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October 7, 1954, Béruges, Vienne:

Reference for this case: 7-oct-54-Beruges.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The regional newspaper Le Lorrain for October 11, 1954, reported that at the Montagne-de-Béruges, in the department of Vienne, Mr. Edouard Thébault, farmer, had observed in his field a huge luminous craft.

A few minutes later, the craft went out and a huge headlight swept the road, and when Mr. Thébault returned with his father he had been searching, everything had disappeared.

In 1958, Aimé Michel, who mentions as a source the newspaper France-Soir for October 10, 1954, says that on October 7, 1954, Edouard Thébault, 36, farmer in Béruges in the department of Vienne had got up to go to work. As the ceiling of his room was weirdly illuminated, he went to the window, peeked out and saw a luminous craft two or three meters in diameter posed on the road a few meters from the road.

Mr. Thébault stared at the craft with astonishment for a few seconds, then turned the light on. At the same time, a "huge headlight lights up on the craft and sweeps the surroundings."

He ran to wake up his father, but when they came back together, there was nothing left.

Aimé Michel noted that the observation was not very interesting in itself, but by its conjunction with other observations of that date, it "may become important." he would also indicate that the place is on a straight line made up of other observations of that date.

In 1975, ufologists Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, who probably had another Press source, gave the hour as approximately 04:15 a.m., Edouard Thibaut's age as 31, and that he had his farm at "La Montagne", on the territory of the commune of Béruges. Awaken by a strong glow, he said...

... "Seeing the sky illuminated, I thought of a fire, or a beautiful moonlight, but I remembered that the moon had set around midnight, and I got up to go to my window. I then discovered, about forty meters away, an illuminated object in the shape of a big mushroom that was coming down, and a few seconds later the craft landed on the road and then a huge headlight, which seemed to have antennas on its periphery, swept the area, I ran off to wake up my father, and when we came back everything was gone."

In 1979, the "skeptical" ufologists Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker indicated laconically that the date of the case is uncertain, and that "the witness himself admits that he could be misteken."

Reports:

[Ref. lln1:] NEWSPAPER "LE LORRAIN":

THE "FLYING SAUCERS"

Pose many puzzles

NOW, CARS STOP

PARIS. - The "flying saucers" continue.

They are reported everywhere. And now, they are mingling to stop the engines.

In Le Mans a milk collector, Mr. Alexandre Tremblais, who was riding his truck on the small road near Saint-Jean-d'Assé (the Sarthe), suddenly noticed that the engine of his vehicle stopped and that the headlights extinguished.

M. Tremblais got out of his truck to see a red and blue luminous cigar, one meter long, disappearing on the horizon. A few minutes later, the engine started again and the headlights functioned again.

In Nancy, a true skeptic, Mr. Georges Bou, a 30-year-old driver at Sarrebruk [sic, Sarrebourg], was traveling on National Road 3 between Morsbach and Forbach when he saw a thick wide shadow blocking the road. He stopped, got out of his cabin, thinking of an accident. But he realized that he was stopped by a saucer. It was nine meters in diameter and about four meters high. It was illuminated by several light beams directed towards the ground.

The driver approached the strange device. Suddenly, the latter took off vertically, marked a pause at ten meters, then moved away very quickly.

The gendarmerie Captain Bohler went to the scene today with Mr. Bou. But he could not find any traces.

In the Island of Ré, Mr. Simonnetti said he saw a luminous sphere about 12 meters in diameter, which oscillated about fifty meters from the ground.

The sphere, he said, became red, turned blue and rose very quickly vertically.

Two other residents and two Parisians on vacation have confirmed.

At Duclair (Seine-Inf.), Mr. Landrin, a water attendant who was walking with his wife, was blinded by a light beam. When he opened his eyes, he said, he saw a ball disappear a few minutes later.

