The 1954 French flap:

In Evreux several people reportedly saw a flying saucer

In Evreux, in the night from Sunday to Monday, mysterious craft were reportedly seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure).

The son of a town merchant claims to have distinctly seen around 1 a.m. above the Seine river, an elongated object, red in color, resembling a large cigar which, in total silence, stood motionless at a fairly low height.

From this strange craft came a flying saucer that the same witness describes as follows:

- It was shaped like an oval disc of dark color, topped by a red dome with a very bright halo surrounded by flames. After flying horizontally it disappeared then was suddenly replaced by another one.

It lasted more than three quarters of an hour.

Flying saucers in Normandy?

Mysterious craft were seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure).

The son of a city merchant says he saw distinctly, around one o'clock in the morning, above the Seine, an elongated object, red in color, resembling a large cigar. According to him, this object stood motionless at a fairly low height. From this curious machine, detached a flying saucer that the witness describes with precision:

"It was shaped like an oval disc, dark in color, surmounted by a red dome with a very bright halo surrounded by flames."

These observations were confirmed by several people.

Flying saucers
in the sky of Vernon?

Evreux, 24. -- Mysterious craft were seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure) during the night from Sunday to Monday.

The son of a city merchant claims to have seen distinctly, around one o'clock in the morning, above the Seine, an elongated object, red in color, resembling a large cigar.

According to him, this object stood motionless at a fairly low height. There was total silence.

From this curious craft, came out a flying saucer that the witness describes with precision:

"It was shaped like an oval disc, dark in color, surmounted by a red dome with a very bright halo surrounded by flames".

The flying saucer detached itself from the cigar, fell vertically, then seemed to want to perform an horizontal flight, above the bridge it turned, went up and suddenly disappeared. It was immediately replaced by another.

This odd carousel reportedly lasted three quarters of an hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people and in particular by a chemical engineer of the laboratory of ballistic and atomic researches for the army, who followed at the same hour the RN 182. The engineer observed the mysterious brilliant craft and judged, with the person accompanying him, that it could only be flying saucers.

An engineer of the atomic
laboratories spots
flying saucers
in the sky of Vernon

Evreux, August 25. -- Mysterious craft were been seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure) during the night from Sunday to Monday.

The son of a city merchant says he saw distinctly, around one o'clock in the morning, above the Seine, an elongated object, red in color, resembling a large cigar. According to him, this object stood motionless at a fairly low height. There was total silence.

From this curious machine, a flying saucer detaches that the witness describes with precision:

"It was shaped like a dark oval disc, surmounted by a red dome with a very bright halo surrounded by flames."

The flying saucer detached itself from the cigar, fell vertically, then seemed to want to follow an horizontal flight, above the bridge it turned, went up and suddenly disappeared. It was immediately replaced by another.

This curious carousel reportedly lasted three quarters of an hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people and in particular by a chemical engineer of the laboratory of ballistic and atomic researches for the army, who followed at the same hour the RN 182. The engineer observed the mysterious brilliant craft and judged, with the person accompanying him, that it could only be flying saucers.

 

Flying saucers in the sky of Vernon (Eure)

Several people describe them with precision

EVREUX, 24. -- Mysterious craft were seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure) during the night from Sunday to Monday.

The son of a town merchant claims to have seen distinctly, around one o'clock in the morning, above the Seine, an elongated object, red in color, resembling a large cigar. According to him, this object stood motionless at a fairly low height. The silence was total.

From this curious machine, a flying saucer detached, which the witness describes with precision:

"It was shaped like an oval disc, dark in color, surmounted by a red dome with a very bright halo surrounded by flames."

The flying saucer detached from the cigar, fell vertically, then seemed to want to follow an horizontal flight over the bridge. It turned, went up and suddenly disappeared. It was immediately replaced by another.

This curious carousel reportedly lasted three quarters of an hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people and in particular by a chemical engineer of the laboratory of ballistic and atomic researches for the army, who followed, at the same hour, the National Road 182. The engineer observed the mysterious brilliant machines and decided, with the person accompanying him, that they could only be flying saucers.

FLYING SAUCERS
IN THE SKY OF VERNON

EVREUX, August 24 (AFP). -- mysterious machines are said to have been seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (the Eure) during the night of Sunday to Monday.

The son of a tradesman of the city claims that he has clearly seen, around one o'clock of the morning, above the Seine, a lengthened object, of red color, resembling a large cigar. According to his statements, this object hovered motionless at a rather low height. The silence was total.

From this curious machine, was detached a flying saucer that the witness describes with precision:

"It had the shape of a disc surmounted of a red dome with a very brilliant aureole surrounded of flames."

The saucer was detached from the cigar, fell to the vertical, then appeared to want to follow a level flight above the bridge. It veered, went up and disappeared suddendly. It was replaced at once by another.

This curious carrousel would have lasted three quarters of an hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people and particularly by a chemical engineer of the ballistic and atomic [false, aerodynamic] research laboratory for the army, who followed, at the same hour, the RN 182 [false, 181]. The engineer observed the mysterious brilliant machines and judged, with the person who accompanied him, that these could only be flying saucers.

A flying saucer gets off a cigar in the sky of Vernon

Evreux, August 24 - Mysterious machines have reportedly been seen by several people in the sky of Vernon during the night of Sunday to Monday.

The son of a tradesman of the city says he has distinctly seen, at about one o'clock in the morning, above the river Seine, an elongated object, of red color, resembling a cigar. According to his statements, this object hovered motionless at a rather low altitude. The silence was complete.

From this curious machine, a flying saucer went off, which the witness describes with precision:

"It had the shape of an oval disc, of dark color, topped by a red dome with a very brilliant crown surrounded by flames."

The saucer detached itself from the cigar, fell vertically, then appeared to have decided for a leveled flight above the bridge. It veered, went up and disappeared abruptly. It was replaced at once by another.

