The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 11-oct-54-Acquigny.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
Reported in the press from a news brief by Agence France Presse, from October 13, 1954 on, the case of October 11, 1954, in Acquigny in the Eure department, was described in the regional newspapers Le Nouveau Nord Maritime and L'Ardennais for October 14, 1954, as follows:
An artisan and his apprentice claimed to have seen on the railway from Evreux to Louviers, while they were riding a motorcycle, around 3 o'clock in the morning, a bell-shaped machine, from 2.60 to 3 meters high, which was at one meter above the ground. Its lower part was shaped like a ring.
This craft emitted sparks with greenish and reddish reflections. It first jumped from 10 to 12 meters, while an orange glow shot from its base.
A farm worker joined the two men to observe the phenomenon. All three said that the "bell" remained visible for nearly an hour, then the orange glow became brighter, and the craft climbed very rapidly, heading east.
The version of the Paris-Presse national newspaper for October 14, 1954, was ironic: "Near Louviers, a craftsman and his apprentice saw yesterday around 3 a.m., on the railroad tracks, a bell 3 meters high which launched green sparks and jumped at their approach 10 meters high. The two men also jumped in surprise, but much lower."
[Ref. lcx1:] NEWSPAPER "LA CROIX":
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A 13-year-old boy, the little Gilbert Le Lay, claims to have seen, Tuesday evening, a mysterious craft in a meadow, some 600 meters from his parents' home, in the village of Sainte-Marie en Erbray, near Châteaubriand.
The child reportedly stayed for ten minutes to observe this craft which had the shape of a phosphorescent cigar. A passenger, but this time dressed in a suit and a gray hat, shod in boots, reportedly told him in French: "Look, but don't touch." This character put a hand on his shoulder, while, with the other, he held a ball throwing purple lights. On what could be the device's dashboard were several multicolored buttons.
Still according to the child, the craft slowly rose vertically, launching fires in all directions, made two turns in the air, and suddenly disappeared.
A motorist from Briatexte (Tarn), Mr. Jean-Pierre Mitto, technical agent in a company currently exhibiting at the "Arts Ménagers" in Toulouse, declared to have met, at nightfall, on the national road nr 631, the passengers of a flying saucer.
"Returning from Toulouse with two parents, he said, I suddenly made out in the beam of my headlights, two small figures who crossed the road, just a few meters from my car. I stopped immediately and, to our great astonishment, we then saw a large red disc with a diameter of about six meters flying away from a neighboring meadow, rising vertically. The craft disappeared in the sky in a few seconds."
Two residents of the Toulouse suburbs, Mssrs. Pierre Vidal and his nephew, Angel Hurle, were able to see, Tuesday morning, at dawn, barely a hundred meters from their house, a giant rocket which, starting from a field, quickly disappeared into the sky by creating a clarity of rare intensity.
The two men then went to the place where they located the starting point of the mysterious craft. There, they found that the grass had been packed onto a circular surface 5 meters in diameter. In the center of this area, they discovered four footprints in the ground that appeared to have been left by the feet of a heavy apparatus.
The grass was covered with droplets from oily vapor condensation, which smelled like petroleum.
Police attended the scene.
A craftsman and his apprentice claimed to have seen around 3 a.m., on the Evreux-Louviers railway line, while they were driving on a motorcycle, a 2.50 meters to 3 meters high bell-shaped, which was one meter above the ground. The lower part of the craft was shaped like a ring. The craft emitted sparks with greenish and reddish reflections. It first did a 10 to 12 meter jump, while an orange glow shot from its base.
A farm worker joined the two men to observe the phenomenon. All three state that the "bell" remained visible for nearly an hour. Then the orange glow became brighter, and the craft rose very quickly vertically, heading east.
[Ref. nnm1:] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":
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Louviers, October 12. -- A craftsman and his apprentice claimed to have seen, on the Evreux-Louviers railway track, while riding a motorcycle, around 3 in the morning, a bell-shaped machine, 2.50 m. to 3 meters high, which was one meter above the ground. The bottom of the craft was shaped like a ring. The object emitted sparks with greenish and reddish reflections. It first jumped 10 to 12 meters, while an orange glow sprang from its base.
