The 1954 French flap:

A luminous and silent "bottle bottom" above Orly and in the sky of Paris

The most disconcerting testimony, this week, on the flying saucers, comes from the Paris area: from Orly. Saturday October 16, Misters Raymond Capelle and Charles Birest, after dining at 09:35 p.m., came out from Mr. Capelle's, 8, street of the Puy-de-Dome in Orly, when they saw in the sky a mysterious machine. Slipping by from East to West, this machine, in the shape of a "bottle's bottom", rotated and left behind a luminous orange, yellow and blue trail, long of thirty times approximately the diameter of the machine. At its passage, this luminous trail entirely lit the street. After a few seconds, the machine disappeared behind a house. Mr. Capelle is employed with the "traffic" service of Air France in Orly. During five years (four years in Indo-China, one year in Orly), he belonged to the gendarmerie of the air. He identifies any type of apparatus with the noise of its engine. "I cannot be mistaken, he said. It is not a jet plane, this machine did not make any noise, it is what gives it its supernatural character". Mr. Birest, employee with the U.S.A.F., worked at the Orly airfield for thirty years. He confirms in all manner Mr. Capelle's testimony. This machine was also observed by the many Parisians and suburbians who located the passage from the Stock Exchange to Neuilly. Three C.R.S. also saw it above Lagny.

"Don't shoot the Martians...!"

ASKS A GERMAN THEOLOGIAN

A German theologian, Professor Philippe Dessauer, invites us, in the Catholic magazine "Wort und Warheit", not to shoot the pilots of flying saucers if we happen to meet them.

The warning is timely. Saturday, a farmer from the Aisne, in a car failure on the road, suffered two shots: seeing car headlights a villager had mistaken it for a flying saucer and the driver for a Martian. He had a hunting rifle and he fired...

The saucers continue to move. Two residents of Toulon claim that they saw, near Hyères, a mysterious craft of which they drew a sketch. General Intelligence inspectors went to the landing site and noticed a circumference inside which the grass was burned.

Covered in brown hair

Two employees at the Orly airport, MM. Raymond Castelle and Charles Sirets, told the Air Police that they had seen on the night from Saturday to Sunday, around 9:30 p.m., a flying saucer crossing the Orly sky from east to west, "like a jet plane". Arriving above the town of Paray-Vieille-Poste, that is to say on the edge of the west-east runway, the mysterious craft, which, according to witnesses, was moving at an altitude of 300 meters, immobilized for about ten seconds by turning on itself and emitting rays which were intensely reflected on the ground.

Our collaborator Paul Gérin saw the same phenomenon, at the same time, in Moret-sur-Loing, 40 kilometers south of Orly. It was, he tells us, a vulgar "shooting star" of exceptional brightness, which crossed the sky from east to west, at an apparently considerable height, and which disappeared on the horizon.

This rare, but not unprecedented phenomenon lasted a few seconds, it must have been seen throughout the Paris region.

As for the Martians, three have been reported for forty-eight hours. Two women claim that they met one in the Seine-et-Marne; but according to their description (it was covered with brown hair), it is not impossible that it is a common orangutan escaped from a zoo. A Seine-Inférieure veterinarian, Mr. Robert says he saw another one near Dieppe.

FLYING SAUCERS

A veterinarian meets a "Martian"

Dieppe, 18. -- At nightfall, while driving through the town of Baillolet, by car, on the R. N. 316, Mr. Henri Robert, doctor-veterinarian in Londinières, saw four craft which were flying one above the other, at around [???] meters of altitude. Mr. Robert said that one of them came to his car, that he felt a strong electric shock, and that the engine of his car stopped.

The veterinarian then saw on the road, a strange figure, about four feet tall. The headlights of his car went out. When they re-ignited, a cylinder, about three meters long, took off from the roadside and headed north.

Mr. Robert told his story to the gendarmes of Londinières.

Chatellerault, 18. - Saturday evening, around 8:30 p.m., three firefighters, Captain Huguet, Lieutenant Doussineau and Warrant Officer Berreau, saw moving in the sky, towards the castle of Targe, a large disc projecting sparks, and followed by a very long luminous trail. They stopped their car. The disc, they say, passed over them and they heard a hissing sound.

The grass is burnt...

