The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 18-Oct-54-Aire-sur-la-Lys.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
On October 21, 1954, the French press briefly reported that near Aire-sur-la-Lys, a steelworker from Isbergues had seen "a luminous craft of round shape descend slowly." The witness reportedly said that when the craft touched the ground about three kilometers away from him, a flash had illuminated the sky. Many inhabitants "confirmed to have seen, not the bolide, but the illuminated sky." No trace of the "craft" that would have fallen was found.
From Press sources, Jacques Vallée summarized the case with a wrong date of October 15, 1954, omitting the mention of a "bolide" and not recognizing a meteor, making of this a "UFO landing". As the witness worked at the Isbergues steelworks, Vallée thought it was the name of the place of observation. Many authors then repeated this erroneous version.
Ufologists Garreau and Lavier said that the so-called "craft" "landed slowly in the countryside, 200 or 300 meters from the witness". Ufologists Figuet and Ruchon gave a wrong time of 07:30 p.m., where Vallée has only told it was at night.
In 2016, "skeptical" ufologist Dominique Caudron, who is from the North of France, noted that it was not a landing, that it had not taken place on October 15, 1954 but on October 18, 1954, and that the local newspaper La Voix du Nord, Saint-Omer issue for October 20, 1954, on page 6, gave the real version, speaking of the fall of a bolide:
On Monday (October 18th, 1954), around 9:15 p.m., Mr. Robert Boon, residing rue du Doyen in Aire-sur-la-Lys, was returning from the Isbergues steelworks and was riding alone on a bicycle when between La Rupie and La Lacque, he saw a luminous ball that he located between the hamlet of Hourleron and the village of Thiennes.
It was "a balloon-shaped bolide," which seemed to him from the distance he estimated at 4 kilometers to be one meter in diameter.
Robert Boon was blinded by a flash of light, "probably springing up at the moment the meteor touched the ground and volatilized", the newspaper said.
[Ref. ner1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-ECLAIR":
|
In Hesdin, Mr. Jean Gambier, sworn police officer, was going to his duty, when his attention was drawn to a conflagration from the sky above the forest. The object, which had an elongated shape, seemed to come down from the starry sky.
Its upper part was bright red, its center was bright white and the lower part left behind a shower of stars and a luminous trail.
The craft then picked up height again, vertically, and disappeared at a dizzying speed, leaving behind it a trail similar, the witness claims, to a gigantic fireworks rocket.
This phenomenon was also seen at the same time by a hundred people from Auby-Saint-Leu [sic].
IN AIRE-SUR-LA-LYS
Near Aire-sur-la-Lys, a steelworks worker from Isbergues saw a luminous craft of round shape, descend slowly.
When it touched the ground, the witness continued, almost three kilometers from me, a lightning bolt lit up the sky.
Many residents confirmed that they saw not the fire ball, but the sky lit up. As for the object which would have fallen, no trace of it was found.
(To be continued)
[Ref. cmn1:] NEWSPAPER "CENTRE-MATIN":
|
The "flying saucers" continue to make headlines. Actually, it would be this time, not saucers, but plates.
A farmer from Villepinte (Aude), Mr. Rouquet said he saw the day before yesterday in the evening, around 11:30 p.m., a bright orange disk moving westward. The craft stopped above the territory of the municipality of Laurabuc, remained motionless for a quarter of an hour, then went back and disappeared. Mr. Rouquet's parents, alerted by their son, witnessed the departure.
A few kilometers from Villepinte, residents of Bram and of Villasavary spotted on the day before yesterday, between 11 p.m. and midnight, a luminous disc that moved at a fast pace. It offered the ability to change color..
The evening of the day before yesterday also, several residents of Tréveneuc (Côtes-du-Nord) reported seeing a flying disc hovering above the sea. The same phenomenon was observed in Saint-Quay-Portrieux by a butcher and a teacher.
Finally, near Aire-sur-la-Lys, a steel mill worker of Isbergues saw a round shaped luminous craft descend slowly. When it hit the ground, the witness said, about three kilometers from me, a flash of lightning illuminated the sky." Many people confirmed seeing, not the fireball, but the brightened sky. Regarding the craft, which would have fallen, no trace of it was found.
Meanwhile, another witness report, this one nine days old, came to give some details of a "flying saucer": on October 10, Mr. Roger Thiriet went, around 6:30 a.m., to Ecrouves, where he is a warden at the penitentiary. Suddenly, through a dense fog, he saw a saucer of aluminum color. It was about 2 m. 40 in diameter and 1 m. 40 high, was topped by a dome and had two windows. He approached, but the craft rose silently. Mr. Thiriet kept silence on this, fearing to be ridiculed by his colleagues and the villagers.