This curious carrousel is said to have lasted three quarter of hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people, and in particular by a chemical engineer of the ballistic and atomic research laboratory for the army, which was driving on national road 182 at the same time.

Saucer in the sky of Vernon

Mysterious crafts have allegedly been seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure) during the night of Sunday to Monday. The son of a tradesman of the city says that he has distinctly seen, at about 01:00 hour of the morning, above the Seine, an elongated object of red color, resembling a large cigar. According to his statements, this object hovered at a rather low altitude. A flying saucer detached from this curious craft. These observations were confirmed by several people and particularly by a chemical engineer of the ballistic research laboratory of the army, which was driving on national road 182 [181?] at the same hour.

FLYING SAUCERS
PILE UP IN
THE SKY OF VERNON

EVREUX, August 24. - Mysterious craft were seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure), during the night from Sunday to Monday.

The son of a city merchant claims to have seen distinctly, around 1 in the morning, above the Seine, an elongated object, red in color, resembling a large cigar. According to him, this object stood motionless at a fairly low height. There was complete silence.

From this curious apparatus a "flying saucer" detached, that the witness describes with precision:

"It was shaped like an oval disc, dark in color, surmounted by a red dome with a very bright halo surrounded by flames.

The flying saucer detached from the cigar, fell vertically, then seemed to want to undertake a horizontal flight over the bridge. It turned, went up and suddenly disappeared. It was immediately replaced by another.

This curious carousel would have lasted three quarters of an hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people, in particular by a chemical engineer of the laboratory of ballistic and atomic research for the army, which followed, at the same time, the national road 182. The engineer observed the mysterious brilliant machines and judged, with the person accompanying him, that they could only be "flying saucers".

However, one wonders if it was not rather - as some scientists have explained - the image of automobile headlights on a celestial screen formed by layers of air of different densities.

The mystery continues...

Flying saucers are still being talked about

In the sky of Vernon (Eure)
several witnesses observed
their bizarre dmaneuvers

EVREUX, August 24. - Mysterious crafthave been seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (Eure) during the night from Sunday to Monday.

The son of a city merchant claims to have seen distinctly, around 1 o'clock in the morning, above the Seine, an elongated object, red in color, resembling a large cigar. According to him, this object stood motionless at a fairly low height. There was total silence.

From this curious machine, a flying saucer came out: which the witness describes with precision:

"It was shaped like an oval disc, dark red in color, surmounted by a red dome with a very bright halo surrounded by flames."

The flying saucer detached itself from the cigar, fell vertically, then seemed to want to observe a horizontal flight over the bridge. It turned, went up and disappeared suddenly. It was immediately replaced by another.

(Continued on 6^th page)

FLYING SAUCERS

(Continued from 1^st page)

This curious carousel reportedly lasted three quarters of an hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people and in particular by a chemical engineer of the laboratory of ballistic and atomic researches for the army, who followed, at the same time, the R.N. [National Road] 182. The engineer observed the mysterious brilliant machines and judged, with the person accompanying him, that they could only be flying saucers.

STILL FLYING SAUCERS...

A journalist of "Le Figaro", Mr. André Larcher, went to interview a resident of Vernon (the Eure) whom thus reports how he saw flying saucers being detached from a "brilliant cigar".

Last Monday, he specified, I had just garaged my car in the garage (which is near the quay of the Seine) when, raising the head, I was dazzled by a kind of large cigar shining and motionless... At the end of a few seconds, a saucer was detached from the cigar, being placed in a vertical position, sank in my direction. It was surrounded of an incandescent halation. After having immobilized itself while taking an horizontal position, it suddenly moved away at an extraordinary speed, to get lost in the night. Hardly had it disappeared, that another came under the same conditions, as well as a third, a fourth and a fifth. It is this one which caused me the strongest impression. It descended definitely lower than the preceding ones and had stopped one moment above the new bridge as if it sought a target. At the time when it was at its lower altitude, I clearly distinguished that it was red in the center and black on the edges, which sliced with the very burning halation. No noise at all was heard.

In its turn, it disappeared at a fantastic pace towards the north from where it came. As for the cigar, it had disappeared long ago. I do not have any idea of the dimensions which these objects nor of the altitude where they had evolved. All had lasted approximately three quarters of an hour.

THE FLYING SAUCERS

It has been a long time since we last heard of flying saucers. In the night from Sunday to Monday, people are said to have seen mysterious machines. Among the observers, where a chemical engineer from the atomic and ballistic research who declares that they could only be flying saucers.

Still flying saucers in Vernon

In our issue for September 4, 1953, alone of all the Press, "Le Démocrate" announced the appearance of flying saucers in the sky of our town. Mr. Buch, policeman, his family, neighbors, and passer-by's in Saint-Marcel, were witnesses of the facts.

One year, almost day for day, another of our fellow-citizens, Mr. J. M..., son of a tradesman of our city (he asked to keep anonymity to him), was the witness of similar facts in the night from Sunday to Monday.

But let us hear his say:

"Returning rather late from a travel, I had just parked my car close to the Bridge. It was approximately 1 hour of the morning. When closing again the door of the garage, I looked by chance in the direction of the Seine. The night was rather dark. I then saw very distinctly above the bridge a lengthened object of red color, resembling a large cigar, which hovered motionless at a rather low height and in uttermost total silence. Immediately, I saw a flying saucer to detach; which I can describe with precision. It had the shape of an oval disc, of dark color, surmounted by a red dome with a very shiny aureole, surrounded by flames. A flying saucer was detached from the cigar, fell to the vertical, then appeared to want to observe a level flight above the bridge; it veered, went up, and disappeared suddenly. It was replaced at once by another.

The last one particularly impressed me, because I had the impression that it was going to land on the bridge, so much it lost altitude. But it set out again suddenly like the preceding ones at a terrifying speed, in the direction of the North."

M. M..., qui avait déjà observé une soucoupe volante, mais en plein jour, il y a deux ans dans la région d'Evreux, a été le seul témoin (contrairement à ce qui a été dit), de cette incursion extraordinaire sur notre ville.

