The 1954 French flap:

They know the song

The "flying saucers"
come
see Normandy again

Paris, 21. -- During the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, the flying saucers appeared mainly over Normandy. According to various people, several unidentified craft evolved over two hours. From a violently lit machine, and posed in a field, to the left of the road to Saint-Valery-en-Caux, escaped from the luminous discs which quickly took height, to regain, then, their starting place. A flying cigar performed the same ride. Two other craft seen near the cliff of Mers-les-Bains seemed to communicate by signals with the first group. It should be added that the gendarmes who carried out an investigation on the spot did not find any trace of this mysterious carousel.

A somewhat similar phenomenon was reportedly observed above Vic-Bigorre by a group of ten students who were training on a sports ground. They reportedly saw four discs in formation which seemed to spin on themselves at high speed.

Several testimonies were collected in Alsace. One of the witnesses, Lucien Flesch saw near Issenheim, a spherical machine about 6 meters in diameter which was stationed at one meter from the ground. Frightened, Mr. Flesch walked away and returned to his work place.

A resident of Soultzmatt, Mrs. Fleck, said that yesterday she observed an elongated machine moving at very high speed.

Another testimony comes from the Nièvre, the Lormes-Nevers bus was heading towards this last town when, near Saxi-Bourdon, the driver stopped and exclaimed: "A saucer". All the passengers came out and distinguished, if they were to be believed, a disc shining like aluminum, at 700 or 800 meters of altitude.

The last testimony is that of a postman of the Saint-Pierre la Cour station, who saw in the sky a disc spreading bright orange-colored rays.

Flying saucers
4 C.V. format
in the Oran area

Oran, 21. -- Yesterday morning, around 3 a.m., Mr. Gaston Blanquère residing in Oran, was returning with passengers in his car. Shortly after the village of Jean Mermoz, the attention of the motorists was attracted by a bright gleam coming from the south and rapidly growing. A luminous disc crossed the road above them, descended a few hundred meters further and appeared to make contact with the ground. The craft was the size of a small automobile. It consisted of an upper dome from which a yellow glow came out. The lower part of the disc let out a bluish luminous spray. Kinds of very powerful headlights swept the plain.

Ten minutes later the light dimmed and the craft, gaining height, moved away quickly and silently.

Sig's police superintendent saw these statements confirmed by a fellah from a nearby douar during his investigation.

The latest flying saucer trend is in the shape of a 4 CV.

The most disturbing thing about the mystery of the flying saucers is that they show themselves to the eyes of people that higher primary education and the gravity of their functions protect from vulgar superstitions and the dreams of old women.

How to doubt the word of Mr. Jean Gambier, sworn police officer in Hesdin (Pas-de-Calais) and Mrs. Michèle Vitkosusky, notary clerk in Normandy! Mr. Jean Gambier going to his service saw, above the forest an elongated apparatus whose upper part was bright red. The center of a bright white and whose lower part left behind a trail of stars. The craft quickly took to the vertical and disappeared at a dizzying pace.

Other observers have seen the saucer of Mrs the notary clerk. It was near Saint-Valery-en-Caux. Several unidentified objects - saucers, dammit! - have maneuvered for two hours. One of them, violently lit, landed in a field. Two others, seen not far from the cliff of Mers-les-Bains, seemed to correspond with the first group. Alas when the gendarmes arrived, to fine them, gosh! The saucers were gone: they must not have been in good legal standing.

The Lormes-Nevers coach driver and his passengers, also saw a saucer. Mr. Lucien Fiesch, from Issenheim in Alsace, also, who seized with fear is still running. And also Mr. Pierre Ackermann, from Guebwiller. And again Miss Fleck, from Soulzmatt (Bas-Rhin). Without forgetting the Pyreneans of Vic-Bigorre, the postman of Saint-Pierre-la-Cour station, Mr. Roumy, Houard and Fressard, at Cheverron [sic]; and the students of the Saint-Cyr Institute, in Clevers.

Flying pumpkin

The most extraordinary case was noted by an Algerian motorist, Mr. Gaston Blanquère who, near the village of Jean-Mermoz saw a saucer in the shape of a 4 CV Renault. It consisted of an upper dome from which a yellow glow came out, let out a bluish luminous spray at its lower part and finally swept the plain of very powerful headlights.

