The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 20-sep-54-Ussel.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
In the national newspaper Le Parisien Libéré of September 27, 1954, it was reported via a press correspondent in Brives on September 26, 1954, that Mr. Elie Cisterne, a farm worker in Lachassagne, returned with his tractor late at night after plowing the field of one of his neighbors, when suddenly he saw a luminous craft coming straight on him.
He jumped off his tractor and lay down, trembling with fear. The machine reportedly remained motionless for long minutes; which semmed a century to Mr. Cisterne, then it started again, and the sevant fled. The same night, his boss Mr. Brindel, who was returning from Ussel, saw a great gleam behind his farm, and he thought it was the moon. Maria, the farm maid, "saw the machine too, but did not care about it."
Alerted the next day by the servant, they went to observe a tree which seems to have undergone, on its upper part, the effects of an intense heat.
In 1958, Aimé Michel talked of an observation "with a large number of witnesses in Ussel in the Corrèze on September 24, 1954": at a "fairly late hour of the night":
Elie Cisterne, a farm worker on the Lachassagne farm, was returning with his tractor after plowing a neighbor's field, when suddenly a luminous object appeared at low altitude in the darkness in front of him and sped in his direction. Mr. Cisterne stopped the tractor and looked at the object, which continued to come closer, heading straight for him. Soon, he felt it was only a few hundred meters away and was not slowing down.
Terrified, he jumped out of his tractor and lay down in the field not far from the road, and the object stopped a few meters above the road and a few tens of meters of the tractor. It remained there, motionless, for several minutes, in a total silence.
Mr. Cisterne was able to see the reddish light spread over the countryside, while the seconds seemed centuries to him and his fear increased every moment. The object suddenly resumed its move toward the tractor and Mr. Cisterne, no longer coping with this, got up and ran across the fields. But the object flew over the tractor without stopping, accelerated rapidly, gained altitude and disappeared in a few seconds at the horizon.
Mr. Cisterne then returned to his tractor and went home without further incident.
Maria, the farm maid, had also seen from a distance the luminous form coming on the road, stopping and starting again.
At the same time, Mr. Brindel, the owner of the farm, was returning home from Ussel. Still quite far from Lachassagne during the incident, he noticed a great red glow in the direction of his farm.
According to Mr. Cisterne, the object had stopped over the road at the top of a certain ash tree. The next day, he and Mr. Brindel went to examine this ash tree, and saw that the leaves of the upper branches of the tree were withered and curled up as if they had undergone intense heat.
In 1979, the "skeptical" ufologists Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker stated that they spoke with "Madame Cisterne who confirmed the incident to them but told them that the object was only a vague glow in serpentine shape, and that there was no damage to trees."
The same year, ufologists Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon would report that there are two places called "La Chassagne" near Ussel, one in the West, the other in the East-Southeast, and they do not know which one is the correct place.
There were much comments from Aimé Michel and others on a so-called "alignment" of the location of this case with other cases for September 24, 1954, on the infamous "BAVIC line" for "BAyonne-VIChy"; but in 1976, ufologist Michel Jeantheau, who closely examined the date of this observation meant to be one of the spots of this "alignment". He found the article of September 27, 1954 in Le Parisien Libéré; which did not give a date for the events, but he also found an article in the newspaper La Montagne for September 24, 1954, on page 3 - which makes the same date impossible for the observation. In fact, Jeantheau said, the article began with the date, which is September 20, 1954:
"Today we are told that on September 20th, between 9 p.m. and 9.30 p.m., Mr. Cisterne, farmer at La Chassagne d'Aleyrat, saw an unknown craft..."
[Ref. lpe1:] NEWSPAPER "LE PARISIEN LIBERE":
Brive, September 26 (from our correspondent). -- Mr. Elie Cisterne, farm hand in Lachassagne, was bringing back in his tractor at a late hour advanced of the night after having plowed the field of one of his neighbors. Suddenly, he saw a luminous machine which came right on him. He jumped off his tractor and lay down, shaking with fear. The machine remained motionless during long minutes which appeared a century to Mr. Cisterne. Then it was started again, which caused the servant to flee. The same night, his boss, Mr. Brindel, who was returning from Ussel, saw a great gleam behind his farm. He believed that it was the moon. Maria, the maidservant of the farm, also saw the machine, but did not find it importance. Alerted the next day by the servant, they went to observe a tree which seems to have undergone, on its higher part, the effects of an intense heat. And that is not a hallucination.