Mr. M..., whom had already observed a flying saucer, but in broad daylight, two years ago in the area of Evreux, was the only witness (contrary to what was told), of this extraordinary incursion on our city.

Beginnings of a terrifying science or not, will we have the key of the mystery some day?

The autumn sky fills with fog and mystery!

"Flying saucers exist"
states a scientist in France
...and he describes the craft

Meanwhile, a news appearance is told in detail by a Frenchman and we still ignore whether the two Norvegian girls offered blueberries to a Martian

Mr. Henri Coanda, scientist of international reputation, who currently devotes to experiments on solar energy, in La Londe, village of the Provence, between Toulon and Lavandou, believes in the existence of the flying saucers. With a Marseilles journalist who came to interview him, he even specified that machines of this kind had been built and tested by the means of the radio control, writes our fellow-member "France-Soir".

"These craft, he told the journalist, had animals as passengers. The first saucers brought them back dead but, thereafter, other animals returned alive."

At the question: "Were you informed of experiments made with human passengers?", Mr. Henri Coanda answered: "No, but some nations could succeed in putting pilots in these apparatuses. If it is not done yet, the thing will be realizable in one or two years."

No mystery

Here besides is the essence of Mr. Coanda's statements:

- Nothing is mysterious in the appearance of the flying saucers who do not come from any other planet but ours. It is quite simply lenticular aerodynes, scientific name of what you call the flying saucers. Take a 5 FR coin between the thumb and the big finger, put it at two or three centimetres above a piece of paper. If you blow on the coin, you will see the paper rise. Thus, if by some unspecified means one creates a rather powerful blow under a disc, the disc will rise and remain motionless in the airs. The draught thus moved goes on the right-hand side and on the left-hand side. Direct it thanks to a suitable piping system (there are 180 pipes on my model of saucer), on the side of this disc, and prevent it to leave on this side. The saucer will move to a speed taht can reach 100O meters per second. For the moment, one did not exceed this prodigious speed which is about 3600 kilometer-hour.

Let us add that Mr. Henri Coanda, scientist of Rumanian extraction, settledin France, is a specialist in the aeronautical questions.

A "cigar" gives birth to several "saucers" above Vernon!

The special correspondent of the "Figaro", on the other end, was able to interview a resident of Vernon, in France, who described to him in these terms the fairy-like spectacle he would have seen:

— Last Monday, around one hour and half of the morning, I had just parked my car in the garage (which is near the quay of the Seine), when, looking up, I was dazzled by a kind of large shining and motionless cigar... After a few seconds, a saucer was detached from the cigar, was placed in a driving position, dove in my direction. It was surrounded by an incandescent halation. After having immobilized itself while putting itself at the horizontal, it suddenly moved away at an extraordinary speed to be lost in the night. Hardly had it disappeared that another showed under the same conditions, as well as a third, a fourth and a fifth. It is this last one that caused the strongest impression to me. It came definitely lower than the preceding ones and had stopped one moment above the new bridge as if it sought a target. At the time when it was at its lowest altitude, I clearly distinguished that it was red and black on the edges, this contrasted with the very fiery halation. Not the least noise was heard.

In its turn, it disappeared at a fantastic pace towards the north, from where it came. The cigar had already disappeared long ago. I do not have any idea of the dimensions of these objects nor of the altitude at which they could have where maneuvered. All had lasted approximately three quarters of hour.

In Norway:
saucer or not sucer?

We had reported the statement of two young Norwegian women claiming to have been disturbed, in the middle of bluberry picking, by the landing of a flying saucer piloted by an extremely courteous "Martian".

The Norwegian newspaper "Attenposten" had announced that the American pilot Baily Faurot had confirmed, at the time of its passage in Oslo, to have met, in the area of Mosjoeen, the two people having mitaken his helicopter for a "flying saucer" and himself for an inhabitant of Mars.

But the two Norwegian young people maintain their statement. And those all the more find credit as the U.S. helicopter pilot Baily Faurot denies having landed at the place where the girls were.

"No helicopter," said on its side a senior police officer, after having examined the clearing, "could have landed there."

It's crazy how we can observe and question the sky during the holidays and the trained eye quickly spots a blue corner announcing the so hoped for sunshine.

In our opinion, this is the reason why, every year during the summer months the flying saucers are put in the spotlight.

We look at the sky and presto... we hang on the flight of one of these mysterious and silent machines which, after three short turns under the celestial dome, vanishes.

Obviously, this year, the activity of these craft seems to be greatly reduced. It is true that behind the protective screen of the clouds, they were able to jump for joy.

And yet a saucer appeared at the beginning of the week in the sky of Vernon. It was even accompanied by a large cigar. Its moves allegedly lasted three quarters of an hour, if the witnesses are to be believed.

As for now, Béthune does not seem to have been been overflown in such manner yet. Unless the people of Bethune are not people with their noses in the air.

In short, it is with this story of flying saucers like with all the extraordinary stories that range from the Lochness [sic] monster to the white man of the Himalayas. We ask to touch to believe, like St-Thomas of course...

- Always the flying saucers. In Vernon (Eure) mysterious craft were seen by several people during the night from Sunday to Monday.

SOMETHING VERY NEW

Five saucers come out of a flying cigar

IN THE SKY OF VERNON

Vernon (A.C.P.).

A young engineer from Vernon saw five flying saucers. But these saucers - and this is the original side of the case - came out of a large luminous machine which had the shape of a cigar.

The five saucers evolved during a few moments in the sky of Vernon. One of them approached the ground sufficiently close so that the engineer could distinguish the details of the machine. It was red in the center and black on the edges.

Then cigars and saucers disappeared at a vertiginous speed in the direction of the North.

The chronicle of the flying saucers gets richer of a new type: the relay-cigar.