Impossible to confuse this saucer with the humble pumpkin emptied and lit by a candle that the villagers of Momy (Basses-Pyrénées) chased yesterday armed with pitchforks, picks and rifles.

THE FLYING SAUCERS
in Normandy and Alsace

Paris, Oct. 21

The flying saucers mainly appeared last night, over Normandy. To believe several people including Mademoiselle Michèle Vitkosuski, notary's clerk, several unidentified vehicles moved for over two hours. From a violently lit machine, and posed in a field, to the left of the road to Saint-Valéry-en-Caux, luminous discs escaped which quickly took height, to then return to their starting spot. A flying cigar performed the same ride. Other machines seen not far from the cliff of Mers-les-Bains seemed to correspond by signals with the first group. It should be added that the gendarmes who carried out an investigation on the spot did not find any trace of this mysterious carousel.

A somewhat similar phenomenon was reportedly observed above Vic Bigorre, by a group of ten students who were training on a sports ground. They reportedly saw four discs in formation which seemed to spin on themselves at high speed.

Several testimonies were collected in Alsace. One of the witnesses, Lucien Fiesch, saw near Issenheim, a spherical craft about six meters in diameter which was hovering one meter above the ground. Frightened, Mr. Fiesch went and returned to his workplace.

In Guebwiller, Mr. Pierre Ackermann said he had seen in the sky, a brilliant disc which moved silently at about four hundred meters of altitude. Two middle school students confirmed this statement.

A resident of Soultzmatt, Miss Fleck, said that she had observed this afternoon, an elongated machine which was moving at great speed speed.

Another testimony comes from the Nièvre. The Lormes-Nevers bus was on its way to the latter town when, near Saxi-Bourbon, the driver stopped and shouted: "A saucer!". All the passengers alighted and distinguished, if they were to be believed, a disc shining like aluminum, at an altitude of seven or eight hundred meters.

The last testimony is that of a postman from Saint-Pierre-la-Cour station, who saw in the sky a disc spreading orange luminous beams.

A flying saucer of car size land in Oran

THE FLYING SAUCERS APPEARED LAST NIGHT MAINLY ABOVE NORMANDY. IF WE ARE TO BELIEVE SEVRAL PEOPLE, AMONG THEN MISS MICHELLE VITKOSUSKY, CLERK OF NOTARY, SEVERAL UNIDENTIFIED MACHINES HAVE EVOLVED DURING TWO HOURS. OF A MACHINE VIOLENTLY ENLIGHTENED, AND POSED IN A FIELD, AT THE LEFT OF THE ROAD OF SAINT-VALERY-EN-CAUX, ESCAPED LUMINOUS DISCS WHICH TOOK ALTITUDE QUICKLY, TO THEN REGAIN THEIR INITIAL LOCATION.

A flying cigar carried out the same things. Two other machines seen not far from the cliff of Mers-les-Bains, seemed to communicate by signals with the first group. It should be added that the gendarmes who carried out an investigation on the spot did not find any trace of this mysterious carrousel.

A phenomenon a bit similar is said to have been observed above Vic-Bigorre, by a group of ten students who were training on a sports ground. They are said to have seen four discs in formation which seemed to rotate at high speed.

Several testimonys were gathered in Alsace. One of the witnesses, Lucien Fiesch [Fisch] saw close to Issenheim a spherical machine of approximately 6 meters in diameter which stationed within one meter of the ground. Frightened, Mr. Fiesch [Fisch] went away and regained his workplace.

In Guebwiller, Mr. Pierre Ackerman stated to have seen in the sky a brilliant disc which moved silently at approximately 400 meters of altitude. Two schoolboys confirmed this statement.

A resident [female] of Soultzmatt, stated to have observed a machine of elongated form which moved at very high speed.

Another testimony comes from the Nievre. The Lormes-Nevers bus moved towards this latter city, when, near Saxi-Bourdon, the driver stopped and exclaimed: "a saucer", all the passengers went down and distinguished, if they must be believed, a disc shining like aluminum, at 70 or 80 meters of altitude.

