The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 2-nov-54-Vioménil.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
The regional newspaper La Liberté de l'Est, of Nancy, reported on November 5, 1954:
On Tuesday, November 2, 1954, around 06:15 a.m., Paul Poirot, residing at "La Bataille" heard a soft purring sound, he came out of his house and exclaimed shortly afterwards: "It's falling!"
Members of his family went out quickly and learned that a green disk emitting flames behind had descended at great speed to a nearby clearing.
Everyone ran to the presumed point of the fall but nothing was discovered.
The next day, November 6, 1954, the same newspaper published under the title "Saucer or meteor?" a letter from a reader saying:
"I hereby inform you that I think I have witnessed the same phenomenon as that observed by Mr. Paul Poirot, residing on the farm of 'La Bataille.'"
"It was 6:20 a.m. Tuesday morning November 2 and I was going to my work. I was standing rue de la Moselle at the height of Meyer's garages when the meteor appeared on the already white sky of the coming daylight at the apparent vertical of Dogneville, its race from left to right, according to the curvilinear trajectory which characterizes the celestial bodies, was very brief, 2 seconds maximum, although the retinal persistence of the image is often cause of exaggeration in this case; before its disappearance which took place in the apparent direction of the cliff of Saut-le-Cerf, the head of the aerolite seemed to disintegrate after a short extinction which occurs almost every time, but no noise was perceptible, probably because of the great distance of this piece of alleged cometary matter."
Despite this, the case appeared in several sources of the UFO literature without the slightest mention of this letter, and only once a mention of the possibility that it was a meteor.
[Ref. lle1:] NEWSPAPER "LA LIBERTE DE L'EST":
It was approximately 08:30 P.M. last Monday when Mr. Robert Didier, farmer residing in the farm of "La Bataille" saw in the sky above the pumping station of the community and moving towards Belrupt at a very high speed and without making noise, a whitish disc of 40 cm approximately, which left a long and broad trail of several colors behind itself.
The morning of the following day, i.e. Tuesday November 2, at about 06:15 A.M., Mr. Paul Poirot also residing in "La Bataille," on hearing a gentle humming, came out fast of his place and exclaimed soon afterwards: "It's falling!"
His relatives were quickly outside and learned that a green disc releasing flames behind itself went down at high speed towards a close clearing. Everyone run to the supposed spot of the fall but nothing was discovered.
During the same day one learned as Mr. Robert Gegonne, farmer in Tholloy, had seen in the morning at about the same time a similar disc above the farm, which did also come from Tholloy and directed itself also towards Belrupt.
Note: the observation of the previous day mentioned in the article is documented at its date.
[Ref. lle2:] NEWSPAPER "LA LIBERTE DE L'EST":
Following the article of our issue of yesterday, under the heading of Vioménil, we received the following letter from one of our readers of Golbey, Mr. Charles Durant:
Allow me to report by the present letter that I think I have been a witness of the same phenomenon as that observed by Mr. Paul Poirot, resident of the farm of "La Bataille."
It was 06:20 Tuesday morning November 2, and I went to my work. I was in the street of the Moselle at the level of the garages of the Meyer company when the meteor appeared on the already white sky of the beginning day, at the apparent vertical from Dogneville; its race from the left to the right, according to the curvilinear trajectory which characterizes the celestial bodies, was very short, 2 second maximum, although the retinal persistence of the image is often a causes of exaggeration in such cases; immediately before its disappearance which took place in the apparent direction of the cliff of Saut-le-Cerf, the head of the aerolite appeared to disintegrate after a short extinction, which happens almost each time [to meteors], but no noise was perceptible, because it was undoubtedly because of the large ditance at which this piece of supposed cometary matter was.