Flying saucers reappear in the sky of Normandy

Mysterious machines are said to have been seen by several people in the sky of Vernon (the Eure) during the night of Sunday to Monday.

The son of a tradesman of the city claims that he has clearly seen, around one o'clock of the morning, above the Seine, a lengthened object, of red color, resembling a large cigar. According to his statements, this object hovered motionless at a rather low height. The silence was total.

From this curious machine, was detached a flying saucer that the witness describes with precision:

"It had the shape of a disc surmounted of a red dome with a very brilliant aureole surrounded of flames."

The saucer was detached from the cigar, fell to the vertical, then appeared to want to follow a level flight above the bridge. It veered, went up and disappeared suddenly. It was replaced at once by another.

This curious carrousel would have lasted three quarters of an hour.

These observations were confirmed by several people and particularly by a chemical engineer of the ballistic and atomic research laboratory for the army, who followed, at the same hour, the RN 182. The engineer observed the mysterious brilliant machines and judged, with the person who accompanied him, that these could only be flying saucers.

Here is what Mr. Miserey saw in the sky of Vernon

The strange cigar shone in the night above the hills. When Bernard Miserey saw it at approximately one o'clock in the morning, a few days ago, in Vernon, he remained amazed about it. He had just put his car at the garage and had thrown a random glance towards the Seine which ran very close, at the end of the street. That's when he saw the thing.

At the end of a moment, a vertical disc was detached from the from of the apparatus, which Bernard Miserey classified in the category of the flying saucers, and which seemed to comprise a dark red core, bordered of black and surrounded of a luminous halation. The saucer descended towards the Seine, always at the vertical, then it took the position of the North where it disappears in a snap.

The cigar was still there. A little later, a second saucer was detached, then three others, which disappeared under the same conditions. Suddenly, Bernard Miserey became frightened. This is because a third saucer had been detached; which appeared to him to go down towards the bridge as for attacking it [it or him]. And then, it too, slipped by towards the north and disappeared. The cigar, meanwhile, had disappeared. All the scene had lasted approximately three quarters of an hour.

Our photograph represents Mr. Bernard Miserey showing, at the edge of the Seine, in Vernon, the direction taken by the saucers. Our draughtsman reproduced on the photograph, according to the indications of the witness, the cigar above the hills and the path followed by two of the five observed saucers.

Brief News...

- Mysterious craft, of the flying saucers kind, were observed above Vernon, in the Eure region, by several people, including a chemical engineer. The apparition lasted three quarters of an hour.

There had been only 73 "French saucers" from 1947 to December 31, 1953, but the number increased of about twenty in 1954. The most spectacular case was that of Vernon, with its cigar from where five discs were detached, one of which went down at low altitude above the new bridge, as if it sought a target.

A wave of strange "objects" is sweeping France

Dark-lovers Martians lovers play pass walls

But all those who have seen "saucers" are not dreamers

A plague of "flying saucers" and other mysterious craft is sweeping Europe, and the number of recorded testimony shows that France appears to be particularly targeted. There is no day, since weeks, where many of these events are reported from the Vendée, the Moselle and the Quiévrain to the Bidassoa.

In the Limousin, in particular, where a farmer was embraced on September 10, by a stranger; although he was peaceful, terror took hold, especially in the area of Roches (Creuse), where children no longer dare to go to school alone and where shepherdesses no longer want to keep their flocks since a dark shadow was reported hiding in the brushes. There is concern that the friendly Martian re-embarked leaving on the earth one of his companions.

In Diges (Yonne), two women saw each in her turn, a cigar land in a meadow and its pilot was leaning, perhaps on its engine. The "being" was of normal size, dressed in khaki and wearing a cap, but they were so scared that by the same reflex, they fled and locked themselves in.

Malenkov and Eisenhower shaking hands around a "saucer"

A pseudo-writer, on the contrary, delighted that these fantastic creatures come to join his philosophical ramblings, assimilates the "anti-saucerists" to troublemakers and warmongers. He writes without smiling: "These cigars and saucers could well make all of us agree. Perhaps this is why some people do not want to hear about it. Think about it! Eisenhower and Malenkov shaking hands around a saucer! What an idea!"

What to think of this new fever? Should we follow in their disdainful disapproval those who believe without verification, it is all hallucinations - sometimes collective - or should we believe with the others these are real craft originating from the human genius or more romantically coming from another world?

No doubt it is better to examine things more closely. The case now takes a too serious turn for trafficking in nonsense or admit all the news. It is time to grasp the problem and reason healthily on the sum of elements accumulated since more than seven years.

The first victim...

For it is on June 24, 1947, that the first "saucers" were reported in the manner described thousands of times since.

It was an American businessman, Kenneth Arnold, who saw that day "nine luminous discs flying in formation at high altitude" when he had taken off from Chehalis (Washington) on a personal plane. He could see that these "craft" were "flat like frying pans or saucers" before their disappearance and, if the case made little noise, the term "flying saucers" (soucoupe volante) was already launched.

It took six months before a new apparition was reported again in America, but this one was to end in tragedy, beginning to worry the public opinion. On January 7, 1948, the police in Fort Knox (Kentucky) warns the military at the Godman Airfield that "a huge fiery object, surrounded by a reddish glow" was flying in their direction. Three reservists fighter pilots were in flight, precisely at that time, on "Mustangs" propeller planes, and the tower alerted the control. Captain Mantell, leader of the squadron, immediately saw the "object" and putting gas on dove after it although his two comrades and himself had left for a flight at low altitude and were deprived of oxygen masks. The two crew members did not exceed 4,000 meters. Only Mantell went up to almost 7,000 meters before telling on the radio, breathless:

- It's frightening...

These words were the last and no one ever knew what they meant. The plane broke up in flight and the body of the unfortunate pilot was found horribly disjointed. The first reaction of Mantell's friends was naturally to think that he had been "downed" by the mysterious craft. His exclamation seemed to indicate that what he saw was awful and that monsters had fired at him.

