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The 1954 French flap:

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September 30, 1954, Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques:

Reference for this case: 30-sep-54-Pau.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The regional newspaper La Troisième République des Pyrénées, of Pau, for October 1, 1954, reported that in this town, on September 30, 1954, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., there had been in the azure blue sky a veritable carousel of luminous dots, immediately baptized "flying saucers." The newspaper indicated that there had been so many testimonies that they could fill all their pages without it being enough; and they therefore limited themselves to giving a few statements of people claiming to have "seen these craft distinctly", thanks to binoculars.

At 10 a.m., it was a milky white disc with a red bulge in its center; which had carried out a rapid patrol at some 10,000 meters of height. At noon there was a very luminous white oval shape, and half an hour later, "four or five more discs scattered in the four corners of the sky."

By 1:00 p.m., the oval object had turned red, then left "like it came."

Until 4 p.m., people watched slowly moving, sometimes still, patches of light for several minutes, apparently difficult to see.

Things got complicated because at the beginning of the afternoon, a trader had the unfortunate idea of releasing a few children toy balloons; which for a few moments had caused a plethora of saucers in the sky of Pau, with hundreds of locals in the streets trying to see the "saucers."

The newspaper says that one of the witnesses, the most convincing and the most convinced, described to them "in his own way what he had seen", giving a shape to these mysterious luminous spots: "It was like an orange ball in the center. All around, spinning like a flywheel, a luminous disc."

This witness had "monstrous marine binoculars," as powerful as telescopes, which "gave him as great a success as that of the 'saucers'."

The newspaper indicates that many of the witnesses believed and still believe that these were weather balloons, but information taken at the Weather Center of Pont-Long, only one balloon had been launched that day, at 3 p.m., and so it could not be what was seen in the morning nor in the afternoon either because, it has been said at Pont-Long, such a balloon climbs rapidly up to 15,000 meters and explodes, and it can only be distinguished up to 3,500 m.

In the newspaper La République des Pyrénées for October 4, 1954, the identity of this witness is probably given, one Mr. "Bacque", architect and engineer, who had seen the round of "objects" in Pau, had returned home, and had hunted one of the object with a telescope. It had a red spherical shape, seen behind the stratus clouds, and suddenly four tubes shot out from its top and pointed skyward. Then the object had taken "a dizzying speed and disappeared in the sky."

The weekly France-Dimanche gave the full name and the photo of this witness, Cyprien Bacqué.

The newspaper Paris-Presse for October 2, 1954, explained:

"Two thousand residents of Paus saw, yesterday afternoon, a cigar and two saucers, one white, the other green. They were a little disappointed when they learned in the evening that the cigar was a jet plane and the two saucers were children's balloons..."

Reports:

[Ref. trp1:] "LA 3e REPUBLIQUE DES PYRENEES" NEWSPAPER:

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FESTIVAL
Of flying saucers
IN THE SKY OF PAU

Since the time that in all four corners of France and around the world there were flying "saucers" and other "cigars", the residents of Pau began to be vexed with the systematic disdain in which these "interplanetary visitors" held them.

They had their festival yesterday. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., it was in the blue azure sky, a veritable carousel of luminous spots, immediately called "flying saucers". If it were necessary to gather all the testimonies of this "visiting" day, the newspaper would not suffice. We shall therefore restrain ourselves to the statements of a few persons who - they claim at least - have seen these devices distinctly. They were more favored than the multitude, thanks to binoculars they kept aimed at the sky, without fear of torticollis, part of the day.

At 10 o'clock it was a milky white disk with a red bulge in its center, that carried out a rapid patrol at an altitude of some 10,000 meters. At noon the invasion began. A white, very luminous oval form appeared, preceding by half an hour four or five other discs scattered at the four corners of the sky.

Around 1 o'clock, the oval object, without shame, turned to the red, then went away as it had come. It nevertheless left in the firmament enough to occupy a good part of the afternoon of the residents of Pau.

Until four o'clock, with the nose in the air, the finger extended, luminous spots movind slowly and sometimes motionless for several minutes. You had to have goodwill and an excellent view to get into the game. But when you had finally spotted the object, you felt like an "initiate" in the mystery of the beyond and you were satisfied until being dazzled.

Things were somewhat complicated by the fact that at the beginning of the afternoon a shopkeeper had the unfortunate idea of releasing a few child balloons.

For a few moments there was a plethora of saucers in the sky of Pau. The life of the city was literally stopped. Frozen in the middle of the streets, hundreds of residents of Pau miraculously avoided crushing. And if they saw nothing, they had at least the advantage of having half an hour of excellent physical training. There were many last night who complained about aches!