- Near Reims, a mechanic of the Panhard factories, Mr. Joseph Roy, 30, saw near the Isles-sur-Suippe a cigar posed on the ground, resembling according to his description to that of Marignane. Witnesses around have confirmed.

At la Montagne-de-Béruges (the Vienne), a farmer, Mr. Edouard Thébault, observed in his field an enormous luminous machine.

A few minutes later the craft was extinguished and a huge headlight swept the road, and when the witness returned with his father he had fetched, everything had disappeared.

- Several fishermen and the whole family of a fish dealer saw in the sky, in Plozevet (Finistère), a bright glow surrounded by dense smoke. This gleam, at first motionless, came towards them at an altitude of about ten meters. It had the appearance of an orange sphere.

- A whistling machine, gray in color, stood for a moment about 100 meters from Chassevreuil (Indre). The craft went off at a brisk pace, leaving behind it like a fog.

In the same commune, a young man saw a luminous red-orange machine that moved in a north-south direction.

- An aluminum half-spherical dome, illuminated inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground, was seen in Jettingen (Haut-Rhin) by Mr. René Ott, an employee of the S.N.C.F. [national railyway company]. Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, however, had the time to notice that a door was opening in the apparatus. The latter moved above him for a distance of 800 meters before disappearing. The gendarmes found no trace.

- A silent machine, moving like a spinning top, was seen in Calais, above the municipal theater, by a peacekeeper, a hairdresser, a taxi driver and a butcher. It moved away towards the sea.

- A flying saucer rising noiselessly vertically was seen at Vigneux (Seine-et-Oise) by Mr. Marais yesterday at 9 p.m.. It was luminous and had portholes.

THE EXPLODED SAUCER OF SAINT-VALERY-SUR-SOMME WAS ONLY A SOUNDING-BALLOON OF THE R.A.F.

ABBEVILLE. "Another false saucer!" The mysterious craft which broke out in the Picardy sky, and whose debris was scattered in a pasture at Boismont, near Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, was but a balloon.

The inhabitants of the region, fearing the famous "paralyzing" green ray, dared not approach the debris. Only Mr. Raymond Boucher, a sugar worker, had the courage to come and contemplate the saucer. It was more simply a balloon used by the meteorological services of the Royal Air Force which, by touching the ground, had burst noisily.

VIENNA. - Thousands of people saw yesterday a formation of flying saucers above Ried, flying from east to west.

THE OPINION OF A SCIENTIST

Asked about cars that stop, said:

- saucers or not saucers, it is necessary to consider as true the information that arrives at this moment. With regard to the sudden stop of engines at the passage of these craft, we must admit the presence and action of unknown rays. This does not mean that these rays have an extraterrestrial origin. Do you remember that famous Z ray, which was talked about so much before the last war? During the hostilities, the belligerents further perfected the process. I saw personally, some fifteen years ago, experiments in laboratories where electric rays ignited at distances of a few meters paper or other combustible materials.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel indicates that on October 7, 1954, Edouard Thébault, aged 36, farmer in Béruges in the department of Vienne, woke up to go to work. The ceiling of his room was strangely illuminated. He moved towards the window, threw a glance outside and saw a luminous machine of two or three meters in diameter posed on the road within a few meters of the house.

Mr. Thébault contemplated a few seconds in amazement this strange visitor, then turned the light on. At the same time, a "huge projector ignites on the machine and sweeps the surroundings."

Mr. Thébault run to wake his father up, but when they returned together there was nothing any more.

Aimé Michel notes that the observation is not very interesting per se and that it is by its conjunction with other observations at this date that it may become important.

[Ref. aml2:] AIME MICHEL:

[...]

As of 2 October, the number of daily observations is increasing dramatically. On October 3, there are hundreds, and probably thousands of "witnesses". And the places of observation continue to line up, forming very characteristic networks whose layout evokes a spider's web, with a sort of star-shaped center from which most of the straight lines radiate. A large proportion of cases are also located on several different alignments (at their intersection).

