The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 9-Jan-54-Epinal.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
The regional newspaper L'Est Républicain, of Nancy, repotred on page 2 for January 12, 1954:
We reported in our issue yesterday that a flying saucer had been seen on Saturday morning, around 7:55 a.m., both in Nancy and in Lunéville and in the Doubs. But this unusual attraction was also offered to several people in Epinal. Saturday morning, in fact, as he got off the train at 7:50 a.m., along with several other people, Mr. Antoine, principal employee at the S.N.C.F., was traveling in the upper part of rue de la Gare to get to work, rue Jean-Viriot. He saw, as he reached Place Beaudoin, a kind of fireball (Mr. Antoine did not want to use the term saucer) in the shape of a cigar or rather a long fish, which is not so different as appearance: this "fish" ended with a luminous tail of a green hue, but very pale. The "saucer" followed the same direction specified by an inhabitant of the Doubs and went from the North-West to the South-East.
The saucer was visible to everyone who was there for up to three seconds, then it disappeared in a small cloud.
Mr. Antoine could not have been abused, since several people made the same observation as him at the same time.
François Diolez of the French ufology group Cercle Vosgien Lumières Dans la Nuit set up a catalogue of cases in the Vosges, in November 1984, with the help of ufologist François Lagarde.
This catalogue indicates that in Epinal, on Saturday, January 9, 1954 at 07:50 local time, the following observation took place, by several people including Mr. Antoine, a principal employee of the SNCF, according to an article of La Liberté de l'Est for January 12, 1954, indicating:
"Mr. ANTOINE saw as he arrived on Baudoin square a kind of aerolite (Mr. ANTOINE did not want to use the term saucer) in the shape of a cigar or rather of a fish, which is not so different in the aspect, this "fish" ended in a luminous tail of a green color but very pale."
"The 'saucer' followed indeed the same direction specified by a resident of the Doubs and went from Northwest towards the South-east. The saucer was visible for all the people who were there during three second maximum, then it disappeared in a small cloud".
The writer of the catalogue indicates that it is an extract of the article, that followed articles of the beginning of January.
Diolez commented on that "contrary to the witness, note that the newspaper likes the saucer."
It was of course the meteor of January 9, 1954 at 07:48 a.m..
[Ref. ern1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN":
We reported in our issue yesterday that a flying saucer had been seen on Saturday morning, around 7:55 a.m., both in Nancy and in Lunéville and in the Doubs. But this unusual attraction was also offered to several people in Epinal. Saturday morning, in fact, as he got off the train at 7:50 a.m., along with several other people, Mr. Antoine, principal employee at the S.N.C.F., was traveling in the upper part of rue de la Gare to get to work, rue Jean-Viriot. He saw, as he reached Place Beaudoin, a kind of fireball (Mr. Antoine did not want to use the term saucer) in the shape of a cigar or rather a long fish, which is not so different as appearance: this "fish" ended with a luminous tail of a green hue, but very pale. The "saucer" followed the same direction specified by an inhabitant of the Doubs and went from the North-West to the South-East.
The saucer was visible to everyone who was there for up to three seconds, then it disappeared in a small cloud.
Mr. Antoine could not have been abused, since several people made the same observation as him at the same time.
[Ref. lbs1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
|
2°) CASE Nr F/98/88540109 (01) EPINAL - SATURDAY JANUARY 9, 1954
7:50 a.m. local time.
Witnesses: Several people including Mr. ANTOINE (Senior SNCF employee)
Sources: la Liberté de l'Est article of January 12, 1954.
"Mr. ANTOINE saw as he arrived at Baudouin square a kind of aerolite (Mr. Antoine did not want to use the term saucer) in the shape of a cigar or rather a fish, which is not so different in appearance, this "fish" ended in a luminous tail of a green but very pale hue.
The saucer did indeed follow the same direction specified by an inhabitant of the Doubs and went from the North West to the South East. The saucer was visible to everyone standing there for a maximum of three seconds, then it disappeared in a small cloud"
(Excerpt from the article)
Note: Still the continuation of the articles from the beginning of January.
Comments: Fireball or saucer? Contrary to the witness, note that the newspaper likes the saucer.
[Ref. lbs2:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
|
| Num. | DATE | PLACE | TIME | SHORT DESCRIPTION | 1234 | SOURCES | EXPLANATIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/09/1954 | EPINAL and elsewhere | 07:50 a.m. | Mr A observes the passage NW-SE of a kinf of "cigar" or "fish" with a tail of pale green color. Observation confirmed by other people. | ...X | Liberté de l'Est for 01/12/1954 | Fireball probable |
[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.
This catalogue indicates that in Epinal, on Saturday, January 9, 1954 at 07:50 local time, the following observation took place, by several people including Mr. Antoine, a principal employee of the SNCF, according to an article of La Liberté de l'Est for January 12, 1954, indicating:
"Mr. ANTOINE saw as he arrived on Baudoin square a kind of aerolite (Mr. ANTOINE did not want to use the term saucer) in the shape of a cigar or rather of a fish, which is not so different in the aspect, this "fish" ended in a luminous tail of a green color but very pale."
"The 'saucer' followed indeed the same direction specified by a resident of the Doubs and went from Northwest towards the South-east. The saucer was visible for all the people who were there during three second maximum, then it disappeared in a small cloud".
The writer of the catalogue indicates that it is an extract of the article, that followed articles of the beginning of January.
He comments on that "contrary to the witness, note that the newspaper likes the saucer."
|
The January 9, 1954, 07:48 a.m. meteor.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Epinal, Vosges, Antoine, aerolite, cigar, fish, tail, luminous, green, pale, duration, multiple
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | March 17, 2010 | First published. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | January 26, 2019 | Additions of the Summary. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | February 2, 2021 | Addition [ern1]. In the Summary, addition of the information from [ern1]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | June 6, 2022 | Additions [lbs1], [lbs2]. |