What were these mysterious objects? No one will ever know. In any case, one of the witnesses, the most convincing and the most convinced, gave us a description in his own way of what he had seen, a description which gives shape to these mysterious luminous spots. "It was like an orange ball in the center," he said. "All around, it turned like a flywheel, a luminous disc." The report may seem fanciful, but given the power of the means used for observation, it almost convinced us. Indeed, the man woned monstrous marine binoculars, a memory of distant lands, as powerful and heavy as a

(SEE CONTINUATION PAGE 8)

AND AT THE FOUR
corners of France

A "blue globe, shining and purring" in Perpignan

A truck driver who was collecting milk yesterday morning in the vicinity of Cabestany (Pyrénées-Orientales) said he saw in front of his vehicle "a shining globe of bluish color" which was evolving at an altitude of about 150 meters while producing a very soft hum."

Having stopped his truck, the driver was able to observe the moves of the craft for almost a quarter of an hour and then, suddenly, it reportedly rose in the sky and disappeared in direction of the sea.

Yellow dominates in Deux-Sèvres

A flying saucer would have been seen in Auge (Deux-Sèvres).

On the other hand, M. Picaud, the manager of a brewery in Sainte-Pozenne, said he had seen for a few minutes, while traveling along the road to Fontenay-le-Comte, a curious disc of a sparkling yellow.

In Haute-Marne a brilliant machine

Several inhabitants of the commune of Rebais declared to have seen a strange, very brilliant machine, circulating at night fall in the sky, above Rebais.

The witnesses said that the apparatus, which was traveling very slowly, had then headed towards Coulommiers after increasing its speed, and had disappeared.

The day before yesterday morning, C.R.S. also saw a luminous disc in the sky, above Vaudoy.

A cigar in the Hérault

Mrs Picot de la Baume, a resident of Montpellier,

CONTINUED PAGE 6

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Festival of flying saucers in Pau

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

telescope, and which ensured him as much success as the "saucers" won.

Many of our fellow citizens believed and still believe that it was a launch of soundingballoons. Information taken at the Center of the Weather of Pont-Long, the only one qualified for these operations, a single balloon was launched during the day, at 3 p.m.. So it was not this that was seen in the morning nor in the afternoon because, we were told at Pont-Long, such a balloon climbs quickly up to 15,000 meters and explodes. It can only be distinguished to 3,500 m.

But then, were they really flying saucers?

L. V.

... and in the four corners of France

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

at an altitude of about 4,500 meters, saw a cigar-shaped device, shiny, which seemed to be surrounded by a halo. The machine, which she could observe for a minute or so, suddenly disappeared in an easterly direction, without making a noise or leaving any traces.

Morocco and Algeria were also visited...

Reliable witnesses saw last night in the sky of Kounigra, a town about 130 kilometers from Casablanca, a red-shaped, circular-shaped craft evolving at a high altitude and apparently spitting flames of a blue green color.

An elongated craft was seen Wednesday evening around 8:30 p.m. in the sky of Safi by credible witnesses. The "cigar" was moving at a high speed, from East to Northwest. It was surrounded by a bluish light and left behind a luminous trail. The witnesses testified that the craft was unrelated to a jet plane.

... as well as Denmark

Many residents of the town of Strib (Funen) claim to have seen yesterday "a yellow-reddish craft whose shape resembled a cigar operating at high altitude and leaving "tongues of fire" behind. Other luminous craft had been seen in the last three days in Funen and Sweden.

Flying saucers said to drop anti-communist leaflets over Czechoslovakia

Vienna. -- "Flying saucers" reported regularly for some time in Austria would be, according to the "Bild Telegraph", guided missiles used by some powers to drop anti-communist leaflets over Czechoslovakia.

The newspaper reports that leaflets written in the Czech language were found near Eferding in Upper Austria (Soviet zone) after the passage of two "luminous discs", the maneuvers of which were observed by two gendarmes from a neighboring locality.

These leaflets, distributed by a group of emigrants belonging to the "Czechoslovak opposition" movement, invite the peasants of Czechoslovakia to leave the agricultural communities and state cooperatives.

Two other dailies also mention the testimony of several peasants who claim to have seen a "saucer" taken by the beam of a Soviet anti-aircraft searchlight.

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

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Saucers, still saucers, always saucers...

At the Mas de Brury, near Perpignan, several grape pickers said they saw in the sky a bright object in the shape of a saucer. After having moved vertically leaving a white trail, the craft disappeared in the clouds.

Mr. Raymond Deloire, 20, agricultural worker in Langeron (Nièvre), who was riding a bicycle on the road to St-Pierre-le-Moutiers, saw in the sky a mysterious object of semi-spherical shape emitting a bright orange glow at the front, flames gushed from the rear. The craft moved without noise with great speed towards the North-East.

Two residents of the commune of Foussignargues, near Bessèges, said they saw in a meadow, near their house, in the night from Sunday to Monday, a luminous apparatus.

Numerous people saw in the sky, at very high altitude, a mysterious craft in the shape of a long and shiny balloon. The craft came from the South and headed to the North West.