[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:
Aimé Michel indicates that there was an observation with a large number of witnesses in Ussel in the Corrèze on September 24, 1954.
He indicates that at a late hour of the night, Elie Cisterne, farm worker in the Lachassagne farm, was taking his tractor back in after having plowed the field of a neighbor, when suddenly, a luminous object emerged at low altitude in the darkness opposite him and dove at a sharp pace towards him.
Mr. Cisterne stopped the tractor and looked at the object which continued to approach quickly, moving straight towards him. Soon, he had the impression that it is now only at a few hundreds of meters and it does not slow down.
The terrified peasant jumped off of his machine and lied down in the field not far from the road, and the object then stopped, a few meters above the road and a few tens of meters in front of the tractor. It remains there motionless during several minutes.
The silence is complete, and Mr. Cisterne can see the widespread reddish light on the countryside, while seconds appear centuries to him and that his fear increases at every moment.
The object suddenly resumes its progression in direction of the tractor and Mr. Cisterne cannot cope with that anymore, he stands up and flees through the fields.
But the object flies over the machine without stopping, accelerates quickly while taking altitude and disappears in a few seconds at the horizon.
Mr. Cisterne then returns towards his tractor and goes home without further incident.
Maria, the maidservant of the farm, had also seen, from a distance, the luminous form arrive on the road, stop and set out again.
At the same time, Mr. Brindel, the owner of the farm, was returning at his place from Ussel. He was still rather distant from Lachassagne during the incident, but he noticed a large red moving gleam in the direction of his farm.
According to the account by Mr. Cisterne, the object had stopped above the road at the height of the top of a certain ash tree. The following day, he went with Mr. Brindel to examine this ash tree, and saw that the leaves of the higher branches of the tree were desiccated and curly as if they had been submitted to intense heating.
[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
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September 24 [1954]
late hour of the night.: Ussel (Corrèze):maneuv.lum craft at low altitude
[Ref. jve6:] JACQUES VALLEE:
Jacques Vallée indicates that for the day of September 24, 1954, the French Press mentioned a number of sightings, including one in Ussel, in the Corrèze, during the night, of a "single phenomenon".
Jacques Vallée indicates that the observation of type "I"; which he defines as a "manifestation of the 'phenomenon' as the vision by the witnesses of an unusual image, this image being that of a craft of spherical or discoid or more complex form, and being on the ground or near the ground ", "associated or not" with physical effects or traces.
[Ref. jve4:] JACQUES VALLEE:
Among the alignments Michel thought he had succeeded in tracing, one in particular catches the attention at first glance. We will take it as an example.
For the single day of September 24, 1954, the French press reported the following sightings, here listed with their classifications:Lantefontaine [Actually Sep. 23], Type IV; Le Puy [Actually Sep. 23], Type IV; Langeac [Actually Sep. 22], Type IV; Tulle [Actually Sep. 22], Type IV; Ussel [Actually Sep. 20], Type I; Gelles [Actually Sep. 17], Type IV; Vichy [exact day not known], Type IV; Lencouacq [Actually Sep. 23], Type I; Bayonne [Actually Sep. 23], Type III.
At least half these eyewitness accounts would be rejected if studied within the limits of the usual official criteria. The Type IV sightings in particular could be judged insufficiently documented. Moreover, the phenomena reported at Tulle and Lencouacq were seen by only one witness. The Gelles sighting was of a "luminous cigar-shaped machine crossing the sky at a quite high speed and without sound." Must we immediately exclude it as being a meteor?
It is clear that the problem is one of method. To reject a measurement made on a known and reproducible physical phenomenon is certainly permissible when a new measurement may improve the accuracy; but to reject a piece of testimony concerning an unknown phenomenon deprives us of a certain quantity of information about the phenomenon and implies that the lost quantity is negligible. But how can we tell whether it really is negligible, since the phenomenon is unknown?
