The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 14-Oct-54-Angles.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
In the regional newspaper Le Journal du Pas-de-Calais et de la Somme for October 15, 1954, the case was summarized as follows:
La Roche-sur-Yon. -- A farmer from Angles (Vendée) saw in the sky a shining craft which, while advancing, changed shape and color. The craft was at low height and at a short distance from the cultivator. When the latter wanted to approach it, the apparatus emitted luminous rays which soon formed a screen behind which it disappeared noiselessly. The same phenomenon was observed by several other people from Angles.
In the regional newspaper Nord Littoral, of Calais, for October 16, 1954, and Le Nouveau Nord Maritime, same date, it was reported from La Roche sur Yon that a farmer from Angle, in the Vendée, had stated having seen in the sky a brilliant craft which, while advancing, changed shape and color. The craft was at a low height and a short distance from the farmer. When the latter wanted to approach it, the craft emitted luminous beams which soon formed a screen behind which it disappeared without noise. The same phenomenon had been observed by several other people from Angles.
In 1958, pionneer ufologist Aimé Michel reported, without specifying a source, in his book on the 1954 French wave that on October 14, 1954, at nightfall in "Angles in the Vendée", several separate witnesses had reported "a spectacle that clearly characterized the passage of a 'jellyfish saucer'."
He said that a brilliant craft arrived and changed shape by getting closer, emitted multicolored gleams, and descending to a very low altitude.
A peasant who was in the vicinity wanted to approach, and saw the machine throw a blinding glow and then resume its height and disappear, this phenomenon being seen by many people from the village of Angles itself.
Jacques Vallée summarizes the case in 1969, then in 1974, he gave as source the newspaper La Croix for October 16, 1954.
In 1979, Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon give the same report, from Vallée, with the same press source, but write "Anglès" - which is in the Tarn, while giving the department as the Vendée; a later source would locate the case at Anglès in the Tarn.
I then realized that this case was reported as "previously unpublished" by Jean Sider in 1994 and again in 1997.
While researching the observations of the 1954 wave in the National Library's press archives, he found that an article in 1954 in the newspaper Les Sables-Vendée Journal reported this:
A sympathetic local, Mr. Auguste Bourget, city councilor, saw about 80 meters from the stable of his property, around 6:15 (in the morning), a big red ball of more than a meter in diameter. Suddenly, its shape changed to take that of a spindle whose lower part ceased to be illuminated.
As he approached, the witness found himself in the presence of a dark unicoloured circular mass, with bars, two meters from him and at ground level. The witness had hardly seen the phenomenon, that in the blink of an eye, there was nothing left! The saucer had disappeared. Mr. Bourget did not recover his poise yet and the town of Angles did not fail to be in agitation.
From the date of publication, Jean Sider said that the case had to occur between October 18 and 22, 1954, which would contradict the existence of the Press source given by Vallée that would have been published on October 16, 1954.
These different dates resulted in many catalogs and websites publishing this case as two separate cases.
[Ref. jps1:] NEWSPAPER "LE JOURNAL DU PAS-DE-CALAIS ET DE LA SOMME":
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Avignon, 15. -- Early in the afternoon, at 1:30 p.m., the population of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse was in turmoil.
Indeed, a "white disc" hovered slowly above the small town and could be clearly seen with good binoculars.
This disc was surmounted by a spherical cap of the same color.
The lower circular border bore, intermittently, two powerful lights, varying from white to purplish, passing through red.
The Caritat air base (Vaucluse) alerted, immediately directed two jet planes which soon appeared, and after two turns on Fontaine de Vaucluse, took altitude and dived on the "disk."
The radio which was installed on board the planes and which was in communication with the base, announced that the craft was in sight, that it was being chased, but that it was escaping because its speed was higher to theirs.
From Vaucluse, you could clearly see the disc soaring away, pursued by the two jet planes.
Saucers, discs, cigars, etc., were seen in Marseille, Draguignan, Casablanca, Martigues, Mulhouse.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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(Continued from the first page)
NORTH TO SOUTH
AND FROM EAST TO WEST
Nimes. -- Two people saw while returning to their home, a few kilometers north of Nîmes, a greenish glow in a field. They approached and noticed the presence of a craft entirely identical to a rugby ball and appearing to rest on crutches. The strange craft suddenly rose into the air, emitting a low noise and gradually taking on an orange hue.
