The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 5-Nov-54-Vrigne-aux-Bois.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
The regional newspaper L'Ardennais for November 6, 1954, reported a "funny" incident that occurred on November 5, 1954, around 6:30 p.m. in Vrigne-aux-Bois:
A crowd "half-amuzed, half-intrigued" was in the streets to contemplate a quite low red light in the sky, which remained on the spot a good half-hour.
"It's above 'La Roche' said one; "it must be much further," said another. "It looks like it moved," said a third; "it didn't", claimed a fourth, a scientist, who had taken a pole as landmark.
Some kids climbed the wooded slope called "La Roche" above Vrigne-aux-Bois, and grabbed the "saucer" which was at the top of a tree. They brought it back triumphantly to the gendarmerie at the end of a three-meter stick.
It was an old clock case whose dial had been replaced by a red paper, with a lit candle inside, and as the "jet engine that would allow the machine to disappear in a shower of sparks, like any 'saucer' worthy of its reputation, there were two big firecrackers tied on a big cork, which did not have the time to explode."
[Ref. met1:] CNEGU - "LES MYSTERES DE L'EST":
|
L'Ardennais. Saturday, November 6, 1954.
After the two "Martians", it was normal for Vrigne to have its saucer. Everyone was last night, in the streets on the stroke of 06:30 p.m., to contemplate a red light quite low in the sky and that remained on the spot a good half hour, in front of an half-amuted, half-intrigued crowd.
"It is above "La Roche" said one; it must be much further, said another, it looks like it moved, estimated a third, it is false proclaimed a fourth, a scientist, who took a pole as a landmark.
Some kids went on reconnaissance and climbed the wooded slope called "La Roche" which dominates Vrigne. They captured at the top of a tree the "saucer" which they triumphantly brought back to the gendarmerie. at the end of a three-meter stick.
An old clock-box was hung there, the dial of which had been replaced by a red paper. A candle was burning inside. The jokers had not even forgotten the jet engine that would allow the craft to disappear in a shower of sparks, like any "saucer" worthy of its reputation.
It was a candle and two big firecrackers tied on a big cork. The explosives did not have time to fire. One of the astronauts lost his scarf, a Scottish muffler, at the foot of the tree. He may, at any risk, go and claim it from the chief of the gendarmerie brigade.
|
Prank.
This is what ufologists call a "negative" case; i.e., it was quikcly explained by the witnesses themselves.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Vrigne-aux-Bois, Ardennes, prank, negative, candle, firecrackers, red
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | December 15, 2018 | First published. |