What Michel does is this. He draws a straight line from Bayonne to Vichy (see Figure 12.) This line passes through Lencouacq, Tulle, Ussel and Gelles; of the nine groups of sightings, six are along one and the same straight line. Tracing the straight line from Le Puy to Tulle, we see that it passes through Langeac, No single standard phenomenon (release of a balloon, aircraft flight, etc.) will account for this arrangement. To convince ourselves of this, it is enough to look at the times. The Bayonne and Vichy sightings are dated some time in the afternoon. The Lencouacq sighting falls four hours later. The Gelles sighting is at the beginning of the night. The one at Ussel is still later, and the Tulle case is at 11 P.M. Furthermore, the Bayonne sighting involves a triple object, whereas the other reports speak of single phenomena.
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[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 142 | -002.30895 | 45.54719 | 24 | 09 | 1954 | 22 | 00 | 1 | USSEL-CORREZE | F | 001322 | C** | 118 |
[Ref. fsy1:] FRANK B. SALISBURY:
3. Ussel, about 11 p.m.: A luminous red object rose above the horizon and dived, at high speed, toward M. Cisterne, who was driving his tractor back to the barn. The object approached so closely that he jumped from the tractor and lay terrified in the field. The object hovered a few yards above the road, and in front of the tractor, remaining motionless for several minutes in complete silence. Surroundings were illuminated with a reddish light. The UFO then flew over the tractor and disappeared over the horizon in a few seconds. Two other people also saw the object, and leaves at the top of an ash tree, near where the object reportedly had hovered, were dried and curled.
[Ref. fsc1:] FRANCIS SCHAEFFER:
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Francis SCHAEFER.
ORTHOTENICAL STUDY OF "BRUTUS"
On September 24, 1954, six observations of Spacecraft of Undetermined Origin were found on a 485 kilometers long single line, a line connecting Bayonne and Vichy via Lencouacq, Tulle, Ussel and Gelles; readers who have followed the research of the past years in the orthotenic branch recognize the famous "BAVIC" line which resists all the examinations of the skeptics.
[...]
[Ref. aml4:] AIME MICHEL:
This is how on September 24, 1954, there are in France (and there is only) nine observations: at Lantefontaine [Actually on the 23rd], Vichy [Actually without exact date], Gelles [Actually on the 17th], Ussel, Tulle [Actually on the 22nd], Lencouaq [Actually on the 23rd], Bayonne [Actually on the 23rd], Langeac [Actually on the 22nd], Le Puy [Actually on the 23rd]. To check this, one just needs to read "France-Soir" for the 26th, "Paris-Presse" fot the 28th, "La Croix" for the 28th, "Le Parisien Libéré" for the 27th, where these observations are recorded.
Checking four Parisian newspapers, it this so tiresome? This being done, let's search this places on a map. One finds that Vichy, Gelles, Ussel, Tulle, Lencouaq and Bayonne are on a single line that is absolutely straight, and that Le Puy and Langeac are on a line with Tulle. Only Lantefontaine is not on a line. So: a) is this true?; b) is this explainable? It is Vallée who went the deepest in the explanation. However he did let this alinement and numerous others unexplained; c) did I invent the four newspapers?; d) is it likely that local correspondents who did not know each other invented all this so that, three years later, it is discovered that they are in line on a large circle?
[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:
The author indicates that on September 24, 1954, at the Lachassagne farm, close to Ussel, a farmer who was returning with his tractor saw a luminous object which flew very low above him.
[Ref. jve3:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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155) September 24, 1954, 11:00 p.m. Farm Lachassagne near Ussel (France):
Mr. Cisterne, who was coming back with his tractor, saw a luminous object fly very low over him. Two other witnesses. (P 16, M 76)
[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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September 24, 1954, 11:00 p.m. Farm Lachassagne, near Ussel (France).
Mr. Cisterne, who was coming back with his tractor, saw a luminous object fly very low over him. Two other witnesses. (Le Parisien, 27 Sept. 1954).
[Ref. phi2:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "PHENOMENES INCONNUS":
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- Map rep. A
(I): BAVIC (Bayonne - Vichy)
"BAVIC" is an orthotenic alinement (day of 9/24/1954, map Nr 1 of "MOC" by Aimé Michel.)
