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October 18, 1954, Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, Charente-Maritime:

Reference for this case: 18-oct-54-Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The press, such as the newspaper L'Alsace for October 20, 1954, reported that at Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, a mysterious craft that rose vertically behind a hedge was seen by Mr. Meunier, site manager in a masonry company.

Some sources add that he had never been so scared, not even during the war.

In 1979, Michel Figuet adds an hour: 07:00 p.m.

Reports:

[Ref. lae1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ALSACE":

Scan.

In Capri, a flying saucer lands on Curzio Malaparte's villa

Rome, Oct. 19. -- The flying discs continue their saraband in the sky of the peninsula and in Capri, one of these mysterious machines landed on the terrace of writer Curzio Malaparte's villa.

It is a painter, Mr. Raffaele Castello, who, during a night walk carried out at cape Massulo, saw an enormous disc approximately five meters in diameter, which moved at a hundred meters of altitude. The apparatus went down slowly and landed on the terrace of the villa of the writer.

Mr. Castello who initially thought it was a helicopter approached the summer residence of Curzio Malaparte and was very suprized to see four men of small size going down from the disc. The passengers of the machine, who were clad in an outfit, remained around the disc approximately half an hour.

"I had the impression, the witness of this landing said, that they did not speak, or then they spoke with low voices, as from place where I was, I was unable to hear any sound. What is certain, is that bluish gleams escaped without stop from the disc, similar to pins and fast like lightinings, leaving in all the directions. "After some time, half an hour approximately, the four men returned into the disc which, with a gentle humming, rose gently, perpendicularly, and took altitude quickly".

A victim of the obsession

Livourne, Oct. 19. -- Bruno Senesi, 34 years old, who entered yesterday evening at the hospital of Livourne, ducked under a bed while shouting for help.

He states that Martians had just gone down from a saucer and were chasing him.

Appearances in the West

Paris, October 19. -- Several testimonys on the overflight of France by mysterious machines come from the West.

In the Côtes-du-Nord, in Uzel, Mr. and Mrs. Perrichon stated to have seen, yesterday evening, a flying saucer of orange color. The same fact was observed in several nearby cities.

In the Vendée, in Pont l'Abbé d'Arnoult, a mysterious machine which rose vertically behind a hedge, was seen by Mr. Meunier, site foreman in a building firm.

Lastly, in Luçon, Mr. Boulineau observed a large luminous ball of which a part in form of crescent was of red color. The ball moved quickly, while rotating and disappeared in a few seconds.

Looking up...
a farmer falls into a pond

Lisieux, October 19. -- Several people ran through fields in Moyeux, in direction of a flying saucer, surrounded of white smoke, which had been reported to them by a child.

One of them, a farmer, Mr. Filate, did not leave the sky from his eyes; He fell into a deep pond

(Continued on page 3)

[Ref. ppe1:] NEWSPAPER "PARIS-PRESSE":

Scan.

The Martians
paid a visit
to Curzio Malaparte...

...who was not there

CURZIO MALAPARTE missed the book of his life.

A flying saucer stuffed with "Martians" like a subway train at six in the evening landed on the terrace of his summer villa in Capri. And Malaparte was not there! Disappointed, the Martians who probably wanted to have "The Skin" signed off, left.

It was a painter, Raffaele Castello, who saw them. He was walking at night at Cape Maroulo when he saw a huge disc five meters in diameter delicately landing on the Malapartean villa. Four of the Martians - they were short, dressed in overalls and speaking in low voices - entered the writer's house. Half an hour later, they left without having even taken a book. They climbed back into the craft which, casting classic bluish gleams, rose as perpendicular as it was silent and disappeared towards Sicily. Farewell Martians!

