The 1954 French flap:

The Courier of the Somme

A mysterious craft moves
for ten minutes
in the sky of the Doullenais

It seems that we have not finished talking about the "saucers" and other mysterious craft which, daily, cross the sky in many places.

Certainly, there was in many people, an excess of imagination which leaves skeptical a number of minds. However, it seems obvious now that there really are strange craft.

So let's leave aside the more or less fanciful statements and attach our attention to serious testimonies. One of these is particularly noteworthy. It is that of Mr. Maurice Niquet, farmer in Hardinval, annex of the town of Hem, near Doullens. Mr. Niquet, 17 years old, was Thursday afternoon, beating barley in a field at a place called "Behind the hedges", not far from the houses and about two hundred meters from the national road nr 25.

It was around 5:00 p.m. when he was hailed by Mr. Percheval, an agricultural worker, who was harvesting beets in a nearby field, and whose 8 years old son had just seen a kind of green disc moving at very high altitude. In his turn, Mr. Niquet saw the object very clearly, while Mr. Percheval, who did not want to be taken for a "joker", rushed on the road to stop a possible motorist who could serve as witness.

As for the young farmer, he stayed in place to hold his horses, who were also looking at the craft and seemed quite frightened. A strange display was then offered to his sight. The disc, which rotated on a vertical plane, began to descend slowly. during this descent, the gyration had stopped. It only resumed gently when the object came to rest about thirty meters from the ground, just above trees near the town and about two hundred meters from Mr. Niquet.

"It was", the later would say, "a ball which, from green, had turned to white, without being excessively luminous. But the strangest thing is that on all sides, like jets of vapor of all colors came out; which lit the ground, my horses and myself. Sometimes we were pink, sometimes purple, or red, yellow, etc... The spectacle was splendid, but I was all the same frightened enough by this vision."

The ball thus remained ten minutes completely motionless. Then, it started to rotate again very fast, always on a vertical plane and it went away first in oblique, then straight in the sky.

Mr. Percheval, who was waiting on the road, could not see the craft which was hidden from him by the trees.

As one may guess, Mr. Niquet told his adventure to his parents. His father inquired at the neighbors. This is how Mr. and Mrs. Oncle, who were much further from the indicated place, noticed, at the indicated time, color changes above the trees; which suggests that the appearance was not caused by the imagination of the young farmer.

But another testimony also came to us from people just as reliable. It is that of Mr. and Mrs. Dumeige, cattle dealers, in Domart-en-Ponthieu, and of Mr. Lourdel, cattle broker, in Condé-Folie, who, Thursday, around 9 p.m., were traveling by automobile truck on the road from Domart to Condé-Folie. These three people, in fact, saw not far from the farms of La Folie, a very bright glow which seemed to land in a meadow not far from the road.

Mr. Dumeige, who was driving, stopped his vehicle and got out with his wife and Mr. Lourdel. It was then that they saw clearly, near the light, six or seven small beings who were advancing one after the other. They were so frightened that they quickly set off again, leaving the craft and its occupants there.

Flying saucers...
... in the sky of France

Paris, 18. -- Mysterious craft continue to regularly frequent the skies of France. The testimonies accumulate, coming every day to bring some new details, either on the saucers, or on the flying cigars.

While on Saturday evening, several reliable people, including Mr. Béranger, mayor of Saint St-Laurent-du-Var, advisor general, had seen above Nice, an orange disc, last night, this time above Cannes, several people observed a luminous craft of yellow color with a green tail, but the more interesting testimony was to be brought by an employee of the municipal recipe of Antibes.

Mr. Casella, living in Bio [sic], returning home in the evening, found himself "face to face with a huge mechanical machine measuring 7 to 8 meters in diameter placed in the middle of the road." The witness who was on a bicycle approached the craft until almost touching it, but then it rose vertically and, with a slight hiss, disappeared into the sky.

In the Provence sky, in Venergues, several grape pickers saw, Friday afternoon, a craft of elongated shape like a cigar, one said, white and blue, said a second. A third picker said the rocket appeared to be emitting luminous rays.

