ufo - UFOS at close sight: the 1954 French flap, October 29, Coulogne, Pas-de-Calais

Reference for this case: 29-Oct-54-Coulogne.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The regional newspaper Nord-Littoral, of Calais, on page 3, on November 4, 1954, published a letter from "Claude L." of Calais, who said that on Thursday evening, so on October 29, 1954, around 01:30 (a.m. or p.m.), he was returning from driving his fiancée to her parents, and took the road from Coulogne to Le Virval to return home, when his attention was drawn by a bright object almost at the edge of the road.

Intrigued, he allegedly approached and was stunned to find himself in the presence of a mass of metal that was not there some 30 minutes earlier.

He said he was skeptical about flying saucers, but had "to admit that this thing was one of them."

He said that unlike objects already seen, it looked more like an aircraft. It was a kind of tubular thing with porthole and truncated at the top, which had four diametrically opposed tubes, which he thought were ramjets. The lower part, raised about 1 m 50 above the ground, was very wide and provided at its base with cylindrical orifices, which he supposed to be exhaust nozzles.

He added: "In addition, this rocket was equipped with four wings of about one meter wingspan, probably intended for stabilization in flight. I decided to approach, because the rocket had to be occupied - the remote control being out of the question because of the near presence of an inhabited place, scarcely had I moved a few meters that a violent gust of air made me fall back. A blinding glow sprang from the turbines and the machine rose, from first slowly, then more and more quickly, in my opinion it was an experimental stratospheric rocket having landed as a result of damage. I am ready to swear on the honor that what I saw was not the product of my imagination or an excess of drink, I hope you will not believe it is some joke, I would like to bring a little light to public belief and soothe the minds excited by these mysterious apparitions."

Reports:

Thursday evening, towards 1h30, coming back from driving my fiance to her parents, I took the road from Coulogne to Le Virtal [sic] to return home, when my attention was drawn by a shining object almost at the edge of the road. Puzzled, I approached and I was amazed to find myself in the presence of a metallic mass that was not there some 30 minutes ago. Being, as mos people, skeptical as of the flying saucers, I had to admit that this thing was a flying saucer. But contrary to the objects already seen, this one rather had the look of an aircraft. It was a kind of pipe equipped with port-holes and truncated at its higher part. It had four diametrically opposed tubes. Ramjets, it seemed to to me. The lower part, elevated at approximately 1 m 50 above the ground, very broad and was equipped at its base with cylindrical openings. I supposed that they were the exhaust pipes. Moreover, this rocket was equipped with four ailerons of approximately a meter of wingspan, probably intended for stabilization in flight. I decided to approach, for the rocket was to be occupied - radio control being out of question because of its presence close to the inhabited place. Hardly have I walked a few meters that a violent displacement of air volume made me fall behind. A dazzling gleam spout out of the turbines and the machine rose, initially gently, then faster and faster. In my opinion it was an experimental stratospheric rocket that landed in consequence of damage. I am ready to swear on the honor that what I saw was not the product of my imagination nor of excessive drinking. I hope that you will not believe it is some practical joke. I would wish to simply shed a little light to the public belief and to alleviate a little the minds that are over-excited by these mysterious appearances.

Claude L, rue Den... Calais

The author indicates that a case in October 29, 1954 at 01:30 between Coulogne and Virtal, the Pas-de-Calais, comes from a signed letter "signed Claude L, street Den... Calais" published in North-Littoral, of Calais, November 4, 1954 on page 3, of which it gives the text:

"Thursday evening, towards 1:30 (sic), coming back from driving my fiancee at her parents, I took the road of Coulogne from Virtal to go back home, when my attention was drawn by a shining object almost on the edge of the road. Intrigued I approached and I was amazed to find myself in the presence of a metal mass not being there some 30 minutes earlier. Being, like many, skeptical about the flying saucers, I had to agree that this thing was one of them. But contrary to the objects already seen, this one rather looked like an aircraft. It was a kind of pipe equipped with port-holes and truncated at its higher part. It had four diametrically opposed tubes. Ramjets, it seemed to to me. The lower part, elevated at approximately 1m50 of the ground, very broad and was equipped at its base with cylindrical openings. I supposed that they were the exhaust pipes. Moreover, this rocket was equipped with four ailerons of approximately a meter of wingspan, probably intended for stabilization in flight. I decided to approach, for the rocket had to be occupied - radio control being excluded because of the presence close to an inhabited place. I had hardly walked a few meters that a violent displacement of air volume made me fall back. A blinding gleam spouts out of the turbines and the machine rose, initially gently, then more and more quickly. In my opinion it was an experimental stratospheric rocket landed as a consequence of damages. I am ready to swear on the honor that what I saw was not the product of my imagination nor of excess drinking. I hope that you will not believe in some joke from a practical joker. I would wish to simply shed a small light to the public belief and to alleviate a little the minds that are overexcited by these mysterious appearances. Please accepts, etc...