Various saucers and cigars have flown all over Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Spain (these are the first, the Franco regime seemed to intimidate the Martians so far) and naturally in France. Our happy compatriots who were favored with their vision are Pierre Pouquet in Saint-Germain-les-Belles (Haute-Vienne), Perrichou and Mrs., in Uzel (Côtes-du-Nord), Meunier in Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (Vendée) [Charente-Maritime], Boulineau in Luçon, Jean Aufard in Sisternes-la-Forêt (Pas-de-Calais), Perrault and Villerot in Brain, near Decize, Decréquy, marshall of the gendarmerie in Pommier (Pas-de-Calais), Filatte, farmer in Noyeux (Eure).

This Mr. Filatte, running across the fields to observe the saucer, fell into a pond and almost drowned.

The "saucers"
drove their first
victim of asylum

LIVORNO. October 19. (AFP.) - "They are persecuting me... They are coming to get me... I saw them land in a field... Saucers, large and small... Lights and smoke... The Martians... The Martians...", it is by shouting these pieces of sentences expressing his deep agitation that Mr. Bruno Senesi, 34, came to the hospital in Livorno, asking to be helped. But when the nurse returned with the doctor on duty, Senesi was gone. He was found hidden under a bed, shaken by violent shivers.

At the asylum, his condition causes concern.

[Ref. nnm1:] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":

Scan.

THE FLYING SAUCERS

Paris, 19. -- The only new accounts of the overflight of France by mysterious craft come from the west.

In the Côtes du Nord, in Uzel, Mr. and Mrs. Perrichon said they saw an orange-colored flying saucer on Sunday evening. The same fact was observed in several neighboring municipalities.

In the Vendée in Pont l'Abbé d'Arnoult, a mysterious craft which rose vertically behind a hedge, has been seen by Mr. Meunier, site manager in a masonry company.

Finally, in Luçon, Mr. Boulineau observed a large luminous ball of which a crescent-shaped part was red in color. The ball was moving quickly rotating on itself and disappeared in seconds.

"Martians" love literature

A "SAUCER" ARRIVES ON THE TERRACE OF THE VILLA OF AN ITALIAN WRITER

Rome, 19. -- While flying saucers disdain England, they continue their dance in the Italian skies. In Capri, one of these mysterious craft landed on the terrace of the villa of the writer Curzio Malaparte.

It was a painter, Mr. Castello, who, during a night walk, carried out at Cape Massulo, saw a huge disc about five meters in diameter, which was moving at a hundred meters of altitude. The craft descended slowly and landed on the terrace of the writer's villa. Mr. Castello who at first thought it was a helicopter approached the summer residence of Curzio Malaparte and was very surprised to see four "men" of small stature descending from the disc. The passengers of the craft, who were wearing an outfit, remained around the disc for about half an hour.

"I had the impression, said the witness of this landing, that they did not speak, or they did so in a low voice, because from where I was, I could not hear no sound. What is certain is that bluish gleams kept coming out of the disc, like pins and lightning fast, going in all directions."

"After a while, about half an hour, the four "men" entered the disc which, with a slight purring sound, rose slowly, perpendicularly, and then quickly gained altitude".

The painter only has to paint on the canvas the fantastic scene he witnessed. The painting will sell for a good price. Its author will become famous as a "science fiction" specialist.

(This genre already has its writers and filmmakers. Why wouldn't it have its painters?).

And Mr. Castello will be happy and he will be making a lot of money. All this for having seen a saucer...

FLY SAUCER!...

A farmer who ran his eyes to the sky falls into a pond

Lisieux, 19. -- Several people were running across fields in Moyeux, in the direction of a flying saucer, surrounded by white and black smoke, which had been reported to them by a child.

One of these people, a farmer, Mr. Filate, did not take his eyes off the sky: he fell into a deep pond where he almost drowned. His companions managed to save him.