The Indonesian agency Antara reported on Tuesday evening, that about 9 p.m. local time, people in Bondowoso, East Java, were awestruck when they saw a white and green disc which passed at high speed over the town and disappeared in half a minute. The witnesses described the object as a "large plate" animated by a rotating motion.
This is the second time that the people of Bondowoso witness a phenomenon of this kind. The first appearance of a "strange object" took place on July 25, at the same hour.
[Ref. nnm1:] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":
|
Paris, 20. -- Judging by the small number of testimonies, the flying saucers were not very active over France, yesterday Tuesday.
A farmer from Villepinte (Aude) Mr. Rouquet, said he saw on Monday evening around 11:30 p.m., an orange-colored luminous disc heading west. The craft stopped above the territory of the commune of Laurubuc, remained motionless for about a quarter of an hour, then left and disappeared. Mr. Rouquet's parents, informed by their son, attended this departure.
A few kilometers from Villepinte, residents of Bram and of Villasavary saw, on Sunday between 11 p.m. and midnight, a luminous disc that was moving at a very high speed. It offered the particularity to change color.
Also on Monday evening, several residents of Tréveneuc (Côtes-du-Nord) said they had seen a flying saucer hovering above the sea. The same phenomenon was observed at Saint-Quay-Portrieux by a butcher and a teacher.
Finally near AIRE-SUR-LA-LYS, a worker in the steelworks of Isbergues saw "a luminous machine of round shape descend slowly." "When it touched the ground," the witness continued, "nearly 3 kilometers from me, a flash lit up the sky." Many residents confirmed that they saw, not the bolide, but the lit up sky. As for the object that fell, no trace of it was found.
Also, another testimony, this one nine days old, came to bring some details on a flying saucer. On October 10, Mr. Roger Thiriet, went, around 6:30 a.m. in Ecrouves where he is a warden at the penitentiary center. Suddenly, through fairly dense fog, he saw an aluminum-colored saucer. It was about 2 m. 40 in diameter and 1 m. 40 tall was crowned with a dome and had two portholes. He approached but the machine rose silently. Mr. Thiriet remained silent on this fact, fearing to be laughed at by his colleagues and the inhabitants of the village.
Saintes, 19. -- Mr. Labassière and his wife who were returning from Saintes (Charente Maritime) reportedly saw the other evening, around 9 p.m., a kind of balance waddling at low altitude. The rod were dazzling green, one of the trays was red and the other orange...
After taking an immobile position, these two trays - according to the witnesses - detached themselves to land in a field. Two small beings then left each ball and, after crossing each other, changed craft.
The two craft then returned to their original place and the phenomenon disappeared in a dazzling flash.
Djakarta, 20. -- The Indonesian agency Aniara reports that on Tuesday evening, around 9 p.m. local time, the population of Bondowoso, in eastern Java, was struck with terror when they saw a white and green disc that passed at high speed over the city and disappeared in half a minute. Witnesses described the object as a "large plate" with a rotating movement.
This is the second time that the people of Bondowoso witnessed such a phenomenon. The first appearance of a "strange object" was said to have taken place on July 25, at the same hour.
[Ref. ppe1:] NEWSPAPER "PARIS-PRESSE":
|
"The flying saucers? Phew! I know what it is. I held a fragment of it in my hands."
This sensational statement comes from a cinema operator in Pont-l'Evêque, Mr. Blain.
- I was Monday on the airfield of Reventin - Vaugris in the Rhône valley when, shortly after the passage of a stratojet Mme Lelandais, wife of a base monitor believed that a number of "saucers" in the shape of parachutes were moving. They varied in altitude, appearance, color and suddenly disappeared. Half an hour later, a rain of "spider webs" fell heavily on the ground. We picked it up with both hands. It was a whitish material, soft to the touch at the same time as rubbery, agglomerating then melting with the heat of the hand without leaving traces. We were able to keep some of it for five hours in a waterproof box and photograph it.
This material, Mr. Blain affirms, comes from the jet engines of the Stratojets that daily use the Rhône valley (unless it is filanders, better known under the name of Angel Hair, produced in fall by various species of flying spiders).
Usually, the Stratojets jet engines, unlike those of other jet planes, do not leave a trail behind them. On Monday, however, it formed behind the apparatus, moving at nearly 10,000 meters, a very curious trail, light vapor which solidified in thick volutes two or three kilometers from the place of their formation.