A farm worker joined the two men to observe the phenomenon. All three state that the "bell" remained visible for almost an hour. Then the orange glow became brighter, and the craft rose vertically very quickly, heading east.
Lisieux, 13. -- Mr. Bon, professor of mathematics at Lisieux, saw at the beginning of the afternoon at Saint-Germain de Livet, 200 or 300 meters from the road, above a wood, a silver disc of a diameter of 7 to 8 meters, which rose suddenly in the sky, without noise.
The disc was in rotation movement. After having dived towards the ground from an altitude of about 800 meters, it suddenly left horizontally at a dizzying pace.
La Roche-sur-Yon, 13. - Mrs. Drouillard, residing in La Roche-sur-Yon, said he saw in the sky, on Monday evening, around 11:30 p.m., a luminous machine resembling a mushroom, which moved quickly without noise.
Nevers, 13. -- Two residents of Clamecy (Nièvre), MM. Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, fairground merchants, said that they had seen a cylindrical craft in a meadow near Corbigny.
They state that while they were about 50 meters from the craft, they felt an electric shock while the engine of their truck stopped and the headlights went out. When the craft was gone, the headlights came on again, but they had to restart the engine.
Lyon, 13. -- Doctor Durand, general councilor of Belleville-sur-Saône, and Mr. Bourgeois, bartender in Saint- Georges de Reneins, saw a flying saucer above La Chapelle de Brouilly.
Also, Monday evening, around 7:30 p.m., two athletes, MM. Dubuis, rugby player, and Coulon, swimming champion, saw, flying at low altitude, towards Montgelas, a ball of fire which changed color several times.
It left traces on the ground
Toulouse, 13. - Two residents of the Toulouse suburbs, MM. Pierre Vidal and his nephew Angel Hurle, were able to see Tuesday morning, at dawn, barely a hundred meters from their home, a giant rocket which, starting from a field, quickly disappeared in the sky causing a clarity of rare intensity.
The two men then went to the place where they located the starting point of the mysterious object. There they found that the grass had been flattened on a circular surface of 5 meters in diameter. In the center of this area, they discovered in the ground, four footprints appearing to have been left by the feet of a heavy craft.
The grass was covered with droplets from the condensation of fatty vapor and which smelled of petroleum.
The police went to the scene.
[Ref. ads1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ARDENNAIS":
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LOUVIERS. -- A craftsman and his apprentice claimed to have seen on the railway from Evreux to Louviers, as they drove a motorcycle, at about 3 a.m., a craft shaped like a bell, 2 m. 60 to 3 meters high, which was at one meter above the ground. The craft emitted sparks shimmering in greenish and reddish. First it rose a good 10 to 12 meters, while gushing from its base an orange glow.
The lower part of the apparatus had the shape of a ring.
A farm worker joined the two men to observe the phenomenon. All three state that the "bell" remained visible for about an hour. Then the orange glow became brighter, and the object rose very fast vertically, taking the direction of the east.
Lisieux. -- Mr. Bon, professor of mathematics at Lisieux, saw early in the afternoon in Saint-Germain-de-Livet, 2 or 300 meters from the road, over a wooden area, a silver disc with a diameter of 7 to 8 meters, which rose suddenly in the sky, without noise.
The disc was animated of a rapid movement of rotation. After diving to the ground from an altitude of about 800 meters it suddenly left horizontally at a tremendous speed.
LA ROCHE-SUR-YON. -- Mrs. Drouillard, residing in La Roche-sur-Yon, said she saw in the sky Monday night around 11:30 p.m., a luminous machine resembling a mushroom, moving silently and rapidly.
Nevers. -- Two residents of Clamecy (Nièvre), MM. Henry Gallois and Louis Vigneron, stallholders, stated to have seen in a meadow near Corbigny, a cylindrical craft.
They say that while they were about fifty meters from the object, they felt an electrical shock, while the engine of their truck stopped and the headlights went out. When the craft was gone the headlights came on again but they had to restart the engine.