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

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they are seen everywhere...

Flying saucers
cigars and... "cigarillos"

Perpignan, 1st. -- At the Mas de Brury, near Perpignan, several grape pickers said they had seen in the sky a luminous object in the shape of a saucer. After having moved vertically leaving a white trail, the craft disappeared in the clouds.

Mulhouse, 1st. -- Two people declared to have seen a luminous craft in the sky in Rixheim, using binoculars, they noted that it had the shape of a long cigar, a dozen satellite "little cigars" surrounded it. A railroader on night duty said he observed the same phenomenon.

Besseges, 1st. -- Two inhabitants of the commune of Foussignargues, near Bessèges, declared to have seen in a meadow, near their house, in the night from Sunday to Monday, a bright red luminous machine surrounded by vertical rods.

Pau, 1st. -- Yesterday morning around 11:45 a.m., many people have seen in the sky, at very high altitude, a mysterious machine in the shape of a long and shiny balloon. The object came from the South and was heading towards the Northwest.

Nevers, 1st. -- Mr. Raymond Deloire, 20, agricultural worker in Langeron (Nièvre), who was riding a bicycle on the road to Saint-Pierre-le-Moutiers, saw in the sky a mysterious semi-spherical object, emitting a bright orange glow at the front. Flames shot out from the back. The machine moved without noise at great speed towards the North-East.

Dijon, 1st. -- Two children from Prémanon, the young Raymond Roland, 12, and his sister Janine, 9, told their schoolmaster this amazing story:

It was pouring rain yesterday before when around 8:30 p.m., Raymond heard his dog barking furiously. He went out and saw in the courtyard of his parents' farm a metallic craft, 2 meters high, which shone in the light. Frightened, the kid returned inside, but driven by curiosity, he went out again with his sister. The strange craft had approached. The boy threw some stones in the direction of the machine which started off. The two children were blown away and dared not tell their parents about their mishap.

When questioned by the police, Raymond said that "the thing (sic) was on three feet".

Indeed, the gendarmes found traces in the courtyard. But the rain had partially erased them.

The list is growing

Flying saucers have also been spotted at Rebais (S.-et-.M.), at Brest, in La Rochelle, in Lins (Austria), in Nîmes, in Montpellier, in Casablanca, in La Norville (S.-et-.O).

In 1950, on the American Radio...

In a radio broadcast made in 1950, the American journalist and commentator Henri Taylor said:

"Without betraying any military secret, I can assure you that the flying saucers are part of a large experimental program that has been developing in the United States for almost three years. I know what the flying saucers are for: is a great military secret that I am not allowed to reveal. The day the American Air Force decides to break the silence, humanity will learn very good news..."

[Ref. int1:] NEWSPAPER "L'INDEPENDANT":

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CIGARS IN A GROUP IN THE HAUT-RHIN...

AND BALLS OF FIRE IN THE ROUSSILLON

MULHOUSE. -- Two people stated to have seen a luminous machine in the sky, in Rixheim. Using binoculars, they noted that it had the shape of a long cigar. A dozen small satellite cigars surrounded it. A railway man on night duty stated to have observed the same phenomenon.

BESSEGES. -- Two residents of the commune of Foussignargues, close to Bessèges, stated to have seen in a meadow, near their house, in the night from Sunday to Monday, a sharp red luminous machine surrounded by vertical stems.

PAU. -- Thursday morning, around 11:45, many people saw in the sky, at a very high altitude, a mysterious machine having the shape of a long and shining balloon. The machine came from the South and moved towards the North-West.

NEVERS. -- Mr. Raymond Deloire, 20 years old, farm laborer in Langeron (the Nievre), who circulated by bicycle on the road of St-Pierre-le-Moutiers, saw in the sky a mysterious object of half-spherical form emitting at the front a sharp orange gleam, flames spouted out from the back. The machine moved without noise at a great speed in direction of the North-East.

PERPIGNAN. -- Mr. Jean-Bertrand Petit, residing at the Conte Farmhouse, close to Perpignan, was sprinkling his salads, around 3:30 in the morning, when he saw a ball of fire in the sky. The display was short and did not leave traces.

In Thuir, Thursday, around 6:15 p.m., a machine having the shape of a haloed barrel of fire was seen by a person worthy of faith. The apparatus, which worked at a slow pace, disappeared in direction of the sea.

In addition, several residents of Perpignan claim to have seen yesterday, at approximately 2 p.m., above the city, a luminous sphere, sometimes red, sometimes white and which moved during several minutes before fainting in the sky.

A luminous sphere remains one hour above Fleury-d'Aude

FLEURY-D'AUDE (C.P.). -- Yesterday evening, from 9 to 10 p.m., the population of Fleury was able to see a luminous sphere, whose color changed from the red to the green, then to the white, moving slowly above the locality. The machine marked times of immobility and it was then possible to detect that it had a rotational movement.