An example of this complex and rigorous provision is offered by the observations of October 7 (see map).

That day, on the territory of France, hundreds of "testimonies" make it possible to plot 23 observation places, of which only one is erratic, in the area of ??Toulouse. The other 22 are organized in 17 alignments:

- One seven spots line: Cherbourg; La Ferte-Macé; Saint-Jean-d'Assé; National 23, east of Le Mans; Lavenay; Montlevic; and finally Cassis.

- Three lines of four spots:

a) Marcillac; Puymoyen; Montlevic; Corbigny.

b) Isles-sur-Suippe; Montlevic; Bournel; Montpezat.

c) Saint-Savinien; Saint-Plantaire; Montlevic; Jettingen.

Finally, thirteen alignments of three spots. One can, at first glance, wonder whether three-spot alignments require an explanation other than chance. But on reflection, chance turns out to be insufficient. Indeed:

On the map to the millionth used for this study, the accuracy of the alignments is of the order of a millimeter, equivalent to one kilometer, for distances sometimes exceeding 1000 kilometers;
But above all, it must be emphasized that most of the spots are at the same time on several alignments (At their intersections): when one plots two spots on a surface, one gets a straight line; if four points are plotted, one gets six lines (the sides of a quadrilateral and its diagonals), determining, in addition to the four primitive spots, three spots of intersection at most; therefore, if one plots three new spots at random, what is the chance for these spots to intersect? Virtually none. The realization by chance of such a provision is therefore highly improbable. If coincidence happens regularly every day for weeks, the chance explanation becomes almost impossible.
Finally (and this is perhaps the most troubling part of the case), how can it be explained by chance that this provision lasts only 24 hours?

In-depth analysis of all these alignments is beyond the scope of an article. A glance at the corresponding map is more eloquent than a long speech. We discover this feature, which I have tentatively called "orthoteny" (2), until further studies allow, if necessary, to relate it to some phenomenon already known and provided with a name existing in the dictionary.

Provisionally, therefore, the "orthoteny" is the rectilinear disposition, generating networks, of the vast majority of flying saucer observations of the Fall of 1954. This arrangement is so surprising that one must, a priori to adopt a systematic distrust about it. Before recognizing it for a real event, one must consider every possible means to reject it.

On October 7, 1954, France is furrowed with observations in a straight line

1. CHERBOURG ...One saw luminous globes! (Paris-Presse - 10-10-1954)

2. DUCLAIR ...Mr. X, blinded y a luminous beam, reopened the eyes, saw a ball that disappeared in a few minutes. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

3. ISLES-SUR-SUIPPES ...on the edge of the road, an object of more than 3 m in length like a big shell pierced with portholes... (Paris-Presse - 10-10-54)

4. PLOZEVET ...sharp gleam, dense smoke... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

5. SAINT-BIHY ...luminous globes... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

6. LA FERT�-MAC� ...a mysterious craft, which was rising vertically, leaving behind itself a white trail... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

7. HENNEZIES ...A "spaceship" and its occupants seen by two children... Egg-shaped object, red, the top pointed at the yky... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

8. SAINT-�TIENNE ...three craft produced a violent white light; - one of the craft was round like a saucer, the two other elongated like cigars. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

9. SAINT-JEAN-D'ASS� ...a gleam of an intense blue color.. (Aurore - 9-10-54)

10. BALLON ...stars as big as the Moon (sic!). (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

11. LAVENAY ...a flying egg... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

12. DORDIVES ...a weird object... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

13. CHALETTE ...an oval-shaped luminous craft. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

14. LES AUBIERS ...a red disc... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

15. CORBIGNY Craft of cylindrical shapes, emitting red-orange gleams when they were horizontal and of a dazzling white when they rose vertically. (Aurore -8-10-54)

16. BERUGES ...a lighted mushroom... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

17. SAINT-SAVINIEN ...a luminous disc. (Sud-Ouest - 14-10-54)

18. SAINT-PLANTAIRE

19. MONTLEVIC ...saucers, cigars, luminous globes and flying discs... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