The explanation of the formation of this "melting mass" produced under certain conditions by Stratojets leads technicians to formulate this hypothesis: the streaks produced resembling those of ordinary jet airplanes may be due to the injection of water in the reactors. At the origin of this phenomenon, there would be the fact that this water, projected in the combustion chambers at nearly 1,800 degrees undergoes a molecular disaggregation by contact with the combustion gas. As a result, a chemical reaction occurs which would lead to the formation of the curious matter detected on Monday at Reventin-Vaugris.
This perhaps clarified the mystery of the "saucers" observed two years ago in Oloron and Gaillac and which present all the characteristics of the phenomenon observed by Mr. Blain. But cigars? But the scales? But the Martians? Ah! Who will give us the explanation of the Martians kissing the peasants in the name of the inter-sidereal fraternity?
The latest model of flying saucer is paired. A saucer plus a saucer equals a balance, if they are united by a flail. As well it is a balance with orange and red trays that was seen, in Royan, by Mr. and Mrs. Labassière. These two trays, after being immobilized in the air, separated and landed nearby, in a field. Two little men came out of each ball and changed trays. The two trays then tightened together and disappeared in a dazzling flash.
To tell the truth, saucers, cigars and other interplanetary craft were not very active yesterday. Farmers from Villepinte (the Aude) and surrounding areas; natives of Tréveneuc (C.-d.-N.) and of St-Quay-Portrieux; a metallurgist from Aire-sur-la-Lys and the mayor of Nexon (Hte-Vienne) saw some. This is a topic of conversation for evenings. Unfortunately, no "Martians" were on board.
[Ref. nmn1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-MATIN":
|
A "Stratojet" plane which, every day, flies over the Rhône valley, at an altitude of about 10.000 meters, was mistaken, by some people, for a flying saucer.
The President instructor of the Aéro-Club de Vienne immediately dissuaded the overly imaginative witnesses, but a strange phenomenon occurred after the passage of the powerful jet plane. In fact, in the sky, a sorts of parachutes were created, animated by bizarre movements and having the appearance of light veils which soon reached the ground.
Witnesses of the phenomenon seized this material, very soft to the touch and having a little the consistency of rubber. On reaching the ground, it evaporated, probably under the influence of temperature.
One of the witnesses put some of the substance in a box and had it photographed immediately. A few hours later, what remained in this waterproof box had evaporated.
This phenomenon, due to the condensation in the rarefied and cold atmosphere of certain compounds of the fuel of the "Stratojet", can cause white or iridescent formations moving at high speed at high altitude and thus giving rise to more or less fanciful interpretations.
This observation, made above the Vienne airfield is identical to that already reported in its time by a resident of Oloron.
Questioned by Belgian journalists, a border astronomer, who asked to remain anonymous, gave the following advice to the questions asked yesterday:
Saucers and other flying objects would be, according to him, the equivalent of our sounding balloons, but more perfected, because they return to their starting place. This starting place is, in his opinion, not the planet Mars, but Uranus, discovered in 1781 and 70 times larger than Earth.
Basing his deductions on testimonies gathered from numerous witnesses, he deduces that the number of these and the diversity of their profession rejects the hypothesis of a collective hallucination.
Returning to Uranus, he specifies that this planet revolves around the sun and seems the most favorable to gather elements of life analogous to ours.
We reported yesterday the strange phenomenon observed Monday evening, around 8:50 p.m., in the sky of Bethune.
However, a municipal councilor of Douai, Mrs. Augustine Mocq and her husband, who were walking on rue du Polygone, in Douai, were able to observe the same effects at exactly the same time.
"It was, says Mrs. Mocq, like a huge lightning bolt that lit up the whole neighborhood. Looking up to the sky, I barely had time to notice in the direction of Piers (so the same as for Bethune) like a hair of very luminous rays coming out of a dark mass. But that lasted only a very short time. My husband was able, like me, to make the same observations. It is by reading in "Nord-Matin" the relation of the Bethune phenomenon that I convinced myself it was the same. I am absolutely certain, and my husband too, that I was not the victim of an hallucination, the craft must have had a great lighting power."
It would never occur to anyone in Douai to question these assertions by Mr. and Mrs. Mocq, who are very rightly esteemed in this city.
The Indonesian agency Antara reports that Tuesday evening, around 9 p.m. (local), the people of Bondowoso, in the state of Java, were struck with terror when they saw a white and green disc which passed at high speed above the city and disappeared in half a minute. Witnesses described the object as a large plate with a rotating movement.