Graulhet. -- A barrel maker from Graulhet said he saw, at high altitude, a silver craft heading northwest, which he took all first for a jet plane, but not discerning any contrails, the barrel maker went to get a pair of binoculars and distinctly saw a large flexible disc, which undulated on itself, while moving at a high speed.
It was then that the craft seemed to explode in midair. A silvery ball, about one meter in diameter, escaped from the mass and continued on its way, soon disappearing from view, while the rest of the craft fell into several pieces similar to sheets of various sizes which hovered in the air and some of which clung to the telegraph wires. About fifteen people testified to this peculiar case and fragments of this material were collected. They come in the form of clumped silver filaments that crumble when touched.
Angers. -- An inhabitant of the town of Méral (Mayenne) saw a brilliant orange ball in the sky which landed on the ground. The disc, flattened and dome-shaped, with a diameter of 5 to 6 meters, gave off a blinding glow, illuminating the countryside within a radius of 200 meters.
The craft was transparent and from inside we could see a black shape. The disc stayed like that for about ten minutes, became red and quickly disappeared towards the north. The observer then went to the place where the object had landed. There was, he assures, a sort of bright cloud that was slowly falling to the ground.
Arrived at his home he noticed that his clothes were covered with a white layer of a slightly sticky material, like paraffin.
La Roche-sur-Yon. -- A farmer from Angles (Vendée) saw in the sky a shining craft which, while advancing, changed shape and color. The craft was at low height and at a short distance from the cultivator. When the latter wanted to approach it, the apparatus emitted luminous rays which soon formed a screen behind which it disappeared noiselessly. The same phenomenon was observed by several other people from Angles.
London. -- The British Air Ministry does not believe in the existence of flying saucers, cigars and other flying craft.
Indeed, while refusing to comment on the craft reported in France and in other European countries, the official spokespersons of the ministry declare that 99 times out of a hundred, there are natural explanations for the similar appearances reported in Great Britain: most often sounding balloons.
When no explanation can be given, the Air Ministry adds, it is usually because the testimonies of people who claim to have witnessed these apparitions are insufficient.
However, no such craft has been reported in Britain in recent weeks.
[Ref. nll1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD LITTORAL":
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Angers. -- A resident of the town of Méral (Mayenne) said he saw in the sky a bright orange ball that landed on the ground. The flat, domed disc, with a diameter of five to six meters, give off a blinding glow, lighting up the countryside within a radius of 200 meters.
The craft was transparent and from the inside a black shape was observed. The disc remained like this for about ten minutes, reddened, and quickly disappeared towards the North. The observer then went to the place where the object had landed. There was, he says, a sort of bright cloud that slowly fell to the ground.
Arriving at his home, he noticed that his clothes were covered with a white layer of slightly sticky material, "like paraphine [sic]".
***
La Roche sur Yon. -- A grower of Angle (Vendée) said he saw in the sky a brilliant craft which, while advancing, changed shape and color. The craft was at a low height and a short distance from the cultivator. When he wanted to approach it, the craft emitted luminous rays which soon formed a screen behind which it disappeared without noise. The same phenomenon was observed by several other people from Angles.
Avignon, October 15. -- At the beginning of the afternoon, at 1:30 p.m., the population of Fontaine de Vaucluse was in turmoil.
Indeed, a "white disc" hovered slowly over the small city and it could be clearly distinguished with good binoculars.
This white disc was surmounted by a spherical cap of the same color.
The lower circular border intermittently bore two powerful lights, varying from white to purplish, passing through red.
The air base of Caritat (Vaucluse), alerted, immediately directed two jet planes which, soon, appeared, and after two turns on Fontaine de Vaucluse, gained altitude and dove on the "disc."
The radio installed on the planes and which was in communication with the base, announced that the craft was in sight, that it was chased, but that it escaped because its speed was higher than theirs.
From Vaucluse, one could clearly see the disc moving away like an arrow, chased by the two jet planes.