20. JETTINGEN ...a half-spherical cupola. (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

21. PUYMOYEN ...A the place where a saucer had landed, twelve samll heaps of ash in the middle of a 1,50 m circle and, among the ashes, small sticks... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

22. MARCILLAC ...shape of inverted funnel. (Combat - 12-10-54)

23. BOURNEL ...circular shape... (Combat - 12-10-54)

24. MONTPEZAT ...a luminous circle, orange-colored... (Combat - 12-10-54)

25. BEAUVOIR ...a mysterious craft flying at a rather slow pace. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

26. MONTEUX ...a phosphorescent craft and of 2,50 m height... (local Press - oct. 54)

27. BOMPAS ...a formation of saucers... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

28. CASSIS ...the object, which seemed to be in aluminum, was very shiny. (Provençal)

Alignments exist. What do they mean? This is a mystery...

The case file is not faked

First question to ask: Is it true that the observation spots are aligned as this article claims?

To check this, just look for the spots in question on a chosen map in such a way that the lines of the map correspond as exactly as possible to the great terrestrial circles in the considered place. For France, it is the millionth map, Bonne projection, in the trade by Michelin (Michelin map nr 989). Ones locates the spots by looking for them in a dictionary of the communes, for example that of Berger-Levrault.

Second question: did the author invent all or part of these observations in order to find alignments? To enable researchers to answer this question, I have used in my research only observations that were already made public.

Third question: Did the author choose the observations that are aligned, creating a phenomenon that would not exist if other unreported observations restored the disorder of chance?

Of course, I cannot hope to know all the sightings because many of the witnesses did not say anything. But I used in my work all observations made public, as one can check by studying my book. To prepare the maps, I therefore only used published cases, and I used them all. There was no invention, no selection. Anyone can completely redo the work I did: one only needs to consult the collection of newspapers of the time, taking care though, however, of dates, not of the newspapers publication of course, but of the reported phenomena.

We come to the most delicate aspect of the problem posed by these strange alignments. What do they mean?

I have shown in detail the results of my research to several prominent scientists, including two Masters of Research at the C.N.R.S. It is very unfortunate that orthotenia is linked to the "saucer phenomenon", so discredited, because all these scientists, whom I cannot name, are now convinced that the alignments show a real and original phenomenon.

Real, that is, objectively taking place in space, not in the imagination of the witnesses.

Original, that is, not related to anything known so far. Neither airplanes, sounding balloons, sundogs, meteors, lightning bolts, nor hallucinations, lies, and facetious inventions are observed along lines forming networks. It is something else. What is it?

In my opinion, we are not close to knowing it. But perhaps the demonstration of the geometric superstructure revealed by the wave of 1954 will finally incite a greater number of scientists to worry about it. Allow me to express the wish here. Personally, the discredit that is attached to this research begins to put me down. It is overwhelming in the long run to have my curiosity viewed like a sin.

Aimé Michel

Note:

(2) From a Greek word meaning "stretched in a straight line".

[Ref. aml3:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel explained that since December 1957, he was convinced that the "alignments" of cases on straight lines, such as those of October 7, 1954, are inexplicable, or more exactly, that they can only be explained "by the reality of the flying saucers", and that his opinion "is also that of a large number of scientists, among whom several are world-renowned."

He published a map of these alignments for this date, indicating that all the observations of October 7, 1954, are reported there:

For the case of this file, he noted:

16. BERUGES: ..an illuminated mushroom.. (France-Soir for 10-10-54).

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

October 7 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

04:00 a.m.: Béruges (Vienne): lumin. "mushroom" on the ground + "projector"

[... other cases...]