This is the second time that the people of Bondowoso have witnessed such a phenomenon. The first appearance of a "strange object" was said to have taken place on July 25, at the same time.
Finally near Aire-sur-la-Lys, a worker at the Aciéries d'Isbergues saw a luminous craft of round shape descend slowly. When it touched the ground, the witness continued, nearly 2 km away from me a lightning bolt lit up the sky. Many residents have confirmed that they saw not the bolide, but the sky lit up. As for the object that fell, there is no trace of it.
[Ref. lcx1:] NEWSPAPER "LA CROIX":
|
Judging by the small number of testimonies collected, the activity of the flying saucer pilots over France was quite reduced during the day on Tuesday.
A farmer from Villepinte(Aude), Mr. Rouquet, said he saw a bright orange disc heading towards the West. The craft stopped above the territory of the town of Laurabuc, remained motionless for about a quarter of an hour, then set off again and disappeared. M. Rouquet's parents, informed by their son, attended this departure.
A few kilometers from Villepinte, residents of Bram and Villasavary saw, between 11 p.m. and midnight, a luminous disc moving at very high speed. It offered the particularity of changing color.
Several residents of Tréveneuc (Côtes-du-Nord), stated they have observed a flying saucer which hovered above the sea. The same phenomenon was noticed in Saint-Quay-Portrieux by a butcher and a teacher.
Near Aire-sur-la-Lys, a worker from the Isbergues steelworks saw "a luminous craft of round shape descend slowly". "When it touched the ground, continued the witness, nearly three kilometers from me, a lightning illuminated the sky." Many residents confirmed to have seen, not the fireball, but the illuminated sky. As for the craft that would have fallen, no trace of it was found.
The mayor of Nexon (Haute-Vienne), stated he saw in Petourailles, commune of Bussière-Galant, at 200 meters height, a very shiny metallic craft.
"It was," he said, "shaped like a half-sphere with a slightly pointed top." The craft disappeared vertically into the sky without making noise or smoke, and at breakneck speed.
[Ref. pat1:] NEWSPAPER "LE PAYS D'AUGE - TRIBUNE":
|
In Audruicq (P.-de-C.), MM. Maurice Ramette and Léon Gégnier saw, high in the sky, an object of round shape and white in color which was moving towards them. Suddenly, the craft tilted and disappeared at breakneck speed.
In Hesdin (P.-de-C.), Mr. Jean Gambier, a police officer, was on his way to his duty when his attention was attracted to a blaze in the sky. Above the forest, a red object seemed to descend from the starry sky. The lower part of the craft left behind a luminous trail.
Many residents of Huby-Saint-Leu, a village near Hesdin, also witnessed this phenomenon.
A resident of the village of Prades (Pyrénées-Orientales), to whom two motorcyclists wanted to request information, fled, the other day, shouting: "The Martians are coming". Caught by the bikers, who, to reassure him, had removed their helmets, the farmer admitted that if he had had a gun in his hands he would have killed them.
A saucer was seen by the supervisor of a penitentiary center in Ecrouves, Mr. Roger Thiriet, residing in Blénod-les-Toul (Meurthe-et-Moselle). The jailer's saucer is not exactly fresh since it would have appeared on October 10. But Mr. Thiriet remained silent for a long time "fearing to be the laughing stock of his colleagues". However, his secret seemed to him too burdensome, and here is the account given to the gendarmes by this balanced man:
- I returned to the center by motorbike, when around 6:30 a.m., near the railway bridge, near Charmes-la-Côte, my headlight lighted an aluminum-colored saucer appearing from the fog, posed on the ground. The craft was 2 meters in diameter and 1.40 meters high. It was surmounted by a dome pierced by two portholes.
"I stopped my engine immediately; but as I approached, the saucer rose without noise."
It turns out that, this same October 10, a machine identical to [Continued on page 3]
A very bright flying disc was seen by a group of workers over a street in Rome. It is one of the innumerable appearances of the "flying saucers" which visit Italy at the moment. Their arrival provokes a strong emotion. In Livorno, a young man, Bruno Senesi, was sent urgently to the mad house. He had presented himself, very agitated, at the city hospital, shouting: "They come to take me... I saw them land in a field... Discs big like that, all in light and in smoke, full of Martians, small and red."
The people of Bondowoso, in east Java, were terrified when they saw a white and green disc, which passed at high speed over the city and disappeared in half a minute. Witnesses described the object as a "large plate" with a rotating movement.
A "Stratojet" plane which flies daily over the Rhône valley, at an altitude of about 10,000 meters, was mistaken the other day, by several inhabitants of Vienna, for a flying saucer.
