The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: Oct-16-54-Valenciennes.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
In addition to the observation in Saint-Saulve on October 16, 1954, around 07:45 p.m., the regional newspaper La Voix du Nord, in the local issue of Valenciennes for October 19, 1954, reported that the "mysterious craft" also seemed to have been seen by residents of Valenciennes, including a Mr. Wallez, garage owner, avenue Carnot; and a Mrs. Jacquemart who was at the place "Le Maquis" and who found it in the shape of a parachute, but could not explain its yellow-orange luminosity.
[Ref. vdn1:] NEWSPAPER "LA VOIX DU NORD":
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Saucers or cigars, whatever the name given to them, continue to occupy the Valenciennes sky. In Saint-Saulve, in particular, Saturday, around 7:45 p.m., a mysterious craft could be observed by dozens of witnesses: it was moving in the direction of the border, parallel to the National road from Valenciennes to Quiévrain.
Among the people who observed it, we gathered the opinions of residents of avenue Jean-Jaurès. Mr. Marcel Trinez, hairdresser, and Misses Decarpentry, who run a grocery store near his home. The craft appeared to them "oval in shape like a disc seen from a distance," Mr. Trinez said. It had light reflections, much like the moon, and was moving at a speed similar to that of an airplane, but without the slightest engine noise being heard. No confusion with a known machine seems possible, each one having had the leisure to observe it well. Numerous residents of this city, notably from rue Duchesnois, from the Grand'Place or from the Marais have been able to make the same remarks and are very affirmative.
The mysterious craft also seems to have been seen by Valenciennes residents. Mr. Wallez, mechanic, avenue Carnot; Mrs. Jacquemart, in particular. The latter, who was at the place "Le Maquis", found it in the shape of a parachute, but cannot explain its "yellow-orange" luminosity.
[Photo caption:] Mr. Trinez and Miss Decarpentry, of Saint-Saulve, who saw from their door step an unknown luminous craft moving in the sky.
(Photo "La Voix du Nord")
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The information is insufficient to give a sure explanation.
I checked the Moon; it was not visible, rising only at 08:45 p.m.
Mars was in the sky at 189°, elevation 15°. But it this sighting was really similar to that of à Saint-Saulve, then Mars in an unlikely explanation.
There were several meteors over France that day. One is well known, and was indeed seen in the Nord, but at 9:30 p.m.. Another had passed at 7:30 p.m., but reported in Alsace, which is somewhat distant. It is nevertheless not impossible that it was seen in the Nord also.
So, for me: possible meteor at 7:30 p.m. of October 16, 1954.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Valenciennes, Nord, Wallez, mechanic, avenue Carnot, Jacquemart, Le Maquis, parachute, luminosity, yellow, orange
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
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| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | October 16, 2021 | First published. |