LYON. -- Dr. Durand, general counsellor of the Township of Belleville-sur-Saône and Mr. Bourgeois, cafe owner in Saint-Georges de Reneins saw over the chapel of Brouilly, a flying saucer.
On the other hand, around 7:30 p.m. Monday night, MM. Dubois, rugby player and Coulon, swimming champion, saw, flying at low altitude, in the direction of Montgelas, a ball of fire that changed color several times.
TOULOUSE. -- Two residents in the Toulouse suburb, Mr. Pierre Vidal and his nephew Angel Hurle, saw yesterday morning at dawn, a hundred meters from their house, a giant rocket, fly away from a field and disappearing into the sky while producing a clarity of rare intensity.
The two men then went to the place where they thought the starting point of the mysterious craft was located. There, they found that the grass had been trampled on a circular area with a diameter of 6 meters. In the center of the area they found in the ground, four prints appearing to have been left by the feet of a heavy machine.
The grass was covered with droplets of fat steam condensation and smelled of oil.
The police went to the scene.
CHATEAUBRIANT. -- A 13-year-old boy, young Gilbert Lelay, said he saw on Tuesday night around 10:30 p.m., a mysterious craft in a field some 600 meters from his parents' home in the village of Sainte-Marie en Erbray near Chateaubriant.
The child claims to have spent ten minutes looking at ten meters this craft that was shaped like a phosphorescent cigar.
A passenger, a man wearing a suit and a gray hat, wearing boots, reportedly told him in French, "Look but do not touch." He put the hand on his shoulder, while with the other he held a ball launching purple lights. He climbed into the craft through a door that slammed. On what could have been a dashboard, there were several colored buttons.
Still according to the child, the machine rose slowly vertically, throwing light in all directions, flew two rounds in the air and suddenly disappeared.
Abroad
VIENNA. -- Harald Kreutzberg, the Austrian Serge Lifar, living in Seefeld in Tirol, observed while he was in his garden, a flying saucer that flew over the small town for a few seconds before heading north and disappearing behind mountains.
Several residents of Seefeld also observed the phenomenon and tried unsuccessfully to photograph the mysterious craft.
[Ref. ppe1:] NEWSPAPER "PARIS-PRESSE":
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People down to earth enough to doubt the phenomena duly observed every day by thousands of French people are beginning to wonder whether these stories of flying cigars are not a re-edition of the Garap affair and if it were not an ingenious advertisement mounted by the National Tobacco Board...
A Martian seen smoking!
A fairground merchant from Clamecy who went to the Corbigny fair with a friend said that on the road, at 5 a.m., his car engine stopped suddenly, while the headlights went out.
- I felt, he said, like an electric shock and I saw then about fifty meters away, in a meadow, a machine of cylindrical shape, of a fairly large diameter, of a greyish color, around which three small beings moved. It seemed to me that one of them was smoking, because I could clearly make out a small red glow in the emerging day. My comrade and I were immobilized, unable to make a movement. Then we saw the machine rise and take height. Only then could we restart the car and continue our journey.
A wheelwright from La Carie, near Clamecy, said that he had seen the mysterious machine. But he did not see the Martians smoke. The three witnesses were heard by the gendarmerie.
A resident of Montbazès (Aveyron) also received an electric shock when approaching a "four to five meters in diameter round craft which radiated intense brightness" in the middle of a meadow. Five workers who worked in the workshop of a mechanic saw like him the craft then rise silently and at full speed.
Finally, in Tehran, Etlaat, the evening newspaper, publishes without comment the story of a resident of the city who complains of having been the victim of an attempted abduction aboard a saucer.
The craft was stopped in the middle of the street in a populous district of Tehran. Approaching it, the Iranian felt attracted by a magnetic force and uttered cries of terror which stirred the neighbors. Whereupon the saucer took off.
- The pilot, the witness said, was small, dressed in black and had the head of an elephant!...
Professor Oberth, a German rocket scientist who gave a new lecture on saucers yesterday in Oldenburg, believes that the Martians - or, to speak like him, the Uranians - "are able to read the minds of men through astro-psychology."
