The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 22-25-Oct-54-Erquières.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
The regional newspaper Le Journal du Pas-de-Calais et de la Somme for October 27, 1954, reported, I quote:
It was rumored in Hesdin that a local trader had seen a saucer and Martians. Here are the facts as reported to us:
Having finished his delivery round, the merchant was driving in a van between Erquières and Wail, around 10 p.m., in the company of two passengers, when suddenly a blinding glare dazzled him. At the same time its brand new engine gave signs of failure in the same time as his headlights did.
The driver and one of the passengers were seriously shocked and are still wondering what could have happened to them, as there were no thunderstorms in the area that evening.
The newspaper added that the same witness had made another observation, and told the witnesses of the observations in the region of which the article spoke:
All these good people, renowned for their common sense and seriousness, must be believed without restriction. On the other hand, none of them saw a saucer land, and even less beings moving around it.
Their opinion is that this is a new secret craft.
In his 1958 book on the 1954 French wave, the pioneering ufologist Aimé Michel mentioned the case, but with errors: he gave the date of the observation as being October 27, 1954, which cannot be correct since it was the date of publication in the newspaper; he said that the trader was from Linzeux; which is not certain since the newspaper only gives this village as the place of his other observation.
It seems that Aimé Michel actually found his information in the national newspaper Le Parisien for October 28, 1954, since he told:
...[the trader] of Linzeux, a village at 12 kilometers of the forest of Hesdin, was driving close to the village in company of his deliveryman when they saw arriving in front of them a dazzling light which passed overhead, turning the engine and the headlights of the vehicle off and shaking the two men as by an electric discharge. This occurred at the time of the observations in Bouin and Huby-Saint-Leu not far.
I must add that it is not at all obvious that this observation and those of Huby-Saint-Leu and Bouin took place at the same time.
The obviously erroneous date of October 27, 1954, given by Aimé Michel, and his version, were then taken up by Michel Carrouges, Jacques Vallée (he was the one who gave the source as Le Parisien for October 28, 1954), Peter Rogerson in the U-K., the NICAP in the USA, GNEOVNI, Jean-Pierre d'Hondt, Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, Godelieve van Overmeire, Jérôme Beau, Luc Chastan, and many more. Only Jean Sider would give a date "between October 22 and 25, 1954", based on the primary source.
[Ref. jps1:] NEWSPAPER "LE JOURNAL DU PAS-DE-CALAIS ET DE LA SOMME":
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It was rumored in Hesdin that a local trader had seen a saucer and Martians. Here are the facts as reported to us:
Having finished his delivery round, the merchant was driving in a van between Erquières and Wail, around 10 p.m., in the company of two passengers, when suddenly a blinding glare dazzled him. At the same time its brand new engine gave signs of failure in the same time as his headlights did.
The driver and one of the passengers were seriously shocked and are still wondering what could have happened to them, as there were no thunderstorms in the area that evening.
The same trader saw a few days from then one of these objects with different colors that are so much talked about and which he described to us very precisely. This was happening in Linzeux and several witnesses attest to this.
In Bouin, on the Hesdin-Montreuil road, around 8:15 p.m., residents saw on two consecutive days, an abnormally bright sphere above the forest.
Same observation and in the same place, by a resident of Huby-Saint-Leu and by another well-known person.
All these good people, renowned for their common sense and seriousness, must be believed without restriction. On the other hand, none of them saw a saucer land, and even less beings moving around it.
Their opinion is that this is a new secret craft.
[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:
Aimé Michel reports that on October 27, 1954 in the evening, a tradesman of Linzeux, a village at 12 kilometers of the forest of Hesdin, was driving close to the village in company of his deliveryman when they saw arriving in front of them a dazzling light which passed overhead, turning the engine and the headlights of the vehicle off and shaking the two men as by an electric discharge. This occurred at the time of the observations in Bouin and Huby-Saint-Leu not far.