In Le Puy, a luminous object was observed between 5:50 p.m. and 6:36 p.m., by the Puy Chadrac weather station. The craft appeared like a straight olive with a sort of black antenna at the top. The station chief said he believed he was in the presence of the planet Jupiter. Mr. Casella, a resident of Bio who piter, but the sudden disappearance of the object demonstrated that he had been mistaken.

The same phenomenon was seen by the meteorological center of Ruyères (Cantal). One can compare these testimonies to that of thousands of inhabitants of Tulle who, around 3:35 p.m., saw in the sky, in a south-southeast direction, a big bright and motionless point. It appeared transparent and showed the shape of a cylinder whose two ends were conical.

In Murat (Cantal), an object also shiny and ovoid in shape, was to be observed for an hour. In this case, it seems to be a strongly lit balloon.

In two villages in the Haute-Marne, Vignory and Brottes, orange-colored objects were seen on Thursday evening. These objects rose vertiginously but without noise.

Finally, in the Finistère, Mr. René le Viol, transporter at Fouesnant, saw Thursday evening, behind a curtain of trees, a flat-shaped craft with the appearance of an overturned plate and surrounded by a reddish glow, this first disc was then followed by a second and both disappeared towards the sea.

THE "SAUCERS" EXPLORE ITALY

Rome, 15. -- Many mysterious craft were seen yesterday in the sky of Italy. One of these machines landed near Rovigo in the area known as Po Di Gnocca, where several people observed it. The circular craft, after having slowly hovered, landed on the ground without noise. After a few minutes of immobility, it resumed its silent vertical flight, but at the place where it took off, there is now a fairly deep crater six meters in diameter. Six poplars that stood nearby were also charred. Authorities will travel to the scene to verify the authenticity of the witnesses' accounts.

In the Modena region, a trader saw an incandescent "flying cigar" flying over the countryside at an altitude of around two hundred meters. After a brief stop, the craft reportedly headed to the northwest. This observation was confirmed by other witnesses.

Finally a flying saucer with silver reflections is reported to have flown over the Loino area at 5.000 meters. Witnesses to this observation stated that the saucer did not emit any noise and did not release any smoke. It disappeared in the direction of Switzerland.

Martians in single line

Amiens, 16. -- Mr. and Mrs. Dumeige, cattle dealers in Domart-en-Ponthieu, and Mr. Lourdel, cattle broker in Condé-Folie, who, on Thursday, around 9:00 p.m., were traveling by automobile truck on the road to Domart in Condé-Folie, said they saw a very bright glow not far from La Folie farms, which seemed to land in a meadow not far from the road.

Mr. Dumeige, who was driving, stopped his vehicle and got out with his wife and Mr. Lourdel. It was then that they saw clearly, near the light, six or seven small beings advancing in line. They were so frightened that they immediately set off again, leaving the craft and its occupants there.

STILL
THE SAUCERS

We reported yesterday under what conditions several farmers in the hamlet of Hardinval, near Doullens, had their attention drawn by a mysterious machine which they were able to follow for quite a long time. We can complete our information by adding that one of these cultivators saw the machine descend slowly; in the descent the spinning of the apparatus ceased. The saucer came to a stop some 30 meters above the ground, and 200 meters from where Mr. Percheval was. Jets of colored vapor issued from the craft and lit the ground. The ball remained motionless for ten minutes, then spun in place and shot away straight into the sky.

* * *

A spectacle even more hallucinating than the one noticed by Mr. and Mrs. Dumeige, cattle brokers, in Domart-en-Ponthieu, and Mr. Lourdel, also a livestock broker, in Condé - Folie. They saw a bright saucer landing in a field, a short distance from the road they were on. Mr. and Mrs. Dumeige and Mr. Lourdel got off their

Having mitaken his neighbor for a
Martian, a cultivator shoots
two gunshots at him

Lille, 17. -- Mr. Maurice Ruant, farmer in Sinceny, near Chauny (Aisne), almost fell victim to the panic that is caused to some people by the appearance of saucers or other flying objects.