A maths teacher from Lisieux, a doctor and a Beaujolais coffee-maker, a Lyon rugby player, a Limousin transporter yesterday saw saucers, fireballs and luminous mushrooms. Near Louviers, a craftsman and his apprentice saw yesterday around 3 a.m., on the railroad tracks, a bell 3 meters high which launched green sparks and jumped at their approach 10 meters high. The two men also jumped in surprise, but much lower.
Finally near Langres, one not only saw but touched a flying cigar, which was also taken to the gendarmerie. It was made of silver cardboard, pierced with portholes, lit inside by an electric flashlight and suspended from eighteen children's balloons.
[Ref. fso1:] NEWSPAPER "FRANCE SOIR":
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A GIANT ROCKET, taking off from a field, was seen by M. Pierre Vidal, cook, residing at Croix Daurade, near Toulouse, and his nephew, Ange Hurle. It disappeared in a bright orange and pale green wake. At the presumed location of the rocket, the grass was covered with a fatty vapor with an oil smell.
A professor of mathematics from Lisieux, Mr. Bon, saw in Saint-Germain-de-Livet, above a wood, a silvery disk seven or eight meters; which rose silently in the sky, rotating on itself. After diving to the ground from an altitude of about 800 meters, it left again at the horizontal at a dizzying pace.
A GENERAL COUNCILMAN, a coffee-maker, a rugby player and a swimming champion, saw above the chapel of Romilly in the direction of Montgelas (Rhone) a flying saucer looking like a ball of fire.
A three meters high bell, moving with twelve meters jumps in an orange glow and emitting greenish sparks, was seen for an hour on the Evreux Louviers railway by an artisan, his apprentice and a farm worker.
A LUMINOUS MUSHROOM, which moved quickly and silently, was seen Monday evening around 9:30 p.m., by Mrs. Drouillard, at La Roche-sur-Yon.
A FLYING CIGAR, of metallic appearance, from which three red balls detached, was seen by Messrs. Roger Thévenin and Albert Daury, guardians of the peace of the urban body of Riom (Puy-de-Dôme).
ANOTHER CIGAR, surrounded by iridescent lights was observed in Bompas (Pyrénées-Orientales) by the baker M. Sebelli.
AN OBLONG-SHAPED ENGINE, moving in the sky as in a big "S" and making a sound of steam under pressure was seen by three young hunters above Gaillac (Aveyron). The same machine was reportedly observed in Pont-de-Salars.
[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:
Aimé Michel mentions that there was a case of landing in Acquigny on October 11, 1954.
He says the case was reported in the newspapers Le Figaro, l'Aurore, le Parisien Libéré for October 13, 1954, and Sud-Ouest and Ouest-France for October 14, 1954.
He put the sighting location on a map supposed to demonstrate cases are lined up:
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[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
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October 11 [, 1954]
[... other cases...]
? [=unknown hour]: Acquigny (Eure): 1/2 lumin. sphere on the ground
[... other cases...]
[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:
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[... other cases...]
October 11, 1954: Acquigny (4 km AVDO in the S of Louviers-Eure):(hemispherical craft on the ground)
[... other cases...]
[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 295 | -001.17981 | 49.17060 | 11 | 10 | 1954 | ACQUIGNY | F | 001 | C | 273 |
[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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231) October 11, 1954, 03:00 a.m., Acquigny (France):
Two people on a motorbike saw a bell-shaped object, about 2.50 m high, hovering 1 m above the Evreux-Louviers railway. The lower part looked like a ring, and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A blinding orange light was seen as it stood at 10 m, then it remained immobilized for an hour. Meanwhile, a third witness joined the first two. The object became brighter and flew east (P. 55, M. 162).
The catalog from which this entry comes is preceded by this warning, in a previous issue, by Jacques Vallée:
55: France-Soir. Le Figaro 14 Oct. 1954
We do not believe that we have to apologize for the inclusion of testimonies which may justifiably appear incredible or grotesque. We do not claim that there exists in this Catalog a single observation of a physical event of an unknown nature.
