston was on that list.