Last night, he was busy repairing his car in a meadow near his home, when two shots were fired in his direction. The pellets crashed onto the vehicle body, not far from his head. Mr. Maurice Ruant complained and the investigation, immediately opened, made it possible to quickly find the author of the two shots: a neighbor of Mr. Ruant, Mr. Faisan.

The latter said to the police:

"I thought, seeing a silhouette moving in the light of two headlights, to be in the presence of a Martian repairing his flying saucer. I went to get my gun and I fired."

IN THE SOMME

Mr. Percheval, an agricultural worker employed in the harvesting of beets, near Amiens, clearly saw a disc which turned on a vertical plane and which began to descend slowly. When the craft was 30 meters above the ground, that is, less than 200 meters from the location of another farmer, Mr. Nicket, the craft, which was in the shape of a ball, stopped. Jets of steam of all colors came out on all sides, which lit up the sky, sometimes purple and even red and yellow. The spectacle was said to be magnificent. The ball remained motionless for ten minutes, then began to spin quickly, rose at full speed, and disappeared.

Also in the Somme department, livestock brokers, Mr. and Mrs. Dumeige, and Mr. Lourdel, were driving in an automobile truck when they saw a very bright gleam which seemed to land in a meadow, not far from the road. Mr. Dumeige, who was driving the truck, stopped his vehicle and went down on the road, with his wife and Mr. Lourdel. The trio then saw very clearly near the craft six or seven small beings who advanced in line. The spectacle frightened the stockbrokers so much that they immediately got back into their cars and continued on their way at full speed.

ALWAYS THE SAUCERS

Last week, Thursday, around 5 p.m., MM. Maurice Niquet, 17, farmer; Georges Percheval, 33, agricultural worker; and Emile Oncle, 55, a farmer, were in the fields at Hardinval, near Doullens.

They were busy grubbing up the beets, when their attention was drawn to a brilliant craft, located in the sky at a great height, vertically above the hamlet of Hardinval, south of the national road Abbeville-Doullens.

The spherical craft, with a diameter of about 10 meters, emitted gleams of all colors which were reflected towards the ground and on the two horses led by Mr. Niquet; the horses got scared and had to be untied in a hurry and held by the bridle.

The craft descended gently; on the descent, the gyration of the craft stopped. The saucer came to a stop some 30 meters from the ground, and 200 meters from the place where Mr. Percheval was. Colored jets of steam came out of the craft and lit the ground. The ball remained motionless for ten minutes, then spun and jumped straight into the sky.

Even more amazing spectacle than the one noticed by Mr. and Mrs. Dumeige, cattle brokers, in Domart-en-Ponthieu, and Mr. Lourdel, also a livestock broker, in Condé-Folie. These people saw a bright saucer landing in a flagpole, not far from the road where they were.

Mr. and Mme Dumeige and Mr. Lourdel got out of their vehicles and saw six or seven little beings near the light, advancing in single line. The three Earthmen were so frightened that they got back in the car and left the place as quickly as possible.

A Fienvillers farmer also told us that when she was in the fields, she saw an elongated, very shiny object descending and going up vertically.

She did not believe in it either and yet when one sees these mysterious craft one has to face the facts, added this cultivator.

***

So we just hear about saucers every day.

Will we finally be able to discover the secrets of these mysterious craft?

Flying Saucers...

Like it or not, there is a problem with the flying saucers, the matter seems to be getting serious.

Whereas, at the beginning, many newspapers scoffed (and L'Abeille, like the others), it became obvious, even to the most skeptical "that there is something".

To take only examples close to here and officially noted by the gendarmeries and the security services of the territory, how to admit that in Hem-Hardinval, the mysterious craft which intrigued several farmers, known for their seriousness, and which frightened their horses, is a product of the imagination? At a distance of 100 meters, people still could not dream... As could not dream the inhabitants of Domart-en-Ponthieu who saw a saucer land near their car, and strange beings get out of it.

In the Ternois, people are more discreet, and if we know that some saw bizarre craft (a miner from Linzeux, a Buneville farmer woman, etc.) they were careful not to advertise too much what they saw.

