The 1954 French flap:

More flying cigars in the skies of France

In the Nord...

LILLE. -- Mr. Anicet Corneille, a farm worker, said he saw yesterday evening in Comines a machine in the shape of a cigar, 8 to 10 meters long and 3 meters wide, which was flying at a height of about forty meters and gave off a bright purple glow; after flying over the city for a few seconds, the craft disappeared into the sky.

Mr. Corneille's statements were confirmed by a motorist from Tourcoing passing through Comines.

...and in Brittany

SAINT-BRIEUC. -- Several people claimed to have seen, 300 or 400 meters away from them, Saturday evening, around 8:45 p.m., a "flying cigar", at an altitude of about 50 meters. The craft, they said, could be 15 meters long and intermittently lit up with pink lights; it moved silently.

***

BREST. -- Mrs. Henry, a farmer in Guesnou (Finistère) claimed to have seen, on Thursday, then Friday, in the evening at the same time, in the sky, a purple cylindrical craft which moved silently from west to east.

FLYING CIGARS
pink, magenta, purple

SAINT-BRIEUC. -- Several people claimed to have seen, at 300 or 400 meters of them, around 08:45 p.m., a "flying cigar", at an altitude of 50 meters approximately. The craft, they stated, could have been of 15 meters in length and it was lit by intermitences of pink gleams; it moved without noise.

BREST. -- Mrs. Henry, farmer in Guesnou (the Finistère), claimed to have seen, Thursday, then Friday, in the evening at the same hour, in the sky, a violet cylindrical machine which moved without noise from the west to the east.

LILLE. -- Mr. Anicet Corneille, farm labourer, stated to have seen, in Comines, a machine having the shape of a cigar, from 8 to 10 meters in length by 3 meters of width, which evolved wat some forty meters height and released a magenta gleam. After having flown over the city during a few seconds, the machine would have disappeared in the sky.

The statements of Mr. Corneille were confirmed by a motorist of Tourcoing who was passing.

THE FLYING SAUCERS (continued...)

A MYSTERIOUS CRAFT
in the sky of Grand'Combe

Alès (C.P.).

Saturday evening, around 8 p.m., people worthy of faith saw what from now on is allowed to be called flying saucers or flying cigars.

The mysterious machine moved in the sky of Favède, at 3 km of the mining city of Grand-Combe.

Among the eyewitnesses, wenote Mr. Germain Soustelle, mayor and general adviser of Large-Combe, Misters Andrieux, Vincenti and widowed Mrs. Favède, etc...

M. Soustelle told us about this:

"This apparatus, that we could see evolving during 10 good minutes, initially appeared to have the shape of a long cigar; it went down finally towards the high mountains from Lamelouze, on the left of the village of Ruffière, at the locality "les Drayes". It then had the appearance of a large ball surrounded by a luminous halation.

Flying cigars, pink, purple and blue...

Saint-Brieux (A.F.P.).

Several people affirmed to have seen, at 300 or 400 meters of them, Saturday evening, around 08:4[?] p.m., a "flying cigar" at an altitude of 50 meters approximately. The machine, they declared, could be 15 meters in length and was lit by intermittencies of pink gleams, it moved without noise.

* * *

Brest (A.F.P.).

Mrs. Henry, farmer in Guesnou (Finistère), claimed to have seen Thursday, then Friday evening at the same hour, in the sky, a purple cylindrical machine which moved without noise from West to East.

* * *

Lille (A.F.P.).

Mr. Anicet Corneille, farm labourer, stated to have seen, Saturday evening, in Comines, a machine having the shape of a cigar from 8 to 10 meters in width, which evolved at forty meters of height and released a sharp blue gleam, after having flown over the city during a few seconds, the machine is said to have disappeared in the sky.

The declarations of Mr. Corneille were confirmed by a motorist tourquennois passing in Comines.

"Les nouvelles de Bretagne" for Monday oct. 4, 1954

Saucers and cigars are still flying in the sky of France

- - - -
- - - -

Brest, 3 - Mrs HENRY, farmer in Gouesnou (Fin.) has stated to have seen on Thursday (30 september) then Friday (oct 1st.) at the same hour (*), in the sky, a cylindrical craft of purple colour which moved noiselessly, from the West to the East.

(*) à 19 h.

