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October 14, 1954, Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Saône-et-Loire:

Reference for this case: 14-oct-54-StGermain.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

In his 1958 book on the French wave of 1954, ufologist Aimé Michel indicated that on October 14, 1954, at nightfall in Saint-Germain-du-Bois in the Saône-et-Loire, Marcel Lonjarret was walking in the countryside when a suspicious light caught his attention. He went to see, and saw that behind a hedge at the edge of a cornfield, there was a sort of orange-red luminous dome standing motionless at ground level.

Marcel Lonjarret watched without daring to approach, then returned home. Returning to the scene the next day, he found no trace of it.

The story appears in other ufological sources with slight differences. Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier give the time as 06:00 p.m. - which corresponds to the hour when the sun was setting.

In 1979, the "skeptical" ufologists Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker noted this case on October 14, 1954 as follows: "Saint-Germain-du-Bois - 71 - 8 p.m.: hoax after investigation."

In 1989, the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit published an article consisting of verifications of assertions of explanations by Barthel and Brucker; and for this case, the magazine wrote that in reality they themselves had met Mr. Lonjaret at his home in 1986 and he did confirm his observation, noting that he had never seen an investigator before or had any investigators on the telephone since 1954...

In 1997, Jean Sider gives a story similar to that of Aimé Michel, but where the witness was on bicycle, the hour 7 p.m.. He specified that it is the indiscretion of a neighbor who made the affair known, published in the newspaper La Dépêche - La Liberté, of Saint-Etienne, for October 16-17, 1954, on page 3.

He wondered what investigation Barthel and Brucker amde, since the latterdid not know any details, and especially since ufologist Roger Chéreau had met the witness in 1986 on his farm in Saint-Germain-du-Bois where he was retired, not having changed address, and this witness not only confirmed his story, but certified that Barthel and Brucker had never contacted him, either on the spot or by telephone.

Reports:

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel indicates that on October 14, 1954 at nightfall in Saint-Germain-du-Bois in the Saone-and-Loire, Marcel Lonjarret was walking in the countryside, when a suspect light drew his attention. He went to see, and saw behind a hedge at the edge of a cornfield, a sort of motionless luminous dome of orange red color at ground level.

Marcel Lonjarret looked at it without daring approach, then returned home. He went back on the location the next day and found no trace.

[Ref. aml5:] AIME MICHEL:

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

[Ref. aml4:] AIME MICHEL:

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

The two authors report the following facts of which they indicate that the sources are newspaper clipping and personal files.

On October 14, 1954, at about 06:00 p.m., at night fall, in the countryside of Saint-Germain-du-Bois, in the Saone-and-Loire, Mr. Lonjaret, a farmer, returns to his farm through the fields.

Behind a hedge, at the edge of a corn part, he sees a kind of luminous dome of red-orange, motionless, at ground level.

He does not dare to approach. He returned at that place on the next day but discovers no traces.

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

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

The two authors indicate that with St. Germain du bois in the Saone-et-Loire on October 14, 1954 to 19:00, Marcel Lonjaret, farmer, returned to his farm, through fields, when a suspect gleam drew its attention.

Behind a hedge, in edge of a corn field, it discovered, motionless, with the short-nap cloth of the ground a kind of luminous dome of orange red color. It observed this machine without daring to approach and returned at his place. The following day, the witness reconsidered the spot, but did not find any trace.

The authors indicate that the sources are case 256 of the Vallée catalogue; Aimé Michel in "A Propos des Soucoupes Volantes" pages 292-293; Quincy; C. Garreau and R. Lavier in "Face aux ET" pages 108-109.

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

The two authors note this case of October 14, 1954:

"Saint-Germain-du-Bois - 71 - 8 p.m.: hoax after investigation."

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

In an extract of his Francat catalogue, Michel Figuet recorded that the case of the CE0 type in St-Germain du bois was in the twilight, a "confusion with the fall of a fireball."

[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":

The magazine published an article consisting of verifications of claims of explanations of cases of 1954 in France by Barthel and Brucker in their 1979 book [bbr1]. For this case, the magazine wrote:

[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:

Jean Sider indicates that the counter-investigation by Barthel and Brucker on the case in Saint-Germain-du-Bois in Saône-et-Loire is "imaginary."

He indicates that on October 14, 1954 at 19:00 hours, Mr. Longjarret, farmer, returns home by bicycle and suddenly sees in the edge of a field behind a hedge a ball of red light. He still rides a little, stops, notices that it is a motionless apparatus in the shape of a dome resting in a maize field. He is impressed and goes home rather than to remain on the location, and it is the indiscretion of a neighbor that revealed the case, published in "La Dépêche-La Liberté" of Saint-Etienne for October 16-17, 1954, on page 3.

Jean Sider notes that Barthel and Brucker claim on page 197 of their book that that is a "hoax after investigation", and he wonders: "what investigation?", since no detail is given.

As for him he specifies that in fact, ufologist Roger Chéreau managed to meet the witness in 1986 in his Saint-Germain-du-Bois farm where he is retired, that he had not changed address, that he not only confirmed his report but certified that Barthel and Brucker of never contacted him, neither on the spot nor by phone.

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

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that in 1954, on October 14, in France, in St Germain du Bois, "at twilight Mr. Lonjarret observed an orange luminous object on the ground close to a field. "

The sources are noted "Quincy" and "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL.- p. 281".

