The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 14-Oct-54-Saint-Angel.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
In the 1970s, several French ufology magazines reported that on October 14, 1954, in Saint-Angel, at 7:30 p.m., several inhabitants of Commentry had observed a disc of the color of the fire that was moving horizontally to the right of the "Decca" antenna of Saint-Angel.
The object remained visible for a quarter of an hour, changed color several times, and "disappeared" towards the forest of Tronçais.
The source would be the Center-Matin newspaper from October 16-17, 1954.
[Ref. ous1] "OURANOS" MAGAZINE:
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10/14/1954 Saint-Angel (07:30 p.m.).
Several Commentry residents observed a fire-colored disc moving horizontally to the right of the "Decca" antenna of Saint-Angel. The object remained visible for 1/4 hour, changed color several times and disappeared towards the forest of Tronçais (Centre matin for 10/16-17/1954).
[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
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October 14 (Centre Matin for 10/16) Saint-Angel 07:30 p.m.
Several residents of Commentry observed a disc of fire color moving horizontally to the right of the "Decca" antenna of Saint-Angel. It was visible for a quarter of an hour, changed color several times and disappeared to the forest of Tronçais.
[Ref. ioi1:] "INFO-OVNI" MAGAZINE:
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018 10/14/54 7:30 p.m. Saint-Angel Witness XXX of Commentry
Witnesses observed a disc of fire color that moved horiz. to the right of the DECCA antenna. Visible l/4th h. the object changed several times of colors and disappeared in the N. (Centre-Matin dor 10/16-17/54)
[Ref. bbr1:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:
The two authors note this case of October 14, 1954:
"Commentry - 03 - untraceable witness after investigation. According to our information, one could grant no credit to the witness who was constantly drunk."
[Ref. ldl2:] MAGAZINE D'UFOLOGIE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
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15. Commentry (Allier), on October 14, 1954.
Version B&B [bbr1]: ... without hour (p. 200) ...witness not found after investigation (p. 199). LDLN Version: Centre-Matin for 10/17/54 gives 07:30 p.m. as observation hour. This newspaper is cited by B&B, who thus prove that they are unable to read a Press article.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4120: 1954/10/14 19:30 15 2:44:00 E 46:17:00 N 3333 WEU FRN ALR 6:9
COMMENTRY,FR:SVRL OBS:FIERY DISK PASSES RADIO ANTENNA:CHANGES CLRS:>> WOODS
Ref#194 LUMIERES dans la NUIT.(LDLN France) Issue No. 128 : TOWN &CITY
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 14 October 1954 at 19:30 in Commentry, France, "A mysterious phenomena was reported by several witnesses in a town."
The website indicates that the source is "Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002".
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Saint-Angel is 93 kilometers south-southeast of Commentry. No way that people in Commentry would give as a landmark of the UFO a DECAA antenna of Saint-Angel! It is therefore rsidents of Commentry who were at Saint-Angel who made the observation, and not an observation in Commentry, like told in some of the sources.
Barthel and Brucker might have invented their single "alcoholic witness" of an observation they give as taking place in Commentry... whereas the press was talking of several witnesses and I cannot be sure for now that even one witness was named.
The case also looks more like an astronomical mistake, Venus comes to mind. Low on the horizon, it sometimes shows "color changes" especially when it is observed with the binoculars. The duration is typical of such a mistake, the "disappearance" corresponding to the passage under the horizon or behind an obstacle. (Mars, Moon, do not show such color changes, stars can.)
We are at Saint-Angel, 45° 31'53" North, 2° 14' 03" East, on October 14, 1954, at 07:30 p.m.. No clear direction is given, unfortunately.
Venus set down at 07:04 p.m., in the direction of 237° (South-East). But it is quite possible that the time "07:30 p.m." was not very precise, and that it was indeed setting Venus that aroused this observation. Note the Moon had just passed under the horizon at 07:30 p.m., Mars was at 20° elevation, and bright stars like Capella or Antares were visible and low.
Another element does not correspond to Venus seeting down in the Southeast: the newspaper speaks of a disappearance to the North. But the witnesses, who are from Commentry, may have been disoriented.
Which leaves me with an "unidentified" of very low strangeness, probably an astronomical misinterpretation.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Commentry, Saint-Angel, Allier, alcohol, multiple, disc, fire, color, change, move, antenna, duration
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | March 22, 2006 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | April 8, 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [uda1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | December 22, 2018 | Additions [ous1], [ldl1], [ioi1], [ldl2], [lhh1], summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet." |
