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October 11, 1954, Clamecy, Nièvre:

Reference for this case: 11-oct-54-Clamecy.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

A case of October 11, 1954, near Clamecy in the Nièvre, was widely reported in the Press. The regional newspaper Le Quotidien de la Haute-Loire for October 14, 1954, for example, reported that this had happened to two fair merchants of Clamecy, Henry Gallois and Louis Vigneron, who were going by van early to the Corbigny fair.

This newspaper quoted Mr. Gallois:

"As I drove down the middle of the road, I felt like a discharge of electric current all over my body and a few seconds later my car's engine stopped and the headlights went out."

"Then I gasped, for fifty yards away from me, I had just seen a cylindrical craft of a large diameter that I could compare to the saucers. This machine had a greyish hue, but I could not distinguish its exact characteristics. I saw clearly on board this craft, three small beings, who appeared of odd shape to me, but of which it was impossible for me to distinguish the features. I thought one of them was smoking, or it was a small light on board, my comrade and I were stuck inside the vehicle and unable to move. It was only after the disappearance of this machine and its occupants that we were able to continue our trip. The appearance only lasted a few seconds, but it was very clear and no doubt exists for me."

The newspaper indicated that Mr. Vigneron had confirmed entirely Mr. Gallois' statement, and that a Mr. Henry Chaumeau, wheelwright at La Carie, near Clamecy, had certified to have also seen the machine.

The national newspaper Paris-Presse for October 14, 1954, gave a more sarcastic version. According to them, a fairground merchant from Clamecy who was going to the Corbigny fair with a friend said that on the road, at 5 a.m., the engine of his car stopped suddenly, while the headlights went out. He said he felt like an electric shock and then saw about fifty meters away, in a meadow, a cylindrical shaped craft, of a fairly large diameter, of a grayish color, around which three small beings were moving.

What made the newspaper scoff was this saying of the fairground merchant:

"It seemed to me that one of them was smoking, because I could clearly see a little red glow in the emerging day."

Paris-Presse also quoted:

"My comrade and I were immobilized, unable to make a movement. Then we saw the craft rise and take height. Only then were we able restart the car and continue our travel."

Finally, Paris-Presse added that a wheelwright from La Carie, near Clamecy, had stated on his side, that he had seen the mysterious craft, "but not the smoking Martians", and that the three witnesses were interrogated by the gendarmerie.

Other newspapers gave an hour: around 6 o'clock in the morning, and specified that the site was near the place called "Sassier" - Michel Figuet noting it was "Le Fassié".

In 1979, the "skeptical" ufologists Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker announced that they had found Mr. Gallois, who "remembered the observation perfectly", and that he confirmed to them that it was all a good joke.

In 1997, the author Jean Sider will simply retorted that Barthel and Brucker "abusively trivialized" this case but that "it is useless to yarn on this matter."

Yet in 2014, author Julien Gonzalez confirmed: in fact, the Journal du Centre for October 14, 1954, had revealed in an article entitled "The saucer sinks" that the whole story was invented by MM. Gallois and Vigneron, and that is because no other newspaper had passed on this information that the case remained for more than 40 years in UFO catalogs. He adds that he himself contacted Mr. Gallois in 2000, and that the latter confirmed the mystification.

Reports:

[Ref. lbr1:] NEWSPAPER "LA BOURGOGNE REPUBLICAINE":

Scan.

The "saucers" antics...

One follows a traction for several kilometers

Another (maybe the same) paralyzes a van... and its occupants!

Two strange phenomena which could have for origin the same "flying object" took place, a few minutes apart, in the night of Monday to Tuesday.

Autun (from our P.C.). -- In Epinac-les-Mines and throughout the region, we know Mr. Labonde as a serious, balanced man. A 1914-1918 veteran, he is not one of those who are easily told stories. Owner of the Etoile-Dancing, and of a café-restaurant, he had fun and let it be known when customers raised the question of the famous saucers in his establishment.

Today, Mr. Labonde, has changed his mind and for good reason...

The other night, around 4 a.m., he was going to Lacanche (Côte-d'Or) on board his traction avant to get his musicians who had just played a conscript ball, when leaving the Bois de Vernusse, a few kilometers from Lacanche, he saw about 25 meters from him, a luminous round craft, red in color, having the shape of a an egg two meters in diameter.

Overwhelmed by an understandable emotion, Mr. Labonde insisted on making sure that he was not the victim of a hallucination. He picked speed, then slowed down. The mysterious craft followed him very close to his car. Finally, it was to disappear suddenly shortly before the arrival of the motorist in Lacanche.

Mr. Labonde had to tell his astonished friends about his adventure, but also less skeptical of the existence of the flying saucer, given the personality of the sympathetic restaurant owner.

Nevers (from our P.C..) -- Around the same time, two fairground merchants, MM. Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, from Clamecy, went to the Corbigny fair yesterday morning.

According to Mr. Gallois, their car was stopped by a beam of light. It was then that they saw in a corner, at the place called "Sassier", a cylindrical craft. On his arrival at Corbigny, M. Gallois stated:

"After passing the Boulevard de l'Hôpital of Clamecy, driving on the middle of the road, I felt a discharge of electric poser all over my body, a few seconds later, the engine of the van stopped, and the headlights went out.

"Suddenly I gasped, because about 50 meters away from me, I had just seen a cylindrical-shaped craft with a large diameter, which I could compare to a saucer.

"This shape had a grayish hue, but I could not distinguish exact characteristics. It was then that I saw around the mysterious craft three small men who appeared to me to be oddly shaped. It seemed to me that one of them was smoking or it was a small light which was on board the craft. My friend and I, we remained immobilized inside the vehicle in the impossibility to move. It was only after the disappearance of the craft that we were able to continue our journey.

"The apparition only lasted a few seconds, it was very clear, no doubt exists for me."

As for Mr. Louis Vigneron, he confirmed the statements of Mr. Gallois point by point. The facts are rigorously correct, he says, it is not an optical illusion.

Also, Mr. Henri Chaumont, from Cary (hamlet of Clamecy) claimed to have also seen the craft.

Is this the same craft seen in Vernusse by Mr. Labonde?

[Ref. ppe1:] NEWSPAPER "PARIS-PRESSE":

Scan.

According to a fairground man near Clamecy:

A MARTIAN
gets down from his cigar
to light
a cigarette

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.

An Iranian was almost kidnapped by Uranians

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. nnm1:] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":

Scan.

Abundant flying saucers

Six months after Easter a bell is still flying in the air

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.

A math teacher took measurements

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.

On the sides of the mushroom fair...

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.