This is the first victim - the first "martyr" - who tragically marked the true arrival of the "saucers" on earth.

An investigation commission was appointed, but its work was long and hard at a time when the high-speed compressibility phenomena were still unclear. When it put out its report on the accident, it finally explained that the pilot had climbed too high, probably in the pursuit of an atmospheric phenomenon. Deprived of oxygen, he had probably exclaimed that he was losing consciousness. The aircraft, abandoned to itself, had probably dislocated by diving at nearly the speed of the "wall of sound".

But psychosis was already on his way. What can the fairly conservative assumptions of technicians do against the taste of wonderful and the supernatural?

...and the first "hoax"

It is in any case strange to see that the appearances of "flying saucers" multiplied at once in America where 1,192 cases were reported, in waves, from 1947 to 1952. And it is no less surprising to see that, little by little parallel waves manifested themselves in France three to five weeks behind those recorded in the U.S.A.

Of course, the "pro-saucerists" interpret this pattern to their advantage: - We are part of the same humanity that the Americans and the "saucers" have no reason to despise us when visiting Earth. Their pilots wherever they come from can be as much interested in France and in the United States and if we see less it is because our territory is seventeen times smaller than that of the U.S.A.

It is certainly flattering to our national pride. But more Cartesian than sentimental "anti-saucerists", are concerned with this regular shift:

Just long enough to newspapers to inform you of the virus, they reply. After the Mantell crash anyway America was so gripped by the fear of the saucers deadly saucers that it accepted all the fables.

The most sensational story was published by one Franck Scully of Denver, who told in a weekkly magazine, then in a book, how a circular machine, that came from another planet, crashed in the United States, described the autopsy by a famous practitioner of sixteen little creatures found on board and stated that metal debris from the machine, heated to 10,000 degrees, had not melted. The finally palpable "saucer" and these little men in blue linen clothes made such a noise that an investigation commission - again - joined in. Frank Scully, interrogated, had to admit the "hoax". His piece of metal melted at 637 degrees and the case ended with two convictions for fraud.

But once again, the explanation came too late. The book beautifully sold and the author won a lot of dollars.

1953 has not been a hot year for "saucers".

In France, the first known "saucer" was reported in Antibes, in August 1949, but the following came in waves, parallel, we repeat, to those in the US. There is a fever in 1950, two in 1951 and one particularly important in 1952. That year, there were eleven appearances in May, six in June, six in July, two in August and two in September, eight finally in October.

This is precisely the time when America also see many "flying objects" and made us know its anxiety. We will see how calm then returned across the Atlantic. Here, 1953 was also quiet. The saucers disappeared from our skies until last August where a new wave started discreetly in Norway with the meeting of a helicopter by two young people who were picking blueberries.

This time Europe had exclusivity. The wave grows slowly, recalling the Loch Ness [Monster] who in the past returned in the heart of summer to fill the gaps in the news. But the Scottish snake was a prisoner of the lake while the "saucers" do not recognize borders nor countries nor the dreams and the real facts are now mingled with the disorder.

Awake hallucinations

We must reject from the first five recent stories - the most sensational alas! - just too unreliable.

In Vernon, the young witness has a strong imagination well known in the region.

In Quarouble, near Valenciennes, the gatekeeper who saw "little people" was a victim, one year ago, of a head injury and is subject, since then, to nervous disorders. Prints appear on the wood of the railway track, but may give rise to infinite interpretations.

Near Amiens, four pranksters had to admit they had wanted to make fun of their friends. In Bugeat (Corrèze), Mr. Mazaud has probably been embraced by someone but the air police firstly believes in a light aircraft that came in this deserted place at dusk, for a rendez-vous with a smuggler.

In Craintilleux finally, near St-Etienne, the giant, Hitler lookalike, double-faced (one grimacing at the front and the other, jovial, at the back) climbed in his saucer without opening the door, in the manner of wall-crossing ghosts, really seems too childishly wonderful. Witnesses, actors and writers have probably the romantic spirit that suits this kind of occurrence. And the Martian they thought they saw will at least have the advantage of providing them something for a play or a novel.

Medicine knows about these awaken hallucinations which can be experienced by completely normal people. Who did not see in the dark shadows move where there was nothing? It should be noted in this connection that virtually all reported landings of "saucers" took place at night and no one has yet seen Martians having a shape significantly different from ours in daylight.

Should we conclude that all recorded reports are the work of unbridled imaginations?

Certainly not.

Kenneth Arnold and Mantell were not dreamers. Most French witnesses aren' either.

INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROACASTS

			CO NO.:	..
COUNTRY:	Non-orbit		DATE OF INFORMATION:	1954
SUBJET:	Military - Unidentified flying objects
HOW PUBLISHED:	Daily newspaper		DATE DIST.:	15 Oct 1954
WHERE PUBLISHED:	As indicated		NO. OF PAGES:	3
DATE PUBLISHED:	5 Jul - 2 Sep 1954
LANGUAGES:	Various		SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT NO.:
[Blackened out]	[Blackened out]		THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
SOURCE:	As indicated

SIGHTINGS OF UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS

[... (Reports from other countries and France) ...]

REPORT "FLYING CIGAR" AND "SAUCERS" IN NORTHERN FRANCE -- Paris, Le Figaro, 27 aug 54

A 25-year-old man of Vernon, Eure Department, reported that during the night of August 22 1954, he had seen, motionless in the sky, a large, luminous, cigar-shaped object, from which a flying saucer detached itself, assumed a vertical position, descended a short distance, leveled off, and silently disappeared at great speed. He stated that this silent appearance and flight was repeated in turn by four other saucers. The fifth saucer descended farther than the others and was clearly red in the center and black along the edge. (by the time the last flight was completed), the cigar had long since "volatilized" (sic). The entire phenomenon lasted about 45 minutes.

Two constables also reported having seen an elongated, luminous flying object during that night.