Indeed, a strange phenomenon occurred after the passage of the powerful jet plane. Kinds of parachutes were formed in the sky, animated of strange movements, which soon reached the ground.
The witnesses of the phenomenon seized this matter and one of them put a little of the substance in a box and had it photographed immediately. A few hours later, the contents of the box, although waterproof, had evaporated.
It seems that the condensation in the rarefied and cold atmosphere of certain compounds of the "stratojet" fuel can cause white or iridescent formations moving at high speed and thus gives rise to various interpretations.
This observation made above the aerodrome of Vienne, is identical to that already reported in its time, by a resident of Oloron.
|
(continued from page 1)
Aussay, a small town near Dieppe, was overflown by a mysterious craft which emitted a strange whistling sound. It had the shape of a gigantic cigar thay could reach 15 to 18 meters in length; in the center of the craft there was a disc surmounted by a dome.
In Villepinte (Aude), Mr. Henri Rouquet, 22, was returning home when he noticed a luminous form that was moving at high altitude. Suddenly, the craft lands not far from the farm where the young man lives. Mr. Bouquet then hastened to warn his family and several neighbors, who were able to observe the saucer distinctly. After a few minutes, the disc rose silently and quickly disappeared.
In Ham (Somme), three motorcyclists, MM. Marc and Gilles Lemaire, and Jean Ivard, were going to their work when they noticed in the sky a red disc followed by a flaming cone which advanced at the speed of an airplane. At the precise moment when the craft was above the motorcyclists, the engines of their machines stopped suddenly and the headlights went out. Everything returned to normal when the mysterious object moved away.
A motorist in the Cherbonnières region was driving with his 3 and a half year old son on the road from Sérifère to Paillé when, around 9:30 p.m., he and the child experienced painful tingling sensations, similar to electric shocks; which increased as they progressed.
The car engine suddenly stopped and the headlights went out. The child started to cry. A bright glow, passing from bright red to orange, dazzled the occupants of the car, who see a motionless craft in space. Then what they recognized as a flying saucer disappeared in the night.
been seen in Longwy, in the north of the department.
- It must be a secret weapon, said Mr. Thiriet (who does not believe in Martians), built by a foreign power. I think the craft would come from Antarctica.
Two motorists from Royan, Mr. Labestière and his wife, saw in the sky "a kind of waddling balance".
- The scourge was dazzling green, witnesses said. One of the plates was red, the other orange. After remaining motionless, the two plates detached and landed in a field. Two little beings came out of it and, after crossing paths, changed their plates. The "flying balance" then disappeared, plates included, in a dazzling flash.
In Ollainville, near Arpajon, six residents of the locality noticed an incandescent object which at first looked like a star and was revealed as it approached in the shape of a cigar. Coming from the west, the object disappeared to the east.
In Saint-Fiacre, not far from Etampes, several people saw a craft in the shape of a gigantic star spinning above the village for 20 minutes.
The mayor of Nexon (Haute Vienne) saw a very bright metallic hemisphere hovering at breakneck speed, without noise.
A very brilliant disc was even seen in Boulogne-sur-Seine, by a dozen workers from the Régie Renault. The phenomenon had been observed in broad daylight for half an hour.
In Trevedec (C.-du-N.), several people saw a flying saucer hovering over the sea.
Near Aire-sur-Lys, a worker at the steel works in Isbergues saw a luminous sphere descend slowly. When it touched the ground, the sky lit up.
[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:
Aimé Michel notes that whereas the night was falling on October 15, close to Aire-sur-Lys in the department of Pas-de-Calais, a workman of the steelworks of Isbergues sees a luminous machine of circular shape going down slowly from the sky and landing in the countryside:
At the time of its landing, the object displayed powerful sets of lights which illuminated the sky and were seen by many witnesses of the close villages.
[Ref. aml2:] AIME MICHEL:
In an article in 1963 on orthoteny, Aimé Michel adds:
Thus, at the first glance, something appears. On October 15 for example, there were 8 sightings: in Southend in England, in Calais, one in Aire-sur-la-Lys, one on Main Road 68 between Niffer and Kembs (Franco-German border), one in the mouth of Pô, one in the east of Paris, one on Main Road 7 in the south of Montargis, and finally in Fouesnant, near Quimper.
[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
|
October 15 [, 1954]
[... other cases...]
nightfall: Isbergues(4 km ESE.Aire-sur-la-Lys--Pas-de-Calais): circul.luminous craft lands amd luminous emissions
[... other cases...]
[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:
|
[... other cases...]