[Ref. lbs1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
|
28°) CASE No F/98/88541102 (01) (02) (03)
"LA BATAILLE" (VIOMENIL)
LE THOLLOY
DOGNEVILLE
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1954 - 6:15 AM / 6:20 AM Local time
Witnesses:
Mr. Paul POIROT (LA BATAILLE)
Mr. Robert GEGONNE (LE THOLLOY)
Mr. Charles DURANT (DOGNEVILLE)
Sources: Articles in La Liberté de l'Est of November 5, 1954 and November 6-7, 1954
"The next day, i.e. Tuesday around 6.15 a.m., Mr. Paul POIROT, also living at "LA BATAILLE", hearing a slight humming, suddenly left his house and exclaimed shortly afterwards: "It's falling"! His family members were quickly outside and learned that a green disc emitting flames from behind was descending at high speed towards a nearby clearing. Everyone ran to the presumed place of the fall but nothing was discovered."
(Continuation of article from case no 27)
"During the same day, we learned that Mr. Robert GEGONNE, farmer at LE THOLLOY, had seen in the morning at the same time a similar disc above the farm which had indeed come from LE THOLLOY and was also heading towards BELRUPT.
(Continued article)
"Saucer or meteors?
"Following the article in yesterday's issue, under the heading of VIOMENIL, we received from one of our GOLBEY readers, Mr. Charles DURANT, the following letter: (.. .) I take the liberty of informing you hereby that I think I have witnessed the same phenomenon as that observed by Mr. Paul POIROT residing at the farm of "LA BATAILLE".
"It was 6:10 a.m. on Tuesday morning November 2 and I was on my way to work. I was on rue de la Moselle near the garages of the MEYER company when the meteor appeared on the already white sky of the dawning day in the apparent vertical of DOGNEVILLE; its course from left to right, according to the curvilinear trajectory which characterizes the celestial bodies was very brief 2 seconds maximum, although the retinal persistence of the image is often the cause of exaggeration in this case; immediately before its disappearance, which took place in the apparent direction of the SAUT-LE-CERF cliff, the head of the aerolite seemed to disintegrate after a short extension, which happens almost every time, but no noise was perceptible, no doubt because of the great real distance of this piece of presumed cometary matter."
(Excerpt from the article)
Comments: Several sightings at the same time that seem to agree.
[Ref. lbs2:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
| Num. | DATE | PLACE | TIME | SHORT DESCRIPTION | 1234 | SOURCES | EXPLANATIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02-11-1954 | VIOMENIL | 06:15 a.m. | Idem. [="Whitish disk moving noiselessly across the sky leaving a long, wide multicolored trail."] | ...X | Liberté de l'Est for 11/05-06-54 | Meteor? |
[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
28°) CASE Nr F/98/88541 102 (01) (02) (03)
"LA BATAILLE" (VIOMENIL)
LE THOLLOY TUESDAY 11/2/1954
DOGNEVILLE 6:15 / 6:20 L.T..
Witnesses: Mr. Paul POIROT (LA BATILLE); Mr. Robert GEGONNE (LE THOLLOY); Mr. Charles DURANT (DOGNEVILLE)
Sources: Articles in la Liberté de l'Est for November 5 1954 and for November 6-7, 1954.
LA BATAILLE:
"The next morning, that is to say Tuesday, November 2 at 6:15, Mr. Paul POIROT also living at "LA BATAILLE" hearing a slight purr, suddenly came out of his house and shouted shortly after: "It falls!" Members of his family were quickly outside and learned that a green disk emitting flames behind was coming down at a high speed towards a nearby clearing. Everyone ran to the presumed point of the fall but nothing was discovered".
(Continued from the article of the case nr 27).
The magazine notes further on after the cases records::
Many observed phenomena are reminiscent of meteors (color, trail, size, trajectory, brightness). Especially in August where one often report "Meteors". (The appearance of the sky at this time and the presence of shooting stars in this period logically possible can allow emitting the hypothesis of beautiful meteors in August that may have prepared the ground for the wave of October. A study to make for the amateurs!).
[Ref. pam1:] GERARD PAULHIAC AND JOEL MESNARD:
The authors indicate that on November 2, 1954, in Viomesnil, Vosges, Paul Poirot, residing in the farm "la bataille", around 6:15, heard a slight humming sound, came out hurriedly from home and cried "it falls!"