[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
In a list of cases that the magazine called for investigation or re-investigation, there was:
"155 24-9-54 near Ussel"
[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON:
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329 24 September 1954 2300 · LACHASSAGNE FARM, near USSEL (FRANCE)
Farm worker Elie Cisterne was driving his tractor back, when a luminous object dived towards him at high speed. He jumped from the tractor, which he had stopped. The object hovered at a few metres altitude some distance from the tractor, casting a reddish light over the fields, then moved off, hovering over an ash tree before accelerating away. Leaves on the upper branches were found dried and curled, as if subjected to great heat. Independently observed by the farmer, M. Brindel, and his servant, Maria.
(Ml55; Le Parisien, 27 September 1954; Michel II, 76)
[Ref. vns1:] JEAN AND JOSIANE GIRAUD - "VUES NOUVELLES":
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5/ "THERMAL" TRACES.
Many authors report this "thermal" effect. In Combraille, the peasants said that the Fairies "scorched" the grass with the train of their dress. They thus mopped up the dew and the affected vegetation remained without virtue.
We took the precaution of putting the term "thermal" in quotes. In fact, we found ourselves faced with an almost insoluble problem. We know that certain "Flying Saucers" charred the ground where they landed. On 09/24/1954, in Ussel, Mr. Cisterne observed a "Flying Saucer" which stood motionless for a moment at the height of the top of a tree. The next day, with his boss, he was able to observe that the leaves of the upper branches of that ash tree were withered, curled up as if they had undergone the action of intense heat ("M.O.C.", page 119). According to a fairly large set of recent testimonies, it is therefore possible to speak of a real rise in temperature.
[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":
| 09 24 54 (22) | Ussel Corrèze | 007VC2 |
[Ref. bbr1:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:
The two authors indicate that the observation takes place at the farm La Chassagne, which is on the commune of Alleyrat, 10 kilometers in the North-West of Ussel.
They say that they spoke to Mrs Cisterne who confirmed the incident to them but told them that the object was only one vague gleam in the shape of a serpentine, and that there was no damages on trees.
[Ref. gab1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "G.A.B.R.I.E.L.":
09/24/1954 Ussel (Corrèze)
At a fairly late hour of the night, when he was driving in a tractor, Mr. Cisterne was able to observe a "Flying Saucer" which stopped above the road at 10m from him. According to the witness, the craft stopped at the height of the top of a certain ash tree. The next day, the witness returned to the scene accompanied by his boss, they examined the ash tree in question. The leaves on the upper branches of the tree were withered and curled up as if they had been subjected to the action of intense heat. (A. Michel)
[Ref. jsx2:] JACQUES SCORNEAUX:
One point in your argument about the 1954 wave, however, startled me. You write, on p. 24: "Does the BAVIC line, sole survivor of orthoteny, prove that anxiety propagates in a straight line?"
Alas! If we were able to believe for a while that BAVIC survived the general collapse of orthoteny, we must now make up our minds BAVIC has also joined the herd of lines explicable by chance alone, because from the initial six points, there are (latest news...) only three left!
At the time when I was writing my study: "Orthoteny: a disappointed great hope?", published in Inforespace #23 to 27, Pierre GUERIN had already informed me that the so-called case of USSEL had in fact taken place 7 km from the city center, located on BAVIC, and 4.3 km from the line [and October 20]: and one!
Subsequently, the Parisian ufologist M. Jeantheau, who undertook a study investigating the 1954 wave, discovered that the sighting of Bayonne had taken place on September 23 and not 24. Here is how the error occurred: the 24 is the date of publication of the local newspaper, found by Jeantheau, who published the original information, and the article specified: "yesterday, one observed..." The national dailies, which then picked up the news, and that Aimé MICHEL consulted, gave as date that of the local newspaper omitting the "yesterday": and two. Even more recently, Michel Jeantheau found that the case of TULLE was on the 22nd: and three! There are therefore 3 points left on BAVIC on September 24: Lencouacq [the 23rd and not the 24th], Gelles [the 17th], and Vichy [precise day unknown], which chance explains perfectly, since there are about fifteen observations in all that day. One can console oneself by noting that there remains all the same a mystery: by what diabolical chain of involuntary errors of dates and places was Aimé MICHEL led, in all good faith, to find an (imaginary) alignment of six points, high improbable? But the explanation of this series of coincidences that went in the same direction is a purely human phenomenon, and therefore no longer has anything ufological.