Toulon, 18. -- Two Toulon residents, Mr. Rappelini, bar owner, and Ottaviani, mechanic of the Merchant Marine, claim to have seen a saucer on Thursday evening landing in the Chemin Long district, near Hyères, and give an absolutely identical description of it.

The General Intelligence Air Brigade went to Toulon and heard at length from the two witnesses, who drew a detailed sketch of the mysterious craft.

Sunday morning, the General Intelligence inspectors went to the place where the two witnesses said they had seen the saucer land. They found there a large circular trace where the grass is burned.

In the sky of Orly

Paris, 18. -- Two employees from Orly airport, MM. Raymond Castelle and Charles Sirest, told the air police that they had seen, on the night of Saturday to Sunday, around 9:30 p.m., a flying saucer cross the sky of Orly from east to west, fast "like a jet plane". When above the commune of Paray-Vieille-Poste, that is to say along the west-east runway, the mysterious craft which, according to witnesses, was moving at an altitude of 300 meters, immobilized for ten seconds by turning on itself and emitting rays which were intensely reflected on the ground.

THE OPINION OF AN ITALIAN SCIENTIST
ON THE
"FLYING SAUCERS"

Rome, 17. -- Many Italians having observed "disks", "saucers", "cigars" etc... flying in the sky of the peninsula, the "Giornale d'Italia" interviewed professor Antonio Eula, Chair of Aerodynamics, at the University of Rome.

This eminent scientist about the possible origin of the so-called spacecraft of other planets, said in particular: "We do not fully know the mysteries of our solar system. Astronautics, when it can be put in practice, will perhaps allow us to penetrate them. But we know from now on that beings similar to us cannot exist on the planets currently known. If there are, they can only be profoundly different. So is it absurd to speak of Martians capable of human activity."

In response to another question, Professor Eula said he did not believe he was authorized to exclude, in an absolute manner, that it could be "experimental devices intended for military use, and protected by an impenetrable secrecy." In conclusion, the professor said: "If this last hypothesis corresponds to reality, the time will come when their secret will be revealed, because no secret of a technical nature can be preserved indefinitely."

To excuse his delay, a roadmender invents a saucer story

Dijon, 18. -- Ten days ago, Mr. André Narcy, 47, a roadworker in Mertrud, arrived at work breathless: "I saw a flying saucer", he affirmed. And he gave a lot of details: an orange colored object posed in a field, a small being dressed in a fur coat. A nice vertical start of the mysterious craft. With two of his comrades, MM. Riel and Henry, he went back there. All three declare that in fact the dew had dried on some surface, that the grass had taken "a slightly milky hue", that one saw traces of "round feet", etc...

In short, questioned again by the gendarmerie, Mr. Narcy did admit that he had put together this story from scratch to excuse his late arrival at work.

A VETERINARY,
EMPLOYEES
of the Orly Airport
CLAIM TO HAVE SEEN
"SAUCERS"

Toulon, Oct. 18

SINCE 48 hours, two Toulon residents, MM. Rappelien [sic], bar keeper, and Ottaviani, mechanic of the merchant marine claim to have seen Thursday a saucer landing in the district of Chemin Long, near Hyères, and give an absolutely identical description.

The air force general intelligence went to Toulon and heard at length the two witnesses who drew a long detailed sketch of the mysterious apparatus.

This morning, the general information inspectors went to the place where the two witnesses stated that they saw the saucer land, they noted there a large circular trace where the grass is burned.

***

Dieppe, Oct 17.

At nightfall, while driving through the town of Baillolet, on R.N. 311, Mr. Henri Robert, doctor-veterinarian in Londinières, saw four craft which were flying one above the other, at around 300 meters of height. Robert says that one of them came to zigzag in front of his car, that he felt a strong electric shock, and that the engine of his car stopped. The veterinarian then saw on the road a strange figure, about one meter tall. The headlights of his car went out, when they went on again a cylinder about three meters long took off from the roadsaide and headed north.

Mr. Robert told his story to the gendarmes of Londinières.

***

Paris, Oct. 17

Two employees at Orly Airport, MM. Raymond Castel and Charles Sirest told the air police that they saw, on the night from Saturday to Sunday, around 9:30 p.m. a flying saucer cross the sky of Orly from east to the west, "at the speed of a jet plane."