Giant rocket in the sky of Toulouse

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. nmn1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-MATIN":

Scan.

"Officials" saw a saucer
in an army projector...

... but, as usual
we won't know anything for a long time

General Navereau, commander of the 6th Region and Military Governor of Metz yesterday morning received the report from Commander Cottel, specialist in antiaircraft land forces, concerning the mysterious craft which, for three hours, last Sunday, remained in the beam of a powerful army searchlight in the Metz sky.

No information was communicated on the contents of this report, but one imagines with what prudent sagacity the commander Cottel had to analyze a "phenomenon" which had several dozen witnesses.

The Army had, in fact, set up a stand at the Exhibit-Fair in Metz. It was there that, at nightfall, a powerful searchlight kept running, sweeping the city sky.

Sunday therefore, around 8:10 p.m., the projector "catches" in its beam a strange motionless globe.

"It looked like a Christmas tree ball," said Commander Cottel afterwards.

First, one believed in the presence of a weather balloon. Soon, a dozen military experts surrounded the commander. They all agreed:

"It cannot be a weather balloon: its diameter is at least fifty meters."

The "thing" was still there

All kinds of hypotheses were then put forward, the specialists not daring to advance too much that of a flying saucer. It was decided to clean the windows and even change the coals of the projector. But when it was turned on again, the "thing" was still there. It stayed there until 11 p.m., when one resigned to turning off the projector. Meanwhile, the radar set which had constantly swept the sky had failed to detect the mysterious craft:

"The "thing", commented a technician, "is probably not metallic and that is why the radar could not detect it."

As usual, we won't know anything for a long time.

Many curious people who had gathered around the searchlight were also able to observe the "Christmas tree ball". Some residents of the Faubourg de Sablon were to say the next day that they too had noticed the phenomenon.

In the Loire-Inférieure
a boy meets
a French-speaking "Martian"

A 13-year-old boy, the little Gilbert Lelay, claims to have seen Tuesday evening, around 10:30 p.m., a mysterious craft in a meadow, some 500 meters from his parents' home, in the village of Ste-Marie-en-Erbray, near Châteaubriand.

The child declares that he stayed for ten minutes to observe, about ten meters away, this craft which had the shape of a phosphorescent cigar. A passenger, a man dressed in a suit, a gray hat, wearing boots, reportedly said to him in French: "Look, but don't touch." He put his hand on the boy's shoulder while, in the other hand, he was holding a ball launching purple flashes. He got into the craft through a door which he slammed. On what could be a dashboard were several multicolored buttons.

Still according to the child, the object rose slowly vertically, throwing fires in all directions, made two turns in the air and suddenly disappeared.

Giant rocket in the sky
of Toulouse

Two residents of the Toulouse suburbs, MM. Pierre Vidal and his nephew Ancel Hurle, were able to see, yesterday morning, at dawn, barely a hundred meters from their house, a giant rocket which, departing from a field, quickly disappeared in the sky generating 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 packed on a circular surface 5 meters in diameter. In the center of this area, they discovered in the ground, four prints 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.

An electric saucer

Two residents of Clamecy (Nièvre), MM. Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, fairground merchants, said 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 turned back on, but they had to restart the engine.

[Ref. ads1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ARDENNAIS":

Scan.

The saucers chronicle

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. Drouilard, 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. lqh1:] NEWSPAPER "LE QUOTIDIEN DE LA HAUTE-LOIRE":

[...]

THE CAR OF THE STALLHOLDERS STOPPED BY A MYSTERIOUS RAY

The same adventure happened to two stallholders of Clamecy (the Nièvre), Misters Henry Gallois and Louis Vigneron who went by van early, at the fair of Corbigny. "Whereas I circulated on the middle of the road", declared Mr. Welsh, "I felt like a discharge of electrical power on all the body. A few seconds later the engine of my car stopped and the headlights died out."

"Then it was like I couldn't breathe, because fifty meters of me approximately, I came to see a machine of cylindrical form of a rather large diameter which I could compare to the saucers. This machine had a greyish color, but I could not distinguish its exact characteristics. I clearly saw on board this machine three beings of small size, which appeared to me of odd shape, but of which it was impossible to me to distinguish the features. It seemed to to me that one of them smoked, or that was a small light which was on board. My comrade and me were immobilized inside the vehicle and in impossibility to move. It is only after the disappearance of this machine and its occupants that we could resume our travel. The appearance lasted only a few seconds, but it was very clear and no doubt exists for me". Mr. Louis Vigneron confirmed all aspects of the statement of Mr. Gallois. In addition, Mr. Henry Chaumeau, cartwright at La Carie, close to Clamecy, certified to have also seen this machine...

[...]

In addition, Mr. Henry Chaumeau, cartwright at La Carie, close to Clamecy, certified to have also seen this machine...

[...]

Full article here.

[Ref. fso1:] NEWSPAPER "FRANCE SOIR":

Scan.

Three "little beings" in an electric saucer

NEVERS, October 13 ("France-Soir" newsbrief). Two merchants from Clamecy, Mr. Louis Vigneron and Henri Gallois, who were traveling yesterday morning at about six o'clock in their van to the Cordigny fair, saw in a field about fifty yards from the road, a machine of cylindrical shape of a rather large diameter.

At the same moment, the engine of the van stopped and the headlights turned off.

"I was," said Mr. Gallois, "breathless. My body covered with electric shocks. I was able to distinguish very clearly the machine that resembled a saucer.

"I saw, around the machine, three people of small size who seemed to me to be human, and we were immobilized inside the car and unable to move. It was only after the craft had taken off with tremendous speed that we were able to resume our travel."

Mr. Vigneron confirmed the statements of his companion as well as a third witness, Mr. Henri Chameau, cartwright in La Carte, commune of Clamecy.

Car stopped by the passage of a reddish ball

SAINT-ETIENNE, October 12 ("France-Soir" newsbrief). - Two residents of Gueugnon, Mrrs. Jeannot and Garnier, who were returning home by car, were, on Sunday evening, witnesses of an unexplainable phenomenon.

Suddenly, their vehicle was overflown by a kind of reddish ball that passed like a lightning. The engine of the car stopped and they were deprived of light. Moments later, as the light faded on the horizon, the headlights of the car functioned again and the engine began to roar again.

[Ref. prs1:] UNKNOWN NEWSPAPER FOR OCTOBER 14:

Scan.

TWO "MARTIANS"

Cross a national road of the Tarn
Before flying away into their saucer!

After having brought us giant "Martian" women, now the flying saucers begin to transport Lilliputians who carry out reconnaissance patrols on the national roads.