"Cigars" and "Saucers" reported again

Saint-Brieuc. -- Several people claimed to have seen a "flying cigar" last night around 8:45 p.m., at a distance of 300 to 400 meters from them, at an altitude of about 50 meters. The craft, they stated, was approximately 15 meters long and intermittently emitted pinkish lights. It moved silently.

Brest. -- Mrs. Henry, a farmer in Guesnou (Finistère), reported having seen a cylindrical mauve-colored object in the sky on both Thursday and Friday evenings at the same time. The object moved silently from west to east.

Lille. -- Mr. Anicet Corneille, an agricultural worker, declared that he saw a cigar-shaped craft last night in Comines. It was 8 to 10 meters long and 3 meters wide, flying at about 40 meters above the ground and emitting a strong violet glow. After hovering over the town for a few seconds, the object reportedly vanished into the sky. Mr. Corneille's account was confirmed by a passing motorist from Tourcoing.

Montceau-les-Mines. -- Two bricklayers, Messrs. Romain Sebastiani and Buratto, both competitive cyclists, reported seeing a craft take off with a sharp whistling sound along the roadside between Blanzy and Montceau. According to them, the object was a dark yellow cigar-shaped craft, about three meters long and with a diameter of approximately 50 to 80 centimeters.

A "Saucer" near Seurre?...

A resident of Le Meix, a village near Seurre, Mr. Lucien Minet, 19 years old, also witnessed a strange sighting. He was standing at his doorstep around 9:00 p.m. when he noticed a green glow slowly moving across the sky. A whistling sound accompanied this apparition, which lasted about fifteen seconds. The young man had time to call his mother, who also witnessed the phenomenon.

An "Orange Disc" in the Nièvre

Nevers. -- A representative of a major insurance company, along with several residents of Corbigny, saw a luminous orange disc in the sky on Friday evening around 7:00 p.m.. The object moved up and down alternately from left to right.

These witnesses, all credible ones, observed the phenomenon for a considerable time before the luminous disc disappeared vertically behind a hill.

FLYING CIGARS

Saint-Brieuc. -- Several people claimed to have seen, at 300 or 400 meters from them, around 8:45 p.m., a "flying cigar", at an altitude of about 50 meters. The object, they said, could be 15 meters in length and intermittently lit with pink gleams; it moved silently.

Brest. -- Mrs. Henry, farmer at Buesnou (Finistère), said that she saw Thursday, then Friday, in the evening at the same hour, in the sky, a purple cylindrical craft which moved silently from west to east.

Lille. -- Mr. Anicet Corneille, agricultural worker, said he saw last night, at Comines, a craft in the shape of a cigar, 8 to 10 meters in length by 3 meters in width, which moved at about forty meters in height and gave off a purple glow. After flying over the city for a few seconds, the craft reportedly disappeared in the sky.

The statements made by Mr. Corneille were confirmed by a Tourcoing motorist passing through Comines.

IN BREST

Brest, October 4 -. Mrs Henry, farmer in Guesnou, (Finistère), claimed to have seen, on two consecutive occasions, at the same time, in the sky, a cylindrical magenta craft which moved in silence, from the west to the east.

Says German rocket specialist

Unknown humans:

THE URANIDS!

Hamburg, 4. -- Flying saucers exist and represent at least ten percent of the objects observed in the sky, said professor Hermann Oberth, German rocket scientist and honorary president of the "German Astronotical Society" last night, during a conference in Hamburg.

Professor Oberth added that it is possible in his opinion, that these craft contain crews of creatures similar to humans, and proposed, to designate these unknown beings, the term "Uranids". The "Uranids", continued the German scientist, are probably thousands of years ahead of our time.

To explain why no "flying saucer" has yet crashed on earth, Professor Oberth suggests that pilots may have perfect control of their machines and that, for some reason human intelligence cannot can imagine, they may not want any contact with terrestrial crops.

Considering another possibility, Professor Oberth recalled that the observed saucers could be considered as an improvement of the V-7, German rockets of the end of the war, of which several prototypes would have fallen, according to the scientist, in the hands of the Russians in 1945.

The National Assembly
will take care
of flying saucers

While, on all sides (Deux-Sèvres, Côtes-du-Nord, Finistère, Nord, Indre) people of very good faith declare having seen these days in the sky or on the ground flying saucers and cigars, the presence of these craft concerns parliamentarians.

