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October 14, 1954, Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Saône-et-Loire:

Reference for this case: 14-oct-54-StGermain.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

In his 1958 book on the French wave of 1954, ufologist Aimé Michel indicated that on October 14, 1954, at nightfall in Saint-Germain-du-Bois in the Saône-et-Loire, Marcel Lonjarret was walking in the countryside when a suspicious light caught his attention. He went to see, and saw that behind a hedge at the edge of a cornfield, there was a sort of orange-red luminous dome standing motionless at ground level.

Marcel Lonjarret watched without daring to approach, then returned home. Returning to the scene the next day, he found no trace of it.

The story appears in other ufological sources with slight differences. Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier give the time as 06:00 p.m. - which corresponds to the hour when the sun was setting.

In 1979, the "skeptical" ufologists Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker noted this case on October 14, 1954 as follows: "Saint-Germain-du-Bois - 71 - 8 p.m.: hoax after investigation."

In 1989, the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit published an article consisting of verifications of assertions of explanations by Barthel and Brucker; and for this case, the magazine wrote that in reality they themselves had met Mr. Lonjaret at his home in 1986 and he did confirm his observation, noting that he had never seen an investigator before or had any investigators on the telephone since 1954...

In 1997, Jean Sider gives a story similar to that of Aimé Michel, but where the witness was on bicycle, the hour 7 p.m.. He specified that it is the indiscretion of a neighbor who made the affair known, published in the newspaper La Dépêche - La Liberté, of Saint-Etienne, for October 16-17, 1954, on page 3.

He wondered what investigation Barthel and Brucker amde, since the latterdid not know any details, and especially since ufologist Roger Chéreau had met the witness in 1986 on his farm in Saint-Germain-du-Bois where he was retired, not having changed address, and this witness not only confirmed his story, but certified that Barthel and Brucker had never contacted him, either on the spot or by telephone.

Reports:

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel indicates that on October 14, 1954 at nightfall in Saint-Germain-du-Bois in the Saone-and-Loire, Marcel Lonjarret was walking in the countryside, when a suspect light drew his attention. He went to see, and saw behind a hedge at the edge of a cornfield, a sort of motionless luminous dome of orange red color at ground level.

Marcel Lonjarret looked at it without daring approach, then returned home. He went back on the location the next day and found no trace.

[Ref. aml5:] AIME MICHEL:

An odd straight line.

At the time I undertook (after many other attempts) to study the arrangement of observations on a map region by region, when something curious caught my attention to the Center-East of France. From South of Poligny to a spot located near Gueugnon, in the Saôone-et-Loire, five observations made a rigorously rectilinear arrangement over a distance of 150 kilometers.

Along this line, from East to West, were the observations of the Wood of Poligny, of Saint-Germain du Bois, of Saint-Romain sous Gourdon, of the Departmental 60 near Ciry le Noble, and Departmental 25 near Chazey Wood. While checking their date I discovered with astonishment that all these cases were all of October 14, then that on the 5 observations, one (Saint-Germain) was a luminous object on the ground, the next one (Saint-Romain) an immobile luminous object, placed on the ground, blocking an engine and extinguishing a headlight, the third a luminous object flying over the country-side (Departmental 60), the fourth a similar object blocking an engine and extinguishing headlights. Only the observation of Poligny could at best be taken for a meteor. All the others had the most incredible characters attributed to the saucers.

This first straight line gave me another idea: since 5 cases of October 14 were aligned, why not examine whether the other cases of the same day did not also present some interesting positions? I discovered then, this same day, a new alignment of 4 observations: Poligny (already on the other line), Palleau (Saône-et-Loire), Meursanges (Côte d'Or), and finally, 460 kilometers away, Méral, in the Mayenne. And Méral was also a ground observation [but the 11th and not the 14th].

(to be continued)

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

[... other cases...]

Nightfall:St.Germain-du-Bois(Saône-et-Loire)lum. dome on the ground

[... other cases...]

[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

[... other cases...]