This new variety of "interplanetary humans" is revealed to us by Mr. Jean-Pierre Mitto, technical agent, who claims to have seen, Saturday evening around 8:30 p.m., the passengers of a saucer cross National Road 631 at the place called "La Caiffe".

- Coming back from Toulouse by car, I was driving at a brisk pace. I suddenly distinguished, together with my two parents who accompanied me, two small figures, the size of a child between the ages of 11 and 12, crossing the road four or five meters from the car, who went up into the meadow. I stopped immediately. The time to go down and we saw a large red disk with a diameter of about six meters fly vertically. The machine disappeared in the sky, in a few seconds...

Stopped by a ray of light!

Mssrs Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, fair merchants, who were traveling in a van, were stopped by a ray of light. Here is the statement of Mr. Gallois:

- I was driving in the middle of the road, not far from Clamecy, when I felt the electric shock. The engine stopped and the headlights went out. Suddenly I saw in a meadow a machine of cylindrical shape of a rather large diameter. I saw clearly around this apparatus three little beings who moved rapidly.

The appearance lasted only a few seconds, but it was very clear and no doubt is possible.

Mr. Vigneron confirmed what Mr. Gallois said.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel notes that the observation took place a quarter of an hour later than that of Fonfrède this same day, that is to say at 4 hour thirty minutes. The witnesses are Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, fair merchants in Clamecy, who were going to the fair at Corbigny.

Michel indicates that Mr. Gallois reported:

"I was driving on the middle of the road not far from Clamecy, when suddenly, near the location called Sassier, I felt like an electric discharge in my entire body. At the same time, the engine stopped and the headlights died out. Paralyzed, incapable of making any movement, we wondered what happened and looked around us. At this point in time, in the field bordering the road, at about fifty meters, we saw a round craft, and near it, we could very clearly distinguish three beings of small size which moved with sharp gestures. Their silhouettes soon disappeared in the silhouette of the craft, which flew away quickly. Almost at once, our headlights were re-ignited and we could leave."

Michel indicates that Mr. Vigneron confirmed all the details of the account by Mr. Gallois.

He put the sighting location on a map supposed to demonstrate cases are lined up:

Map by Aimé Michel

[Ref. rhl1:] NICAP:

NICAP listed that on October 11, 1954, in Clamecy, the Nievre, France, a Car motor and headlights failed, passengers felt a shock and numbness, a round UFO took off from nearby field.

[Ref. mec1:] "MECCANO MAGAZINE":

Scan.

Three little beings moving with lively gestures.

A quarter of an hour later [than the case at Fonfrède on October 11, 1954, at 4 a.m.], 250 kilometers farther to the north, Henry Gallois and Louis Vigneron, merchants at Clamecy, were going to Corbigny, when an astonishing adventure occurred to them.

"I was driving in the middle of the road not far from Clamecy," said Mr. Gallois, "when suddenly near the place called Sassier I felt my whole body feel like an electric shock. At the same time the engine and the headlights stopped. Paralyzed, unable to make a move, we wondered what was happening and we looked around, and then, in the meadow bordering the road, about fifty yards from us, we saw a round machine near which we could very distinctly distinguish three small beings moving with lively gestures, their silhouettes soon disappeared in that of the machine which flew rapidly, and almost immediately our headlights rekindled and we were able to set off again."

The day having risen, one had to wait till the evening to witness new and strange encounters.

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

October 11 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

04:30 a.m.: Clamecy(near of,at Cary-Nièvre):circ.obj.on the ground + 3 dwarfs + car failure and paralysis

[... other cases...]

[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

[... other cases...]

October 11, 1954: Cary (hamlet,cmnty. of Clamecy--Nièvre): Mr. Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, fair merchants; Mr. Henri Chaumeau, resident of Cary (circul. obj. on the ground/3 dwarfs/car failure and paralysis

[... other cases...]

[Ref. mcs1:] "MICHEL CARROUGES":

The author indicates that on October 11, 1954 in the Saone et Loire, "Gallois and Vigneron. Car. Round machine and small pilots at 50 m of the edge of the road. The witnesses feel an electric discharge. Stalled engine. Extinct headlights. (M. II, p. 268.)"

Michel Carrouges further lists as a case with small occupants but lacking details that with Mr. Gallois as witness, near Clamecy in the Saône-et-Loire, on October 11, 1954.

He notes that Mr. Gallois saw the saucer well, but that he was unable to see details of the small beings.

[Ref. rhl1:] RICHARD HALL - NICAP:

Date Location Physiological Physical Traces Description Notes
10/11/1954 Clamecy, France X Electric shock, paralysis (84)

16. October 11, 1954; Clamecy (Nievre), France. Car motor and headlights failed, passengers felt shock and numbness; round UFO took off from nearby field.

[Ref. ton1:] THOMAS M. OLSEN:

DATE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION SOURCE PAGE
Oct. 11, 1954 CLAMECY (NIEVRE), FRANCE (MICHEL-1958 P.158 3 W.) 3-36

[Ref. lcp1:] LEONARD G. CRAMP:

("Fig 48. Table of some typical UFO effects on cars and people at varying distances.")

PLACE. DATE. EFFECTS. APPROX. DISTANCE FROM UFO.
Clamency (Nievre) France. October 1954 'Electric shock', car engine & headlamps went out same time. 150 feet.

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

303 -003.51936 47.46060 11 10 1954 06 00 1 CLAMECY-CORBIGNY F 031333 C * 268

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

October 11, 1954, 04:30. Sassier (France):

Mr. Gallois and Mr. Vigneron who were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny felt an "electric shock" as the car headlights died. They then saw a craft in a pasture 50 m away. It was cylindrical, fairly thick, and three dwarfs were standing close by. No light was seen, except a small, reddish point. Both witnesses were "paralyzed" until the craft left. A third witness, Mr. Chaumeau, had seen a lighted object fly over the woods at La Carie. (Libération, le Parisien, Oct. 14, 1954)

[Ref. rhl1:] NICAP - RICHARD HALL:

The NICAP book indicates that on October 11, 1954 in Clamecy (Nievre), France, a car motor and headlights failed, passengers felt a shock and a numbness; a round UFO took off from a nearby field.

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

The author indicates that on October 11, 1954, a salesman of Clamecy who was going by car to the fair of Corbigny with a friend, reported that the engine and the headlights of the car stopped suddenly. He felt something similar to an electric shock and then saw an apparatus which had landed in a pasture within approximately 50 meters of the road.

It was cylindrical, of a rather broad diameter, and three small characters were standing at its side. The only visible light was a small reddish gleam which was compared to a lighted cigarette tip. The two witnesses were unable to move. When the apparatus flew away, they could resume their trip.