[Ref. nnm1] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":
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London, 15. - The British Air Ministry does not believe in the existence of flying saucers, cigars or other flying craft, in fact, while refusing to comment on the craft reported in France and in other European countries. [?] Ministry states that 99 times out of 100 there are natural explanations for similar occurrences reported in Britain. These are most often weather balloons, when no explanation can be given, the Air Ministry adds, it is generally because the testimonies of people who claim to have witnessed such appearances are insufficient.
However, no such craft has been reported in Great Britain in recent [?]
Mulhouse, 15. - A salesman driving on Thursday evening, in the company of a friend, saw a luminous craft in the shape of an ovoid fireball.
This, according to the salesman, described a large "S" in the sky, moving at a dizzying pace and at an altitude of about 300 m. The craft which was preceded by a long luminous trail, changed color from orange to white, then disappeared.
Martigues, 15. - An eight-year-old child, who was with her mother and her aunt on the road to the hamlet of Saint- Pierre, near Martigues, saw in the sky a luminous craft of elongated shape, from which, she specified, came a kind of fireworks display. The parents have certified their child's statements.
Marseille, 15. - Two luminous craft flying at high altitude were seen in the sky of the Rove at the beginning of the afternoon of Thursday. Observers noted that these craft stopped for a few moments and then resumed their flight.
Draguignan, 15. - Several residents of Draguignan observed Thursday towards the end of the afternoon a luminous object crossing the sky at the speed of a meteor.
Casablanca, 15. Workers of Subsistances Militaires de Casablanca said they saw Thursday afternoon, above the city, a sort of phosphorescent cigar which, after having descended gently like a dead leaf, resumed its horizontal course at breakneck speed to finally disappear.
Angers, 15. - A resident of the town of Méral (Mayenne) stated he saw a shiny orange ball in the sky which landed on the ground. The flattened, dome-shaped disc, five to six meters in diameter, gave off a blinding glow, lighting up the countryside within a 200-meter radius.
The craft was transparent and a black shape was inside. The disc remained like this for ten minutes, reddened, and quickly disappeared towards the north. The observer then went to the place where the object had landed. There was, he assures, a sort of bright cloud that was slowly falling to the ground. When he got home, he noticed that his clothes were covered with a white layer of something a little sticky, like paraffin.
La Roche-sur-Yon, 15. - A farmer from Angle (Vendée) said he saw a shining craft in the sky which, as it advanced, changed shape and color. The craft was at a low height and a short distance from the cultivator. When the latter wanted to approach it, the craft emitted luminous rays which soon formed a screen behind which it silently disappeared. The same phenomenon was observed by several other people from Angles.
Nîmes, 14. - Two people saw last night, on their way back to their home, a few kilometers north of Nîmes, a greenish gleam in a field. They approached and noticed the presence of a craft totally identical to a rugby ball and appearing to rest on crutches. The strange craft suddenly rose into the air, emitting a weak noise and gradually taking an orange hue.
Graulhet, 14. - A barrel maker of Graulhet declared to have seen Wednesday at the end of the afternoon, at high altitude, a silvery craft heading northwest, which he at first took for a jet plane, but not discerning any contrail, the barrel maker went to look for a pair of binoculars and distinctly saw a large flexible disc, which undulated on itself, while moving at high speed.
It was then that the craft seemed to explode in mid-flight. A silver ball, about one meter in diameter, escaped from the mass and continuing on its way, soon disappearing from view, while the rest of the craft fell in several pieces similar to sheets of various dimensions which hovered in the sky and some of which cling to the electric wire. About fifteen people testified about this singular case and fragments of material were collected. They appear as agglomerated silvery filaments which crumble when touched.
Melun, 15. - Near Montargis, on the National Road Nr 7, a resident of this town, declared to have seen in the sky a yellow mass of rounded and very bright shape.
Avignon, 15. - Early Thursday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., the population of Fontaine de Vaucluse, was in a turmoil.
Indeed, a "white disc" hovered slowly above the small city and could be clearly distinguished with good binoculars.
This white disc was surmounted by a spherical cap of the same color.
The lower circular border intermittently emitted two powerful fires, varying from white to purplish, passing through red.
The air base of Caritat (Vaucluse), alerted, immediately directed two jets which, soon, made their appearance, and after two turns on Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, gained altitude and dived on the "disk".