October 14, 1954: Saint-Germain-du-Bois(13 km ISL in the NNE of Louhans--Saône-et-Loire): Mr. Marcel Longjarret (lumin.dome motionless near ground)

[... other cases...]

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

345 -005.24331 46.75320 14 10 1954 20 00 2 (S. GERMAIN DU BOIS) F 011133 C** 295

[Ref. aml4:] AIME MICHEL:

Then, one day, I thought I saw the beginning of the light. Studying the cases of October 14 on a map of Burgundy, I was struck by thr fact that five of them (Poligny, (Saint-Germain-du-Bois, (Les Brosses-Tillot, (Nationale 60 and (the Wood of Chazey) were on a straight line. I then looked for other straight lines, and found a lot of them. Many were dubious, but some of them seemed to defy chance.

[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:

The two authors report the following facts of which they indicate that the sources are newspaper clipping and personal files.

On October 14, 1954, at about 06:00 p.m., at night fall, in the countryside of Saint-Germain-du-Bois, in the Saone-and-Loire, Mr. Lonjaret, a farmer, returns to his farm through the fields.

Behind a hedge, at the edge of a corn part, he sees a kind of luminous dome of red-orange, motionless, at ground level.

He does not dare to approach. He returned at that place on the next day but discovers no traces.

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Scan.

256 October 14, 1954, nightfall, Saint-Germain-du-Bois (France):

Mr. Lonjarret observed a luminous orange object on the ground near a corn field. (Quincy; M 175).

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

The two authors indicate that with St. Germain du bois in the Saone-et-Loire on October 14, 1954 to 19:00, Marcel Lonjaret, farmer, returned to his farm, through fields, when a suspect gleam drew its attention.

Behind a hedge, in edge of a corn field, it discovered, motionless, with the short-nap cloth of the ground a kind of luminous dome of orange red color. It observed this machine without daring to approach and returned at his place. The following day, the witness reconsidered the spot, but did not find any trace.

The authors indicate that the sources are case 256 of the Vallée catalogue; Aimé Michel in "A Propos des Soucoupes Volantes" pages 292-293; Quincy; C. Garreau and R. Lavier in "Face aux ET" pages 108-109.

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

The two authors note this case of October 14, 1954:

"Saint-Germain-du-Bois - 71 - 8 p.m.: hoax after investigation."

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

In an extract of his Francat catalogue, Michel Figuet recorded that the case of the CE0 type in St-Germain du bois was in the twilight, a "confusion with the fall of a fireball."

[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":

Scan.

The magazine published an article consisting of verifications of claims of explanations of cases of 1954 in France by Barthel and Brucker in their 1979 book [bbr1]. For this case, the magazine wrote:

1. Saint-Germain Du Bois (Saône et Loire), October 14, 1954. Barthel & Brucker: Hoax after investigation (cf. p. 197) LDLN version: The witness (Mr. Lonjaret) met at his home in 1986 confirms his observation, and points out that he has never seen an investigator since 1954 (nor received any phone call).

[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:

Jean Sider indicates that the counter-investigation by Barthel and Brucker on the case in Saint-Germain-du-Bois in Saône-et-Loire is "imaginary."

He indicates that on October 14, 1954 at 19:00 hours, Mr. Longjarret, farmer, returns home by bicycle and suddenly sees in the edge of a field behind a hedge a ball of red light. He still rides a little, stops, notices that it is a motionless apparatus in the shape of a dome resting in a maize field. He is impressed and goes home rather than to remain on the location, and it is the indiscretion of a neighbor that revealed the case, published in "La Dépêche-La Liberté" of Saint-Etienne for October 16-17, 1954, on page 3.

Jean Sider notes that Barthel and Brucker claim on page 197 of their book that that is a "hoax after investigation", and he wonders: "what investigation?", since no detail is given.

As for him he specifies that in fact, ufologist Roger Chéreau managed to meet the witness in 1986 in his Saint-Germain-du-Bois farm where he is retired, that he had not changed address, that he not only confirmed his report but certified that Barthel and Brucker of never contacted him, neither on the spot nor by phone.