The luminous sphere then moved in direction of Béziers and disappeared.

A brilliant ball above Puivert

PUIVERT. -- Mr. Saboureau, lemonade seller in Bélesta (the Ariège) made the Bélesta-Puivert way in a van, when he saw in the sky, yesterday towards 5 p.m., a very brilliant ball like a sun following the North-South direction, flying at an altitude which he estimates as 2.000 meters, and moving at a relatively reduced speed.

The ball moved without the least noise and was followed of a long tail of gray smoke. Mr. Saboureau having stopped his vehicle for better observing, could see, after a few minutes the machine disappear in the direction of Ax-les-Termes. His observation allows him to affirm absolutely that it was not a plane.

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

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THE "MARTIANS" ON HOLIDAYS (CONTINUED)

A "SAUCER" WITH THREE FEET IN THE JURA, AND A "CIGAR"
with rear light in the Nivernais

IT is true, as the disciples of the "Christ of Montfavet" [*] assure, that the flying saucers are a divine manifestation, we saw enough, yesterday in the sky of France, to "halo" all the apostles of this Messiah postman. And enough cigars for Mr. Churchill's consumption in a fortnight.

The most sensational story is the one told by little Raymond Romand, a 12-year-old boy, whose parents are farmers in Prémanon, in the Jura. The other night he saw a flying saucer in the middle of the farmyard. It was eight o'clock in the evening; the child had gone out hearing the dog barking furiously. The saucer was there, two meters high. He threw stones at it, approached. At that moment, it started to move and the blow lifted him from the ground. Terrorized, he fled. Her sister, little Jeanine (9), claims to have also seen the saucer from the window.

"I saw ghosts," she said to her schoolmates the next day.

The two children swear they had never heard of flying saucers.

The "thing" was on three feet," said Raymond.

He wanted to show the gendarmes the traces that the three feet had left on the court ground. Unfortunately, the rain had wiped them out...

In Foussinargues, near Bessèges, in the Gard, two people claim that they saw in a meadow "a bright, sharp red luminous machine, surrounded of vertical rods". Near Mulhouse, a cigar wandered in the sky, followed by a "litter" of twelve cigarillos.

The son of the rural guard of Langeron, in the Nivernais, saw only one cigar. It had a "rear light". Which seems to indicate that the Martians have an air force.

Two thousand residents of Pau saw, yesterday afternoon, a cigar and two saucers, one white, the other green. They were a little disappointed when they learned in the evening that the cigar was a jet plane and the two saucers were children's balloons...

[*] Georges Roux, the so-called "Christ of Montfavet" (1903-1981), left his job at the post office in Avignon, tried the careers of poet, novelist, musician, then in the 1950s proclaimed himself "healer", then "reincarnation of Christ" and even "God". He founded a sect, wrote "spirituality" books, predicted the "end of times" for January 1, 1980, and obtained a small success, much starred in the press.

[Ref. ner1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-ECLAIR":

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MORE AND MORE MYSTERIOUS

"Luminous objects" explore the South and the East

The round of flying saucers, luminous cigars and other mysterious craft continues across France, the country of tourism for Martians on vacation. Yesterday there was a luminous ballet in the sky of the Ardèche, a landing in a farmyard in the Jura and apparitions in all skies, night or day.

Continued on page 11
under the title:
SAUCERS

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Saucers

The most amazing story is that told by a 12-year-old boy, Romain Romand, whose parents are farmers in Prémanon, in the Jura. Thursday evening, he saw a flying saucer, two meters high, which had landed in the middle of the farmyard. He threw stones at it and approached. The saucer began to move and the movement of air lifted him from the ground.

Terrorized, he fled. Her 9-year-old sister claims to have also seen the saucer from the window. The two children claim that they had never heard about "flying saucers."

In the Ardèche, in Lemps, not far from Tournon, a farmer, Mr. Joseph Habrat, observed a bright object, brighter than a star and heading for Valence.

With astonishment, he saw it move at a very high speed and suddenly stop. Mr. Habrat called his daughter, very skeptical about the reality of flying saucers, and the two then witnessed a real luminous ballet, led by the first beam. Suddenly all disappeared towards the East. Three craft reappeared for a moment and disappeared in their turn.

At Mas de Bruzy, near Perpignan, several grape pickers said they had seen in the sky a bright object in the shape of a saucer. After moving vertically, leaving a white trail, the craft disappeared in the clouds.

In Rixheim, near Mulhouse, two people said they saw a luminous object in the sky. Using binoculars, they found that it had the shape of a long cigar, a dozen cigarillos accompanied it. A railroader on night duty claims to have observed the same phenomenon.

Two residents of the commune of Foussignargues, near Besseges, in the Gard region, declared that they had seen in a meadow, close to their house, in the night from Sunday to Monday, a bright red luminous craft surrounded by vertical rods.