Today, it is Mr. Rocher [sic, Nocher], deputy of the Loire, who expressed to the Secretary of State for Air the emotion aroused in the public by the many and diverse testimonies concerning the "flying saucers".

flying saucers
and cigars

No flying saucer near Melun

MELUN, 4. -- The road menders who claimed to have seen a flying saucer, near the Coulommiers-Meaux road, gave up on their statements and admitted that they had fabricated their story.

They will likely be charged with contempt of court.

However, the flying saucers have not finished haunting the sky and even the country, if we believe the following testimonies:

Vic-sur-Sère, 4. -- Several people affirmed having seen, going towards the south, a machine having the form a cigar giving off a slight plume of smoke.

Nevers, 4. -- The representative of a Clamecy Insurance Company declares to have seen an orange-colored luminous disc which was moving in the sky and which, after having changed altitude several times, disappeared vertically.

Bressuire, 4. -- An employee of the Slaughter Center, Mr. Angelo Girardo, 55, living in Breuil-Chaussée (Deux-Sèvres), declared having seen Sunday morning, on his way to work, a circular machine near which was a being who appeared to him dressed in a kind of diving suit. The being in question went to Mr. Girardo who, frightened, fled. Shortly after, the circular machine set off again at a very high speed.

Abbeville, 4. -- Two young men from Vron (Somme) said they had seen on the Route Nationale, between Crécy and Ligescourt, a curious machine around which individuals of odd shape prowled. They approached the craft, which they say looked like a haystack, but it took off.

Châteauroux, 4. -- Mrs. widow Janiki, living in the village of Cerisier, commune of Levreux (Indre), told the gendarmerie that she had seen in the sky a luminous machine with a diameter of about 3 meters and which was at the level of the buildings.

Mrs. widow Barotte, living about 200 meters from Mrs. Janiki's home, said she had witnessed the same phenomenon.

Châteauroux, 4. -- Mrs. Baron, resident of Vatan (Indre), said that on Saturday evening he saw a luminous ball in the sky.

She alerted her husband as well as fifteen people from her neighborhood, all of whom saw aat a very high altitude, the yellow "greenish" craft moving up and down in the sky.

Saint-Brieuc, 4. -- Several people claimed to have seen, 400 or 500 meters from them, last night, around 10:15 p.m., a "flying cigar", at an altitude of about 50 meters. The craft, they said, could be 15 meters in length and intermittently lit with pink gleams. It moved silently.

Brest, 4. -- Mrs. Henry, farmer in Guesnou (Finistère) said she saw Thursday, then Friday, in the evening at the same hour in the sky, a purple cylindrical craft which moved silently from West to East.

Lille, 4. -- Mr. Anicet Corneille, agricultural worker, said he saw on Saturday evening, in Comines, a machine in the shape of a cigar from 8 to 15 meters wide, which was moving at forty meters in height and produced a vivid purple glow. After flying over the city for a few seconds, the craft reportedly disappeared in the sky.

The statements made by Mr. Corneille were confirmed by a Tourcoing driver passing through Comines.

Saucers in Brittany

In Kerfeunteun, not far from Quimper, various people - these witnesses were not together and this rules out the hypothesis of a "collective hallucination" - saw Saturday night at 11:15 p.m., flying in impressive silence, a luminous craft, ovoid in shape and of extraordinary brilliance. At times the "craft" lost its luminosity to recover it shortly afterwards. The phenomenon could be observed for about ten minutes, then the craft disappeared in the direction of Scaër.

In Gouesnou also (still in the Finistère), a respectable lady saw from her bedroom, at nightfall, a "purple" cylindrical craft moving silently and quickly from East to West.

After saucers and cigars

A newcomer in the sky: the
"flying barrel"

AFTER the saucers, cigars, spheres, pots, here is the flying barrel. It was in the Charente that it was "seen" by a motorcyclist, Mr. Jean Allary. It was "studded with golden nails" and was swinging by the side of the road.

In Annoeullin, near Lille, a worker who was smoking a cigar (a real one) in his garden, saw a luminous object in the shape of a crescent landing twenty meters from him. At his shouts, ten billiards players came running from a nearby cafe; the saucer had taken off, but a dozen "luminous dots" were moving above them.