[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors indicate that on September 24, 1954 at 11:00 p.m., in Ussel in the department of Corrèze, at the location La Chassagne (7 km from the city), the servant, Ellie Cisterne, was getting his tractor inside after having plowed the field of a neighbor.
He suddenly saw a luminous object which came right on him; he jumped off the tractor and lay down on the ground trembling with fear.
The UFO remained motionless during long minutes, then it restarted, which caused the witness to flee.
Mr. Brindel, who was returning from Ussel, saw a great gleam behind its farm. He thought that was the Moon. Maria, the servant, also saw the UFO but did not care about it.
A tree seems to have undergone the effects of an intense heat on its higher part.
The authors point out that there are two locations known as "La Chassagne" close to Ussel, one in the West, the other in the East-South-East, and that they do not know which one is the correct place.
The authors indicate that the sources are the Vallée catalogue, case 155, Aimé Michel in "A Propos des Soucoupes volantes" page 98 and Le Parisien Libéré for 10/27/1954.
[Ref. une1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "INFORESPACE":
Ussel, "la Chassagne" 09/24/54: I: F. p.85.
The "I" is explained as "inconclusive: lack of sufficient data, lack of reliability of the primary sources, lack of counter-investigation, etc.
The "F" is explained as being Michel Figuet's book ([fru1]).
[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:
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| CASE Nr | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | HOUR | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | CE0-1 | 09 20 1954 | 09.00 p.m.-09.30 p.m. | Ussel "La Chassagne d'Aleyrat" | 19200 A5 | D[=Dubious], B-B p. 174-175 |
[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:
In his monograph on the September 1954 UFO sighting reports, Loren Gross reproduced a newspaper article, without giving the source reference:
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Brive (part. corr.) -- Last week a servant living in La Chassagne, commune of Aleyrat, Mr. Elie Cisterne, was returning to his boss' at around midnight by tractor when he saw a luminous object coming in his direction. Jumping from the tractor he hid. Suddenly the object returned in his direction and Mr. Cisterne fled at full speed.
His boss Mr. Brindel, who was returning from Ussel with his servant Maria, also saw a light in the direction of his farm, but he thought it was the moon, and paid no attention to it.
It was not until the next morning, when Csiterne told him about the collision that had almost occurred between the tractor and the saucer. They went to the place and noticed that one of the trees seemed to have suffered a strong heat.
[Ref. lgs2:] LOREN GROSS:
Loren Gross reproduces in the middle of summaries of cases from mid to late September 1954, a barely legible press clipping from France-Dimanche, entitled "They all saw flying saucers", without giving the references, on which we see:
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In Alleyrat (Correze), Mr. Elie Cisterne, farm servant, sees, while returning at midnight, in tractor, a luminous object which advanced in his direction. Mr. Cisterne jumps off the tractor and hides. Finally, he fled at full speed.
[Ref. lgs3:] LOREN GROSS:
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UFO "tracks" and curled leaves.
An hour before midnight on the 24th there was a spectacular incident at Lachassagne farm near Ussel(Correze). It seems a field hand by the name of Elie Cisterne was driving a tractor back to the barn after doing a plowing job on a neighboring field when abruptly a luminous body hecame visible in the dark sky. Fascinated by the sight, M. Cisterne brought his machine to a stop so he could give his full attention to the glowing point that appeared to be in a high speed dive, approaching so close after a few seconds Cisterne leaped from the tractor and took cover nearby as best he could. The farmhand watched with astonishment as the luminous body came to a halt a short distance away above a tall ash tree. The thing sent out rays of reddish light that gave the whole area a bloody glow. For several minutes the crimson body remained parked close to the top of the tree as if it was surveying the surroundings, it then started moving again, heading toward the tractor which Cisterne had abandoned. In a panic, Cisterne got to his feet and ran for his life. The UFO coasted over the tractor without stopping and then accelerated in an upward slant at a velocity that carried it out of sight in a matter of seconds.