We are not publishing a table of experimental results obtained in the laboratory, but only a general guide to facilitate the study of the abundant literature which has accumulated on an astonishing topic.
It would therefore be dishonest and a serious misunderstanding of our design, to treat all the cases of this catalog as if they had the same level of validity, or to affirm that the presence of this or that particular case reinforces or destroys by itself the degree of confidence that one can place in another case. WE CANNOT ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR ERRORS FROM THOSE WHO IGNORE THIS WARNING.
[Ref. jve3:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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October 11, 1954, 03:00, Acquigny (France):
Two men riding motorcycles saw a bell-shaped craft about 2.5 m high, hovered 1 m above the Evreux-Louviers railroad line. The lower part was ringlike, and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A burst of orange light was seen as it jumped about 10 m high, then it remained motionless for about 1 hour, during which time a third witness joined the first two. It ultimately turned brighter and flew away toward the east. (France-Soir, Le Figaro, Oct. 14, 1954).
[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:
The author indicates that on October 11, 1954, two men riding a motorcycle saw, approximately 3 hours of the afternoon, close to Acquigny, on the rails of the railroad Evreux-Louviers, a machine whose form recalled that of a bell of approximately 2 m 50 height and to 1 meter about of the ground. Its lower part was like a ring, and the object projected reddish and greenish sparks. An explosion of orange light is observed when the UFO rose suddenly of approximately 10 meters, then remained motionless in the air. This lasted approximately an hour, time during which a third witness joined the two first. The UFO finally became more brilliant and flew away in direction of the east.
[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":
| 10/11/54 | -3 a.m.. | Acquigny (Eure) O/W | 106XV2 | 2m |
[Ref. ldl1:] "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT" UFOLOGY MAGAZINE:
| ICOD | DESIGNATION | (57) | DATE | JV4 | JV1 | COMMENTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 066 | 1250 | ACQUIGNY | RF27 | 541011 | 231 | 295 |
[Ref. mft3:] MICHEL FIGUET:
| Nr of the J. C. Fumoux list | Nr of Francat list | Localization | Date | Class | Credibility | Sources | Number of W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 066 | 172 | Acquigny | 11/10 | CE1 | NI RS P J.V. | 2 - p. 148 | 3 T |
[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:
This ufologist noted:
| CASE Nr | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | HOUR | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 172 | CE1 | 11 10 1954 | 03.00 | Acquigny | 27400 B4 | RS-P, OVNI: p. 146 |
[Ref. rcn1:] ROBERT CREPIN, LDLN CORRESPONDENT:
In a catalog of observations in the department of Creuse, a brief record relates to this case. Nothing particular appears in it, it compares totally to Vallée's summary above and thus seems to be a simple copy of it.
[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:
The two authors indicate that according to an A.F.P. dispatch and their personal files, on October 11, 1954 around 3 hours of the morning, a craftsman and his apprentice, travelling by motorbike, saw on the railway Evreux-Louviers a craft stationed at ground level, or resting on short crutches. The witnesses said that it had the shape of bell, with its lower part resembled a ring, and emitted greenish and reddish sparks.
A farm laborer, who went to his work joined these two men and all three observed the thing during more than one hour. The orange gleam which lit it then became sharper, the machine initially made a jump of ten meters, then rose quickly vertically, taking the direction of the East.
[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
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406 11 October 1954 0300 hrs
ACQUIGNY (FRANCE) Two motoroyolists [sic] saw a bell-shaped object hovering lm above the Evreux-Louviers railway line. The lower part was ring-like and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A burst of orange light was seen as it jumped about l0m high, then it remained motionless for about 1 hour, during which time a third witness joined the other two. The object finally turned brighter and flew away to the east. (M231; France-Soir, Figaro, 14 Oct 54; Michel II, 162)
[Ref. gab1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "G.A.B.R.I.E.L.":
The railway network
Here again, manifestations of this type are legion, we will quote one at random.
