The 1954 French flap:

The British Air Ministry
does not believe in flying saucers...

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 [?]

And yet...

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.

The "saucer" is faster than the jet plane

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.

THE MYSTERY OF THE SAUCER

In Vaucluse, a luminous machine
escapes two jets

AVIGNON. - In early afternoon yesterday Friday the population of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, was in turmoil.

Indeed, a "white disc" was hovering slowly over the small town and one could clearly distinguish it with good binoculars.

This white disc was surmounted by a spherical cap of the same color.

The lower circular edge carried intermittently two powerful fires varying from white to purple color, passing by the red color.

Caritat Air Base (Vaucluse), alerted, immediately scrambled two jets which soon appeared, and after two turns on Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, they took altitude and dove on the "disc".

The radio installed on the jets was in communication with the base, it announced that the craft was in sight, it was chased, but it escaped because its speed was greater than theirs.

From Vaucluse, one could clearly see the disk go away fast, pursued by the two jets.

Here are also some other information about flying saucers appearances:

Mulhouse. - A trader in a car last night in the company of a friend, between Niffer and Kembs, suddenly saw in the sky a luminous machine in the form of an oval fireball. The latter, according to the trader, followed a large "8" in the sky, moving at a tremendous pace and at an altitude of about 300 meters the craft, which was preceded by a long trail of light, changed color passing from orange to white color, then went to the southeast.

Martigues. - An 8 year old child, who was with his mother and aunt on the road in the hamlet of Saint-Pierre, near Martigues, saw in the sky an elongated luminous machine, from which, she specified, a sort of fireworks came out. The parents have certified to the statements of their child.

Calais. - A baker boy of Calais said he had seen at 3:40 a.m., at the place called "St. Pierre Halte" on the road to Saint-Omer, a yellow and shining craft landing on the railway.

The oddly shaped object was, according to the baker, two meters high and four meters in diameter.

Nimes. - Two people saw last night, returning to their home, a few kilometers north of Nîmes, a greenish glow in a field.

They approached and noted the presence of a vehicle identical in all respects to a rugby ball and appearing to rest on crutches. The strange apparatus suddenly rose in the air while emitting a low noise and gradually taking an orange hue.

Graulhet. - A barrel-maker from Graulhet stated to have seen late yesterday afternoon, at high altitude, a silver craft heading toward the northwest, he first thought it was a jet plane, but discerning no contrail, the barrel-maker fetched binoculars and distinctly saw a broad flexible disc that undulated on itself while moving at a high speed.

That's when the craft seemed to explode in flight. A silver ball, one meter in diameter, escaped the mass and continued on his way, soon disappeared from view, while the rest of the craft fell into pieces similar to sheets of various sizes that hung in the sky and some of which clung to telegraph son. Fifteen people have testified to this singular event and material fragments were collected. They were in the form of agglomerated silver filaments and crumbling to the touch.

Melun. - Near Montargis on National Road No. 7, a resident of this city, said he saw in the sky a yellow mass of rounded and very brilliant form.

Marseille. - Two luminous craft flying high were seen in the sky of the Rove earlier this afternoon. Observers noted that these apparatuses were immobilized a moment and then resumed their flight.

Draguignan. - Several residents of Draguignan observed towards the end of the afternoon, a luminous object crossing the sky at the speed of a meteor.

Casablanca. - Workers of the military logistics of Casablanca stated to have seen this afternoon, above the city, a kind of phosphorescent cigar that, after gently going down like a dead leaf resumed its horizontal course at breakneck speed and eventually disappear.

Angers. - A resident of the village of Méral (the Mayenne), said he saw in the sky, a bright orange ball which landed on the ground.

The disc, with a flattened dome, of a diameter of five to six meters produced a blinding light, illuminating the countryside in a radius of 200 meters.

The craft was transparent and inside, one observed a black shape. The disc remained like this for ten minutes, turned reddish, and quickly disappeared to the north. The observer then went to the place where the object had landed. There was, he says, a kind of brilliant cloud that fell slowly to the ground.

Arrived at his home he noticed that his clothes were covered with a white layer of a slightly sticky material like paraphine [sic].

NO "SAUCER" IN BRITAIN WHERE NATURAL EXPLANATION ARE GENERALLY ENOUGH

London. - The Ministry of the British Air does not believe in the existence of "saucers", "cigars" and other flying contraptions.

While refusing to comment on the craft reported in France, official spokesmen stated that natural explanations are usually given to these phenomena in Britain and that only insufficient explanations let the mystery survive.

No mysterious object was reported in the skies of Britain in recent weeks.