Other residents of the Ternois also saw strange objects in the sky: an industrialist from Saint-Pol returning in the evening by car, farm workers returning from work. Monday evening a dozen Saint-Pol residents saw around 8:30 p.m. a luminous object, followed by a dazzling tail which took the direction of Ramecourt. The object was clearly seen by a city councilor, a doctor and various other personalities.

We also talked about strange objects seen in Frévent, in Auxi, in Wavrans, etc...

What should we conclude from this? It would obviously be very difficult to say.

Be that as it may, we find ourselves in the presence of two very distinct phenomena: luminous objects in the sky and objects of metallic appearance posed in the countryside, or landing there.

Some objections immediately come to mind. Why would the occupants of these objects come to land in hollow paths, in the deserted plains, etc. If they really come from other planets and are on an observation mission, it would make more sense for them to come near factories, big cities, ports. Given their power and the influence of their so-called paralyzing beam, what would they risk?

L'Abeille obviously does not claim to provide its readers with the solution to this problem which, to be honest, seems really frightening. However, we thought it would be interesting to publish extracts from a letter that a prominent Swiss personality, Mr. Alfred Nahon, professor of philosophy and psychology in Lausanne, just sent to the newspaper L'Express.

Here's what he writes:

"I was surprised the other day to find that you seem to deal with the so-called "flying saucer" issue lightly.

Studying the questions and information relating to "flying saucers", I have been perfectly aware for seven years, of everything that has been said or written on this matter. I am a member and general correspondent for Switzerland of the International Investigation Commission "Ouranos".

It follows from my information, intersected by the turn of certain important diplomatic facts, that these craft come from several planets and that their occupants have advised the main governments to have to stop their atomic and military policies in general.

It is a long time since the population should have been honestly informed of the truth: the extraterrestrial nature of these apparatuses, the peaceful mission of its other humanity, the possibility of several landings in the immediate future, details on the past landings in 1948 and 1952 in the United States, 1952 and 1954 in France, etc.

In recent days, identical phenomena multiplied, in France in particular, and the public, who once laughed, seems to be worried today.

This concern is not justified. It is due to the ignorance in which the population was kept on all the phases and particularity of these prodigious forewords to the interplanetary era.

Consequently, I think that it is necessary, without delay, to train the public in the idea of this reality, to inform them of all the historical aspect of the question, of our own preparations with a view to going to nearby planets and provide directions for contact or simple unsuccessful landing.

Alfred Nahon
Professor of Philosophy
and Psychology
Lausanne

HumCat # 1892

October 15. 1954 1930 Nr Vauchelles-les-Domart (Somme), France Type C

Mme. S., her husband, and another man, M. Lourdel, were driving a truck on Dept. Route 216, just outside Vauchelles-les-Domart, when they were dazzled by a bright light that passed over the road and landed beyond a small thicket on the other side of a freshly ploughed field. Mme. s., who was driving, stopped the truck and she and M. Lourdel ran into the field to see what it was. Suddenly they saw four or five small figures, no more than a meter high, walking "Indian file" from right to left directly in front of the bushes, not more than 25 meters away. Frightened, the two turned on their heels and ran back to the truck, driving quickly off. The police, notified of the sighting, inspected the area several days later but were unable to find any traces. The figures appeared to be dressed in diver's suits ("les scaphandriers").

Investigator: Claude Perrler (in 1977)

Source: Mesnard and Bigorne, ibid ["Les Humanoïdes en France, unpublished manuscript]., p. 142, citing first-hand inquiry.

October 14th., 1954: 21.00 hours. Between Domart & Condé-Folie (Somme).

Witnesses: Mr. and Mme. Dumeige, and Mr. Lourdel.

Ref: Le Courrier Picard l6.10.1954.

15 October. Near Vauchelles-les-Domart (Somme, France. (no time)

Five small figures.

According to a report obtained by UFO investigator Claude Perrier:

"Mme. S., her husband, and another man, M. Lourdel, were driving a truck on Dept. Route 216, just outside Vauchelles-les-Domart, when beyond a small thicket on the other side of a freshly ploughed field. Mme. S., who was driving, stopped the truck and she and M. Lourdel ran into the field to see what it was. Suddenly they saw four or five small figures, no more than a meter high, walking 'Indian file' from right to left directly in front of the bushes, not more than 25 meters away. Frightened, the two turned on their heels and ran back to the truck, driving quickly off. The police, notified of the sighting, inspected the area several days later but were unable to find any traces. The figures appeared to be dressed in diver's suits ('les scaphandriers')." (xx.)