Thursday morning, many residents of Pau also saw in the sky, at very high altitude, a mysterious craft in the shape of an elongated, shiny balloon coming from the South and heading to the North-West.

In Nevers, Mr. Raymond Deloire, agricultural worker in Langeron (Nièvre), who was riding a bicycle on the road to Saint-Pierre-le-Moutiers, saw in the sky a mysterious object of semi-spherical shapes and putting out a bright orange glow, while flames gushed from behind. It was moving noiselessly at high speed towards the northeast.

[Ref. cpd1:] NEWSPAPER "LE COURRIER PICARD":

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In France the saucers continue... to fly

In the Haut-Rhin, two witnesses
claim to have seen a "cigar"
surrounded by a dozen smaller ones
who were escorting it

PERPIGNAN, October 1st. -- At the Mas de Bruzy [sic], near Perpignan, several grape harvesters said they had seen in the sky, a shiny object in the shape of a saucer. After having moved vertically leaving a white trail, the craft disappeared in the clouds.

MULHOUSE. -- Two people said they saw a luminous object in the sky, in Rixheim. Using binoculars, they found that it had the shape of a long cigar, a dozen little satellite cigars surrounded it, a railroader of night service declared to have observed the same phenomenon.

BESSEGES. -- Two residents of the commune of Foussignargues, near Bessèges, said they had seen in a meadow near their house in the night from Sunday to Monday, a bright red luminous craft surrounded by vertical rods.

PAU. -- Yesterday morning, around 11:45 a.m., many people have seen in the sky, at very high altitude, a mysterious craft in the shape of a long and shiny balloon. The object came from the south and was heading towards the northwest.

NEVERS. -- Mr. Raymond Deloire, 20 years old, farm worker, in Langeron (Nièvre) who was riding a bicycle, on the road to Saint-Pierre-le-Moutiers, saw in the sky, a mysterious object of hemispherical shape, emitting at the front a bright orange glow. Flames gushed from behind. The craft moved without noise with great speed towards the northeast.

[Ref. non1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-MATIN":

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Ballet of "saucers"
in the sky of the Ardèche

M. Joseph Habrat, a farmer in the Perrets district, in Lamps [sic], not far from Tournon (Ardèche), observed, in the sky, last night, a veritable ballet of "flying saucers".

He had first noticed a green light moving slowly, towards Valence. Then the luminous craft began to move at full speed in various directions and finally came to a stop.

The farmer then called his daughter Yvette who until now "had refused to believe in flying saucers".

Like her father, Yvette was able to observe the luminous craft, which advanced, it seemed, up to about 500 meters from them. A little later, a dozen craft came to join the first and sketched with it quite a ballet, before disappearing in the direction of the East.

Shortly after, three craft appeared again, then disappeared in the same direction as the previous ones.

12 little satellite cigars

Also, two people declared to have seen a luminous craft, in the sky, in Rixheim. Using binoculars, they found that it had the shape of a long cigar, a dozen small satellites surrounded it. A night shift railway worker said he observed the same phenomenon.

A saucer in Caudry

Friday morning, around 6:45 a.m., three workers, including two masons and a carpenter, were on their way to Caudry, on their way to their work place, when they saw a original machine, oval in shape, pale pink in color, very bright, leaving behind an absolutely dazzling trail.

This "flying saucer" seemed to fly over national road 29 and was heading towards Le Cateau.

One of these workers, Mr. Victor Lebon, 43, mason, living in Quiévy, is affirmative in his statements. The other two, one of whom is domiciled in Saint-Hilaire-lez-Cambrai, preferred to remain anonymous, but concurred.

Surrounded by vertical rods

It should also be noted that two residents of the commune of Foussignargues, near Bessègues, declared that they had seen, in a meadow, near their house, in the night from Sunday to Monday, a bright red luminous craft, surrounded by vertical rods.

Many people also saw, in Pau, in the sky at very high altitude, a mysterious craft in the shape of a long and shiny balloon. The object came from the South and was heading towards the North West.

Finally, Mr. Raymond Deloire, 20, agricultural worker in Langeron (Nièvre), who was riding a bicycle, on the road to Saint-Pierre-le-Moutiers, saw in the sky a mysterious object of semi-spherical shape emitting, at the front, a bright orange glow, flames gushed from the rear. The craft moved without noise, with great speed, in direction of the North-East.

[Ref. lon1:] NEWSPAPER "L'OISE-MATIN":

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THE FIRST
PHOTOGRAPHS
SAUCERS

One is reported in the
sky of La Chapelle-en-Serval

Flying saucers continue to be talked about more than ever. And their detractors, like those who think they exist, are likewise spoiled.

The first ones in particular, by a precision relating to the "saucer" described last week in Grenoble by Dr Martinet.