[Ref. jve3:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Scan.

234) October 11, 1954, 04:30. Sassier (France):

Near "La Carie", MM. Gallois and Vigneron, who were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny, felt an "electric shock" as the car's headlights went out. They saw an object in the pastures, about 50 meters away. It was quite thick cylindrical, and three small beings stood beside it. No light was visible except for a small reddish dot. The two witnesses were paralyzed until the object left. A third witness, Mr. Chaumeau, saw a luminous object flying over the woods of La Carie.

[Ref. jpa1:] JADER U. PEREIRA:

This ufologist listed the case as to be excluded because of imprecise source or insufficient investigation:

Scan.

[Ref. lex1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LES EXTRATERRESTRES":

Scan.

- On October 11, 1954 in Corbigny (France), a merchant and a friend of the latter saw, while driving, a craft posed in a pasture, 50 meters from them. The car's engine stopped and the two men were unable to move when they saw three small humanoids get out of the craft, go back inside and drive away.

[Ref. amn1:] AUGUSTE MEESSEN:

Two other witnesses felt an electric shock inside their car, whose headlights went out 50 m from a UFO and they remained paralyzed until the departure of the object (11/10/1954, France: 14, case 234).

The source "14" is detailed in the references as "J. Vallée, Chronique des Apparitions Extraterrestres, Denoël, 1972."

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

The authors indicate that in Corbigny in the Nievre, on October 11, 1954 at 02:30 p.m., Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, stallholders of Clamecy, went to the market of Corbigny and while arriving near this city, they felt "like a violent electric shock." At the same time their engine stalled and the headlights died out.

The authors quote:

"We then saw in a meadow, at the edge of the road, a round craft with three small beings busy nearby. They soon disappeared inside the craft; which took off almost at once. The truck's headlights then relit. The truck's engine started at the first use of the starter."

The authors add that in a nearby hamlet, a farmer saw a luminous craft rise behind a wood and disappear quickly in the clouds.

[Ref. agd1:] ALAIN GAMARD:

Scan.

Case # Date Time Locality Department Witness(es) name
046 11/10/1954 04.30 Sassier (between Clamecy and Corbigny). 58 Gallois and Vigneron.

[Ref. ufa1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "UFOLOGIA":

Scan.

October 11, 1954 HAUTE-LOIRE

Car overflown by UFO. Engine stalled. Headlights off...

The case is recorded twice by mistake in this magazine:

October 11, 1954 SAONE-ET-LOIRE

Two car drivers see a round craft and feel an electric shock. Stop of the engine and switching off of the headlights.

(ref. Aimé MICHEL - "MOC")

[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

409 11 October 1954 0430 hrs

SASSIER, Nr LA CARIE (FRANCE) Grain merchants Hanri Gallois & Louis Vigneron were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny when they felt an "electric shock" as the car headlights died. They then saw a craft in a pasture 50m away. It was cylindrical, fairly thick, and 3 dwarfs were standing nearby. No light was seen except a small reddish point. Both witnesses were "paralysed" until the craft left. A third witness, Henri Chameau, had seen a lighted object fly over the woods at La Carie. (M234: Liberation, Le Parisian [sic], 14 Oct 54: Michel II, 158)

[Ref. bde1:] J. BERNARD DELAIRE:

046 11/10/1954 04.30 Sassier (between Clamecy and Corbigny). 58 Gallois and Vigneron.

[Ref. rsd1:] RAY STANFORD:

In his book about the famous UFO landing in Socorro, Ray Stanford indicates a number of other sightings of egg-shaped craft that may be significant in this regard.

Among those cases, he indicates that on October 11, 1954, near Corbigny, France, a salesman and his friend experienced a sudden failure of engine and headlights and electrical sensation in their bodies.

Then a craft was observed about 150 feet away, off the road, approximately cylindrical in shape.

Three small humanoids were seen nearby, and the witnesses found themselves unable to move until the occupants and craft had departed.

[Ref. rnw1:] RICHARD NIEMTZOW AND JOHN SCHUESSLER:

The authors indicate that Mr. Gallois and Mr. Vigneron, of France, saw a craft only 50 m away in a pasture on October 11, 1954, and were paralyzed until the craft left.

[Ref. mrr1:] MARK RODEGHIER:

Mark Rodeghier indicates that on October 11, 1954, at 0430, in France, near Sassier, Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, driving to a fair at Corbigny, both suddenly felt electric shocks through their bodies. The motor of the car died and the headlights went out, they became paralyzed and saw on the ground, 50 yards away, a round object and three small figures beside the object. The figures disappeared into the object, which then left rapidly. The headlights came on, the paralysis ended, and the engine could be restarted. A resident of a nearby village reported a UFO at the same time.

The source is indicated as "Michel."

[Ref. lsd1:] LEONARD STRINGFIELD:

The author indicates that on October 11, 1954, in Sassier, near La Carie, Mr. Gallois and Mr. Vigneron who were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny, felt an electric shock as the headlights died. They then saw a craft in a pasture fifty meters away. It was cylindrical and fairly thick, and three small beings were standing close by. No light was seen, except a red point. Both witnesses were paralyzed until the craft left. A third witness had seen a lighted object fly over the woods at La Carie.

[Ref. pdl1:] PIERRE DELVAL:

In his chapter on the cases of paralysis or drowsiness of UFO witnesses during their experience, Pierre Delval indicates 12 cases from the French flap of 1954, among those, that in Corbigny in the department of the Nièvre, on October 11, 1954 at 04:30.

Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, stallholders, went by truck to the Corbigny fair when at the place called "Sassier", Gallois suddenly felt like an electric discharge in all his body.

At the same time, the engine stopped and the headlights died out.

Paralyzed, unable to make the least movement, they looked around them while wondering what occurred, and then saw that there was a round craft with three beings of small size busy around it in a meadow bordering the road, at approximately fifty meters.

The beings soon disappeared in the craft which took off quickly.

The headlights re-ignited and the two men, masters of their movements, managed to resume their travel.

A third witness, Mr. Chameau, saw the scene partly, and confirmed the account by Gallois and Vigneron.

[Ref. tbw1:] TED BLOECHER AND WALTER WBB:

Scan.

54-63 Oct. 11, 1954 0430 Clamecy-Sassier, France Type B

While driving, MM. Henri Gallois & Louis Vigneron felt something like an electric shock, which paralyzed them; at the same time the motor stalled and the headlights went out. Then they saw, 50 yards away, a cylindrical object. 3 small figures, making lively movements & gestures, were seen to enter the saucer, which flew off; the headlights went back on, & they could move again.