10/13/1954 Louviers Acquigny (Eure)
Around 3 a.m., two witnesses on motorcycles observed a bell-shaped craft hovering 1m above the railway tracks. The craft was 2.50 to 3m in diameter and had a ring-shaped lower part. It emitted greenish and reddish sparks. Suddenly, it made a leap which carried it at 10 or 12m in a burst of red light. The bell remained in place before taking off. (J. Giraud; "Centre Matin" for 10/14/1954)
[Ref. fru1] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors indicate that in Acquigny in the Eure on October 11, 1954, at 03:00 a.m., a craftsman and his apprentice who circulated by motorcycle saw on the railway Evreux-Louviers a machine in the shape of a bell of 2,50 meters by 3 meters in height, being 1 meter above the rails. The lower part of the machine had the shape of a ring. This object emitted sparks with greenish and reddish reflections. It made a jump from 10 to 12 meters, while spouting an orange gleam out of its base. A farm laborer joined the two witnesses, and they observed this apparatus during one hour. Then the orange gleam became sharper, and it rose very quickly vertically and took the direction of the East.
The sources are listed as the Vallée catalogue, case 231, Garreau and Lavier in "Face aux ET" page 47, France-Soir, La Croix, Le Figaro for October 14, 1954, and Quincy.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4059: 1954/10/11 03:00 60 1:10:40 E 49:10:20 N 3333 WEU FRN EUR 6:8
nr ACQUIGNY,FR:2.5M BELL-SCR HVRS/RR LINE:^^/10M alt/1hr:>>E:/r30p146+/Le Soir
Ref#194 LUMIERES dans la NUIT.(LDLN France) Issue No. 260 : ROAD+RAILS
Larry Hatch recorded this case twice instead of once:
4075: 1954/10/12 03:00 50 1:09:00 E 49:07:00 N 3323 WEU FRN EUR 7:7
N/EVREUX,FR:2+1 SEP.OBS:2.5M BELL-SHAPE GLOWS:HVRS/1M alt:SPARKS:^^+>>E
Ref#197 WEINSTEIN, D: French Newsclips 1954 Page No. 81 : ROAD+RAILS
[Ref. fbn1:] FABRICE BONVIN:
Fabrice Bonvin notes:
Case #001: 11/10/1954, p. 146 (Acquigny)
[Ref. mcn1:] MARK CASHMAN'S SIGHTINGS DATABASE:
Acquigny (France).
10/11/1954 3:00
Two men riding motorcycles saw a bell-shaped craft about 2. 5 m high, hovered 1 m above the Evreux-Louviers railroad line. The lower part was ringlike, and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A burst of orange light was seen as it jumped about 10 m high, then it remained motionless for about 1 hr, during which time a third witness joined the first two. It ultimately turned brighter and flew away toward the east.
[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
Donald Johnson indicates that on October 11, 1954, two men riding motorcycles near Acquigny, France saw a bell-shaped craft about 2.5 m tall while it hovered just a meter above the Evreux-Louviers railroad line. The lower part was ringlike, and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A burst of orange light was seen as it jumped about 10 meters high, then it remained motionless for about one hour. During this time a third witness joined the first two. The UFO ultimately brightened and flew away toward the east.
The source is noted "Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 224."
[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:
Jerome Beau indicates that on Monday, October 11, 1954 at 03:00 in Acquigny, France, "2 people driving by motorbike see 1 object in the shape of a bell, of approximately 2,50 m in height, hovering at 1 m above the railway line from Evreux to Louviers. The lower part resembles a ring, and the object releases reddish and greenish sparks. A dazzling orange light is seen whereas it rises to 10 m, then it remains immobilized during 1 H. During this time, one 3rd witness joint with the 2 first. The object becomes more brilliant and flies away towards the east."
Jérôme Beau indicates that the sources are France-Soir, Le Figaro, October 14, 1954.
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Eure in Acquigny on October 11, 1954, at 03:00 hours, a craftsman and his apprentice who drove by motorbike see, on the railway from Evreux to Louviers, a craft in the shape of a bell of 2,50 m to 3 meters in height, being 1 meter above the railway. The lower part of the machine has the shape of a ring. This object emits sparks with the greenish and reddish reflections. It makes a jump from 10 to 12 meters, while an orange gleam spouts out of its base. A farm laborer joins with the two witnesses, they observe this apparatus during one hour. Then the orange gleam becomes sharper, and it rises very quickly vertically taking the direction of the east.