The "UFO visit" did not go unobserved by others in the area. The man who owned Lachassagne farm, a M. Brindel, was on his way home when he sighted a mysterious flying red light headed in the direction of his property. He arrived at the scene shortly after the object had left. Better yet, another farm worker, a Maid named Maria who was some distance from the site nonetheless saw the strange luminous object approach the farm, stop, and then take off, affirming the testimony of M. Cisterne.
The next day, seeking evidence of his experience, M. Cisterne, with Brindel's help, climbed to the upper branches of the ash tree where he obtained cuttings from the very top. When examined, the leaves showed an ununatural curling and signs of dehydration. Did the UFO emit some intense heat? 119
The source "119" is said to be "La Montagne, 24 September 54, p. 3.
[Ref. pha1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "PHENOMENA":
It is nice to remember that it is his friend, poet Jean Cocteau, who will suggest to Aimé Michel the idea of seeking an order in the observations of the "mysterious celestial objects" that appeared during the autumn of 1954.
To begin with, Aimé Michel painstakingly pointed out on a map the observations of October 14, 1954, made between 06:30 p.m. and 07:35 p.m.. His stupefaction will be great in discovering that five points seem to align perfectly. He then resumes all the observations, and reports them, for every 24 hours, on a map. Here again, everything seems to be ordered according to lines of which the most famous, that of September 24, 1954, will be known under the name of "BAVIC line", contraction of BAyonne and VIChy, which will align no less than six observations (Bayonne [in reality on the 23rd], Lencouacq [in reality on the 23rd], Tulle [in reality on the 22nd], Ussel [in reality on the 20th], Gelles [in reality on the 17th] and Vichy) [without precuse date].
[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:
The author indicates that on September 24, 1954, at 11:00 p.m. in Ussel, Corrèze department, Mr. Etienne Cisterne drove his tractor at a place called La Chassagne and saw a kind of luminous machine coming straight on him at very low altitude. He fled terrified. A tree seemed to have undergone the effects of intense heat at its upper part.
The source is indicated as Figuet, p. 85.
[Ref. mju1:] MICHEL JEANTHEAU:
Ufologist Michel Jeantheau closely checked the date of this observation allegedly being one of the points of an alignment of sightings pled by ufologist Aimé Michel and called "the BAVIC line" for "BAyonne-VIChy."
Doing the research in 1976 in the Press, he found the article of Le Parisien Libéré for September 1954, but this article does not give a date for the events. Het then found an article in the newspaper "La Montagne" for September 24, 1954, on page 3, which obviously nullifies this same date for the observation.
He indicates that the article starts as follows:
"Today it is reported to us that on September 20, between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Mr. Cisterne, farmer in Chassagne d'Aleyrat, saw an unknown machine..."
Michel Jeantheau thus rightfully concludes that this case occurred on September 20, 1954 and not on September 24, 1954.
[Ref. jca1:] JACQUES COSTAGLIOLA:
The author indicates that on September 24, 1954, there were 9 sightings, 6 being on the Bayonne - Vichy line, one of those sighting was at Ussel.
[Ref. tps1:] TED PHILLIPS:
Ted Phillips listed the case as a "top" case in his "preliminary list of top cases":
Report 9/24/54 Ussel, France, 2300: multiple witness, 5 minutes, tree damage, traces.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
3803: 1954/09/20 23:00 5 2:18:40 E 45:32:40 N 3333 WEU FRN CRZ 8:8
La CHASSAGNE,FR:3/FARMERS:SCR BRUSHES TREE:BURNT LEAVES:MARKS/DIRT:/r8#155
Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 85 : FARMLANDS
[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, on September 24 in France, in Ferme Lachassagne close to Ussel "Elie Cisterne who returned home towards 23:00 on a tractor, saw a luminous object diving towards him. He jumped of the tractor and lay down further in the field. The object stopped then and remained motionless during several minutes: silence is total and Elie Cisterne sees the red gleam on the fields, its fear increases at each second. Suddenly the object takes again its walk towards the tractor, the witness then stands up and flees as fast as possible. But the machine does not stop and continues its walk. Cisterne manages to get home on the tractor. Two other witnesses."