[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:

October 7, 1954: Béruges (about 12 km ISL in the W of Poitiers--Vienne): Mr. Edouard Thébault, farmer (UAP diameter 3 m)

[Ref. mcs1:] "MICHEL CARROUGES":

Michel Carrouges indicates that the "Thébaut" observation was made at a distance of 40 meters and lasted a few seconds.

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

260

-000.20691

46.56600

1954

BERUGES W.POITIERS

0011

239

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

205

Oct. 07, 1954, 04:00 A.M., Beruges (France).

A farmer, Mr. Thebault, saw a luminous object, 2 or 3 m in diameter, emitting a beam of light which swept the countryside. (41; M 142) (France-Soir, 10 Oct. 1954).

[Ref. fle1:] FERNAND LAGARDE:

The ufologist Fernand Lagarde believed he found a connection between the locations of UFO sightings and the locations of earthquakes or geological faults.

He published a map centered on the Charente-Maritime department, with parts of the surrounding departments, with these cases (his list is incomplete) represented, all dates October 1954:

"N 150 between Saintes and Royan 10.54"
"Taupignac 10.54"
"Pont L'Abbé 10.54"
"St Savinien 10.54"
"Birac 10.54"
"Soudran 10.54"
"Tourriers 10.54"
"Angouleme 10.54"
"Puymoyen 10.54"
"Marcillac 10.54"
"Nessier 10.54"
"Béruge 10.54"
"Lusignan 10.54"
"St Maixent 10.54"
"Niort 10.54"
"La Rochelle 10.54"
"Angles 10.54"
"Luçon 10.54"

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

The author indicates that on October 7, 1954, in Béruges close to Poitiers in the Vienne, a farmer, Mr. Thébault, saw a luminous object on the ground, which was circular, of approximately 3 meters in diameter, and emitted a ray of light which swept the landscape.

[Ref. ldl1:] MAGAZINE D'UFOLOGIE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":

This magazine published in list of cases that needed an investigation or new investigation by their invesigators, including:

"205 7-10-54 Béruges"

[Ref. pis1:] "PHENOMENES INCONNUS" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:

This ufology bulletin published a map supposed to show alignements of cases of October 7, 1954, and it included a cas in Béruges:

The magazine added another map for the 7 october 1954 cases, also includng the case of Béruges:

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

The two authors indicate that in Beruges in the Vienne, on October 7, 1954, towards 04:15, according to newspaper clipings and their personal files, Edouard Thibaut, a 31 year old farmer, whose farm is at "La Montagne", on the territory of the commune of Beruges, is awaked by a strong gleam, and he would report:

"Seeing the illuminated sky, I believed in a fire, or a beautiful moonlight. But I remembered that the moon had set about midnight. I stood up to go to my window. I then discovered, at 40 meters, an illuminated object which went down. It had approximately the shape of a large mushroom. A few seconds later, the machine landed on the road and died out. Then an enormous headlight, which seemed to me to be fitted with antennas on its circumference, swept the surroundings. I ran away to awake my father. When we came back, it was all gone."

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

The two authors note this case of October 7, 1954:

"Beruges - 86 - 4 h 15 - uncertain date: the witness homself admits that he could have confused [sic]."

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

The two authors indicate that in Béruges in the Vienne on October 7, 1954, at 04:15 in the morning, farmer Edouard Thibault, aged 31, who slept is awaked by an intense heat.

"Seeing the sky illuminated, I believed in a fire or a beautiful moonlight, but I remembered that the Moon was set out since midnight. I stood up, and, from my window, I could see an enormous luminous mushroom which went down towards the ground at forty meters of my farm. The luminous shape landed on the road and turned off. Then an enormous headlight which seemed to me to be equipped with antennas on its circumference swept the surroundings."

The witness ran to awake his father, when they come at the window all had disappeared.

The authors indicate that the sources are case 205 of the Vallée catalogue; Quincy; C. Garreau and R. Lavier in "Face aux E.T." page 69.

[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

10/7/54

(4 a.m.)

Béruges (Vienne) r.