Luc Chastan indicates as source "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".
[Ref. mps1:] MICHEL PADRINES:
Michel Padrines indicates that in the Eure in Acquigny on October 11, 1954, at 03:00 hours, a craftsman and his apprentice who drove by motorbike see, on the railway from Evreux to Louviers, a craft in the shape of a bell of 2,50 m to 3 meters in height, being 1 meter above the railway. The lower part of the machine has the shape of a ring. This object emits sparks with the greenish and reddish reflections. It makes a jump from 10 to 12 meters, while an orange gleam spouts out of its base. A farm laborer joins with the two witnesses, they observe this apparatus during one hour. Then the orange gleam becomes sharper, and it rises very quickly vertically taking the direction of the east.
Michel Padrines indicates that sources are France-Soir, Le Figaro, October 14, 1954.
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 11 October 1954 at 03:00 in Acquigny, France, a bell-shaped craft about 2.5 meters high was seen. Two men riding motorcycles saw a bell-shaped craft about 2.5 meters high, hovered one meter above the Evreux-Louviers railroad line. The lower part was ring like, and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A burst of orange light was seen as it jumped about ten meters high, then it remained motionless for about one hour, during which time a third witness joined the first two. It ultimately turned brighter and flew away toward the east.
The website comments: "An object was observed. Animal reactions to the object were reported. One green-orange star, about 5 feet across, was observed by three male witnesses on a farm for over 60 minutes (Labonde)."
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, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002."
[Note: "Labonde" has nothing to do with this case; see Lacanche case].
[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
*Oct. 11, 1954 - At 3:00 a.m. two men riding motorcycles near Acquigny, Eure, France saw a bell-shaped craft about 2.5 meters tall while it hovered just a meter above the Evreux-Louviers railroad line. The lower part was ringlike, and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A burst of orange light was seen as it jumped about 10 meters high, then it remained motionless for about one hour. During this time a third witness joined the first two. The UFO ultimately brightened and flew away toward the east. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 162; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 224, case # 231).
[Ref. men1:] "MERLIN":
In the Eure in Acquigny, a craftsman and his apprentice who are riding a motorcycle see, on the Evreux-Louviers railway, a bell-shaped machine 3m to 5m high, located 1m above the railway. The lower part of the craft has the shape of a ring.
This object emits sparks with greenish and reddish reflections. It jumps 10 to 12 meters, while an orange glow emerges from its base. A farm worker joins the two witnesses, they observe this craft for an hour. Then the orange glow becomes brighter, and it rises very quickly vertically heading east.
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
This database recorded this case 7 times:
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541011 | 11.10.1954 | Acquigny | France | 03.00 | CE I | |||||
| 19541011 | 11.10.1954 | Acquigny | France | 03.00 | CE I | |||||
| 19541011 | 11.10.1954 | Acquigny | France | 03.00 | CE I | |||||
| 19541011 | 11.10.1954 | Acquigny | France | CE I | ||||||
| 19541011 | 11.10.1954 | Acquigny | France | CE I | ||||||
| 19541011 | 11.10.1954 | Acquigny | France | 03.00 | CE I | |||||
| 19541011 | 11.10.1954 | Acquigny | France | 03.00 | CE I |
[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
October 11 1954. 0300hrs.
ACQUIGNY (EURE : FRANCE)
Two motorcyclists saw a ball shaped object hovering 1m above the Evreux-Louviers railway line. The lower part was ring like and the object gave off reddish and greenish sparks. A burst of orange light was seen as it jumped about 10m into the air, then it remained motionless for about an hour, during which time a third witness joined the other two. The object eventually turned brighter and flew away to the east.