The source is indicated as "Aimé Michel: 'M.O.C.' Seghers pub., - p. 105, 106".
[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:
11 p.m.: In Ussel (Corrèze), at the location of La Chassagne, Etienne Cisterne is driving his tractor, and sees a kind of luminous machine coming straight towards him at a very low altitude. He runs away terrified. A tree seems to have been submitted to an intense heat at its top.
[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
Encounters with Aliens On this Day
September 24
[...]
1954 - Mr. Cisterne lived on the Farm Lachassagne, near Ussel, France. He was driving back to the barn at 11:00 p.m. with his tractor when he saw a luminous object fly very low over him. There were two other witnesses. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 76; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 211).
[Ref. djn2:] DONALD JOHNSON:
Encounters with Aliens On this Day
September 20
1954 - Three farmers saw a saucer land in La Chassagne, Correze department, France at 11:00 p.m. It brushed a tree, leaving behind burnt leaves and ground marks in the dirt. (Source: Michel Figuet & Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochees en France, p. 85).
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the la Corrèze in Ussel on September 20, 1954 at 23:00 "At the place La Chassagne (7km from the City) the witness takes his tractor in after having plowed a neighbor's field. He suddenly sees a luminous object which comes right on him; he jumps off the tractor and lies down on the ground trembling of fear. The UFO remains motionless during long minutes, then it started again, which causes the escape of the witness. Another person who returns from Ussel sees a great gleam behind her farm, she thinks that it is the Moon. A servant also sees the UFO but does not attach importance to it. A tree seems to have undergone at its higher part the effects of an intense heat."
The sources are indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979"; "M.O.C. by Michel Aimé ** Arthaud 1958"; "Les OVNI vus de près by Gross Patrick ** http://ufologie.net"
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 20 September 1954 at 23:00 in La Chassagne, France, "Farmers incident." "Three farmers see saucer. It brushes tree, leaves behind burnt leaves, ground marks in dirt. An object was observed. Ground traces were found. One object was observed by three witnesses on a farm for five minutes."
The source is indicated as Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. jbu2:] JEROME BEAU:
September 1954
Fri 24
23:00 Close to Ussel (Corrèze), at the locality La Chassagne, a farm, Etienne Cisterne drives his tractor, and sees a kind of luminous machine coming right on him at very low altitude. He flees terrified. A tree seems to have undergone the effects of an intense heat at its higher part.
The sources are noted "Le Parisien, September 27, 1954" and "Vallée, J., case #18, 'Rapport sur l'analyse de 200 observations documentées faites en 1954'".
[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 24 September 1954 at 23:00 in Ussel, France, "Multiple witnesses, tree damage, ground traces." And: "An object was observed. Traces found. One object was observed by three witnesses on a highway for five minutes (Cisterne)."
The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; 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, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Rogerson, Peter, World-Wide Catalog of Type 1 Reports; Hall, Richard H., The UFO Evidence, NICAP, Washington, 1964.
[Ref. uda3:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 24 September 1954 at 23:00 in Farm Lachassagne, France, "Mr. Cisterne, who was coming back with his tractor, saw a luminous object fly very low over him."
And: "Mr. Cisterne lived on the Farm Lachassagne, near Ussel, France. He was driving back to the barn at 11:00 p.m. with his tractor when he saw a luminous object fly very low over him. There were two other witnesses."
And: "Mr. Cisterne, who was coming back with his tractor, saw a luminous object fly very low over him. Two other witnesses. One round object was observed."
The source is indicated as Vallee Magonia Database.
[Ref. jbu3:] JEROME BEAU:
September 1954
Fri 24
6 observations of that day geographically lined from Bayonne to Vichy (including that of Ussel) 4.
4. Will be spotted by Aimé Michel, who will develop the othoteny [sic] theory, among others in his book Mystérieux Objets Célestes (MOC). Jacques Vallée will call the line BaVic, but will finally concluded to simple hazard.
[Ref. lme2:] "LA MONTAGNE" NEWSPAPER'S WEBSITE:
[... Other case ... ]
In Lachassagne (the Corrèze), a farmer finds grass of his meadow yellowed after the passage of a UFO, he claims.