100X

[Ref. jge11:] JEAN-FRANCOIS GILLE:

ICOD		DESIGNATION	(57)	DATE	JV4	JV1	COMMENTS
046	1000	BERUGES	RF86	541007	205	260

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

Nr of the J. C. Fumoux list	Nr of Francat list	Localization	Date	Class	Credibility	Sources	Number of W
046	142	Béruges near Poitiers	07/10	CE1	NI RS C.V. [= Unidentified, Sparse Information, Vallée Catalog.]	2 - p. 129	1 T

[Ref. mft2:] MICHEL FIGUET:

CASE Nr	CLASSIFICATION	DATE	HOUR	PLACE	ZIP CODE	CREDIBILITY SOURCE
142	CEl	07 10 1954	04.15	Béruges près de POITIERS	86190 B4	NI-RS OVNI: p. 129

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

October 7th. Beruges, France. (4:00 a.m.)

It was so early for the first UFO sighting on October 7th the witness, a farmer named M. Edward Thebault [sic], was not yet up and about. A strong light woke him and he staggered to the window and with his sleepy eyes saw the source of the bright illumination, a glowing mass about nine feet in diameter resting on the road that ran by the farmhouse only a few yards away. M. Thebault flipped on the switch to his roomlight which apparently produced a reaction from the object. The object suddenly swept the area with a powerful beam. In a panic M. Thebault rushed to wake his father but by the time the two returned to the window to look out, the mysterious thing had disappeared. 64.

64. France-Soir. 10 October 54.

[Ref. fbn1:] FABRICE BONVIN:

Fabrice Bonvin notes:

Case #018: 07/10/1954, p. 129 (Béruges)

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

4001: 1954/10/07 04:20 5 0:12:20 E 46:34:00 N 3333 WEU FRN VNN 8:6

BERUGES,FR:INTENSE HEAT:SCR LANDS:SWEEPS AREA/LITE BEAM:ANTENNAS:/r8#205

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 129 : FARMLANDS

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that on October 7, 1954, in Béruges, "At 04:00 in the morning farmer Thebault saw a luminous object of two or three meters in diameter, emitting a ray of light which swept the countryside around."

She indicates that the source is "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL. - p. 270" and "France-Soir, 10 oct 1954".

[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

On this Day

October 7

[...]

1954 - Beruges, France. A farmer, Edouard Thebault, age 31, awoke at 4:15 a.m. to see a luminous object, two or three meters in diameter, emitting a beam of light that swept the countryside. (Sources: Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 219; Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 129).

[...]

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Thursday, October 7, 1954

[...]

04:00 In Béruges (France), Mr. Thebault (farmer) sees 1 luminous object of 2 or 3 m in diameter, emitting a ray of light which sweeps the countryside around.

[...]

Jérôme Beau indicates that his source is "France-Soir, 10 October 1954".

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Vienne in Béruges on October 7, 1954, at 04:15 hours, "the witness who slept is awaked by an intense heat. 'Seeing the illuminated sky, I believed in a fire or a beautiful moonlight, but I remembered that the Moon was set since midnight. I rose, and, from my window, I could see an enormous luminous mushroom which went down towards the ground at forty meters of my farm. The luminous shape lands on the road and dies out. Then an enormous headlight which seemed to me provided with antennas on its circumference swept the surroundings'. By the time the witness awakes his father, when they return at the window all had disappeared."

Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... par Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** éd. Alain Lefeuvre 1979".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 7 October 1954 in Beruges, France, "A farmer, Mr. Thebault, saw a luminous object, two or three meters in diameter, emitting a beam of light which swept the countryside."

The website adds: "Beruges, France. A farmer, Edouard Thebault, age 31, awoke at 4:15 a.m. to see a luminous object, two or three meters in diameter, emitting a beam of light that swept the countryside."