October 14, 1954: Isbergues (4 km ISL in the ESE of Aire-sur-la-Lys--Pas-de-Calais): steelplant workers (Circl.craft + luminous emissions
[... other cases...]
[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 353 | 15 | 10 | 1954 | 15 | 00 | 2 | ISBERGUES-P.DE C. | F | 0011 | C** | 305 |
[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:
The two authors indicate that according to newspaper clippings and their personal files, on October 15, 1954, at about 07:30 P.M. in Isbergues in the Pas-de-Calais, a metalurgist workman saw a luminous machine emerging at high speed, losing altitude.
The machine slowed down gradually and landed gently in the countryside, at 200 or 300 meters of the witness, engaging in a series of display of light at the time of its landing. Rays of light illuminated the countryside around and were seen by people in the nearby villages, while the witness went away as fast as he could.
[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:
|
268) October 15, 1954, night, Isbergues (France):
A steelworker observed a luminous sphere land in the countryside; it then emitted lights of various colors. (P 54, P 68; M 181).
[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:
|
October 15, 1954, night, Isbergues (France):
A steelworker observed a luminous sphere land in the countryside; it then emitted lights of various colors. (France-Soir, Paris-Presse, Oct. 21, 1954).
[Ref. rvt1:] RAYMOND VEILLITH:
[...] we must consider the case of aligned landings (which ipso facto excludes the case of a meteor!) which are of immense importance; for example, on October 15, 1954, a significant alignment runs from Southend (mouth of the Thames) to Po Di Gnocca (near the mouth of the Po), and on this straight line there are five observations including four landings (at Southend, then in the southern suburbs of Calais, then at Aire-sur-la-Lis, and finally in Pô Di Gnocca).
[Ref. ars1:] ANTONIO RIBERA:
The author mentions that a series of observations were reported on October 15, 1954, including in France, including one in Aire-sur-la-Lys.
[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON:
|
444 15 October 1954 Night
ISBERGUES (FRANCE) A steelworker observed a luminous sphere land in a field. It then emitted lights of various colours which were seen by numerous witnesses in nearby villages (M268; France-Soir, Paris-Presse, 21 Oct 54; Miohel II, 181)
[Ref. gni1:] GNEOVNI:
|
10/15/1954 - ISBERGUES 62 type I
At night, a steelworks worker sees a luminous craft of circular shape descend slowly from the sky and land in the countryside. At the time of its landing, the object indulges in powerful plays of lights which illuminate the sky and are seen by many witnesses from neighboring villages.
M.O.C. Aimé Michel page 221)
[Ref. gab1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "G.A.B.R.I.E.L.":
LENZ'S LAW
In this chapter dedicated to landings, we have absolutely not taken the luminous phenomena into consideration. Now, the "Flying Saucers" form a whole. It is therefore logical to think that these two problems should overlap, present a common part.
10/19/1954 Aire sur Lys (Pas de Calais)
At an unspecified hour, a worker from Isbergue saw a round-shaped luminous craft descending slowly. It landed 3km from the witness. When it hit the ground a flash lit up the sky. No traces on the spot. (J. Giraud; "Centre Matin" for 10/21/54)
This fact is far from unique. Our purpose in citing this observation was to attempt to connect two aspects of the same phenomenon. How, indeed, to explain this sudden illumination that one would rather expect to encounter during a brutal takeoff and not during a slow landing? The answer lies in three words: Lentz's law [sic, Lenz law].
If an electric generator outputs a direct current and this current is divided into a current I' passing through a solenoid with a soft iron core and a current I" passing through an incandescent lamp of high resistance with respect to the solenoid, two things happen: the solenoid is crossed by an induced magnetic field, the small lamp lights up. A rheostat is added to it so that the filament of the lamp takes on a barely visible dark red tint. These arrangements being made, the current delivered by the generator is then suddenly cut off. At this moment, the filament of the lamp is brought to incandescence and emits a very brilliant flash. In fact, when the circuit is opened, the current decreases rapidly until so that the magnetic flux that it created in the solenoid quickly also passes from a different value to 0. As a result, an induced electromotive force appears in the solenoid, called the Self-Induction Electromotive Force, which play both the role of inducer and induced. In accordance with Lentz's law, this induced force tends to oppose its cause, that is to say the decrease in current I', it therefore causes an induced current to circulate in the closed solenoid-lamp circuit sense than I' but of a much higher intensity, which explains the sudden flash of the lamp.
It is this same self-induction phenomenon that produces flashover sparks on high-voltage lines. Small sparks are also visible on power outlets when unplugging an electrical appliance.