The radio installed on board the planes and which was in communication with the base, announced that the craft was in sight, that it was being chased, but that it escaped because its speed was greater than the theirs.
From Vaucluse, the disc could clearly be seen sweeping away, pursued by the two jets.
[Ref. lon1:] NEWSPAPER "L'OISE-MATIN":
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If they seem to sulk the Oise with persistence, the "flying saucers" have shown themselves, say various testimonies, more numerous than ever during the last 24 hours in the rest of France. Two witnesses have witnessed, they say, curious demonstrations on the part of these machines and, in the sky of Avignon, two French jet fighters have unleashed a futile hunt for "saucers."
It is a barrel-maker from Graulhet, who first declared to have witnessed the explosion of a saucer. A silvery ball, he declared, then seemed to escape from the mass of the craft and continue on its way, while the debris of it fell in several pieces, like sheets that hovered in the sky. Fragments of material were collected; they come in the form of agglomerated silvery filaments which crumble when touched.
The second witness, a resident of the village of Méral (Mayenne), declared that he witnessed the takeoff of a saucer, which quickly disappeared towards the north. At the place where the object had landed, assures the witness, there was a kind of shining cloud which fell slowly to the ground.
When he got home, he said, he noticed that his clothes were covered with a white layer of something a little sticky, like paraffin.
Finally, it is near Avignon, at the fountain of Vaucluse, where the residents in turmoil report that a white disc was hovering above the small town. The neighboring Caritat air base, alerted, immediately directed two jets which, according to the Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (air), returned without noticing anything abnormal.
Also said they saw saucers, cigars or other bizarre contraptions in the sky: two people returning to their homes, a few kilometers from Nîmes; an inhabitant of Montargis, on the national road n ° 7; inhabitants of Marseille, in the sky of Rove; a farmer from Angle, in the Vendée; workers from Casablanca, above the city; a representative and his friend, between Niffer and Kembs (Alsace); an eight year old child and her parents, near Martigues, and a baker boy from Calais, on the road to Saint-Omer.
Despite these numerous testimonies, the British Air Ministry in London has let it be known that it does not believe in saucers.
Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, official spokespersons for the English ministry said, natural explanations were found for similar appearances reported in Britain: they are most often sounding-balloons. When no explanation can be given, one adds at the Air Ministry, it is generally for lack of insufficiently [sic] precise testimony.
Spokesmen further indicated that no bizarre craft have been reported in Britain in recent weeks.
[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:
Aimé Michel indicates that on October 14, 1954 at nightfall in Angles in the Vendée, several separate witnesses reported "a spectacle which clearly characterizes the passage of a "jellyfish saucer"."
This was about the arrival of a shining machine which changed shape while approaching, emitted multicoloured gleams and descended at very low altitude.
A peasant who was in the surroundings wanted to approach it and saw the machine throw a dazzling gleam then take height again and disappear, this phenomenon being seen by several people from the village of Angles itself.
[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
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October 14 [, 1954]
[... other cases...]
06:[?]0 p.m.?: Angles (Vendée):hemispherical craft, emitting multicolored gleams + descent at low altitude
[... other cases...]
[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 331 | 001.40318 | 46.40940 | 14 | 10 | 1954 | 18 | 00 | 2 | (ANGLES-VENDEES) | F | 301 | C** | 298 |
[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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254) October 14, 1954, nightfall, Anglès (France):
A farmer saw a bright object, which came almost to the ground. When he tried to approach it the object produced an intense "screen of light" and vanished without a noise. Several persons in Angles observed the scene. (P. 62).
[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"
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He notes that Angles is "between two vaults areas".
[Ref. jve4:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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254) October 14, 1954, nightfall, Anglès (France):
A farmer saw a bright object, which came almost to the ground. When he tried to approach it the object produced an intense "screen of light" and vanished without a noise. Several persons in Angles observed the scene. (P 62).
[Ref. jv2:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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October 14, 1954, nightfall. Anglès (France):
A farmer saw a bright object, which came almost to the ground. When he tried to approach it the object produced an intense "screen of light" and vanished without a noise. Several persons in Angles observed the scene.
(La Croix, Oct. 16, 1954).