(xx.) HumCat # 1892. Mesnard and Bigorne, "Les Humanoides en France," p.l42, Citing first-hand inquiry.

Untranslated clipping dated: 15 October 54. (See page 50 [clipping unrelated to this case]) (Credit: Jean Sider)

4129: 1954/10/14 21:00 3 2:07:20 E 50:04:00 N 3333 WEU FRN SMM 9:8

nr DOMART-en-PONTHIEU,FR:3 OBS:BIG GLOW/FLD:6-7 OIDS WALK SINGLE FILE:/r30p167

Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 203 : ROAD+RAILS

169.

Location. Near Vauchelles-les-Domart Somme France

Date: October 15 1954

Time: 1930

Ms S, her husband, and another man, M Lourdel, were driving a truck on Route 216, just outside Vauchelles-les-Domart, when a bright light that passed over the road and landed beyond a small thicket on the other side of a freshly ploughed field dazzled them. Ms S, who was driving, stopped the truck and she and M Lourdel ran into the field to see what it was. Suddenly they saw four or five small figures, no more than a meter high, walking "Indian file" from right to left directly in front of the bushes, not more than 25 meters away. Frightened, the two turned on their heels, and ran back to the truck, driving quickly off. The police, notified of the sighting, inspected the area several days later but were unable to find any traces. The figures appeared to be dressed in diver's suits.

Humcat 1954-29

Source: Claude Perrier

Type: C

October 14 1954. 2100hrs.

DOMART (S0ME : FRANCE)

While driving their lorry between Domart and Conde-Folie, the cattle dealers Mr and Mrs Dumeige and cattle broker Mr Lourdel caught sight of, near “La Folie” farms, a bright light apparently landing in a field by the road. They stopped the lorry and went to investigate. They then saw, near the light, six or seven little beings walking one after the other. The witnesses were so afraid that they drove away without investigating further.

Alain Gamard citing Courier Picard 16 Oct 1954.

Location: Mouflers, Somme, France

Date: October 14 1954

Time: 2100

Three persons driving in a van on the departmental road D216 saw not far from the farm ‘La Folie” a very brilliant beam of light which appeared to land on a meadow, a little distance from the road. The driver stopped his vehicle and went down with his wife and a third witness. At this point they clearly saw, close to the light six or seven beings of small size which advanced toward them one behind the other. The witnesses became frightened and resumed their travel, leaving the craft and occupants behind.

Source: http://ufologie.net [Which is the old URL of the home page of my website.]

Location: Near Vauchelles-les-Domart Somme France

Date: October 15 1954

Time: 1930

Ms S. her husband, and another man, M. Lourdel, were driving a truck on Route 216, just outside Vauchelles-les-Domart, when a bright light that passed over the road and landed beyond a small thicket on the other side of a freshly ploughed field dazzled them. Ms S, who was driving, stopped the truck and she and M. Lourdel ran into the field to see what it was. Suddenly they saw four or five small figures, no more than a meter high, walking “Indian file” from right to left directly in front of the bushes, not more than 25 meters away. Frightened, the two turned on their heels, and ran back to the truck, driving quickly off. The police, notified of the sighting, inspected the area several days later but were unable to find any traces. The figures appeared to be dressed in diver’s suits.

Source: Claude Perrier

October 14 1954. 2100hrs.

DOMART (S0MME : FRANCE)

While driving their lorry between Domart and Conde-Folie, the cattle dealers Mr and Mrs Dumeige and cattle broker Mr Lourdel caught sight of, near "La Folie" farms, a bright light apparently landing in a field by the road. They stopped the lorry and went to investigate. They then saw, near the light, six or seven little beings walking one after the other. The witnesses were so afraid that they drove away without investigating further.

• Alain Gamard citing Courrier Picard 16 October 1954.

Evaluation - Object landing is the meteor and figures a group of children?