The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Newspaper Clippings; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

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

*Oct. 7, 1954 - Beruges, France. A farmer, Edouard Thebault, age 31, awoke at 4:15 a.m. to see a luminous object, two or three meters in diameter, emitting a beam of light that swept the countryside. (Sources: Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 219, case # 205; Michel Figuet & Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 129).

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

This database recorded the case 11 times instead of one time:

Case Nr.	Date of observation	Place of observation	Country of observation	Hour of observation	Classification
19541007	07.10.1954	Beruges	France	04.00	CE I
19541007	07.10.1954	Beruges	France	04.00	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Beruges	France	04.00	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Beruges	France	04.00	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Beruges	France	04.00	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Beruges	France	04.00	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Beruges	France	04.00	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Bethune	France
19541010	10.10.1954	Beruges	France
19541007	07.10.1954	Bergues [sic, Béruges]	France
37">19541007	07.10.1954	Bernges [sic, Béruges]	France

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

October 7 1954. 0400hrs.

BERUGES (VIENNE : FRANCE)

Farmer Eduard [sic] Thebault (36) found his room strangely illuminated as he got up. From his window he saw a luminous object 203m diameter on the road a few metres from his house. When he struck a light, an enormous light appeared on the object also, and swept all around. He ran to wake his father, but when they returned the object had disappeared.

Michel 1958 b p142
Vallee Case 205 citing France Soir 10 October 1954.

Explanations:

This uninvestigated case is unfortunately also poorly documented.

For example, not a word is said about a noise or lack noise from the alleged craft.

I cannot discriminate here between an extraterrestrial craft, a helicopter, or even a car's headlights or headlights of some other land vehicle.

Keywords:

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

Béruges, Vienne, Edouard Thébault, object, luminous, ray, light, night, antennas

Sources:

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

[----] Article in the national newspaper France-Soir, Paris, France, October 10, 1954.
[lln1] Article in the regional newspaper Le Lorrain, France, October 11, 1954.
[aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Arthaud publisher, France, 1958.
[aml2] "Soucoupes volantes - L'étrange découverte d'Aimé Michel", article by Aimé Michel in the popular science magazine Science & Vie, France, #485, February 1958.
[aml3] "Un nouvel accès au problème des soucoupes volantes - (suite et fin)", article by Aimé Michel, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #5, pages 3,4, June 1958.
[aml1] "Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery", book by Aimé Michel, English version of "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", S.G. Phillips publisher, USA, 1958.
[gqy1] "Observations 1954", monograph by Guy Quincy, France - Algeria, private publication, page 13, the 1950's.
[gqy2] "Atterrissages au XXe siècle", monograph by Guy Quincy, France - Algeria, private publication, unnumbered pages, the 1950's.
[mcs1] "Les Apparitions de Martiens", book by "Michel Carrouges" (pseudonym of Louis Couturier), Fayard publisher, France, pages 80,81, 1963.
[jve5] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Jannine Vallée, Table Ronde publisher, France, 1966.
[jve1] "Un Siècle d'Atterrissages", catalogue by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, #101 bis, page 3, November 1969.
[aml1] "A Propos des Soucoupes Volantes", book by Aimé Michel, reprint of "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", Planète publishers, France, 1966.
[fle1] Map by Fernand Lagarde, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #92, cover page, January / February 1968.
[jve1] "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publishers, USA, 1969.
[jve2] Summary by Jacques Vallée in "The Humanoids: A Survey of World-Wide Reports of Landings of Unconventional Aerial Objects and their Alleged Occupants", book by Charles Bowen, Neville Spearman publishers, U-K., 1969.
[pis1] Ufology bulletin Phénomènes Inconnus, C.F.R.S, France, #14, pages 20,21, 1971.
[ldl1] "Réenquêtes 1954", in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #118, page 4, June 1972.
[jve1] "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-Terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, Denoel publisher, France, page 271, 1972.
[jve2] Summary by Jacques Vallée in "En Quête des Humanoïdes", book by Charles Bowen, French translation of "The Humanoids", J'ai Lu publisher, France, page 43, 1974.
[gal1] "Face Aux Extra-Terrestres", book by Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, Delarge publisher, France, page 62, 1975.
[aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Seghers publisher, France, pp 193-194, 1977.
[jve5] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Jannine Vallée, Robert Laffont publisher, France, page 250, 1978.
[bbr1] "La Grande Peur Martienne", book by Gerard Barthel and Jacques Brucker, Les Nouvelles Editions Rationalistes publishers, France, page 195, 1979.
[fru1] "OVNI, Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", book by Michel Figuet and Jean Louis Ruchon, Alain Lefeuvre publisher, France, page 129, 1979.
[gep1] "Catalogue mondial Pasqualini, list, in the ufology bulletin GEPO Informations, ufology group GEPO, France, #21, September / December 1980.
[jge1] "L'isocélie de Fumoux: un premier résultat scientifique", article by Jean-François Gille, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #209, page 17, November 1981.
[mft1] "ATTERRISSAGES D'UFO sur le continent français du 26 septembre 1954 au 18 octobre 1954", list compiled by Michel Figuet in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #249-250, page 26, March / April 1985.
[mft2] "Catalogue Francat des rencontres rapprochées en France (Listing 800 1982) (2 - Suite)", list compiled by Michel Figuet, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #257-258, page 18, November / December 1985.
[fle1] Map by Fernand Lagarde, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #275-276, page 22, May / June 1987.
[lgs1] "The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse - UFOs: A History - 1954 October", monography by Loren E. Gross, USA, page 14, 1991.
[fbn1] "Epistémologie de l'Insaisissable", article by Fabrice Bonvin, Switzerland, on the Internet, March 2001.
[lhh1] "*U* Computer Database", database by Larry Hatch, USA, circa 2002.
[goe1] "Chronologie OVNI", web page compiled by Godelieve Van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 2003, at users.skynet.be/sky84985/afin54.htm
[djn1] "Encounters With Aliens On This Day", web page compiled by Donald Johnson, USA, circa 2005, at www.ufocat.com.
[jbu1] "Thursday, October 7, 1954", web page compiled by Jérôme Beau, RR0 website, France, circa 2005, at rr0.org/data/1/9/5/4/10/07/index.html.
[lcn1] Base OVNI France, website by Luc Chastan, France, circa 2005, at baseovnifrance.free.fr/detobs.php?numobs=781
[uda1] "7 Oct 1954 - Beruges, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf18/uf9/189079.htm
[nip1] List on The NICAP Website, USA, found in 2014, at http://www.nicap.org/reports/1954_ufocat.htm
[ubk1] Online database UFO-Datenbank, Germany, found in 2016, at ufodatenbank.de
[prn2] "INTCAT 1954", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, U-K., circa 2016, at https://intcat.blogspot.com/search?q=1954

Document history:

Version:	Created/Changed by:	Date:	Change Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	April 3, 2003	First published.
1.0	Patrick Gross	May 1, 2009	Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [djn1], [jbu1], [lcn1], [uda1].
1.1	Patrick Gross	March 14, 2010	Addition [mcs1].
1.2	Patrick Gross	June 26, 2010	Addition [jve5].
1.3	Patrick Gross	October 7, 2014	Addition [nip1].
1.4	Patrick Gross	December 18, 2016	Additions [lgs1], [ubk1].
1.5	Patrick Gross	January 23, 2017	Addition [lln1].
1.6	Patrick Gross	August 22, 2019	Additions [fle1], [lhh1], [prn2].
1.7	Patrick Gross	October 8, 2019	Additions [aml3], [aml2], [pis1], [mft1], [ldl1], [jge1], [mft1], [mft2], Summary. Explanations changed, was "Not looked for yet."
1.8	Patrick Gross	April 28, 2022	Additions [gqy1], [gqy2], [gep1].

This page was last updated on April 28, 2022.