[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
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October 27 [1954] (continued)
Evening: /Linzeux(12 km ESE.Hesdin)(Pas-de-Calais):engine stop/ headlights turned off/electric shocks
[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:
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October 27, 1954: Linzeux (12 km INS in the ESE. Hesdin--Pas-de-Calais): 1 tradesman and his delivery man (luminous UFO in low altitude flightat a few meters above auto / engine stop / headlights go off / electr. shocks
[Ref. mcs1:] "MICHEL CARROUGES":
The author indicates that on October 27, 1954 in the Pas-de-Calais, a tradesman of Linzeux and his deliveryman, in a car, were flown over by a dazzling light, felt an electric discharge, their engine stalled and the headlights died out. The source is given as Aimé Michel page 341.
[Ref. nip1:] NICAP:
The NICAP noted that on October 27, 1954, near Linzeux, France, headlights and motor failed and the two passengers felt "electric shock", a UFO passed ahead of car.
[Ref. rhl1:] RICHARD HALL:
24. October 27, 1954; near Linzeux, France. Headlights and motor failed, two passengers felt "electric shock"; UFO passed ahead of car.
[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 397 | -002.20221 | 50.34600 | 27 | 10 | 1954 | *(LINZEUX P.DE.C.) | F | 001233 | C | *341 |
[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:
Jacques Vallée indicates that on October 27, 1954, in Linzeux, France, a very shining flying object turned off the engine and extinguished the lights of a car driven by a tradesman, while the driver and his employee felt an electric shock.
[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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314) October 27, 1954, Linzeux (France):
A shop owner and his employee felt an electric shock as a very bright object flying very low stopped the engine and turned off the lights on their car. (P 92; M 204).
[Ref. jve9:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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314) October 27, 1954, Linzeux (France):
A merchant and his employee felt an electric shock when a very bright object, flying very low, stopped their car and turned off their lights (P 92, M 204).
The source is noted separately, in a previous issue (N° 99 bis for May 1969), as:
92 Le Parisien 28 Oct. 1954
The catalog from which this entry comes is preceded by this warning, in a previous issue, by Jacques Vallée:
We do not believe that we have to apologize for the inclusion of testimonies which may justifiably appear incredible or grotesque. We do not claim that there exists in this Catalog a single observation of a physical event of an unknown nature.
We are not publishing a table of experimental results obtained in the laboratory, but only a general guide to facilitate the study of the abundant literature which has accumulated on an astonishing topic.
It would therefore be dishonest and a serious misunderstanding of our design, to treat all the cases of this catalog as if they had the same level of validity, or to affirm that the presence of this or that particular case reinforces or destroys by itself the degree of confidence that one can place in another case. WE CANNOT ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR ERRORS FROM THOSE WHO IGNORE THIS WARNING.
[Ref. jve3:] JACQUES VALLEE:
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October 27, 1954, Linzeux (France):
A shop owner and his employee felt an electric shock as a very bright object flying very low stopped the engine and turned off the lights on their car. (Le Parisien, 28 oct. 1954).
[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
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493 27 October 1954
LINZEUX (FRANCE) A shop owner and his employee felt an electric shock as a very bright object flying very low stopped the engine and turned out the lights on their car. (M314; Le Parisien, 28 oct 54; Michel II, 204)
[Ref. gni1:] GNEOVNI:
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10/27/1954 - LINZEUX 62 type I
A merchant and his employee felt an electric shock when a very bright object, flying very low, stopped their car and turned off their lights.
(Chronique of J. Vallée p. 314)
[Ref. jdt1:] JEAN-PIERRE D'HONDT:
This ufologist indicates that between October 22 and October 25, 1954, between Erquières and Wail, the Pas-de-Calais, "At approximately 22 00, a tradesman of Hesdin who returned from a delivery round by car, accompanied by two passengers, was suddenly dazzled by a violent gleam. At the same time, the engine of his vehicle (although totally new) gave signs of failure, just like the headlights. The driver and one of the passengers were seriously contused and they were to wonder a long time what had happened to them, for no storm had burst that day."
"A few days earlier, in Linzeux, this same tradesman had seen an object with changing colors, of which he provides a description corroborated by the testimony of several other people."
The author comments: "(The first case - i.e. the second chronologically to be strictly accurate does not constitute a case of landing, but the effects on the engine and the headlights let suppose an immediate proximity of the source of these disturbances.)"
The sources are noted as "'Le Journal du Pas-de-Calais et de la Somme' of Boulogne, for 10.27.54. p.1 – LDLN 324 for December 1993, page 34."