The observations of a pilot from Challes-les-Eaux, who attended the same show, established that it was in fact a... flight of starlings.

The latter will be able to report new manifestations of the saucers.

In the Oise in particular, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph van Wymersch, of La Chapelle-en-Serval, who declared to have seen in this locality, Wednesday evening, around 9 p.m., for about 15 minutes, "a luminous craft which rose and fell in the sky to then disappear in the direction of the West."

Elsewhere in France, it is at Mas de Bruzy, near Perpignan, in Rixheïm, in Pau and in Nevers, that witnesses said they saw saucers.

At Mas de Bruzy, several grape pickers claimed to have seen a shiny circular object in the sky which, after moving vertically leaving a white trail, disappeared in the clouds.

In Rheim [sic], near Mulhouse two people said they had observed a luminous craft with binoculars. They found, they say, that the object was shaped like a long cigar and was surrounded by a dozen small satellite cigars. A railway worker on night duty said he had observed the same phenomenon.

Finally in Pau, Wednesday morning, around 11:45 a.m., numerous people, says an A.F.P. dispatch, saw a cigar moving at very high altitude and, near Nevers, a farm worker who was riding a bicycle on the road to Saint-Pierre-le-Moutier, saw, he claims, a semi-spherical object that moved silently with great rapidity in a northeast direction.

The "saucer" that Mr. Ates, engineer-architect from Marseille, specifies having photographed from his home on May 26, at 6:30 p.m. - our photo - was, on the contrary according to him, extremely noisy since, he said, it made the tiles of his room vibrate while remaining motionless in the sky and that, when it rose to disappear, its acceleration was accompanied by an astonishing explosion.

[Photo caption:] This photograph, where the only terrestrial element seems to be the clothesline that can be seen below, was taken by an architect from Marseille, and was communicated to us by the great weekly "Semaine du Monde". It was taken on May 26, 1954, at 6:30 in the evening, in a foggy weather. The second photo was taken at night. It would translate an impression of "flying cigar" rather than that of a "saucer".

[Ref. ads1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ARDENNAIS":

THE "FLYING SAUCERS" CHRONICLE

PERPIGNAN. -- At the Mas de Bruzy, near Perpignan, several grape pickers reported seeing in the sky a shiny object in the shape of a saucer. After moving vertically leaving a white trail, the craft disappeared in the clouds.

MULHOUSE. -- Two people said they saw a luminous craft in the sky at Rixheim. Using binoculars, they found that it was shaped like a long cigar. A dozen small satellite cigars surrounded it. A night service worker said he observed the same phenomenon.

BESSEGES. -- Two residents of the town of Foussignargues, near Bessèges, said they saw in a meadow, near their house, in the night from Sunday to Monday, a bright red luminous craft surrounded by vertical lines.

PAU. -- Many people saw in the sky, at a very high altitude, a mysterious craft shaped like a long, brilliant balloon. The craft was coming from the south and heading northwest.

NEVERS. -- Mr. Raymond Deloire, agricultural worker in Langeron (Nièvre), who was riding a bicycle on the road to Saint-Pierre-le-Moutiers, saw in the sky a mysterious object of semi-spherical shape emitting at the front a bright orange glow. Flames burst from the back. The craft moved noiselessly at great speed towards the northeast.

[Ref. ler1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN":

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The "meteor" of Sweden was not a robot-weapon... but a jet airplane

Stockholm. -- The "Bjuv meteor", photographed in the night of Monday to Tuesday by a resident of that city, was only a jet plane, the Swedish military headquarters estimated by examining the photograph of the craft. However, professor Bertil Lindblad, attached to the Lund observatory, after enlarging, had believed to detect a robot-weapon.

Based on the direction taken by the object, one had thought that it could come from Eastern Germany where, according to certain information, the Russians would currently carry out rockets experiments.

Still the saucers

In addition, the "flying saucers" continue to be reported in the four corners of the sky of France. There is not a single day without witnesses in good faith see "mysterious machines" with weird shapes, and slipping by at great pace in an impressive silence.

Near Perpignan, several vintagers stated to have seen in the sky a brilliant object having the shape of a saucer. After having moving at the vertical while leaving a white trail, the apparatus disappeared in the clouds.

Two people stated to have seen a luminous craft in the night of Thursday to Friday, in Rixheim (Haut-Rhin). Using binoculars, they noted that it had the shape of a long cigar. A dozen small cigars surrounded it. A railwayman on night duty night stated to have observed the same phenomenon.

Two residents of the commune of Foussignargues, close to Bessèges, saw in a meadow, near their house, in the night from Sunday to Monday, a sharp red luminous machine surrounded by vertical stems.

in Pau, Thursday, many people saw in the sky, at very high altitude, a mysterious machine having the shape of a long and shining balloon. The machine came from the south and moved towards the North-West.