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Jérome Beau indicates "Quincy" as source.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates in his database that in the Saone et Loire in St Germain du Bois on October 14, 1954 at 19:00 hours "the witness returns to his farm, through fields, when a suspicious gleam draws its attention. Behind a hedge, in the edge of a corn field, he discovers, motionless, at near groundlevel a kind of luminous dome of orange red color. He observes this craft without daring to approach and returns home. The next day, the witness comes back on the spot, but does not find any trace."

The source ist noted: "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. djn2:] DONALD JONHSON:

Donald Johnson indicates that on October 14, 1954, just after dark, around 7:00 p.m., in Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Saone-et-Loire Messr. Lonjarret observed a luminous circular orange object on the ground near a corn field off of highway D91.

The sources are indicated as Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 175; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, case # 256, citing Quincy; Jean Sider, Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste, p. 24.

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

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

This database recorded this case 6 times:

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

Explanations:

Possibly the 06:13 p.m. meteor that day.

It should be noted that the duration of the observation is noted nowhere; it even seems that the witness left quite soon when he saw the phenomenon.

However, it would be somehow astronishing that, even if he pedalled away, he would not have noticed the important luminosity of the meteor fly-by.

So, maybe it was something else this time. But nothing points to something from an extraterrestrial intelligence.

Keywords:

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

Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Saône-et-Loire, Lonjarret, Longjarret, Marcel Lonjarret, object, luminous, orange, landing, field

Sources:

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

• [----] Article in the regional newspaper La Dépêche - La Liberté, Saint-Etienne, France, page 3, October 16-17, 1954.
• [aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Arthaud publisher, France, 1958.
• [aml1] "Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery", book by Aimé Michel, English version of "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", S.G. Phillips publisher, USA, 1958.
• [aml5] "Un nouvel accès au problème des soucoupes volantes", article by Aimé Michel, in the magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #4, pp. 4-5, May 1958.
• [gqy1] "Observations 1956", monograph by Guy Quincy, France - Algeria, private publication, page 16, the 1950's.
• [gqy2] "Atterrissages au XXe siècle", monograph by Guy Quincy, France - Algeria, private publication, unnumbered pages, the 1950's.
• [jve5] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Janine Vallée, Table Ronde publishers, France, 1966.
• [aml1] "A Propos des Soucoupes Volantes", book by Aimé Michel, reprint of "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", Planète publishers, France, pp 292-293, 1958.
• [jve1] "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publishers, USA, 1969.
• [jve1] "Un Siècle d'Atterrissages", catalogue by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, #103, page 5, December 1969.
• [jve1] "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-Terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, Denoel publisher, France, page 278, 1972.
• [aml4] "Une nouvelle approche au problème UFO - Introduction à une étude de J.-C. Dufour", article by Aimé Michel, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #132, page 3, February 1974.
• [gal1] "Face Aux Extra-Terrestres", book by Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, Delarge publisher, France, pp 108-109, 1975.
• [aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Seghers publisher, France, page 234, 1976.
• [jve5] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Janine Vallée, Robert Laffont publisher, France, page 252, 1978.
• [fru1] "OVNI, Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", book by Michel Figuet and Jean Louis Ruchon, Alain Lefeuvre publisher, France, page 164, 1979.
• [bbr1] "La Grande Peur Martienne", book by Gerard Barthel and Jacques Brucker, Les Nouvelles Editions Rationalistes publishers, France, page 197, 1979.
• [mft1] "Catalogue Francat des rencontres rapprochées en France - Listing 800 - 1982 - 6 - Suite et Fin", listing par Michel Figuet, dans le magazine d'ufologie Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), #265-266, page 17, July / August 1986.
• [ldl1] "La Grande Peur Martienne - Canular après enquête!", article by the Groupe d'Enquête sur 1954 de Lumières Dans La Nuit, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #299, page 31, September / October 1989.
• [jsr1] "Le Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste", book by Jean Sider, Ramuel publisher, France, pages 19,24-25, 1997.
• [lhh1] "*U* Computer Database", database by Larry Hatch, USA, circa 2002.
• [goe1] "Chronologie OVNI", web page compiled by Godelieve Van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 2003, at users.skynet.be/sky84985/afin54.htm
• [jbu1] "Jeudi 14 octobre 1954", web page compiled by Jérôme Beau, France, circa 2006, at rr0.org/data/1/9/5/4/10/14/index.html
• [lcn1] Base OVNI France, website by Luc Chastan, France, circa 2006, at baseovnifrance.free.fr/detobs.php?numobs=1000
• [djn2] "The Worldwide UFO Wave of 1954", electronic article by Donald Johnson, Ph.D., USA, page 8, 2009, at www.ufoinfo.com/onthisday/papers/Worldwide%20UFO%20Wave%20of%201954.pdf
• [nip1] List on The NICAP Website, USA, found in 2014, at http://www.nicap.org/reports/1954_ufocat.htm
• [ubk1] Online database UFO-Datenbank, Germany, found in 2016, at ufodatenbank.de
• [prn2] "INTCAT 1954", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, U-K., circa 2016, at https://intcat.blogspot.com/search?q=1954

Document history:

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This page was last updated on May 11, 2022.