[Ref. fru1] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors indicate that on October 27, 1954 an some unspecified time, in Linzeux in the Pas-de-Calais, a salesman and his employee, both anonymous, felt an electric discharge at the time when "a shining apparatus, flying very low, stop their car and extinguish their lights."
They indicate as source the catalogue by Jacques Vallée and the newspaper "Le Parisien" for October 28, 1954.
[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:
Cet ufologue a noté:
| CAS Nr | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | HOUR | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 260 | CE0-2 | 27 10 1954 | hnp | Linzeux | 62270 D4 | RS, C.V. cas n° 314 |
[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:
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October 27th. Linzeux, France, (night)
A UFO skimmed over the roof of a car in the area of the French town of Linzeux. The passengers inside experienced an electrical shock and the vehicle's engine died. As in other cases similar to this, the headlights went out. 216.
[...]
216. Paris, France. Le Parisien.
[Ref. jsc1:] JOHN F. SCHUESSLER:
1954/10/27 FRANCE, LINZEUX
Source: UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference, CUFOS
Official UFO, Feb. 76
A blinding light passed over their car causing the two occupants to feel an electric shock. The car's engine and lights failed at the same time. Other witnesses observed the event.
EFFECTS: Electric shock
EM effects on car
[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, on October 27, in France, in Linzeux, "a tradesman and his employee felt an electric discharge at the time when a very shining object, flying very low, stopped their car and extinguished their lights and shook them like an electric discharge."
The sources are indicated as "Le Parisien, 28 oct 1954"; "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENoeL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL. - p. 290"; "Aimé Michel: 'M.O.C.' Seghers pub., p. 271".
[Ref. mrr1:] MARK RODEGHIER:
The ufologist indicates that on October 27, 1954, in the evening in Linzeux, France, a merchant and his deliveryman saw a bright light pass quickly overhead. The motor of their truck stalled and the headlights failed at this point, and both men felt electric shocks. The UFO was shaped like a sphere and quickly traveled out of view. Other people in the area saw the same object in the distance, but experienced no effects.
He indicates that the source is "Michel".
[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:
According to this author and ufologist, the newspaper Le Journal du Pas-de-Calais et de la Somme for October 27, 1954, reported that on a certain date estimated by Jean Sider as being between the 22th and the 25th of October 1954, at 10:20 P.M., three people WHO remained anonymous were driving in a van near Erquières/Wail, Hesdin, in the Pas-de-Calais.
A "dazzling gleam suddenly dazzled the driver". At the same time the engine and the headlights gave signs of failure.
The driver and one of hid two passengers were seriously shocked and could not understand what had happened to them. No storm had burst in the area.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4298: 1954/10/27 21:00 15 2:13:20 E 50:20:40 N 3332 WEU FRN PDC 8:7
LINZEUX,FR:V-BRITE UFO FLIES LOW OVER CAR:MOTOR+LITES EME:2/CAR FEEL EL SHOCKS
Ref# 79 RODEGHIER,Mark:UFO RPTS/VEHICLE INTF Page No. 4 : ROAD+RAILS
[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:
Jérôme Beau indicates that on Wednesday, October 27, in Linzeux, France, a shop owner and his employee felt an electric shock as a very bright object flying very low stopped the engine and turned off the lights on their car.
Jérôme Beau indicates that his source is Le Parisien, October 28, 1954.
[Ref. jbu2:] JEROME BEAU:
Jérome Beau published the Mark Rodeghier [mrr1] text in English.
[Ref. jdt1:] JEAN-PIERRE D'HONDT:
This ufologist indicates that between October 22 and October 25, 1954, between Erquières and Wail, the Pas-de-Calais, "At approximately 22 00, a tradesman of Hesdin who returned from a delivery round by car, accompanied by two passengers, was suddenly dazzled by a violent gleam. At the same time, the engine of his vehicle (although totally new) gave signs of failure, just like the headlights. The driver and one of the passengers were seriously contused and they were to wonder a long time what had happened to them, for no storm had burst that day."
"A few days earlier, in Linzeux, this same tradesman had seen an object with changing colors, of which he provides a description corroborated by the testimony of several other people."