Lastly, Mr. Raymond Deloire, aged 20, farm labourer in Langeron (the Nievre), who circulated the other night with a bicycle on the road of Saint-Pierre-le-Moutier, saw in the sky a mysterious object of half-spherical shape emitting with a sharp orange gleam at its front. Flames spouted out of the back. The craft moved without noise at a great speed in the direction of the North-East.

[Ref. fde1:] "FRANCE DIMANCHE" NEWSPAPER:

Scan.

400 kilometers away, it is the same saucer, apparently, that Mr. Cyprien Bacqué (above on the left) and Mr. George Gatay saw, opposite on the right in insert). The drawings which they made one and the other of the phenomenon that they observed (above in the center) resemble each other, indeed, surprisingly. Mr. Bacqué, engineer architect, saw the mysterious machine above Pau, at ten thousand meters of altitude, at the same time as of the thousands of residents of Pau. Mr. Gatay, site foreman, saw with one meter above ground-level and fifteen away meters at the edge of a career in Pau, at the same time as the six workmen who worked with him. For Mr. Bacqué, who has seen it at eleven hour, September 30, it was a sphere evolving in the strati, of red color, from which four tubes left. The engineer observed it with his telescope during three fifteen minutes before it disappeared towards the west. It is eight days ago at 03:30 p.m., that Mr. Gatey saw suddenly the stopped machine. In front of the saucer stood a small man of 1 m 50 with a leather helmet and boots (above on the right). A ray froze the witness on the spot. The man regained the machine which rose by small hops and disappeared. Mr. Bacqué and Mr. Gatey do not know themselves.

[Ref. fde1:] WEEKLY "FRANCE-DIMANCHE":

This weekley newspaper published a series of third hand drawings of some of the different shapes of flying saucers allegedly reported in France in 1954:

Scan.

Pau

This saucer is of a very rare design with tubes of red color in the shape of periscopes coming out of it. It was followed during three quarters of an hour by telescope by Mr. Cyprien Bacqué.

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

September 30 [,1954]

11:00 a.m.: Pau (Basees-Pyrénées)

[Ref. gte1:] GUY TARADE:

The author of book on flying saucers Guy Tarade reports that on September 30, 1954, Mr. Bacqué, engineer in Pau, observed during more than one hour a brilliant sphere flying between 6000 and 8000 meters, slowly, with four tubes coming out of it in the direction of the sky.

[Ref. bbr1:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:

The two authors indicate that they found in the file of the ufology magazine "Lumières dans la Nuit" the following account for an observation in Pau on September 30, 1954:

"The sky was pure, clear, sunny."

"At 10 o'clock: milky white disc; red bulge in the center. fast, it patrols at 10000 m."

"At 12 o'clock: a white ovale shape appears."

"At 12:30: 4 or 5 discs spread at the four corners of the sky."

"At 1 p.m.: the oval object of 12 o'clock turns red and disappears."

"Until 4 p.m., the evolutions of many brilliant points were followed by the residents of Pau. Evolving slowly and sometimes motionless during several minutes. With the binoculars, a man details the 10 hour object as a red ball around which turned, like a wheel, a luminous disc. Information was asked to the weather center of Pont Long, only one balloon was released at 3 p.m.. 5 to 6000 witnesses according to the newspaper which publishes a photograph showing the residents of Pau stopped in the street, and looking at something in the sky."

They state moreover that the newspaper "La République des Pyrenées" of October 4, 1954 published the following account:

"Mr Bacqué, architect and engineer, saw the circus of the "objects" in Pau. Returned at his place, it took an object under observation with a telescope. Red spherical form, seen behind the strati. Suddenly, four tubes spouted out at its higher part and were pointed towards the sky. Then the object took a vertiginous speed and disappeared in the sky."

Finally they indicate that the newspaper "Paris-Presse" for October 2, 1954 "gave us the solution" by indicating that all this was kids balloons and military planes."

[Ref. via1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "VIMANA 21":

Scan.

SATURDAY 2 AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3: THE CHAPTER OF FÖYING SAUCERS -

IN PERPIGNAN: At the Mas de Bruzy, several grape pickers said they saw in the sky, a shiny object in the shape of a saucer. After moving vertically leaving a white trail, the craft disappeared in the clouds.

IN MULHOUSE: Two people said they saw a luminous machine in the sky in Rixheim. With the help of binoculars, they realized that it was shaped like a long cigar. A dozen small satellite cigars surrounded it. A railway worker said he observed the same phenomenon.

IN NIMES: Two inhabitants of Foussignargues, near Besseges in the Gard, said to have seen in a meadow near their house, on the night of Sunday to Monday, a bright red luminous craft surrounded by vertical rods.

IN PAU: Yesterday morning, around 11:45, many people saw in the sky at very high altitude, a mysterious machine shaped like a long, bright ball. The craft was coming from the south and heading northwest.