note that it is a unique atypical description in its kind, perhaps a coarse hoax by a rationalist.

4306: 1954/10/28 22:30 12 8:54:40 E 45:42:40 N 3333 WEU ITL VA. A:5

nr COULOGNE,FR:1 OBS:GLO-CYL/ROADSIDE:ROW/PORTS:4 TUBES+4 FINS:^^:/LDLN#325

Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 124 : ROAD+RAILS

Thinking that the UFOs are illusory extraterrestrial machines created by the military so that people believe that were are visited by extraterrestrials, the author of the text indicates in a table that in Coulogne, in the Pas-de-Calais, on October 29, 1954 at 01:30, exists a case whose testimony is anonymous and suspicious, and its text indicates "Thursday evening, towards 1h30", thus one can wonder whether the date is not rather Friday 29th in the morning. He thus eliminates the case from its statistics.

It is indicated in the database that in Coulogne, Pas-de-Calais, on October 29, 1954 at 01:30 a person returned from driving his fiancee from Coulogne towards Le Virval when his attention was drawn by an object shining almost at the edge of the road.

He approached and observed a kind of pipe equipped with port-holes and truncated at its higher part, and four tubes diametrically opposed. The lower part was very broad and was at 1.50 meters above ground-level. There were circular openings visible at the base, and four ailerons of one meter wingspan.

The witness continued his approach when a violent displacement of a volume of air made him fall back, a dazzling gleam spouted out of the tubes and the object rose initially gently then faster and faster.

1954 - At 1:30 a.m. a glowing cylindrical object was seen along the roadside in Coulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France. It had a row of portholes on its side, four tubes and four fins, and took off vertically. (Source: Larry Hatch, U computer database, case 4092, citing Jean Sider, Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste, p. 124).

The website indicates that on 29 October 1954 at 01:30 in Coulogne, France, "Glowing cylinder on roadside. Had row of portholes in side. four tubes and four fins. Took off vertically."

And: "An object was observed. It departed by rapidly flying straight up until lost to sight. One cylinder was observed by one witness on a road for 30 minutes."

The source is indicated as "Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002".

*Oct. 29, 1954 - At 1:30 a.m. a glowing cylindrical object was seen along the roadside in Coulogne, Pas-de-Calais, France. It had a row of portholes on its side, four tubes and four fins, and took off vertically. (Source: Larry Hatch, U computer database, case 4092, citing Jean Sider, Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste, p. 124).

Explanations:

Most probably, some "skeptic" that the thesis of extraterrestrial visitors disturbed thought it would be clever to make up some experimental earthly "rocket" story to advertise his thesis that the flying saucers must be secret terrestrial prototypes.

Keywords:

Coulogne, Pas-de-Calais, unique, road, night, Le Virval, object, machine, shining, port-holes tube, pipe, ailerons, winglets, landing, blow, propulsion, dazzling, gleam, fall, takeoff, slow, fast, maneuver

Version:	Created/Changed by:	Date:	Change Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	August 16, 2007	First published, [nll1], [edr1], [lcn1].
1.0	Patrick Gross	March 5, 2010	Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Addition [uda1].
1.1	Patrick Gross	October 30, 2011	Additions [jsr1], [djn1]. A search on the web and in my documentation did not reveal other sources.
1.2	Patrick Gross	October 19, 2014	Addition [nip1].
1.3	Patrick Gross	December 8, 2018	Addition [lhh1]. Summary.

The 1954 French flap:

October 29, 1954, Coulogne, Pas-de-Calais:

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