Reached above the town of Paray-Vieille-Poste, that is to say on the edge of the West-East runway, the mysterious craft, which, according to witnesses, was traveling at an altitude of 300 meters, stopped for ten seconds, spinning on itself and emitting rays which were intensely reflected on the ground.

The roadmender had arrived
late for work...
because [he] saw
A "flying saucer"

Dijon, 18. -- 10 days ago, Mr. André Narcy, 47, roadmender in Mertrud, arrived at work breathless:

"I saw a flying saucer," he said. And to give a lot of details: an orange colored object stopped in a field, a small being dressed in a coat of hairs. A nice vertical start of the mysterious craft.

Besides, Mr. Narcy was able to show the place. With two of his comrades, MM. Riel and Henry, he went back there. All three stated that the dew had indeed dried on a certain surface, that the grass had taken on a "slightly milky hue", that traces of roud footprints were visible, etc...

In short, questioned again by the gendarmerie, Mr. Narcy and has just admitted that he had invented this story from scratch to excuse his late arrival at work.

And the round
continue...

A veterinarian in Seine-Inférieure, three firefighters in Vienne, two airport workers in Orly, saw various flying saucers. The veterinarian also saw "a strange 1.20 m. tall figure.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

The saucers

(Continued from the first page)

Dieppe. -- At nightfall, as he crossed by automobile, the town of Baillolet, on R. N. 314, Mr. Henri Robert, doctor - veterinarian at Londinières, saw four craft which were flying one above the other, at around 300 meters of height.

Mr. Robert claims that one of them zigzagged past his car, that he felt a strong electric shock, and that the engine of his car stopped.

The veterinarian then saw a strange figure, approximately 12.0 m tall, on the road. The headlights of his car went out. When they went on again, a cylinder about three meters long took off from the edge of the road and headed north.

Mr. Robert told his story to the gendarmes of Londinières.

Three firefighters, Captain Huguet, Lieutenant Doussineau and Warrant Officer Serreau saw rise in the sky, towards from the castle of Targe, a large disc projecting sparks and followed by a very long luminous trail. They stopped their car. The disc, they say, passed over them and they heard a hissing sound.

Paris. -- Two employees at Orly airport, MM. Raymond Castel and Charles Sirest told the Air police that he had seen a flying saucer cross the sky of Orly from East to West, "at the speed of a jet plane".

Reached above the town of Paray-Vieille-Poste, that is to say on the edge of the west-east runway, the mysterious craft which, according to witnesses, was traveling at an altitude of 300 meters, stopped for ten seconds turning on itself and emitting rays which were intensely reflected on the ground.

AN M. P. ASKS
A WRITTEN QUESTION

Paris, 18. -- Following numerous appearances of flying apparatuses of unknown type, currently reported in all regions of France, Mr. René Dejean, deputy of the Ariège (socialist) addressed to the president of the Council a written question asking him in particular:

- "Whether or not a service has been set up to collect the existing documentation on this topic and to study the nature and origin of these craft.

- "Whether the information currently gathered is fit to absolutely exclude the hypothesis of craft piloted or controlled by living beings of a species of beings of unknown origin.

- "Whether, on the contrary, the government has enough information to attribute the production of these craft to the industry of a foreign state.

- "Whether in the latter case the international agreements signed by France already allowed consultations relating to the use of such craft in a possible conflict."

Saucers and cigars in the sky

A veterinarian, three firefighters and two Orly employees add their names to the list of "those who have seen"

Paris. -- A veterinarian, two employees at Orly airport and three firefighters register on the long list of witnesses of celestial phenomena.

At nightfall, while traveling by car, the commune of Baillolet (Seine-Inférieure) on R.N. 314, M. Henri Robert, a veterinary doctor in Londinières, saw four craft maneuvering one above the other, about 300 meters above sea level.

Mr. Robert claims that one of them came zigzagging in front of his car, that he felt a strong electric shock and the engine of his car stopped. The veterinarian then saw a strange figure on the road about twenty feet high, the headlights of his car died out and when rhey re-ignited, a cylinder about three meters long took off the slope and took height at a tremendous speed.