[Ref. cb1:] CHARLES BOWEN:
The author indicates that on October 14, 1954, a farmer of Angles in the Vendée saw a shining object come almost to the ground, but when he tried to approach it, the apparatus produced an intense "screen of light" and disappeared without noise. Several people of Angles observed the same phenomenon.
[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors and ufologists indicate that in Anglès in the Vendée, a farmer who remained anonymous and several other witnesses saw on October 14, 1954 at an unspecified hour of the twilight, a brilliant object which emitted multicoloured gleams and descended close to the ground. When the farmer tried to approach it, the machine produced an intense "screen of light" and disappeared without noise.
The authors indicate Quincy, Vallée and the newspaper La Croix for September [sic, October] 16, 1954, as sources.
[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
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429 14 October 1954 Nightfall
ANGLES (FRANCE) A farmer saw a bright object vhich came almost to the ground. When he tried to approach it, the object produced an intense "screen of light" and vanished without a noise. Several people in Angles observed the scene. (M254: La Croix, 16 Oct 54: Michel II, 177)
[Ref. bbr1:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:
The two authors note this case of October 14, 1954:
"Angles - 85: investigation. luminous phenomenon vaguely spherical."
[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER - LDLN:
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between October 18 and 22, 6.15 a.m., Angles, Vendée
A municipal councilor, as honorable as he is serious, Mr. Auguste Bourget, saw around 80 m from his stable, at 6.15 a.m., a big red ball, more than a meter in diameter. This ball suddenly took the form of a spindle, the lower part of which ceased to be lit.
The witness advanced, and found himself in the presence of an unlit circular mass, of dark gray color and presenting bars, two meters from him and at ground level. In the blink of an eye, the thing disappeared.
source:
Les Sables-Vendée Journal, Les Sables d'Olonne. 10/24/54. p.6
[Ref. jsr2:] JEAN SIDER:
Jean Sider discovered what he thought was a so far unknown observation when he searched for sighting reports of the 1954 French flap in the press files at the National Library. He found this 1954 article in the newspaper Les Sables-Vendée, which reported the following:
A sympathetic resident of the area, Mr. Bourget, city council man, saw within 80 meters approximately from the horse stable of his property, at about 06:15, a large red ball of more than one meter in diameter. Suddenly, its shape changed to take that of a spindle of which the lower part ceased to being enlightened.
While approaching, the witness found himself in the presence of a non-illuminated circular mass, of dark gray color and presenting bars at two meters of him and almost at the level of the ground. Hardly did the witness see the phenomenon, that in a wink, there was nothing any more! The saucer had disappeared. Mr. Bourget was amazed and the borough of Angles was to be in an agitation.
On the basis of the publication date, Jean Sider deduces that the case had to occur between the October 18 and 22, 1954.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4118: 1954/10/14 19:00 6 1:24:20 W 46:24:40 N 3332 WEU FRN VND 8:9
ANGLES,FR:SVRL SEP.OBS:BLINDING JELLYFISH ^ LOW:CHANGES SHAPE:^:/LDLN#103+/r49
Ref#138 GROSS,L.:UFOs a HISTORY-1954/10 bks Book # 9 Page 46 : FARMLANDS
[Ref. lhh2] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4191: 1954/10/18 06:20 1 1:24:40 W 46:24:00 N 3333 WEU FRN VND 7:6
ANGLES,FR:COUNCILMAN:1M+SCR VCLOSE:BARS PROTRUDE:VANISHES/INSTANT!:/LDLN#321
Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 114 : TOWN &CITY
[Ref. dgz3:] DIDIER GOMEZ:
Didier Gomez lists this case by indicating that on October 14, 1954, at dawn, in Anglès in the Tarn, a witness then several witnesses saw a shining object producing a screen of light; which might have landed.
[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that in 1954, on October 14, in France, in "Angles (the Vendée), at twilight a farmer and other people saw a shining object go down almost to the ground. Whereas he tried to approach the object emitted an intense screen of light and disappeared without a noise."
The sources are noted "La Croix, 16 Oct 1954" and "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL. - p. 280".