Saucers, cigars, discs, balls and other "flying" objects were spotted in Chancelade (Haute-Vienne), Willer (Haut-Rhin), Gouesnach, near Quimper, Bautignecourt, Ambazac (Haute-Vienne), Dijon, Marcoing, near Cambrai, Pommier (Indre), Rouen, Ajaccio, La Rochelle, Quimper, Cholet, Vannes, Lyon et Le Havre. A la Combe-au-Chèvres, in the Haut Jura, also, but it was just a rain gauge.

A BREST

Mrs. Henry, farmer in Gouesnou (Finistère) affirmed to have seen twice in a row, at the same time, in the sky, a purple cylindrical machine which moved without noise from the west to the east.

Beginning of October [1954]

[... Other cases...]

?: Gouesnou (8 km NNW.Brest--Finistère): lumin.obj. (10/2/54?)

[... Other cases...]

MONDAY OCTOBER 4: "CIGARS AND SAUCERS" ARE REPORTED AGAIN -

IN SAINT-BRIEUC: Several people claimed to have seen at 300 or 400 m of them, last night, around 08:45 p.m., a cigar flying at an altitude of 50 m. The machine could be 15 meters long and was intermittently lit with a pink glow. It was moving noiselessly.

IN BREST: Mrs. Henry, farmer, said she saw on Thursday and Friday evening at the same hour in the sky, a purple cylindrical craft that moved noiselessly from west to east.

IN LILLE: Mr. Anicet Corneille, farm worker, said he saw last night in Comines, a machine in the shape of a cigar 8 to 10 meters long and 3 meters wide, which moved at a height of 40 meters, and gave off a bright purple glow. After flying over the city, for a few seconds, the craft reportedly disappeared in the sky. Statement confirmed by a motorist passing through Comines.

IN MONTCEAU LES MINES: Two workers, Messrs. Sebastiani and Buratto, said that they had seen at the edge of the road from Blanzy to Montceau, a craft take off with a shrill whistle. The craft had the shape of a very dark yellow cigar with a length of 3m and a diameter of about 60 to 80 cm.

A farmer, Mrs. HERRY, wife of a merchant of pigs, well-known in our area, being in her room, saw a purple cylindrical machine which moved without noise and quickly from the West to the East. Mrs. HERRY was so much struck by this phenomenon that she asked her daughter-in-law to come to see it. By the time the latter went up to the above floor, the "saucer" had disappeared.

The FOLLOWING DAY, OCTOBER 6, at approximately the same time, Mrs. HERRY had the opportunity to attend the same appearance. "L'OUEST JOURNAL" (Rennes) for October I0 1954. p. 2 Research of Archives by Mr. JEANTHEAU (Créteil).

Ist ans 2 october 1954. -

BREST. - (29)

IN THE EVENING

A witness saw on two evenings following, per same hour, a purple cylindrical machine which moved without noise, from EAST to WEST.

"RESISTANCE DE L'OUEST" for OCTOBER 4, 1954.

ARCHIVES OF NANTES - sent by Philippe MILON

GEPSI

Groupe d'Etude des Phénomènes Spatiaux Inexpliqués [Unexplained Space Phenomena Study Group]

A.S.B.L.
1901 LAW- OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF OCTOBER 6, 1983
HEADQUARTERS [] RUE DE SIAM - 29200 BREST
OBJECT: STUDY OF THE UFO PHENOMENON BY ALL
LEGAL MEANS WHICH MAY PROVE NECESSARY
(INVESTIGATIONS AND COUNTER-INVESTIGATIONS
TO THE VARIOUS SOURCES, COLLECT AND ANA-
LYSIS OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, ETC.)

GENERAL CATALOGUE OF WITNESSES
FINISTERE

Type of testimony: DD [daylight disk]

Date: September 30, 1954

Time:

Location: GOUESNOU

Number of witness: 1

Investigation:

Identification:

Case summary: A PURPLE CIGAR IN GOUESNOU

Thursday evening, Mrs. Herry, farmer in Gouesnou saw in the sky, at 19 hours, a cylindrical purple machine which moved itself without noise from the west towards the east. Yesterday evening, at the same hour and being at the same place, Mrs. Herry was witness of a similar appearance.

Gouesnou ( 29 850 ), 01 October 1954, 19 h 00 ...

Testimony nr. FR 29 850 1954 10 01 19 00

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