The source is said to be the newspaper Le Bien Public.

[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

09/30/54 () Pau F 1011A5

[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:

26 - Case of Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Page 160, an observation made in Pau on September 30 is described briefly from La République des Pyrénées of October 4. Again an erroneous source, because the real title is La IVe République des Pyrénées.* Let's move on. Page 1 of this issue of October 4, we are told how an engineer-architect, Mr. Cyprien Bacqué, scrutinized a luminous phenomenon using a telescope. It was a red sphere, from which the witness saw emerging from its upper part four kinds of tubes with a length equal to approximately half the diameter of the sphere. They sprang from a kind of trapdoor. Then the phenomenon disappeared in the sky at a fantastic speed.

How are B & B trying to trivialize this incident? By again appealing to Paris-Presse, neither more nor less, another circumstantial reference which, in its issue of October 2, would explain the observation by planes and children's balloons! Which is not only silly, but impossible. Indeed, the reader will have seen that the explanation precedes the disclosure of the incident by 48 hours!

This is a huge blunder by our two saucer slayers who, in their haste and blindness, were guilty of manipulating the dates. In reality, Paris-Presse proposes this grotesque hypothesis to try to explain other testimonies, less precise and less spectacular than that of Mr. Bacqué, which were published in the local press on October 1st. The architect's report was not made public until October 4 and not before, because the witness appeared later than the others. The details he delivers, moreover, rule out any possible confusion with something known. To claim that a witness of such an intellectual level, equipped with a telescope moreover, is not able to recognize planes mingling with children's balloons (sic), is a behavior dominated by bad faith. Even the U.S. Air Force commissions tasked with explaining UFO sightings, though they knew all the possibilities of academic dishonesty, didn't go so far in cheating: fiddling with dates!

When I think Monnerie writes this, page 15:

"Gérard and Jacques conducted a fascinating police investigation..." If our police applied the same methods as B & B, the prisons of France and Navarre would be empty. Or crowded with innocent people! (O.D. [Original document] 19).

* Paper that really became La République des Pyrénées with the advent of the Fifth Republic!

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, on September 30, in France, in Pau "Mr. Bacqué observed during more than one hour a brilliant sphere flying between 6000 and 8000 m. The machine moved slowly, four tubes left it in direction of the sky."

She indicates that the source is "Guy TARADE: 'S.V. and civilisations d'outre-espace' - J'AI LU 1969 - p. 9-10".

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Pyrenees Atlantique in Pau, on September 30, 1954, at an unknown hour, "the witness, engineer architect in Pau, observed during more than one hour a brilliant sphere flying between 6 000 and 8000 meters. This machine moved slowly, four tubes came out of it in direction of the sky."

Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "Soucoupes volantes et civilisations d'outre espace par Tarade Guy ** J'ai lu".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 30 September 1954 at 15:10 in Pau, France, "Unidentified objects were sighted, but with appearance and behavior that most likely would have a conventional explanation. Three objects were observed."

The source is indicated as Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073).

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

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19540930 30.09.1954 Pau France

Explanations:

Map.

My "less worst" explanatory scenario would be as follows:

In the Press, on September 24, 1954, "Operation Shooting Star" was announced, as "the largest allied air exercise in Europe", aerial maneuvers of NATO forces, which would take place over France and Germany.

The first object at 10 a.m. could be a military weather balloon, or a military "target" balloon; which the Pont-Long Weather Center would not have been aware of.

We would then have the toy balloons launched by the trader.

Finally, one or more jets of "Operation Shooting Star" would have been seen.

Keywords:

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

Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Cyprien Bacqué, engineer, architect, high, telescope, red, tube, duration, sphere, ball, four, daylight, multiple

Sources:

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

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross December 7, 2005 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross February 11, 2010 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1], [uda1].
1.1 Patrick Gross May 25, 2010 Addition [ler1].
1.2 Patrick Gross October 24, 2011 Addition [int1].
1.3 Patrick Gross February 10, 2017 Addition [ubk1].
1.4 Patrick Gross February 22, 2017 Addition [tr1].
1.5 Patrick Gross June 20, 2019 Additions [ads1], [via1].
1.6 Patrick Gross January 5, 2020 Addition [ppe1].
1.7 Patrick Gross February 16, 2020 Addition [nnm1].
1.8 Patrick Gross March 5, 2020 Addition [cpd1].
1.9 Patrick Gross March 30, 2020 Addition [non1].
2.0 Patrick Gross April 25, 2020 Addition [jps1].
2.1 Patrick Gross June 3, 2020 Addition [ner1].
2.2 Patrick Gross May 7, 2021 Addition [lon1].
2.3 Patrick Gross October 4, 2021 Additions [gqy1], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet."
2.4 Patrick Gross April 8, 2022 Additions [gep1].
2.5 Patrick Gross June 28, 2022 Additions [jsr1].

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