The author comments: "(The first case - i.e. the second chronologically to be strictly accurate does not constitute a case of landing, but the effects on the engine and the headlights let suppose an immediate proximity of the source of these disturbances.)"
The sources are noted as "'Le Journal du Pas-de-Calais et de la Somme' of Boulogne, for 10.27.54. p.1 – LDLN 324 for December 1993, page 34."
[Ref. jdt2:] JEAN-PIERRE D'HONDT:
This ufologist indicates that on October 27, 1954, in Linzeux, in the Pas-de-Calais, "A tradesman and his employee felt an electric discharge at the time when a very shining object, flying very low, stopped their car and extinguished their lights."
The sources are given as "Catalogue Vallée, case #314. – 'Le Parisien' newspaper for 10/28/1954. -".
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Pas-de-Calais in Linzeux on October 27, 1954, at an unknown hour, "the witnesses feel an electric discharge at the time when a shining craft, flying very low, stops their car and extinguishes their lights."
The source is indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 27 October 1954 at 21:00 in Linzeux, France "Engine and headlights of delivery truck died when ball of light passed overhead. two men felt electric shock."
And: "An object was observed. Electromagnetic and physiological effects were noted. One bright ball was observed by two male witnesses on a road for over 15 minutes. No sound was heard."
The sources are noted as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; 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; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Carrouges, Michel, Les Apparitions de Martiens, Fayard, Paris, 1963; Hall, Richard H., The UFO Evidence, NICAP, Washington, 1964; Rodeghier, Mark, UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference, CUFOS, Chicago, 1981; Falla, Geoffrey, Vehicle Interference Project, BUFORA, London, 1979; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 27 October 1954 at 19:00 in Linzeux, France, "A very bright object flying very low".
And: "A shop owner and his employee felt an electric shock as a very bright object flying very low stopped the engine and turned off the lights on their car."
And: "An unidentified object was sighted, but with appearance and behavior that most likely would have a conventional explanation. One luminous ball was observed by numerous male witnesses in a forest for over one minute. No sound was heard."
The sources are noted as Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Flying Saucers, Flying Saucers Magazine (Palmer); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. nip2:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
(149) Oct. 27, 1954 - A shop owner and his employee felt an electric shock as a very bright object flying very low stopped the engine and turned off the lights on their car in Linzeux, France. In Mezieres, France policemen saw a craft which took off from the ground. (Source: Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, cases 314 & 315; Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 204)
[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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Night | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II | |||||
| 19541027 | 27.10.1954 | Linzeux | France | Nightfall | CE II |
[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
October 23 1954. (Approx. date) 2200hrs.
LIMZEUX [sic] (PAS DE CALAIS : FRANCE)
A merchant from Hesdin, his deliveryman and another passenger were driving near here, when they saw a blinding light ahead of them. It passed over the vehicle, and as it did so their motor and headlights failed and they felt something like an electric shock. The shopkeeper and the deliveryman were both badly bruised.
Gross 1954. citing J D'Hondt citing Le Journal du Pas de Calais et de la Somme 27 October 1954.
Michel 1958b p204 + Vallee Case 314 citing Le Parisien 28 October 1954., these latter date the case as 27th October
Note: "Gross 1954" is supposed to be my page on this case. No link was provided.
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Possible extraterrestrial visitors.
However, the case is poorly documented, alas, by the newspaper [jps1], then by Aimé Michel and others.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Erquières, Wail, Hesdin, Pas-de-Calais, dazzled, effects, engine, headlight, stall, failure, night, light, truck, pick-up, road
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | March 12, 2005 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | March 10, 2010 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [mcs1], [uda1], [uda2]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | October 19, 2014 | Additon [nip1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | December 13, 2018 | Additions [prn1], [lhh1]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | December 23, 2018 | Additions [mft1], [prn2]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | January 20, 2020 | Additions [jve3], [rhl1], [gni1], [lgs1]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | May 20, 2020 | Additions [jps1], Summary. Explanations changed, was "Not looked for yet." |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | October 31, 2021 | Addition [gqy1]. |
| 1.7 | Patrick Gross | December 4, 2021 | Addition [gqy2]. |