The saucer did not want to land in Orly

The two employees at Orly airport are MM. Raymond Castelle and Charles Birest who affirmed to their chiefs to have seen on Sunday evening a flying saucer crossing the sky of Orly "from East to West" at the speed of a jet plane, reaching the town of Paray-Vieille-Poste, that is to say, on the west-east runway, the mysterious craft, which, according to the witnesses, was moving at he altitude of 300 meters, stopped for about ten seconds while turning on itself and emitting rays that reflected intensely on the ground. As for the three firefighters, Captain Doussineau and Warrant Officer Serreau, they were driving on a road near Chatellerault (the Haute-Vienne) when they saw rise in the sky towards the castle of Targe, a large luminous disc. They stopped and observed the phenomenon at length. "The disc," they said, " passed above us at a few meters barely while emitting an high pitched whistling sound."

A written question from a member of the Parliament from the Ariège

It was inevitable and desirable that following the many occurrences of flying craft crossing the sky of France without interruption for weeks, a deputy addresses a Written question to the President of the Council.

It was Mr. René Dejean, the Socialist deputy of the Ariège, who took this initiative, in particular asking "whether a department has been created or appointed to collect existing documentation on this matter and to study the nature and origin of such craft.

"Wether the information currently gathered and recorded makes it possible to exclude the hypothesis of vehicles driven or controlled by living beings of unknown species and origin.

"Whether the government has, on the contrary, sufficient information to attribute the production Of these devices to the industry of a foreign state.

"Whether in the latter case, the international agreements signed by France have already allowed Consultations regarding the use of such devices in a potential conflict."

October 16 [1954]

09:30 p.m. (approximately): Center-East and East of France, Orly (Seine), Metz (Moselle), Montmirey (Jura), Hurecourt (Hte.Saône), Mailly-la-Ville (8 km 500 SSW. Vermenton--Yonne), Moulin? (Allier),: big luminous ball with a tail (slow meteor, speed=3.000 km/h?)

THE TEST OF THE METEOR. October 16, as if it was purposely, a splendid meteor crossed the north of France towards 09:30 p.m.. It was observed on a score of departments by thousands of people, from the Allier to Lorraine and from the Swiss border to Paris. Naturally many witnesses believed to have seen a Flying Saucer and said so. The newspapers printed "Flying Saucer in Orly", or "in Montididier", or "in Metz." But once again the description made by all these weak brains appeared of a remarkable honesty.

[...]

The innumerable gathered testimonys show indeed that even when the witnesses called "Flying saucer" the observed object, their description is identical on 200.000 square kilometres where the visible phenomenon was visible: an "orange ball followed by a trail", a "large luminous ball with a tail", a "flying egg followed by a trail", a "bottle's bottom with a trail of thirty times its diameter", etc. The same phenomenon is uniformly described.

[...]

October 16th [1954]

[...other cases...]

More "meteor" sightings

[...other cases...]

At 9:25 p.m. residents of Salins, France, noticed something coming out of the southeast sky from the direction of northern Italy. As the thing passed overhead it appeared as a dull-glowing lenticular shape trailing a luminous stream of smoke. Moments later the lenticular body passed over the cities of Dole and Montmirey still on a northwest trajectory. The elongated form was then spotted at Damparis and Dijon. The object was at a high altitude since observers some distance to the right and left of the object's course could see the thing travel from horizon to horizon. At 9:35 p.m., continuing in a straight line, the lenticular body appeared over Paris, causing some concern at Orly airport which put all air traffic on hold while the phenomenon was in sight. Some people in the French capital claimed they saw the object come to a stop while others even asserted the object made a turn to the west.

The French Air Force Inquiry Commission looked into the case and concluded that a "slow meteor" was responsible, and that those who said they had seen a course change had merely suffered from an optical illusion. To explain the duration of the object's passage, the French Commission suggested that witnesses' timepieces were not set properly.

Aime Michel thought more of the case than the military because he had knowledge of a sighting near St. Malo, a town that lies west of Paris on the coast of Brittany. The time of this sighting was not known but there may have been a connection with the "slow meteor." What was seen at St. Malo, however, did not resemble the supposed meteor. According to the witness two objects raced across the sky and a third object was seen intercepting the first two at a right angle. This new formation of three objects sped away leaving a thin vapor trail behind them. 138.

• 138. Michel, Aime. "A Flood of UFOs Behind The Iron Curtain This Fall?" The Saucerian Bulletin. September 15, 1954 [sic, 1956]. Vol.I, No.3. pp.2-3.