[Ref. jcx1:] "LES MYSTERES DE VENDEE" WEBSITE:
The author of this website who explored the regional press of the department of Vendée reports:
Angles
October 14, 1954
Angles, city of legends and mysteries in which we will have the occasion to return for another UFO sighting but also for the mysteries engraved in the stones of a close construction which will put to us on the track of the treasure of the Moricq Tower.
For now I have only one lead for this day of October 14, 1954, an observation which is unlikely to have developments, insofar the information is so sparse and seem to have to remain so! In 1997 I received a letter by the ufologist Michel Figuet, deceased since, who taught me the existence of this case among others having occurred in the Vendée, with this short comment: Angles, 14/10/54 (twilight) Witnesses deceased, unverifiable case.
One can thus only suppose that a UFO type display took place above Angles on October 14, 1954, without being able to give more details, unless one day one of the visitors of this website can teach me some more.
[Ref. jcx2:] "LES MYSTERES DE VENDEE" WEBSITE:
In his case listing "UFOs in the Vendée", the author notes this case:
Angles, 14 October 1954
[Ref. jcx3:] "LES MYSTERES DE VENDEE" WEBSITE:
In his case listing "UFOs in the Vendée", the author notes this case:
Angles, between October 18 and October 22, 1954
[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:
Thursday, October 14, 1954
In the twilight - A Angles (the Vendée, France), 1 farmer 1 sees 1 shining object go down almost to the ground. While he tries to approach, the object produces an intense screen of light and disappears without a noise. In Angles, several people observed the display.
Jérome Beau indicates that the witness "Died at least in 1997" and indicates that the source is "La Croix, 16 October 1954 cited in Figuet, M. cited in Choloux, Jérôme: "2. La vague de 1954" in "Les OVNIs en Vendée", Les Mystères de Vendée, 2007".
[Ref. jbu2:] JEROME BEAU:
Monday, October 18, 1954
[...]
06:15 In Angles (the Vendée), Mr. Auguste Le Bourget, living at 80 m approximately of his stable, sees 1 large red ball, more than 1 m in diameter suddenly taking the shape of a spindle, its lower part ceases being enlightened. The witness advances and was in the presence of a nonenlightened circular mass of dark gray color and presenting bars, within 2 meters of him and at near ground level. In the blink of an eye, the thing disappears.
[...]
The sources are indicated as "Les Sables-Vendée Journal, 24 octobre 1954" selon "Liste de cas inédits d'atterrissages potentiels, LDLN n° 321, début 1994, p. 34".
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates in his database that in the Vendée in Angles on October 14, 1954 at an unknown hour "In the twilight, the witnesses observe a shining object which emits multicoloured gleams and goes down close to the ground. When a farmer tries to approach, the craft produces an intense 'screen of light' and disappears without noise."
The source is noted: "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979"
[Ref. lcn2:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in Vendée at Angles on October 21, 1954, at 06:15 "(dubious date between the 18th and the 22nd of October) a witness saw within 80 meters approximately of the stable of his property, towards 6:15, a large red ball of more than one meter in diameter. Suddenly, its shape changed to take that of a spindle of which the lower part ceased being enlightened. While approaching, the witness was in the presence of a non-luminous circular mass, of dark gray color and presenting bars at two meters of him and close to the ground. Hardly had the witness seen the phenomenon, that in a wink, there was nothing any more! The object had disappeared."
Luc Chastan indicates that the source is my website: "Les OVNI vus de près par Gross Patrick ** http://ufologie.net".
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 14 October 1954 at 18:00 in Angles, France, "A hovering object was observed. It moved with a falling-leaf motion. One object was observed by several male witnesses (Martin)."
The website indicates as sources 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, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 14 October 1954 at 18:00 in Angles, France, "A bright object, which came almost to the ground. A farmer saw a bright object, which came almost to the ground. When he tried to approach it the object produced an intense "screen of light" and vanished without a noise. Several persons in Angles observed the scene."
The website adds: "An unidentified object was sighted, but with appearance and behavior that most likely would have a conventional explanation. One ball was observed by several witnesses at a mountain."
The website indicates as sources Guieu, Jimmy, Flying Saucers Come from Another World, Citadel, New York, 1956.