Investigator:

Sources: Michel, Straight-Line Mystery, p. 158; Vallee, Magonia, pp. 224f.

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

The authors indicate that on October 11, 1954, at 04:30, in Clamecy, Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, stallholders domiciled street of the Market in Clamecy, going early to the Corbigny fair, hardly came to leave Clamecy at the locality "Le Fassié" that their van stalled and the headlights died out, whereas a few seconds before they had felt like an electrical discharge on all the body.

They then saw, in a field bordering the road, a round apparatus of a rather large diameter and a a greyish color, from which they did not distinguish the details, and near the apparatus, three small silhouettes moving with fast gestures, disappearing quickly in the craft which flew away quickly.

At this time, the headlights of their vehicle re-ignited, and their engine started at the first use of the starter.

Mr. Gallois stated at his arrival in Corbigny to a journalist of "La Montagne" that at the time when the headlights died out and the engine stalled, he was awestruck for he saw at approximately fifty meters of him an "apparatus of cylindrical form of a rather large diameter that I could compare to the 'saucers'."

He stated that he clearly saw on board this craft three beings of small size which appeared to him of weird shapes but with features he did not distinguish, that it seemed to him that one of them was smoking or else, that there was a small on board. He added that he and his fellow were immobilized in their vehicle, that it was impossible for them to move, that they were able to move only after the craft had left.

He specified that the sighting lasted only a few seconds but that it was clear and that no doubt exists for him.

Mr. Henri Chalumeau, cartwright in the locality "La Carie", certified to have also seen the craft.

The authors indicate that the sources are the Vallée catalogue, case 234; Quincy; Aimé Michel in "A Propos des Soucoupes Volantes" p.196, C. Garreau and R. Lavier in "Face aux Extraterrestres" page 100; La Montagne for October 13, 1954, Libération and Le Parisien for October 14, 1954.

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

The authors indicate that the newspaper La Montagne for October 15, 1954 "reports in detail" about a "peculiar observation whose alleged witnesses" were Mr. Gallois and Mr. Vigneron, stallholders of Clamecy, who witnessed the landing of a cylindrical object in a meadow at the edge of the road, when at the same time their vehicle stalled, the headlights died out and they felt a violent electric shock on the body.

The authors indicate that the witnesses agree to saying that they observed three beings of small size and of weird form and "it seemed to me that one of them smoked, or else a small light was on board."

The authors note that the newspaper article finishes on a question as for when the mystery of the flying saucers will be lifted, and that they have in their file a second article on the case, from Le Figaro for October 14, 1954, which does not mention occupants. They note that "in some books" it is claimed that the occupants of the craft were outside the craft.

The authors say then that they found Mr. Gallois, that "he perfectly remembers the sighting", that he "confirmed" to them that it was a good joke, that the engine stall, headlights issue, electric shock were a "joke", and the authors conclude that "the smoking Martian has lived."

[Ref. via2:] "VIMANA 21" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 13 [Publication date]: THREE "MARTIANS" IN THE NIVERNAIS! -

Nevers - Two residents of Clamecy, Mrs. Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, fair merchants, said they had seen, in a meadow, a few hundred meters from the road, as they crossed the Cabigny region, a cylindrical craft of a fairly large size. "As we felt through the whole body, like an electric shock," he said, "the engine of our van was getting stuck and at the same time the headlights were going out. We clearly distinguished around the mysterious craft, three beings of small size and bizarre shape". It was only after the disappearance of the craft that the two men were able to continue their trip.

During the last three weeks, residents of Mars sur Allier, Langeron and Chantenoux, claim to have seen luminous discs that crisscrossed the sky without noise and with speed. Sometimes these machines were orange, sometimes blue.

The source is indicated to be the newspaper Le Bien Public for October 13, 1954.

[Ref. mft3:] MICHEL FIGUET:

Nr of the J. C. Fumoux list Nr of Francat list Localization Date Class Credibility Sources Number of W
067 170 Clamecy 11/10 CE3 NI P RS J.V. 2-p. 148 2T

[Ref. mft2:] MICHEL FIGUET:

This ufologist noted:

CASE Nr CLASSIFICATION DATE HOUR PLACE ZIP CODE CREDIBILITY SOURCE
170 CE3 11 10 1954 04.00 Clamecy "Le Fassié" 58500 B4 E [= explaines] OVNI: p. 148, B-B [=[bbr1]] p. 80

[Ref. mft1:] FRANCAT - MICHEL FIGUET:

DATE LOCATION CREDIBILITY SOURCES
10/11/1954 Clamecy Hoax: B. B. p. 80-81

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

October 11th. Sassier, France. (4:15 a.m.)

Another electromagnetic incident took place 15 minutes later at Sassier where two travelling salesmen, M. Louis Vigneron and M. Henri Gallois, en countered a strange object and its occupants. In Mr. Gallois's words: "I was driving in the middle of the road when suddenly near Sassier I felt something like an electric shock through my whole body. At the same time the car motor stopped and the lights went out.- Paralyzed, we asked ourselves what was happening. It was then that, in a field bordering the road about 165 feet away, we saw a round object. Next to it we saw clearly three short beings who seemed to be moving about quickly. Their silhouettes soon disappeared into the saucer-like object which flew off immediately.

"Almost right away my lights went back on and we were able to drive away." 103.

[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:

Jean Sider indicates that on October 11, 1954, Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron were in a car near Clamecy close to the hamlet of Cary, when Henri Gallois felt an electric shock, the engine stalled and that the headlights died out. A round object was then noticed in a meadow at 50 meters of the road, and three small beings which disappeared inside before it took off.

Jean Sider indicates that another source says that one Mr. Chaumeau, resident of Cary, saw the object rising above the wood the same day at the same hour.

Jean Sider indicates that the sources are Michel Figuet page 148, and Aimé Michel pages 196-197, that Figuet names the hamlet "La Carie" instead of Cary, and that Barthel and Brucker "abusively discarded" the case but that it is useless to debate on this.

Jean Sider describes the case again at another page in a similar manner except the two men are said to feel the electric shock and witness the occurrence, and that Mr. Chaumeau is not mentioned.

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

4063: 1954/10/11 04:30 10 3:35:40 E 47:22:20 N 3333 WEU FRN NVR 9:7

SASSIER,FR:2/CAR/EMEs FEEL SHOCK:3 OIDS nr CYL UFO:UFO GOES+CAR AOK:/r243p23

Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 195 : ROAD+RAILS

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that on October 11, 1954 in France in Corbigny - Sassier in the Nièvre, close to La Carie, Messrs Gallois and Vigneron in a truck felt at 04:30 an electric shock while the headlights of the car died out. They saw an object in the pastures at approximately 50 m, cylindrical and rather thick, and three small beings standing near it. There was no visible light except a small reddish point. The two witnesses were paralyzed until the departure of the object.