Evaluation - Astronomical + autokinesis
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The roads (three or four roads are possible) between Evreux and Louviers, including near Acquigny, are indeed along the railroad Evreux to Louviers, but these roads all pass sometimes to the right, sometimes to the left of the railway; as the precise location is not known, it is not possible for me to determine an observation direction.
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The "bell" being said to make a "jump" of 10 or 12 meters after being 1 meter above the ground, we can think that it was something visually close to the horizon, or close to the ground, especially since it would then "rise vertically" to leave the to the East.
Peter Rogerson ([prn2]) states without nuance that the explanation is "Astronomical + autokinesis".
I do not think so, and here's why:
Autokinesis is the fact that stars may appear to have jerky movements because of a misinterpretation of the brain of the involuntary movements of the eyeballs of the observer looking at a star without other fixed landmarks near this star (the involuntary movements of eyes are normally corrected by the brain by using reference landmarks, but when there are none, this "autokinesis" occurs). But here the "bell" is certainly low, and there is certainly a point of reference: the ground. Indeed the witnesses speak of a leap from an object of 2.6 to 3 meters carrying the object to 10 to 12 meters above the ground when it was initially 1 meter above the ground (These measures are certainly not reliable in themselves, but they have a relative value, giving an apparent size of the thing in relation to the height of the jump, that is to say a jump whose height is 3 to 4 times the size of the object. It takes a horizon to be able to express this.) Of course, there is no guaranteed certainty about the reliability of the report, but it is indeed Rogerson who seems to have certainties.
There is, however, the possibility of real, non-autokinetic jerky moves when air masses of varying temperatures circulate between the eyes of the witnesses and the object observed when it is close to the horizon. Which would be the case here. It would not then be "autokinesis" but it has the same consequences altogether.
We need an astronomical body of the star or planet type, preferably close to the horizon, staying there for one hour, then rising vertically in the sky and going away eastward.
As the direction of observation is not given, there is no lack of stars near the horizon. For example Vega, Regulus, Sirius are there that night at this time.
But the problem is that no star stays on the spot for an hour to finally climb vertically and "leave". Neither has the shape of a bell with a ring base.
We also have the planets Uranus and Jupiter. And they are even "aligned", exactly in the same place of the sky. But they are practically at 30 degrees of elevation, and their movement is neither jerky, nor ending in a departure after an hour. It is a long, steady climb that takes them in an hour of 30 to 40 degrees of elevation, they reach 50 degrees of elevation at 5 in the morning (they do not "go away") and neither the stars nor the planets become "finally" "brighter" at the moment of "leaving".
And whether it's a star or a planet, the apparent movement carries them towards the West, towards the East.
And the reddish and greenish reflections and gushes of orange light are not typical for any planets at an elevation of 30°.
It is therefore not at all obvious to me that the explanation "Astronomical + autokinesis" is the correct one.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Acquigny, Eure, object, bell, railway, train, sparks, red, green, orange, light, multiple
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | August 18, 2008 | First published. |
| 0.2 | Patrick Gross | April 15, 2008 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | December 20, 2008 | First formal version. Additions [aml1], [djn1], [lcn1], [jbu1], [mps1], [uda1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | June 28, 2010 | Addition [jve5]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | September 26, 2014 | Additions [ads1], [nip1]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | December 30, 2016 | Additions [fso1], [ubk1]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | April 27, 2019 | Additions [ldl1], [mft3], [mft1], [lhh1], [prn2], Summary. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | May 2, 2019 | Addition [prn1]. |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | January 10, 2020 | Additions [ppe1], [jve1], [men1]. In the Summary, addition of the paragraph "The version of the Paris-Presse national newspaper..." |
| 1.7 | Patrick Gross | March 5, 2020 | Addition [nnm1]. Ine Summary, "newspaper L'Ardennais" changed to "newspapers Le Nouveau Nord Maritime and L'Ardennais" |
| 1.8 | Patrick Gross | January 17, 2021 | Addition [lcx1]. |
| 1.9 | Patrick Gross | May 2, 2022 | Additions [gqy1], [gqy2], [gep1]. |
| 2.0 | Patrick Gross | July 9, 2022 | Addition [gab1]. |
