The 1954 French flap:

CHRONICLE

Saucer and signs of the times

By René LEYVRAZ

The saucers have become the sea serpent of our time. Rich seam for the sensation press which draws from it their phantastic [sic] stories. A few days ago, we were told that a "phosphorescent cigar" had landed near Châteaubriand, in front of a 13-year-old boy who said:

"A little man dressed in gray and wearing boots came down, showing his craft and telling me in French without accent: Look but do not touch! The Martian put his left hand on my shoulder. In the right hand he was holding a kind of luminous ball, which made flames burst. A moment later, the visitor climbed back into his craft, which left vertically and silently."

Near Toulouse, three people also claim to have seen a "Martian", 1.10 m high, dressed like a driver, get out of a saucer surrounded by a sparkling light.

These stories remind us of that of a brave traveler, a stutterer, who returned from Africa, claimed to have met in the rain forest a gorilla, which had extended his hand to him saying "Hi, White!" It was since then that he stuttered... but this traveler had a sense of humor...

To immediately identify a "Martian" in a little man speaking "French without an accent", you have to be haunted by one of these "anticipation" novels that swarm today especially in the USA

Continued on the last page under the title: "FLYING SAUCERS"

SEVERAL CASES OF
FLYING SAUCERS
EXPLAINED BY
A PHENOMENON
OBSERVED AFTER
THE PASSAGE OF AN AIRPLANE

Vienne, 20. -- A "Stratojet" plane which flies over the Rhône valley every day, at an altitude of around 10,000 meters was mistaken on Tuesday by some people for a flying saucer.

The president instructor of the Aéro-Club de Vienne, immediately dissuaded overly imaginative witnesses, but a strange phenomenon occurred after the passage of the powerful jet plane. In fact, sorts of parachutes were created in the sky, animated by bizarre movements and having the appearance of light veils which soon reached the ground.

Witnesses of the phenomenon grabbed this material very soft to the touch and having a little the consistency of rubber. On reaching the ground, it evaporated, probably under the influence of temperature.

One of the witnesses put some of the substance in a box and had it photographed immediately. A few hours later, what remained in this waterproof box had evaporated.

This phenomenon, due to the condensation in the rarefied and cold atmosphere of certain compounds of the fuel of the "Stratojet" can cause white or iridescent formations moving at high speed at high altitude and thus give rise to more or less fanciful interpretations.

This observation, made above the Vienne aerodrome, is identical to that already reported in its time by a resident of Oloron.

A meteor in Burbure?

Monday around 9 p.m., at Burbure Mr. Marcel Delobelle, his daughter Mrs. Leleu and the young Georgina Leleu saw in the sky, towards Lillers, a ball of fire that appeared to them for a few seconds and left behind a trail of sparks. They claim it was not a shooting star.

BURBURE

On the sidelines
of the flying saucers

On Monday 18, around 9 p.m., Mr. Marcel Delobel, his daughter Mrs. Leleu and the young Georgine Leleu, escorting a guest on the doorstep, saw in the sky in the direction of Lillers, a luminous craft.

This fireball appeared to them for a few seconds, casting an intense light in its immediate surroundings that could suggest a flash of lightning and leaving behind a trail of sparks as it moved away.

Is this the mysterious craft seen by the residents of Bethune?

A meteor in Burbure?

Monday around 9 p.m., at Burbure Mr. Marcel Delobelle, his daughter Mrs. Leleu and the young Georgina Leleu saw in the sky, towards Lillers, a ball of fire that appeared to them for a few seconds and left behind a trail of sparks. They claim it was not a shooting star.

Note [by Dominique Caudron]: direction of Lillers = North-Northwest.

(La Croix du Nord, 21-10-1954, p 1)