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

4119: 1954/10/14 19:10 5 5:14:40 E 46:45:20 N 3333 WEU FRN S&L 7:8

ST-GERMAIN-DU-BOIS,FR:1/BICYCLE:LUMN.ORG.DOME ON FIELD:/r49p175+/r138#9+/r8

Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 24 : FARMLANDS

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that in 1954, on October 14, in France, in St Germain du Bois, "at twilight Mr. Lonjarret observed an orange luminous object on the ground close to a field. "

The sources are noted "Quincy" and "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL.- p. 281".

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Thursday, October 14, 1954

In the twilight - In Saint-Germain-du-Bois (France), Mr. Lonjarret observes 1 orange luminous object on the ground close to a field.

Jérome Beau indicates "Quincy" as source.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates in his database that in the Saone et Loire in St Germain du Bois on October 14, 1954 at 19:00 hours "the witness returns to his farm, through fields, when a suspicious gleam draws its attention. Behind a hedge, in the edge of a corn field, he discovers, motionless, at near groundlevel a kind of luminous dome of orange red color. He observes this craft without daring to approach and returns home. The next day, the witness comes back on the spot, but does not find any trace."

The source ist noted: "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. djn2:] DONALD JONHSON:

Donald Johnson indicates that on October 14, 1954, just after dark, around 7:00 p.m., in Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Saone-et-Loire Messr. Lonjarret observed a luminous circular orange object on the ground near a corn field off of highway D91.

The sources are indicated as Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 175; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, case # 256, citing Quincy; Jean Sider, Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste, p. 24.

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

*Oct. 14, 1954 - Just after dark, around 7:00 p.m., in Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Saone-et-Loire department, France Mr. Lonjarret observed a luminous circular orange object on the ground near a corn field off of highway D91. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 175; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, case # 256, citing Quincy; Jean Sider, Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste, p. 24).

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

This database recorded this case 6 times:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541014 14.10.1954 St. Germain Bois France Nightfall CE I
19541014 14.10.1954 St. GermainBois France Nightfall CE I
19541014 14.10.1954 St. Germain Bois France Nightfall CE I
19541014 14.10.1954 St. Germain Bois France 19.00 CE I
19541014 14.10.1954 St. Germain Bois France Evening CE I
19541014 14.10.1954 St. Germain France 20.00

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

October 14 1954. Night.

ST-GERMAIN-DU-BOIS (SAONE ET LOIRE : FRANCE)

Marcel Lonjarret was walking in the country when a peculiar light attracted his attention and he went to investigate. Behind a hedge at the border of a wheat field he saw a sort of luminous orange-red dome motionless just above the ground. He watched it, then returned home. Next day no trace could be found.

Explanations:

Map.

Possibly the 06:13 p.m. meteor that day.

It should be noted that the duration of the observation is noted nowhere; it even seems that the witness left quite soon when he saw the phenomenon.

However, it would be somehow astronishing that, even if he pedalled away, he would not have noticed the important luminosity of the meteor fly-by.

So, maybe it was something else this time. But nothing points to something from an extraterrestrial intelligence.

Keywords:

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

Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Saône-et-Loire, Lonjarret, Longjarret, Marcel Lonjarret, object, luminous, orange, landing, field

Sources:

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

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross February 5, 2007 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross April 8, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [jbu1], [lcn1].
1.1 Patrick Gross April 26, 2009 Addition [jsr1].
1.2 Patrick Gross February 28, 2010 Addition [djn2].
1.3 Patrick Gross June 29, 2010 Addition [jve5].
1.4 Patrick Gross November 15, 2014 Addition [jve5].
1.5 Patrick Gross February 25, 2017 Addition [ubk1].
1.6 Patrick Gross July 15, 2019 Additions [aml5], [aml4], [lhh1], [prn2].
1.7 Patrick Gross July 17, 2019 Addition of the Summary. Explanations changed, was "Not looked for yet."
1.8 Patrick Gross March 14, 2022 Additions [gqy1], [ldl1]. In the Summary, addition of the information from [ldl1].
1.9 Patrick Gross May 11, 2022 Addition [gqy2].

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