Mr. Chaumeau, independently of the two other witnesses, saw a luminous object flying above the wood of La Carie.

The source is indicated as Jacques Vallée in "Chronique des apparitions ET", Denoel 1972, coll. J'Ai Lu, pages 275, 276.

[Ref. kbd1:] KEITH BASTERFIELD:

The Australian ufologist indicates that on 11 October 1954 at 0430 in Sassier, France, male witnesses Gallois and Vigneron, while driving they felt an "electric shock” through the body. The car motor stalled and headlights went out. They became paralyzed. 50m ahead of them they saw a machine and three small figures. These figures went into object and the object flew off. The car headlights came on and the paralysis ceased, and the engine could be restarted.

He says it is one of the 15 cases in France in 1954 where there was a reported paralysis of the witness or witnesses when they were within a certain distance of a low-level UFO, distances that are 6m (1 case), 20m (2), 50m (2) 100m (1) and 150m (1). He adds that there seems little doubt about a relationship between the UFO and the paralysis, as the paralysis commenced upon observing the UFO and then ceased when the UFO left.

The source is noted "Michel, A. 1958. Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery. New York. Criterion Books. p158."

[Ref. jsc1:] JOHN SCHUESSLER:

John Schuessler indicates that on October 11, 1954, in France, in Sassier, at 04:30, Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, driving in a car, felt electric shocks to their bodies and became paralyzed. The motor of the car died and the lights went out. They saw a cylindrical object in the field and three small beings near it. When the UFO left, everything returned to normal. There was an independent witness also.

The sources are indicated as UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference, CUFOS; Official UFO, Feb. 76; Michel.

[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

Donald Johnson indicates that on October 11, 1954, in Sassier, near La Carie, France two men, Messrs. Gallois and Vigneron, were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny when felt an "electric shock" at the same time their car headlights died. They then saw a craft in a pasture 50 meters away. It was cylindrical and fairly thick in shape. Three dwarf humanoids were standing close by. No light was seen, except a small, reddish point of light. Both witnesses were paralyzed until the craft left. A third witness, Mr. Chaumeau, had seen a lighted object fly over the woods at La Carie, France.

The source is indicated as Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, pp. 224-225.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that on October 11, 1954 at 04:30 hours, two stallholders went to the fair of Corbigny. They had hardly left Clamecy, at the locality "Le Fassié", that their van stalled and the headlights died out. A second earlier, they had felt like a discharge of electrical current on all the body. They then saw, in a field bordering the road, at about fifty meters, a round machine of greyish color; of which they could not distinguish the details, and near this object, the moves with fast gestures of three small silhouettes who soon disappeared in the machine which flew away quickly. At this time, the headlights of the vehicle re-ignited and the engine of the truck started again at the first use of starter. Another witness in "La Carie" certified he saw this craft too. Interviewed by a journalist of the newspaper La Montagne, one of the witnesses on his arrival in Corbigny stated: "At the time when the engine stalled and the headlights died out, I was awestruck, for at about fifty meters of me, approximately, I came to see a machine of cylindrical form, of a rather large diameter, which I could compare to the 'saucers'. I clearly saw, on board this apparatus, three beings of small size, which appeared of weird form to me, but of which it was impossible to me to distinguish the features. It seemed to me that one of them was smoking, or then, it was a small light which was on board. My comrade and me, we were immobilized inside the vehicle and in impossibility of moving. It is only after the disappearance of the apparatus and its occupants that we could resume our travel. The appearance lasted only a few seconds but it was very clear and no doubt exists for me".

Luc Chastan indicates that the beings were 1 m to 1.20 m tall, and that the sources are Mini catalogue chronologique des observations OVNI by Van Overmeire Godelieve, http://users.skynet.be/sky84985/; Chroniques des apparitions E.T. by Vallée Jacques DENOEL 1972 - coll. J'AI L; Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. Alain Lefeuvre publisher 1979.

[Ref. rhh1:] RICHARD HALL:

TABLE 1. UFO OCCUPANT SIGHTINGS, 1954-1963

[...]

October 11, 1954 Henri Gallois, Louis Vigneron, Clamecy (Nievre), France 4:30 A.M.

Three small figures; en route to a fair, felt shock, paralysis, engine and lights failed; beings entered round craft and took off.

[...]

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Jerome Beau indicates that on October 11, 1954, at 04:30, in Sassier, France, close to "La Carie", misters Gallois and Vigneron, driving from Clamecy to Corbigny, feel an electric shock while the headlights of the car die out. "They see 1 object in the pastures, at approximately 50 m. It is cylindrical, rather thick, and 3 small beings stood near. No light is visible, except for 1 small reddish dot. The 2 witnesses are paralyzed until the departure of the object. A 3rd witness, Mr. Chaumeau, sees a luminous object flying above the wood of La Carie."

Jérôme Beau indicates as source "Libération, le Parisien, October 14, 1954."

[Ref. ars1:] ALBERT ROSALES:

147.

Location. Clamecy-Sassier, France

Date: October 11 1954

Time: 0430A

While driving, Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron felt something like an electric shock, which paralyzed them; at the same time the motor stalled and the headlights went out. Then they saw, 50 yards away, a cylindrical object. 3 small figures, making lively movements and gestures, were seen to enter the saucer, which flew off; the headlights went back on, and they could move again.

Humcat 1954-86

Source: Aime Michel

Type: B

[Ref. mps1:] MICHEL PADRINES:

Michel Padrines indicates that on October 11, 1954, at 04:30, in Sassier, France, close to "La Carie", misters Gallois and Vigneron, driving from Clamecy to Corbigny, feel an electric shock while the headlights of the car die out. "They see 1 object in the pastures, at approximately 50 m. It is cylindrical, rather thick, and 3 small beings stood near. No light is visible, except for 1 small reddish dot. The 2 witnesses are paralyzed until the departure of the object. A 3rd witness, Mr. Chaumeau, sees a luminous object flying above the wood of La Carie."

Michel Padrines indicates as source "Libération, le Parisien, October 14, 1954."

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 11 October 1954, at 06:00, in Clamecy, France, an object was observed, electromagnetic and physiological effects were noted, there were multiple independent witnesses. One white disc, around 100 feet away, was observed by two experienced male witnesses on a road for over 12 minutes. Three 3.5-foot-tall dwarves were seen.