A PARLIAMENTARY ASKS A WRITTEN QUESTION

Foix, 19. -- Following numerous appearances of flying machines of unknown type, currently reported in all regions of France, Mr. René Dejean, deputy of Ariège (socialist), addressed to Mr. the President of the Council a written question asking him in particular:

"Whether or not a service has been set up to collect the documentation existing to date and to study the nature and origin of the said machines; if the information currently obtained so far absolutely excludes the hypothesis of craft piloted or built by living beings of unknown species and origin; if the Government has, on the contrary, sufficient information to attribute the production of these craft to the industry of a foreign state; if in this last case the international agreements signed by France have already allowed consultations relating to the use of such craft in a possible conflict."

[Ref. lcx1:] NEWSPAPER "LA CROIX":

Scan.

Saucers, cigars, etc.

They fly away!

MM. Jean Augard, farmer in Sisternes-la-Forêt [sic] (Puy-de-Dôme), and Jean Chanzotte, former miner, declared to have seen, in a field by the roadside, a craft of ovoid shape surmounted by a dome of a brilliant white color. As the two men approached the "saucer", it rose vertically and disappeared in a northeast direction, leaving behind a reddish trail.

In Gelles, a neighboring town, several people had seen a similar craft, also posed in a field.

In the Vendée, [Error: in Charente-Maritime] in Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, a mysterious craft that was rising vertically behind a hedge, was seen by Mr. Meunier, foreman in a masonry company.

While pursuing the saucer...
he "drinks the cup"

Several people were running through fields in Moyaux (Calvados), in the direction of a flying saucer which had been pointed out to them by a child.

One of them, a farmer, Mr. Filate, who never took his eyes off the sky, fell into a deep pond where he almost drowned. Fortunately, his companions managed to save him.

"Melon and tandem"

A "melon" made its appearance this time in the skies of Alsace. Indeed, several people, including a few pilots from the Strasbourg Aero-Club, claim to have seen on Saturday evening a shiny craft, having the shape of a melon, and leaving a trace of two meters of white-orange color, fly over the region of the Bas-Rhin.

Two residents of St-Cirgues (Haute-Loire), saw in the sky, at very high altitude, two luminous balls which seemed interconnected by a rod. The craft remained motionless for a quarter of an hour then disappeared at very high speed.

Brigadier are you right?

Monday evening, around 9:25 p.m., in Pommier (Pas-de-Calais), the brigadier head of the gendarmerie and a gendarme saw an orange luminous craft moving at a very high speed from East to West at about 500 meters of altitude.

In the sky of Italy

One also reports the passage of saucers in the Italian sky, above Milan, Trento, Genoa and the Po delta.

One of these craft reportedly even have landed in Capri at night, of course. It is a painter, Mr. Raffaële Castello, who allgedly saw the saucer land on the terrace of the villa of Malaporte [sic, Malaparte]. The painter, who had thought it was a helicopter, approached and was surprised to see four men, small in size, descend from the disc. The passengers of the craft, who were dressed in an outfit, remained around the disc for about half an hour. Bluish gleams escaped the disc incessantly, pin-like and lightning-fast, they went off in all directions.

After some time, about half an hour, the four men re-entered the disc which, with a slight hum, rose slowly, perpendicularly, and then quickly gained altitude.

Report!

Mr. Holaubek, Vienna's Prefect of Police, ordered officers under his command to report all the flying saucer stories and all the statements by people claiming to have seen "visitors from another world."

[Ref. jps1:] NEWSPAPER "LE JOURNAL DU PAS-DE-CALAIS ET DE LA SOMME":

Scan.

FLYING SAUCER...
A FARMER WHO
WAS RUNNING, EYES
TO THE SKY, FALLS
IN A POND

Lisieux, 19. -- Several people were running through the fields in Moyeux, in the direction of a flying saucer, surrounded by smoke and black white, which had been reported to them by a child.

One of them, a farmer, Mr. Filate, did not take his eyes off the sky: he fell into a deep pond where he almost drowned. His companions managed to save him.

NEW IN THE WEST

Paris. -- The only new testimonies on the overflight of France by mysterious craft come from the West.

In the Côtes-du-Nord, at Uzel, Mr. and Mrs. Perrichon stated having seen an orange flying saucer. The same fact was observed in several neighboring municipalities.