Self-induction
What would happen if the occupant of a "Flying Saucer" suddenly cut the lifting field of the craft when arriving on the ground? The lifting force Fs would suddenly pass from a value -G to O. The "Flying Saucer" would suddenly see its field vanish and in accordance with Lentz's law, the craft would tend to oppose the cause. It would thus occur a "Gravitomotive Force of Auto-Induction" (please forgive this neologism). The mass of the craft would produce an induced force field in the same direction as Fs, a much more intense field but of short duration. This field would be insufficient (in time) to make the craft jump but it would be sufficient in intensity to cause a sudden burst of light since, as we will see later, luminosity and driving force seem closely linked.
This "Self-Inductive Gravitomotive Force" could also be responsible for deeply marked traces on the ground. We are told that in Aire sur Lys there were no traces. This observation having been made from more than 3km, it seems very improbable that the witness was able to locate the landing spot with precision. The traces may have been there but they were not discovered.
By itself, the phenomenon of self-induction confirms the following hypothesis: the light emitted would be linked to the lifting force applied; in certain landings, it seems essential that the lifting force be momentarily interrupted; the enormous intensity of the self-induction force could explain the deeply marked traces.
Any facts that support a theory are always welcome and for once we do not find a contradictory fact, we are inclined to want to share our satisfaction.
[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors indicate that on October 15, 1954 at 07:30 p.m. in Aire-sur-la-Lys in the department of Pas-de-Calais, a workman of the steel-works of Isbergues saw at the fall of night a luminous and circular machine which went down slowly and landed in a field.
At the time of the landing, it emitted lights of varied colors, which were seen by many witnesses of the nearby villages.
[Ref. jge1:] JEAN-FRANCOIS GILLE:
| ICOD | DESIGNATION | (57) | DATE | JV4 | jve1 | COMMENTS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 092 | 1600 | AIRE-SUR-LA-LYS | RF62 | 541015 | 268 | 353 | @ | |
[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:
| CASE Nr | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | HOUR | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 214 | CEl | 15 10 1954 | 07.50 p.m. | Aire-sur-la-Lys | 62330 B4 | RS[=Sparse information]-P[=Press], OVNI: p. 170 |
[Ref. jca1:] JACQUES COSTAGLIOLA:
The author indicates that on October 15, 1954, there were 8 sightings, 5 were in a line, one of them was in Aire/Lys.
[Ref. fbn1:] FABRICE BONVIN:
Fabrice Bonvin notes:
Case #029: 15/10/1954, p. 170 (Aires-sur-la-Lys) [sic]
[Ref. fbn2:] FABRICE BONVIN:
In a table, Fabrice Bonvin notes selected cases of the 1954 French flap, including this one:
| Case | Nmbr witnesses | Hours | Type objects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aire-sur-la-lys | 1 | 4 | 2 |
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4141: 10/15 19:30 10 2:28:00 E 50:37:00 N 3332 WEU FRN PDC 7:A
AIRE-sur-la-LYS,FR:NMRS SEP.OBS:SCR LANDS/FLDs:TURNS CLRS:BEAMS:/r8+/r49p181
Ref#138 GROSS,L.:UFOs a HISTORY-10 bks Book # 9 Page 51 : TOWN &CITY
[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
Encounters With Aliens on This Day
October 15
[...]
1954 - A steelworker in Isbergues, France observed a luminous sphere land in the countryside on this night. After landing it then emitted lights of various colors. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 181; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 230, case # 268).
[...]
[Ref. jdt1:] JEAN-PIERRE D'HONDT:
This ufologist indicates that on October 15, 1954, in Aire sur la Lys, in the Pas-de-Calais, "The witness, a workman of the steel-works of Isbergues sees at the fall of night towards 19 30, a luminous and circular machine which goes down slowly and lands in a field. At the time of the landing, it emits lights of varied colors, which are seen by many witnesses of the nearby villages."
The sources are indicated as "Vallée Catalogue, case #268. - Aimé Michel: 'A propos .des S.V', p. 221 - C. Garreau and R. Lavier: 'Face aux E.T.', p. 190-191. - France-Soir and Paris-Presse for I0/21/1954".
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Pas-de-Calais in Aire sur la Lys on October 15, 1954 at 19:30 hours, "a workman of the steel-works of Isbergues sees at the night fall a luminous and circular machine which goes down slowly and lands in a field. At the time of the landing, it emits lights of varied colors, which are seen by many witnesses of the nearby villages."
The source is indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".