The last testimony is that of a factor of the Saint-Pierre-la-Cour station, who saw a disc in the sky, spreading luminous orange rays.

* * *

Wednesday morning, around 3 hours, Mr. Gaston Blanquère, resident in Oran, was returning with passengers on board his car. A little after the village of Jean-Mermoz, the attention of the motorists was attracted by a sharp gleam coming from the south and which grew bigger quickly.

A luminous disc crossed the road above them, descended a few hundreds meters further and appeared to contact the ground.

The machine had the size of a small car. It was composed of a higher cupola from which came out a yellow gleam. The lower part of the disc let escape a bluish luminous sheaf. Kinds of very powerful headlights swept the plain.

Ten minutes later, the luminosity dimmed and the machine, taking height, moved away quickly and without noise.

The police chief of the Sig, during his investigation, had these statements confirmed by a fellah of a nearby douar.

293) October 20, 1954, Saint-Valéry (France):

Several unknown objects maneuvered for 2 hours near this village. One of them was very brilliant and landed in a pasture. Two others were seen near the cliff in Mers, and seemed to be in communication by means of light signals with objects in another group. (P 75)

October 20, 1954. Saint-Valéry (France):

Several unknown objects maneuvered for 2 hours near this village. One of them was very brilliant and landed in a pasture. Two others were seen near the cliff in Mers, and seemed to be in communication by means of light signals with objects in another group. (Paris-Presse, Oct. 22, 1954).

470 20 October 1954 Early morning

ST VALERY EN CAUX (FRANCE) Several unknown objects maneuvered for 2hrs near this village. One was very brilliant & landed in a pasture. Two others were seen near a cliff in Mere and seemed to be in communication by light signals with objects in another group. Among the witnesses was Michele Vitkosusky. (M293; Paris-Press, 22 Oct 54; Carrouges S, 315)

October 20th. St. Valery En Caux, France, (early morning)

A number of Frenchmen watched several UFOs in the sky over St. Valery En Caux for two hours. The objects went through various maneuvers but unfortunately this activity was not recorded. One of the objects was said to have given off a brilliant glare as it came down in a pasture.

Two other objects were seen emitting "light signals," at least that was the impression the observers on the ground had. One of the French witnesses, M. Michele Vitkosusky, thought the objects were "communicating with each other." 169.

• 169. Paris, France. Paris-Presse. 22 October 54.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE UFO LANDINGS AND THE HELICOPTERS:

10/20/54 St Valery-en-Caux (76): a brilliant craft on the ground makes signals with a group of Mers-les-Bains.

4217: 1954/10/20 00:00 120 1:31:00 E 50:06:00 N 3331 WEU FRN SMM 8:A

St-VALERY-sur-SOMME,FR:2 GRPS/UFOS:1 GRP LANDS/PASTURE:BOTH SIGNAL OTHER/LITES

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 189 : PASTURE

On this Day

October 20

[...]

1954 - Several unknown objects maneuvered for two hours near the village of St-Valery, France. One of them was very brilliant and landed in a pasture. Two others were seen near a cliff in Mers, France. They appeared to be in communication with UFOs in another group by means of light signals. (Source: Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 235).

[...]

Wednesday, October 20, 1954

[...]

Several unknown objects operate during 2 h close to the village of Saint-Valéry (France). One of them is very shiny and lands in a pasture. One sees 2 others of them close to the cliff in Mers, which seem in connection with objects of another group by light signals.

[...]

*Oct. 20, 1954 - Several unknown objects maneuvered for two hours near the village of St-Valery, Somme, France. One of them was very brilliant and landed in a pasture. Two others were seen near a cliff in Mers, France. They appeared to be in communication with UFOs in another group by means of light signals. (Source: Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 235, case 293; Paris Presse, October 22, 1954).

October 20 1954. Early morning.

ST VALERY SUR SOMME (SOMME : FRANCE)

A number of people including notary public include Michelle Vitkosusky saw several unknown objects manoeuvring for two hours. One of them was very brilliant and landed in a field. Two others were seen near the cliff in Mers, and seemed to be communicating by means of light signals, with objects in another group.

Vallee Case 293 citing Paris Presse 11 October 1954.

Evaluation - Classic bright astronomical objects + autokinesis