[... (Next reports)]

Finally, on the night of the 22nd-23rd [August 1954], the sky over Vernon, not far from Paris, was the scene of a virtual merry-go-round which lasted 45 minutes. There is a ballistics study center at Vernon. The town is literally bulging with technicians. Several observed the fantastic maneuvers: a large mother Saucer surrounded by swarms of little Saucers which came and went.

August 23 [1954]

01:00 a.m.: Vernon (Eure): clouds-cigar and 5 discs.

Then during the night of the 22nd or 23rd [of August 1954] the sky over Vernon, not far from Paris, displayed a merry-go-round of aerial phenomena for 45 minutes. At Vernon there is a center of ballistic and aerodynamic studies; the city is full of technicians. Several of them witnessed the spectacle which they described as a large "mother saucer", immobile and surrounded by a host of little saucers which came and went.

"I have been contemplated this astonishing sight for a while, when suddenly, from the bottom of the cigar, a kind of object in the shape of an horizontal disc emerges, initially free-falling, then slows down, and suddenly rocked and sank horizontally through the river in my direction while becoming very luminous. During a very short time I could see this disc from the front. It was surrounded by a halation of a sharp luminosity."

"A few minutes after it had disappeared behind me towards the south-west at an extraordinary speed, a second object similar to the first was detached in the same manner from the lower end of the cigar and operated in the same way. A third object followed, then a fourth. In an interval a little longer, finally, a fifth disc was detached from the still motionless cigar. That one was dropped much lower than the previous ones, to the short-nap cloth of the new bridge where it was motionless one moment while oscillating slightly. I could then see its circular shape and its red, more intense luminosity in the center very clearly, dimmed on the edges, and the burning halation which surrounded it. After having hovered a few seconds, it rocked like the first four objects and also started to dart like an arrow, but towards the North, where it lost itself in the distance while gaining height."

"During this time, the luminosity of the cigar had disappeared, and the gigantic object, which was perhaps a hundred meters long, had melted itself in the darkness. The display had lasted three quarters of an hour approximately."

August 23, 1954, Vernon, France. Bernard Miserey, a businessman, was surprised to see a huge, silent, luminous mass in the night sky that looked like a gigantic cigar standing on end... "I had been watching this amazing spectacle for a couple of minutes when suddenly, from the bottom of the 'cigar' came an object like a horizontal disc. ... It was surrounded by a halo of brilliant light. A few minutes (later) a similar object came from the 'cigar' and went through the same maneuvers. A third object came, then a fourth ... and finally a fifth disc detached itself from the cigar. ... It wobbled like the first four and took off like a flash toward the north, where it was lost in the distance. ... During this time the luminosity of the 'cigar' had faded, and the gigantic object, which may have been three hundred feet long, had sunk into darkness. ... The spectacle had lasted about three quarters of an hour." (From "The Reference.")

Such is the great cloud-cigar. It has, as I have said, been described a great many times in identical terms and in all countries of the world. In France, it was seen during the wave of 1954 very near Paris: in the night of August 22 to 23 in Vernon, and the evening of September 12, around 19 h. 30, in broad daylight, by a crowd of witnesses from south of Paris, at Saint-Chéron, at Arpajon, on national road 7, at Chailly-en-Bière, etc. The description is always the same.

[Caption:] (Reproduction of the illustration published in "France-Dimanche", Nr. of Sept. 5 to 11, 1954)

In Vernon, Mr. Bernard Miserey ("A propos des Soucoupes Volantes" p. 30) sees five discs coming out of a luminous cigar (1) which Michel likens to the cigars of Gaillac and Oloron [... others case...]

1) Note that in "France-Dimanche" (issue from September 5 to 11, 1954), of which a reporter had reportedly interviewed and photographed Bernard Miserey, on a sketch made "according to the indications of the witness", the cigar is horizontal and the saucers detach from the front of the object, the latter precision being given in the text.

how to describe a "flying saucer"?

There are two kinds:

- The classic "saucer" in the shape of a disc (Vermon [sic] August 23, 1954) or an upside-down plate (Col du chat on September 26, 1954) (Fouesnant on October 15, 1954). Sometimes the disc is surmounted by a cupola or dome (Royan October 11, 1954), sometimes it has a dark spot or a darker area in the center of the lower part. light or lighter (Col du Chat).

"I then realized that a pale gleam lit the city, which was very dark a few moments earlier. Looking up, I discovered a kind of gigantic vertical, motionless and quiet cigar, apparently stationed above the northern bank of the river, at an altitude of approximately 300 m."

"I contemplated this astonishing spectacle since one moment when suddenly, from the bottom of the cigar, a sort of object in the shape of an horizontal disc emerges, which initially fell in free fall, then slows down, and suddenly rocked and sank horizontally through the river in my direction while becoming very luminous. During a very short time I was able to see this disc from its face. It was surrounded by a halation of a sharp luminosity."

"A few minutes after it had disappeared behind me towards the south-west at an extraordinary speed, a second object similar to the first was detached like it from the lower end of the cigar and operated in the same way. A third object succeeded it, then a fourth. There was then a little longer interval, and finally a fifth disc was detached from the still motionless cigar. This one was dropped much lower than the previous ones, to the short-nap cloth of the new bridge where it was still one moment while slightly oscillating. I could then see very clearly its circular shape and its red, more intense luminosity in the center, attenuated on the edges, and the burning halation which surrounded it. After a few seconds of immobility, it rocked like the four first did and also darted off fast as an arrow, but towards the north, where it was lost in the distance by taking altitude. During this time, the luminosity of the cigar had disappeared, and the gigantic object, which was perhaps 100 meters long, had faded in the darkness. The sighting had lasted three quarters of hour approximately."