[... Other case ... ]
[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
*Sep. 24, 1954 - Mr. Cisterne lived on the Farm Lachassagne, near Ussel, France. He was driving back to the barn at 11:00 p.m. with his tractor when he saw a luminous object fly very low over him. There were two other witnesses. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 76; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 211).
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
This database recorded this case 9 times:
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Correze | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | 23.00 | CE II | |||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Ussel | France | |||||||
| 19540924 | 24.09.1954 | Lachassagne | France |
[Ref. wia1:] "WIKIPEDIA FR" WEBSITE:
|
In their web page about the 1954 French flap in France, Wikipedia FR mentions 21 sightings of the "flap", including:
[... other cases...]
September 24 [, 1954]: ufos are observed in six cities [in reality at least 11] (Bayonne [in reality the 23rd], Lencouacq [in reality the 23rd], Tulle [in reality the 22nd], Ussel, Gelles [in reality the 18th], Vichy) [in reality with no precise day].
[... other cases...]
No source is given. The links in the page lead to general information web pages about these places.
|
The farm "La Chassagne", not "Lachassagne", is in the West of Ussel and the South of Alleyrat:
|
The place is in the center of France:
|
One of the witnesses cited thought about the possibility that it was moon. I do not think for a moment, unless the report attributed to Mr. Cisterne is nothing authentic, that it could have been the Moon, but let me note that the moon had been below the horizon that day since 03:40 p.m.
Barthel and Brucker do not really have an explanation for the case, and as almost every time, there are "things that are wrong" in their statements. Here, it was their claim to have spoken to "Madame Cisterne". The principal witness was Mr. Elie Cisterne, there was never anything said about a Mrs. Cisterne; So, who is "Madame Cisterne" and was she even one of the witnesses? Witnessing what, where, how? When "blurred reports" like that are written by their "opponents", Barthel and Brucker were not the last to scoff...
As far as the BAVIC line is concerned, there is, as we can see, the problem of the date, which was not the 24th but the 20th of September, 1954. But there was, later, an "extension" of the original idea of the ??"alignments" of Aimé Michel. Michel felt that the weird thing was that cases of a certain date were sometimes aligned in numbers which could not be due to chance. But later, one started to comment about the alleged BAVIC line regardeless of a particular date, by "aligning" observations of this line whatever their date was and by assuring that this impreoved the strangeness and importance of that alleged line.
But here, even the place does not "fit": it was indeed not in Ussel, but at more than 7 km from Ussel. How wide must the "line" be in the end?
That being said, I have no justified or possible prosaic explanation for the observation that would have been reported by Mr. Cisterne.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Corrèze, farm, Lachassagne, La Chassagne, Ussel, Etienne Cisterne, Ellie Cisterne, Elie Cisterne, Brindel, Maria, tractor, object, luminous, low, effect, tree, heat, vegetation, multiple, moon
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | December 29, 2005 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | January 4, 2010 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [djn1], [lcn1], [uda1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | February 10, 2010 | Addition [goe1], [jbu2], [jbu3], [jca1], [djn2], [uda2], [uda3]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | June 17, 2010 | Addition [jve5]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | July 2, 2010 | Addition [jve6]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | October 22, 2011 | Addition [lme2]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | November 15, 2014 | Addition [nip1]. |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | January 31, 2017 | Addition [ubk1]. |
| 1.7 | Patrick Gross | August 27, 2019 | Additions [aml4], [fsc1], [phi2], [pha1], [lhh1]. |
| 1.8 | Patrick Gross | September 27, 2019 | Additions [prn1], [jsr1]. |
| 1.9 | Patrick Gross | March 20, 2021 | Additions [gqy1], [lgs1]. |
| 2.0 | Patrick Gross | March 18, 2022 | Addition [vns1]. |
| 2.1 | Patrick Gross | April 4, 2022 | Additions [gep1], [mft1], [ine1], [lgs2], [lgs3]. |
| 2.2 | Patrick Gross | May 19, 2022 | Additions [jsx2], [wia1]. |
| 2.3 | Patrick Gross | June 8, 2022 | Addition [jve4]. |
| 2.4 | Patrick Gross | July 13, 2022 | Addition [gab1]. |