In the Vendée, in Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, a mysterious craft which rose vertically behind a hedge, was seen by Mr. Meunier, site manager in a masonry company.

Finally, in Luçon, Mr. Boulineau observed a large luminous ball of which a crescent-shaped part was red in color. The ball moved rapidly spinning on itself and disappeared in a few seconds.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

The author indicates that on October 18, 1954, in Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult in the Charente-Maritime, "one does not know what they saw." He indicates that only Paris-Presse for October 20 mentions this case without giving even one detail, that it is impossible to go up to the source and not even possible to check the date.

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

October 18, [1954]

? [= unknown hour]: Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (13 km SSE.Rochefort--Charente-Maritime): lumin.obj.

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

370 000.87668 45.82800 17 10 1954 PONT ABBE ARNOULT F 001 A

[Ref. fle1:] FERNAND LAGARDE:

The ufologist Fernand Lagarde believed he found a connection between the locations of UFO sightings and the locations of earthquakes or geological faults.

He published a map centered on the Charente-Maritime department, with parts of the surrounding departments, with these cases (his list is incomplete) represented, all dates October 1954:

"N 150 between Saintes and Royan 10.54"
"Taupignac 10.54"
"Pont L'Abbé 10.54"
"St Savinien 10.54"
"Birac 10.54"
"Soudran 10.54"
"Tourriers 10.54"
"Angouleme 10.54"
"Puymoyen 10.54"
"Marcillac 10.54"
"Nessier 10.54"
"Béruge 10.54"
"Lusignan 10.54"
"St Maixent 10.54"
"Niort 10.54"
"La Rochelle 10.54"
"Angles 10.54"
"Luçon 10.54"

Carte par Fernand Lagarde

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Scan.

283) October 18, 1954. Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (France):

Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. (P 73; M 196).

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

October 18, 1954. Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (France):

Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. (La Croix, Paris-Presse, Oct. 20, 1954)

[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON:

460 18 October 1954

PONT L'ABBE D'ARNOULT (FRANCE) Mr Meunier a construction supervisor was terrified by a strange craft which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had bever been so afraid, even during the war. (M283; La Croix, Paris Presse, 21 Oct 54: Michel II, 196)

[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors indicate that with Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, in the department of Charente-Maritime, on October 18, 1954 at 07:00 p.m., Mr. Meunier was terrified by a strange machine which rose vertically from behind a bush.

The witness indicated that he has never been so afraid, not even during the war.

The sources are indicated as case 283 of the Vallée catalogue; La Croix and Paris-Presse for October 20, 1954; A. Michel in "A Propos des S.V." page 196.

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

This ufologist noted:

CASE Nr CLASSIFICATION DATE HOUR PLACE ZIP CODE CREDIBILITY SOURCE
237 CEl 10 18 1954 19.00 Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult 17250 C4 RS, OVNI: p. 186

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

October 18th. Pont L'Abbe D'Arnoult, France, (pas d'heure connue)

In another case on the 18th a "strange craft" greatly surprised a M. Meunier, a construction supervisor, who swore that even his war time experiences had not frighten so much as this sighting. 146.

[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":

4159: 1954/10/16 19:00 1 0:52:40 W 45:49:40 N 3331 WEU FRN CHM 7:6

PONT-l'ABBE d'ARNOULT,FR:OBJ RISES/GND:OBS TERRIFIED:NFD/r8/r30:

Ref# 8 VALLEE,Jacques: PASSPORT TO MAGONIA. Case No. 283 : PASTURE

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, on October 18, in France, in Pont l'Abbé d'Arnoult "Mr. Meunier, site foreman, was terrified by a strange machine which rose from the ground vertically. He ensured he was never frightened that much, even during the war."

The sources are indicated as "La Croix, Paris-Presse, 20 oct 1954" et "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL. - p. 285".