The family members immediately came out to learn that a green disc releasing flames behind went down at high speed to a nearby clearing.
Everyone ran to the alleged point of the fall, but nothing was discovered.
The original source is indicated to be La Liberté de l'Est, Epinal, November 5, 1954, page 4.
[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:
Jean Sider summarizes a part only of the article by "La Liberté de l'Est" of November 5, without the headline and the observation of the day before, and the word "meteor" does not appear any more. The letter by Charles Durant is lacking, but a Mr. Simon, shoe-maker, is indicated as giving a testimony which seems to be really that of Mr. Robert Gégonne. There is indeed an observation by a shoe-maker in 1954 in the same area, but it seems to refer to an unrelated observation of a UFO in October.
[Ref. ldl2:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
|
10 - November 2, 1954, Viomesnil, Vosges: Mr. Paul Poirot, living at the "La Bataille" farm, around 6:15 a.m., hearing a slight humming, came out of his house in haste and exclaimed: "It's falling!" The family members came out immediately to learn that a green disc, emitting flames behind it, was descending at high speed towards a nearby clearing. Everyone ran to the presumed place of the fall, but nothing was to be discovered there.
Original source, La Liberté de l'Est, Epinal, November 5, 1954, page 4 17.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
4337: 1954/11/02 06:20 10 6:11:00 E 48:05:20 N 3333 WEU FRN VSG 7:9
VIOMENIL+THOLLOY,FR:SVRL SEP.OBS:GRN DISK LANDS:NO TRACES:SEP.SCR>>W:/LDLN#325
Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 125 : FARMLANDS
[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
1954 - A green disc landed on a farm near Viomenil-Bataille, France at 6:15 a.m. It left no physical traces, but there were independent witnesses to the event, who reported seeing a second disc fly over heading quickly to the west. (Source: Jean Sider, Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste, p. 125).
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Vosges in Vioménil on November 2, 1954 at 06:15 hours "the witness is at the farm La Bataille when he hears a gentle humming noise and comes out of his place. The members of his family remained inside then hear him shout "It falls!" and they quickly come out. The witness tells them he saw a green disc releasing flames go down at high speed towards a close clearing. Everyone runs then towards the latter but nothing is seen."
"Another farmer at the location Tholloy made at the same time the observation of a disc coming from Tholloy and heading to Belrupt. A third witness also made the same observation."
The source is indicated like this: "Lumières dans la Nuit".
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 2 November 1954 at 06:15 in Viomenil-Bataille, France, "Green disc lands, leaves no physical traces. Independent witnesses. Second disc rapidly to the west."
And: "A green disc landed on a farm near Viomenil-Bataille, France at 6:15 a.m. It left no physical traces, but there were independent witnesses to the event, who reported seeing a second disc fly over heading quickly to the west."
And: "An object was sighted by multiple independent witnesses that had an appearance and aerobatic performance beyond the capability of known earthly aircraft. One green disc was observed by three witnesses on a farm."
The sources are indicated as Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
*Nov. 2, 1954 - A green disc landed on a farm near Viomenil-Bataille, France at 6:15 a.m. It left no physical traces, but there were independent witnesses to the event, who reported seeing a second disc fly over heading quickly to the west. (Source: Jean Sider, Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste, p. 125).
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541102 | 02.11.1954 | Viomenil Bataille | France | CE II |
|
The meteor of that day at about 06:15 p.m.
Parts of the reports actually occurred on November 1.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Vioménil, Vosges, Robert Gégonne, Paul Poirot, Charles Durant, multiple, green, disc, flame, fast, humming
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | April 7, 2004 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | December 29, 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [lcn1], [uda1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | November 1, 2011 | 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 | November 5, 2016 | Addition [pam1], [ubk1]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | December 5, 2018 | Additions [ldl1], [lhh1]. Addition of the Summary. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | June 13, 2022 | Addition [lbs2]. |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | June 20, 2022 | Additions [lbs1], [ldl2]. |
