The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 7-Aug-54-Docelles.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
The regional newspapers La Liberté de l'Est and L'Est Républicain reported on August 12, 1954, an observation of August 7, 1954, in Docelles, in the Vosges:
An "elongated cigar-shaped meteor circulating horizontally", luminous, had been seen around 8 p.m. from the Claude street by several local people and "credible holidaymakers."
The thing was moving northeast and was visible for about twenty seconds.
The newspapers claimed that since it was "neither plane nor shooting star", the thing "disappeared without any detonation." And journalists wondered whether it was a flying saucer, or a meteor of the same nature as that observed in the sky at Contrexéville and Remiremont - actually observations made the next day - and Vittel.
[Ref. lle1:] NEWSPAPER "LA LIBERTE DE L'EST":
A meteor in the shape of a lengthened cigar circulating horizontally was observed also on Saturday August 7, towards 8 p.m., street Claude, by several people of the locality and estivants worthy of faith.
Their attention was suddenly caught by a luminous phenomenon moving in the North to East direction and visible during some 20 seconds. This thing was neither plane, nor a shooting star, it disappeared without any detonation. Was this a flying saucer or a meteor of comparable in nature to that observed in the sky in Contrexéville, Vittel and Remiremont?
[Ref. ler1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN":
Docelles. -- A meteor elongated cigar shape, circulating horizontally was observed Saturday around 8 p.m. Chande street by several people of the locality and reliable holidaymakers. Their attention was suddenly drawn to a luminous phenomenon moving north-east and visible throughout twenty seconds.
This "thing", which was neither an airplane nor a shooting star, disappeared without detonation. Was it a flying saucer or a meteor like the one observed in the regions of Contrexeville, Vittel and Remiremont?
[Ref. lbs1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
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8°) CASE Nr F/98/88540807 (01)
DOCELLES - SATURDAY AUGUST 7, 1954
Around 8:00 p.m.
Witnesses: Several people
Sources: La Liberté de l'Est article of August 12, 1954
"THE PHENOMENON SEEN FROM THE SKY OF DOCELLES
An elongated cigar-shaped meteor circulating horizontally was also observed on Saturday August 7 around 8 p.m. on rue Claude by several reliable locals and summer visitors. Their attention was suddenly attracted by a luminous phenomenon moving in a northeasterly direction and visible for about twenty seconds. This thing was neither a plane nor a shooting star disappeared without any detonation. Was it a flying saucer or a meteor of the same nature as the one observed in the sky at CONTREXEVILLE, VITEL and REMIREMONT".
(Full article).
Note: See next case.
[Ref. lbs2:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
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| Num. | DATE | PLACE | TIME | SHORT DESCRIPTION | 1234 | SOURCES | EXPLANATIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/07/1954 | DOCELLES | 08:00 p.m. | Luminous phenomenon observed by several people, towards the North-East. No noise. Total duration: about 20 seconds. | ...X | Liberté de l'Est for 08/12/1954 | Meteor |
[Ref. fdz1:] FRANCOIS DIOLEZ:
F. Diolez of the French ufology group CNEGU set up a catalogue of cases in the Vosges, in November 1984, with the help of ufologist François Lagarde.
The catalogue indicates that in Docelles, on Saturday, August 7, 1954 towards 08:00 p.m., local time, several people were the witnesses of an observation described as follows in an article by La Liberté de l'Est for August 12, 1954:
"THE PHENOMENON SEEN IN THE SKY OF DOCELLES."
"A meteor in the shape of a lengthened cigar circulating horizontally was observed also on Saturday August 7, towards 8 p.m., street Claude, by several people of the locality and estivants worthy of faith. Their attention was suddenly caught by a luminous phenomenon moving in the North to East direction and visible during some 20 seconds. This thing was neither plane, nor a shooting star, it disappeared without any detonation. Was this a flying saucer or a meteor of comparable in nature to that observed in the sky in CONTREXEVILLE, VITTEL and REMIREMONT."
The author of the catalogue notes that this in the entire article and recommends to see the next case of his catalogue.
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Probable meteor.
The "phenomenon" seen among other places in Contrexéville and Vittel or above these cities was certainly also a meteor, but not the same since these two observations are not on Saturday but the next, Sunday, and not at 8 p.m. but at 3 a.m.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Docelles, Vosges, cigar, night, multiple
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | April 6, 2007 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | January 7, 2010 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | November 2, 2016 | Addition [ler1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | June 8, 2022 | Additions [lbs1], [lbs2]. |