[Ref. djn2:] DONALD JONHSON:
Donald Johnson indicates that Aimé Michel found that on Friday, October 15, 1954, there was a sighting in Aire-sur-la-Lys in France.
[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
*Oct. 15, 1954 – A steelworker in Isbergues, France observed a luminous sphere land in the countryside on this night. After landing it then emitted lights of various colors. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 181; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 230, case # 268).
[Ref. dcn1:] DOMINIQUE CAUDRON:
The author considers "the myth of the SOUPO alignment", i.e. the claim from Jacques Vallée and Aimé Michel that there was an alignment of 8 UFO observations on October 15, 1954, ino Europe. The author shows that none the cases is at the correct date except perhaps one, that the alignment is doubtful and the observations also.
Dominique Caudron notes that the case of Aire sur la Lys is not a landing case, and that it was not on October 15, 1954, but on October 18, 1954, the local newspaper La Voix du Nord, St Omer issue for October 20, 1954, on page 6, actually said:
A FIREBALL REPORTEDLY FELL MONDAY EVENING BETWEEN LA ROUPIE AND LA LAQUE.
Monday, towards 09:15 p.m., Mr. Robert Boon, residing rue du Doyen in Aire-sur-la-Lys, was returning from the steel-works of Isbergues and rode his bicycle alone when, between La Roupie and La Lacque, his glance was attracted to a luminous ball which he located between the hamlet of Hourleron and the village of Thiennes. This bolide, in the shape of a balloon, appeared, from this distance (4 kilometers) to have a diameter of one meter.
Mr. Boon was dazzled by a fulgurating flash, probably spouting out at the moment when the meteor touched ground and volatilized.
Dominique Caudron notes that indeed that Monday, October 18, at the same hour, many witnesses described the passage of a meteor.
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
This database recorded this same case 7 times instead of one:
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541015 | 15.10.1954 | Aire Lys | France | Nightfall | ||||||
| 19541015 | 15.10.1954 | Isbergues | France | CE II | ||||||
| 19541015 | 15.10.1954 | Isbergues | France | 20.00 | ||||||
| 19541015 | 15.10.1954 | Isbergues | France | Evening | CE I | |||||
| 19541015 | 15.10.1954 | Isbergues | France | Night | CE I | |||||
| 19541015 | 15.10.1954 | Isbergues | France | Night | CE I | |||||
| 19541015 | 15.10.1954 | Isbergues | France | Nightfall |
[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
October 15 1954. Night.
ISBERGUES (PAS DE CALAIS : FRANCE)
A steelworker observed a luminous sphere land in a field. It then emitted lights of various colours, which were seen by numerous witnesses in nearby villages
Michel 1958b p181
Vallee Case 268 citing France Soir + Paris Presse both 21 October 1954.
|
The 08:45 p.m. meteor seen in that region at that date.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Aire-sur-la-Lys, Pas-de-Calais, Isbergues, worker, metalworker, sphere, luminous, landing, country, light, colors, multicolor
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | April 11, 2003 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | December 21, 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Addition [lcn1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | February 11, 2010 | Addition [jca1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | February 28, 2010 | Additions [djn1], [djn2]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | June 30, 2010 | Addition [jve5]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | July 9, 2010 | Addition [fbn2]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | September 19, 2014 | Addition [cmn1]. |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | October 15, 2014 | Addition [nip1]. |
| 1.7 | Patrick Gross | November 22, 2016 | Additions [dcn1], [ubk1]. Change of case date from October 15 to October 18. Explanation changed from "Possible meteor" to "Meteor". |
| 1.8 | Patrick Gross | January 21, 2019 | Addition of the Summary. Explanations changed, were "Possible meteor." |
| 1.9 | Patrick Gross | July 6, 2019 | Additions [rvt1], [lhh1], [prn2]. |
| 2.0 | Patrick Gross | January 20, 2020 | Additions [ppe1], [prn1], [gni1], [jge1], [mft1]. |
| 2.1 | Patrick Gross | January 31, 2020 | Addition [pat1]. |
| 2.2 | Patrick Gross | March 2, 2020 | Addition [nnm1]. |
| 2.3 | Patrick Gross | May 18, 2020 | Addition [nmn1]. |
| 2.4 | Patrick Gross | June 22, 2020 | Addition [ner1]. |
| 2.5 | Patrick Gross | January 23, 2021 | Addition [lcx1]. |
| 2.5 | Patrick Gross | May 10, 2022 | Additions [gqy1], [gqy2]. |
| 2.6 | Patrick Gross | July 14, 2022 | Addition [gab1]. |