At about sixty kilometers of Paris, in the night from the 22nd to the 23rd of August 1954, Mr. Bernard Miserey, resident of Vernon, in the Eure, was the witness of an astonishing spectacle as he had just pu his car in the garage, opposite the Seine. He saw a large luminous cylinder motionless vertically in the night sky. Dropping from the bottom of the cigar emerged in free fall, the ones after the others, five discs surrounded by a halation of red light which moved away silently at a fantastic speed. The "cigar" dissolved in darkness a little later. The operation lasted approximately three quarters of hour... (A little further, three other witnesses including two police officers also attended this strange display.)

Voici maintenant une série d'articles que M. Daniel Vidal de Nîmes, nous a envoyé. Ce jeune garçon, bien connu du groupe VERONICA a dû effectuer un long et patient travail de recherche dans les archives du journal "Midi-Libre" afin de pouvoir nous communiquer ces articles et nous l'en félicitons.

[... autres articles...]

- Un curieux carroussel est observé dans l'Eure

Evreux 24 Août - Des engins mystérioux airaient été aperçus par plusieurs personnes dans le ciel de Vernon (Eure) au cours de la nuit de dimanche à lundi.

Le fils d'un commerçant de la ville affirme avoir vu distinctement vers 1h00 du matin, au dessus de la Seine, un objet allongé, de couleur rouge, ressemblant à un gros cigare. Selon ses dires, cet objet se tenait immobile à une assez faible hauteur. Le silence était total.

De ce curieux engin se détacha une soucoupe volante que le témoin décrit avec précision: "elle avait la forme d'un disque ovale, de couleur sombre, surmonté d'un dôme rouge avec une auréole très brillante entourée de flammes".

Le soucoupe volante se détachait du cigare, tombait à la verticale puis paraissait vouloir observer un vol horizonzal au-dessus du pont.

Elle virait, remontait et disapraissair brusquement.

Elle était aussitôt remplacée par une autre. Ce curieux carroussel dura trois quart d'heures. Ces observationa ont été confirmées par plusieurs personnes et notamment par un ingénieur chimiste du laboratoire de recherches balistiques et atomiques pour l'armée, qui suivait à la même heure, la R. N. 182. L'ingénieur observa les mystérieux engins brillants, et jugea, avec la personne qui l'accompagnait, qu'il ne pouvait s'agir que de soucoupes volantes. (Midi Libre 25/08/54 (2 - 5)

08/23/1954 Vernon (Eure)

Around 1 a.m., Mr. Bernard Misery [sic] witnessed an extraordinary spectacle. Suspended motionless above a bridge, at an altitude of 300m, stood a red mass in the shape of a vertical cigar... Suddenly, from the bottom of the cigar emerged a sort of orange horizontal disc of dark color surmounted by a red dome wreathed in brilliant flames. The disc first fell in free fall, slowed down and suddenly tipped and sped horizontally across the river becoming very luminous... Four other discs appeared in the same way but did not all disappear in the same direction... During this time, the luminosity of the cigar, which was perhaps a hundred meters high, had faded and the apparatus had melted into darkness. The show had lasted three quarters of an hour... (A. Michel and J. Giraud)

In Vernon, the witness sees 5 small discs successively emerging from the lower end of the cylinder (cigar).

[...]

VERNON (Eure) August 22, 1954. Beginning 1 a.m., Duration 3/4 hour. Witnesses: 1 on the spot - 2 further away.

Date: August 23, 1954
Time: 1 o'clock
Place: VERNON
Duration: 45 mn
Type: 1a
Name: MISEREY Bernard
Occupation: Book reseller
Direction of observation: North
Direction of displacement: motionless
Distance witness-observation: 1.000 meters
Shape: cigar, disc
Environment: military installations

Brief story:

While returning at his home, the witness observed a gigantic vertical cigar. At the bottom of the cigar five discs of red luminosity surrounded by a luminous halation came out. The discs left towards the North at an extraordinary speed.

The French wave really got a good start, however, with the important Vernon "cigar."

Dr. J. Allen Hynek described the event at a scientific conference in 1960 when he said:

"...I feel reasonably certain that some stimulus existed in France -- whether political, scientific, extra-terrestrial, meteorological, or psychological -- that in the space of two months generated several hundreds of reports, reports which show a definite thread of pattern.

"So, with this preamble, let us travel to France, in the late summer, 1954. The curtain apparently went up on this fantastic show on August 23, at 1:00 a.m., 40 miles north-west of Paris. A businessman had just put his car away, and as he came out of the garage he was surprised to see a pale light illuminating the town which had been in complete dark ness a little while before. The night was completely clear and the moon was at last quarter, and hence was rising at about that time. "Looking at the sky, he saw a huge, silent, motionless luminous mass, apparently suspended above the north bank of the river some 300 yards away. 'It looked,1 he said, 'like a gigantic cigar standing on end. I had been watching this amazing spectacle for a couple of minutes when suddenly from the bottom of the cigar came an object like a horizontal disk, which dropped at first in free fall, then slowed, and suddenly swayed and dived horizontally across the river toward me, becoming very luminous. For a very short time I could see the disk full-face; it was surrounded by a halo of brilliant light.

"A few minutes after it had disappeared behind him, going southwest at prodigious speed, a similar object came from the cigar and went trough the same maneuvers. A third object, and then a fourth -- and finally a fifth detached itself from the cigar which was still motionless.

This last disk dropped lower than the earlier ones, to the ' level of the new bridge, where it remained still for an instant, sway ing slightly. At that time he could see very clearly its circular form and its red luminosity --more intense at the center, fading out at the edges --and the glowing halo surrounding it. After a few second's pause, it wobbled like the first four, and took off like a flash toward the north, where it was lost in the distance as it gain ed altitude. During this time the luminosity of the cigar had faded, and the gigantic object, which may have been 300 feet long, had sunk into darkness. The spectacle had lasted about 3/4 of an hour. "Unbeknown to him, this observer reportedly had witnesses. Two policemen making their rounds at 10:00 a.m. also observed the phenomenon, as had an army engineer southwest of the town of Vernon. "The case was briefly described in the Paris newspaper Liberation. Nothing more was done about it..." 196.