The sources are indicated as Webb, David, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports; 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; Pereira, Jader U., Les Extra-Terrestres, Phenomenes Spatiaux, Paris, 1974; 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, Anatomy of a Phenomenon, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1965; Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Cramp, Leonard G., Piece for a Jig-Saw, Somerton, Isle of Wight, 1966; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Binder, Otto, What We Really Know About Flying Saucers, Fawcett T1863, Greenwich, 1967; Hall, Richard H., The UFO Evidence, NICAP, Washington, 1964; Flying Saucers, Flying Saucers Magazine, (Palmer); Olsen, Thomas M., The Reference for Outstanding UFO Sighting Reports, UFOIRC, Riderwood, 1966; Delaire, J. Bernard, UFO Register Volume 7 (1976), Data Research, Oxford, 1976; Rodeghier, Mark, UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference, CUFOS, Chicago, 1981; Falla, Geoffrey, Vehicle Interference Project, BUFORA, London, 1979; Hall, Richard H., The UFO Evidence, Volume II: A Thirty-Year Report, Scarecrow Press, Lanham, 2000, ISBN:0-8103-3881-8; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002; Stringfield, L.

[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 11 October 1954, in Clamecy, France, a car motor and headlights failed, passengers felt shock and numbness, a round UFO took off from nearby field, one ball was observed.

The source is indicated as "NICAP Sighting Information Database."

[Ref. uda3:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 11 October 1954, at 04:30, in Clamecy-Sassier, France, while driving, Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron felt something like an electric, which paralyzed them; at the same time the motor stalled and the headlights went out. Then they saw, 50 yards away, a cylindrical object. 3 small figures, making lively movements and gestures, were seen to enter the saucer, which flew off; the headlights went back on, and they could move again.

The source is a broken link.

[Ref. uda4:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 11 October 1954, at 04:30, in Sassier, France, a cylindrical craft was seen with three dwarfs standing close by. Messrs. Gallois and Vigneron who were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny felt an "electric shock" as the car headlights died. They then saw a craft in a pasture 50 meters away. It was cylindrical, fairly thick, and three dwarfs were standing close by. No light was seen, except a small, reddish point. Both witnesses were "paralyzed" until the craft left. A third witness, Mr. Chaumeau, had seen a lighted object fly over the woods at La Carie.

The website comments that an object was observed, electromagnetic and physiological effects were noted, there were multiple independent witnesses, one red cylinder, around 100 feet away, was observed by two experienced male witnesses on a road for over 12 minutes, their names were Gallois and Vigneron. Three 3.5-foot-tall dwarves were seen.

The source is indicated as "Vallee Magonia Database".

[Ref. unt1:] "UFO NORTHWEST" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that Dr. Jacques Vallee wrote a book titled "Passport to Magnolia" [sic] that highlighted French humanoid incidents associated with UFOs in 1954, which were also described in the more recent book "Situation Red - The UFO Siege" (1977) by Leonard H. Stringfield, including the following:

On October 11 in Sassier, near La Carie, Messieurs Gallois and Vigneron who were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny, felt an electric shock as the car headlights died. They then saw a craft in a pasture fifty meters away. It was cylindrical and fairly thick, and three dwarfs were standing close by. NO light was seen, except a reddish point. Both witnesses were paralyzed until the craft left. A third witness had seen a lighted object fly over the woods at La Carie.

[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON:

October 11 1954. 0430hrs SASSIER (NIEVRE: FRANCE)

Grain merchants Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny when they felt an electric shock as their car headlights died. They then saw an object in a pasture 50m away. It was cylindrical, fairly thick and three dwarves were making quick, lively movements and gestures nearby. No light was seen, except for a small reddish point. Both men were paralyzed until after the craft left. A third witness, Henri Chameau, had seen a lighted object rise over the woods at La Carie

Michel 1958, p.158.
Vallee Case 234, citing Liberation + Le Parisien both of 14 Oct 1954.

[Ref. tai1:] "THINK ABOUT IT" WEBSITE:

Location: Clamecy-Sassier, France

Date: October 11 1954

Time: 0430A

While driving, Henri Gallois & Louis Vigneron felt something like an electric shock, which paralyzed them; at the same time the motor stalled and the headlights went out. Then they saw, 50 yards away, a cylindrical object. 3 small figures, making lively movements & gestures, were seen to enter the saucer, which flew off; the headlights went back on, & they could move again.

Source: Aime Michel;Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia 234

[Ref. nip2:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 11, 1954 - At 4:30 a.m. in Sassier, near La Carie, Nievre, France two men, Messrs. Gallois and Vigneron, were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny when they felt an "electric shock" at the same time their car headlights died. They then saw a craft in a pasture 50 meters away. It was cylindrical and fairly thick in shape. Three dwarf humanoids were standing close by. No light was seen, except a small, reddish point of light. Both witnesses were paralyzed until the craft left. A third witness, Mr. Chaumeau, had seen a lighted object fly over the woods at La Carie, France. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 158; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, pp. 224-225, case # 234; Richard Hall, The UFO Evidence, p. 74; Thomas M. Olsen, The Reference for Outstanding UFO Reports, case 52).

[Ref. jgz1:] JULIEN GONZALEZ:

The author indicates that the close encounter of the third type of Clamecy, the Nièvre, on October 11, 1954, at 04:30 was a hoax.

Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron, fair merchants, went early to the fair at Corbigny. Hardly had they passed Clamecy, at the place called "Le Fassié" that their van stalled and that the headlights went out. A few seconds before, the witnesses had felt like a discharge of electric current all over the body. It was then that they saw in a field bordering the road, about fifty yards away, a round engine of a rather large diameter and greyish tint, from which they could not distinguish the details. Close to this object, the witnesses observed three beings of small size and bizarre form that moved with quick gestures, and soon disappeared in the craft that quickly flew away.

Julien Gonzalez indicates that the sources of this report are Le Journal du Centre for October 13, 1954; Le Parisien for October 14, 1954; Aimé Michel, "Mystérieux Onjets Célestes", page 268; C. Garreau R. Lavier, "Face aux Extra-Terrestres", page 100; Jean Sider, Le Dossier 1954 et l'imposture rationaliste, page 195.

Julien Gonzalez says that in fact, the next day, Le Journal du Centre for October 14, 1954 had revealed in an article titled "The saucer drank in the cup" that the whole story had been invented by MM. Gallois and Vigneron. No other newspaper had passed on this information so that this case remained for more than 40 years in ufological catalogs. He adds that he himself contacted Mr. Gallois in 2000, who confirmed the mystification to him.