[Ref. fbn1:] FABRICE BONVIN:

Fabrice Bonvin notes:

Case #024: 18/10/1954, P. 186 (Pont-l'Abbé-d'Amoult)

[Ref. fbn2:] FABRICE BONVIN:

In a table, Fabrice Bonvin notes selected cases of the 1954 Frnech flap, including this one:

Case Nmbr witnesses Hours Type objects
Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult 1 4 4

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Monday, October 18, 1954

[...]

In Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (France), Mr. Meunier (site foreman) is terrified by a strange machine which rises from the ground vertically. He ensures he was never so frightened, not even during the war.

[...]

The sources are indicated as "La Croix, Paris-Presse, 20 octobre 1954".

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Charente Maritime in Pont l'Abbé d'Arnoult on October 18, 1954 at 19:00 hours, "a witness is terrified by a strange machine which rises behind a bush, vertically. He ensures he had never been so afraid, even during the war."

The source is indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 18 October 1954 in Pont l'Abbe d'Arnoult, France, "A strange craft rose vertically from the ground." "At Pont l'Abbe d'Arnoult, France Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war."

And: "Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. One ball was observed (Meunier)."

The source is indicated as "Vallee Magonia Database".

[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 18 October 1954 at 19:00 in Pont-l'Abbe-d'Arnoult, France, "An object was sighted that had an appearance and performance beyond the capability of known earthly aircraft. One object was observed by one male witness in a pasture (Meunier)."

The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

[Ref. dcy1:] DIDIER CHARNAY:

Didier Charnay informs that the article "Sacrés OVNIS" in the newspaper "Sud-Ouest" for July 16, 2009, mentions the case of Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult.

[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 18, 1954 – At Pont l’Abbe d’Arnoult, Charente-Maritime, France Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 196; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 233, case 283).

[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":

This database recorded this case 6 times:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541018 18.10.1954 Pont Abbe Arnoult France
19541018 18.10.1954 Pont Abbe Arnoult France
19541018 18.10.1954 Pont Abbe Arnoult France
19541018 18.10.1954 Pont Abbe Arnoult France
19541018 18.10.1954 Pont Abbe Arnoult France
19541018 18.10.1954 Pont Abbe Arnoult France CE I

[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

October 18 1954.

PONT L'ABBE D'ARNOULT (CHARENTE MARITIME : FRANCE)

Mr Meunier a construction supervisor was terrified by a strange object that rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been as afraid as this, even during the war.

Vallee Case 283 citing La Croix + Paris Presse both 20 October 1954.

Explanations:

Map.

On March 7, 1962 Pont-L'Abbé was renamed Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult.

Was it a meteor arriving visually for the witness from behind the horizon?

Keywords:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, Charente-Maritime, Meunier, craft, landing, vertically

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross April 21, 2003 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross June 6, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [aml1], [goe1], [jbu1], [lcn1], [uda1], [uda2].
1.1 Patrick Gross June 8, 2010 Additions [lae1].
1.2 Patrick Gross June 30, 2010 Addition [jve5].
1.3 Patrick Gross July 9, 2010 Additions [dcy1], [fbn2].
1.4 Patrick Gross October 18, 2014 Additions [nip1].
1.5 Patrick Gross February 11, 2017 Additions [lgs1]. Addition of the Summary.
1.6 Patrick Gross March 3, 2017 Addition [ubk1].
1.7 Patrick Gross January 20, 2019 Additions [prn1], [mft1], [prn2], Summary. In the explanations, "Not looked for yet" replaced by "Was it a meteor arriving visually for the witness from behind the horizon?"
1.8 Patrick Gross August 20, 2019 Additions [fle1], [lhh1].
1.9 Patrick Gross January 15, 2020 Addition [ppe1].
2.0 Patrick Gross February 21, 2020 Addition [nnm1].
2.1 Patrick Gross January 10, 2021 Addition [lcx1].
2.2 Patrick Gross October 29, 2021 Addition [gqy1].
2.3 Patrick Gross June 8, 2022 Addition [jps1].

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