[Ref. djn2:] DONALD JONHSON:
Donald Johnson indicates that on October 14, 1954, at dusk, around 6:00 p.m., a farmer in Angles, Vendee department, France saw a bright object, which came almost to the ground. When he tried to approach it the object produced an intense "screen of light" and vanished without a sound. Several other persons in Angles also observed the scene.
The sources are indicated as Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, case # 254, citing La Croix, October 16, 1954.
[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
*Oct. 14, 1954 - At dusk, around 6:00 p.m., a farmer in Angles, Vendee department, France saw a bright object, which came almost to the ground. When he tried to approach it the object produced an intense "screen of light" and vanished without a noise. Several other persons in Angles also observed the scene. (Sources: La Croix, October 16, 1954; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, case # 254).
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
This database recorded this case 7 times:
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541014 | 14.10.1954 | Angles | France | 18.00 | ||||||
| 19541014 | 14.10.1954 | Angles | France | 18.00 | NL | |||||
| 19541014 | 14.10.1954 | Angles | France | Nightfall | ||||||
| 19541014 | 14.10.1954 | Angles | France | |||||||
| 19541014 | 14.10.1954 | Angles | France | |||||||
| 19541014 | 14.10.1954 | Angles | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541014 | 14.10.1954 | Angle | France |
[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
October 14 1954. 1815hrs.
ANGLES (VENDEE : FRANCE)
August M Bourget, a local councillor, saw 80m from his stable, a red sphere over 1m in diameter. The underside then went dark. When he approached he encountered a dark circular mass with grey bars and feet on the ground. The thing then disappeared on the spot.
Gross 1954. citing Jean Sider in Lumieres dans le [sic] Nuit 331 p34 citing Les Sables-Vendee Journal 24 October 1954. p6
Vallee Case 254 citing La Croix 16 October 1954.
Most writers had indicated that the place is Angles, in Vendee, however, Figuet and Ruchon write the name of the city with the accent, "Angles."
If the city is Anglès, then the department is the Tarn.
If the city is Angles, then it is in Vendée.
I think that Figuet and Ruchon were mistaken in introducing the accent, since they did indicate the Vendée as department.
The big problem is that the date is very uncertain. The sources before Sider all gave October 14, 1954, but without sources, until Vallée, also giving October 14, 1954, came up with the source said to be the national newspaper La Croix for October 16, 1954; which seems to make sense. But Sider gave a local and later press source, dated October 24, 1954; it would be odd for a detailed local source to appear 8 days after a less detailed national source. It is also not known how Sider deduced that the date of the case should be between October 18 and 22, 1954. For lack of certainty, I therefore "redate" the case as of mid October 1954.
So I stay with a possible extraterrestrial craft but low reliability sources.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Angles, Vendée, city counsellor, Auguste Bourget, stable, change, ball, red, spindle, luminous, grey, mass, circular, bars, feet, landing
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | December 21, 2005 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | 8 avril 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [jbu1], [lcn1], [uda1], [uda2]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | March 4, 2010 | Addition [jcx2]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | June 29, 2010 | Addition [jve5]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | November 15, 2014 | Addition [nip1]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | February 27, 2017 | Addition [ubk1]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | July 7, 2019 | Additions [prn1], [lhh1], [dgz3], [prn2]. Merge of files "14 oct. Angles" and "18-22 oct. Angles", [jsr2], [jbu2], [lcn2], [dj3], [lhh2] are added to this file. Addition of the Summary. Case date changed to Oct 14, 1954, and October 18-22, 1954, to mid October 1954. |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | August 23, 2019 | Addition [fle1]. |
| 1.7 | Patrick Gross | January 29, 2020 | Addition [jsr1]. |
| 1.8 | Patrick Gross | June 9, 2020 | Addition [nll1]. In the Summary, addition of the paragraph "In the regional newspaper Nord Littoral..." |
| 1.9 | Patrick Gross | November 6, 2020 | Addition [nnm1]. In the Summary, addition of "and Le Nouveau Nord Maritime, same date, " |
| 2.0 | Patrick Gross | May 13, 2021 | Addition [lon1]. |
| 2.1 | Patrick Gross | March 11, 2022 | Addition [jps1]. In the Summary, addition of the information from [jps1]. |
| 2.2 | Patrick Gross | May 7, 2022 | Addition [gqy1]. |