[Ref. men1:] "MERLIN":

3 hours later [October 11, 1954], at 4:30 in the morning, in the Nièvres in Clamecy this time.

Two fairground merchants go early to the Corbigny fair. They had barely left Clamecy, at a place called "Le Fassié", when their van stalls and the headlights go out.

A few seconds before, the witnesses felt like a discharge of electric current all over the body. It was then that they saw, in a field bordering the road, some fifty meters away, a round machine, of grayish tint, of which they could not distinguish the details.

Near this object, the two fairgrounders observe the merry-go-round of three small figures who move with lively gestures, they measure between 1 meter to 1.20 meter, they soon disappear in the machine which flies away quickly. At this time, the vehicle's headlights come back on and the truck's engine starts again at the first start.

Another witness at "La Carie", certified to have also seen this craft.

Interviewed by a journalist for the newspaper La Montagne, one of the witnesses when he arrived in Corbigny, said: "When the engine stalled and the headlights went out, I was breathless, because at one about fifty meters from me, I had just seen a cylindrical machine of a fairly large diameter, which I could compare to "saucers".

I clearly saw, on board this craft, three beings of small size, which seemed to me oddly shaped, but whose features I was unable to distinguish. It seemed to me that one of them was smoking, or it was a small light on board. My comrade and I were immobilized inside the vehicle and unable to move.

It was only after the disappearance of the craft and its occupants that we were able to continue our journey. The apparition lasted only a few seconds but it was very clear and no doubt exists for me."

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

This database recorded this case 18 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
19541000 00.10.1954 Clamency France CE II
19541011 11.10.1954 Sassier France CE II
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy-Sassier France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France Night CE II
19541011 11.10.1954 Sassier France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France Twilight
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Sassier France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France 06.00
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE II
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Clamecy France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Sassier France CE III
19541011 11.10.1954 Sassier France CE III

[Ref. prn3:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

October 11 1954. 0430hrs

SASSIER (NIEVRE : FRANCE)

Grain merchants Henri Gallois and Louis Vigneron were driving from Clamecy to Corbigny when they felt an electric shock as their car headlights died. They then saw an object in a pasture 50m away. It was cylindrical, fairly thick and three dwarves were making quick, lively movements and gestures nearby. No light was seen, except for a small reddish point. Both men were paralysed until after the craft left. A third witness, Henri Chameau, had seen a lighted object rise over the woods at La Carie

Michel 1958 p158

Vallee Case 234 citing Liberation + Le Parisien both of 14 October 1954.)

[Ref. aln1:] ALAIN LEQUIEN:

The author indicates that three extraterrestrials were reported in Clamecy on October 11, 1954:

On leaving Clamecy, two fairground merchants went early to the Corbigny fair. At around 4.30 a.m., passing through a place called Le Fassié, they felt an electric shock all over their body before their van stalled and the headlights went out.

It was then that they saw in a field bordering the road at about fifty meters, a round apparatus of grayish color whose details could not be distinguished.

Near the object, witnesses observed the merry-go-round of three small figures moving with lively gestures. Then the craft took off quickly. It was then that the vehicle's headlights came back on and the truck's engine restarted on the first use of the starter.

Another witness certified having also seen this craft.

Interviewed by a journalist from La Montagne, one of the witnesses said:

"When the engine stalled and the headlights went out, I gasped, because about fifty meters from me, I just saw a cylindrical-shaped craft of a fairly large diameter, which I could compare to saucers. I clearly saw, on board this craft, three beings of small size, who appeared to me to be oddly shaped, but whose features were impossible to distinguish."

"It seemed to me that one of them was smoking, or it was a small light that was on board. My friend and I were immobilized inside the vehicle, unable to move."

"It was only after the disappearance of the craft and its occupants that we were able to continue our journey. The appearance only lasted a few seconds, but it was very clear and no doubt exists for me."

The author indicates that no investigation was carried out.

Explanations:

Map.

Invented by the witnesses.

Barthel and Brucker claimed [bbr1] they have in their file the newspaper Le Figaro for October 24, 1954, and that this source mentioned no occupants. I provided a scan of this source, [fso1], and it does mention the occupants, even in the headline!

Keywords:

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

Clamecy, Nièvre, La Carie, Henri Gallois, Louis Vigneron, Clamecy, Cary, Corbigny, stop, headlights, car, shock, electric, object, landing, cylinder, multiple, paralysis, luminous

Sources:

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

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross April 7, 2003 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross December 14, 2008 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions: [fru1], [bbr1], [gal1], [goe1], [jbu1], [lsd1], [mrr1], [jsr1], [uda1], [uda2], [uda3], [uda4], [lcn1].
1.1 Patrick Gross December 20, 2008 Addition [nip1], [mps1].
1.2 Patrick Gross Addition [mcs1].
1.3 Patrick Gross June 28, 2010 Addition [jve5].
1.4 Patrick Gross July 3, 2010 Addition [lcp1].
1.5 Patrick Gross August 16, 2010 Addition [unt1].
1.6 Patrick Gross August 14, 2013 Addition [prn1].
1.4 Patrick Gross September 26, 2014 Addition [ads1], [nip1], [tai1].
1.6 Patrick Gross December 21, 2016 Additions [lgs1], [ubk1].
1.7 Patrick Gross December 31, 2016 Additions [fso1], [jgz1]. In the Explanations, addition of the paragraph "Barthel and Brucker..."
1.9 Patrick Gross January 5, 2017 Addition [prn1].
2.0 Patrick Gross January 31, 2017 Additions [mec1], [jpa1].
2.1 Patrick Gross April 30, 2019 Additions [prn1], [lhh1], [prn2], [bde1], [via1], [mft3], [mft1], [mft2], Summary.
2.2 Patrick Gross December 13, 2019 Additions [rhl1], [ton1].
2.3 Patrick Gross January 10, 2020 Additions [ppe1], [men1]. In the Summary, addition of the part related to Paris-Presse [ppe1].
2.4 Patrick Gross March 5, 2020 Addition [nnm1].
2.5 Patrick Gross April 30, 2020 Addition [nmn1].
2.6 Patrick Gross February 11, 2021 Addition [aln1].
2.7 Patrick Gross March 1, 2021 Addition [lbr1].
2.8 Patrick Gross August 16, 2021 Additions [ufa1], [jve3], [agd1], [tbw1].
2.9 Patrick Gross May 2, 2022 Additions [gqy1], [gqy2].
3.0 Patrick Gross June 3, 2022 Addition [lex1].
3.1 Patrick Gross June 29, 2022 Addition [amn1].

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