• 196. UFOs 1960. "A written version of a talk presented by J. Allen Hynek to the Hypervelocity Impact Conference Banquet at Elgin Air Force Base, April 27, 1960." Air Force BLUE BOOK Files. Reel #89.

"Huge cigar over France."

According to a story in the London, England, Daily Mail, northwest of Paris, at a town named Evreux, three people spotted what they said was a "huge cigar-like object" that had a "flying saucer" linked to it in a satellite-like fashion. 206.

• 206. Wilkins, Harold T. Flying Saucers Uncensored. p.132.

19540823 100 LU M45,15 27 VERNON.

DATE 24/08? 90 0 0 0 1 D ?N1 1:,13/

CIGAREv LUX? ROUGE D=? H°?=? (EMET PH2 DISCADOME ROUGE EMET FLAMMES qui DESCENDv RAPIDE). PH1 S'INCLINEh REPETE x4(EMET DISQUE) LUXV- DISPARTp.

*LUNEdqln au lever (autres ovnis= DECOUPE&ANIMATION par NUAGES). EMT & RRE

PHIE,VALL5 p224; ADLC,GARR p185/109; LDLN253 p39";

1954, August 23

FRANCE: Vernon (Eure)

Around 1 a.m.: Luminous column seen at night by Bernard Miserey. He informed the police station the next morning; he was told that two agents, during their rounds around one o'clock in the morning, had seen the same phenomenon. A military engineer, on the RN 181, saw it too. (Henry DURRANT "Le livre noir des S.V. - LAFFONT 1970 - p. 29, quotes Aimé Michel in "Lueurs sur les S.V.") "I discovered a gigantic vertical cigar, motionless and silent, apparently stationed above the bank north of the river at an altitude of about 300 m. I had been contemplating this astonishing spectacle for a while when suddenly, from the bottom of the cigar, a kind of horizontal disc-shaped object emerged which first fell in free fall, then slowed down and suddenly tipped over and swooped horizontally across the river in my direction and became very bright. For a very short time I could see this disk from the front. It was surrounded by a halo of bright light. A few minutes after it had disappeared behind me towards the southwest at a prodigious speed, a second object similar to the first one detached itself like it from the lower extremity of the cigar and maneuvered in the same way. A third succeeded him, then a fourth. There was then a slightly longer interval and finally a fifth disc detached itself from the still motionless cigar. This one dropped much lower than the previous ones until it was level with the new bridge, where it came to a stop, rocking slightly. I could then very clearly see its circular shape and its red luminosity, more intense in the center, attenuated on the edges and the burning halo which surrounded it. After a few seconds of immobility, it tipped over like the first four and also started off sharply, but towards the north where it was lost in the distance while gaining altitude. During this time the luminosity of the cigar had disappeared and the gigantic object which was perhaps 100 m long had melted into darkness. the show had lasted about three-quarters of an hour. (Henry DURRANT: "Le dossier des OVNI" - Laffont 1973 - p. 37-38).

3719: 1954/08/23 01:00 45 1:28:00 E 49:06:00 N 3333 WEU FRN EUR 8:9

VERNON,FR:SVRL SEP.OBS:HUGE VERT CCG OFFLOADS 5 SCRS:WOBBLE+>>N/r70p3-28/r114

Ref# 2 VALLEE:UFOS IN SPACE:Anatomy/phenon. Page No. 91 : TOWN &CITY

WITNESS N°58

Observation in Vernon (the Eure) in the night from the 22 to 23 of August 1954 by Mr Miserey around one hour of the morning a gigantic cigar of at least 100 meters length stations in vertical position at 300 meters of altitude. Very luminous discs of reddish color leave one after the others the bottom of the cigar and evolve very close of the witness at the height of the bridge. the observation lasted three quarters of an hour.

CLOUD CIGARS IN THE 1954 FRENCH WAVE

[...]

The first known cloud-cigar report of the wave occurred in the early morning hours of August 23 at the town of Vernon (Eure Department), 40 miles west-northwest of Paris. Just before 1:00 a.m., businessman Bernard Miserey arrived home and put his car away. As he came out of the garage on the south bank of the Seine, he was surprised to see a pale light illuminating the town, which had previously been in complete darkness. Looking at the sky, he saw a huge, silent, motionless, luminous mass, apparently suspended above the north bank of the river some 300 yards away. It was shaped like a large cigar standing on end. Stated Miserey, "I had been watching this amazing spectacle for a couple of minutes, when suddenly from the bottom of the cigar came an object like a horizontal disk, which dropped at first in free fall, then slowed, and suddenly swayed and dove horizontally across the river toward me, becoming very luminous. For a very short time I could see the disk full-face; it was surrounded by a halo of brilliant light.

A few minutes after it had disappeared behind me, going southwest at prodigious speed, a similar object came from the cigar and went through the same maneuvers. A third object came and then a fourth. There was then a longer interval and finally a fifth disk detached itself from the cigar, which was still motionless. This disk dropped much lower than the earlier ones, to the level of the new bridge, where it remained still for an instant, swaying slightly. At that time I could see very clearly its circular form and its red luminosity, more intense at the center, fading out at the edges—and the glowing halo surrounding it. After a few seconds pause, it wobbled like the first four, and took off like a flash toward the north where it was lost in the distance as it gained altitude.

During this time the luminosity of the cigar had faded, and the gigantic object, which may have been 300 feet long, had sunk into darkness. The spectacle had lasted about three-fourths of an hour. When Miserey described his observation the next day, the police informed him that two policemen on duty at about 1:00 a.m. had also observed the phenomenon, as had an army chemical engineer driving along Route N-181 southwest of Vernon. The case is also briefly described in the Paris newspaper Libération of August 25.

[...]

"This notion has the indisputable merit to gather several miracles worthy to interest at the same time the astronomers (the Moon seen towards the North) and the psychiatrists (telepathic lie). Come on."