The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 9-Jan-54-La Chaumusse.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
On January 9, 1954, around 7:48 am, a meteor was widely seen over Northeastern France, interpreted as a "saucer" or possible saucer by some witnesses and at least one journalist, Charles Garreau from La Bourgogne Républicaine, later author of UFO books.
In his newspaper for January 15, 1954, there were two more additional testimonies, obtained from a correspondent of the newspaper, rather shodilly written but which pleaded like others for the explanation by a meteor, although the newspaper had titled "saucer", and wondered, "Is this a remote-controlled robot, a meteor or a flying saucer?"
One of the two testimonies came from "Mr. René Andrey, who saw it very distinctly from the La Chaumusse school house." His testimony was mixed up with the other by the newspaper, telling that the "object" was seen around 7:50 a.m., that it appeared to come from Lons-le-Saulnier, was heading for Switzerland "at very low speed, according to their estimates, and propelling itself at a speed faster than that of a jet plane."
Seen also by schoolchildren, it is described as of red-yellow hue, seeming to be haloed with sparks, moving silently, leaving a phosphorescent wake in its path, and having seemed to stop for a moment on the horizon before disappearing.
[Ref. bre1:] NEWSPAPER "LA BOURGOGNE REPUBLICAINE":
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Saint-Laurent-du-Jura (from our special corr.). -- The mysterious craft that was reported in our columns for having flown over eastern France was also observed in Grandveau, and more precisely in La Chaumusse, last Saturday, around 7:50 a.m. This phenomenon did not go unnoticed by Mr. Perruchon, who looked at it at his ease from the hamlet of Chauvettes, and by Mr. René Andrey, who saw it very clearly from the La Chaumusse schoolhouse.
These two eyewitnesses cannot be accused of having been under the effect of a hallucination or an optical illusion, since many schoolchildren in the same country are as affirmative as their elders.
In all objectivity, we give a summary of the most characteristic details of their stories: the described object seemed to come from Lons-le-Saulnier and was heading towards Switzerland at very low speed, according to their estimates, and was propelling itself at a pace faster than that of a jet plane. The bolide in question, of a red-yellow hue, seemed to be surrounded by sparks while moving silently, leaving a phosphorescent trail in its path. This bizarre craft seemed to stop for a moment on the horizon before disappearing.
Is it a remote-controlled robot, a meteor or a flying saucer?
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The newspaper report shows typical weaknesses in this matter, including:
- Two obviously independent testimonies are unfortunately mixed up into one, so it is not clear whether or how identical or divergent they were.
- A contradiction between the "very low speed, according to their estimates", and the speed "faster than that of a jet plane." In short, a speed indication that does not tell us anything reliable, except that the version of the newspaper is not. Need I remind you that an unknown object at an unknown distance can only have its speed estimated in angular terms, a portion of the sky traveled in a given time?
- Nothing is said about the observation duration. Nothing is said about how the hour was determined.
- Charles Garreau, who could not have been unaware of this article - he is likely its editor - does not seem to have sought to contact the witnesses or even the local correspondent.
For the rest, we can only think that it was again the famous meteor of January 9, 1954, given the description.
Note that the moment of immobilization is clearly indicated to have taken place towards the horizon, and "before disappearing": precisely, when the meteor crosses the sky, it seems to move fast, when it moves away at the horizon, it obviously seems to slow down or even stop.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
La Chaumusse, Jura, René Andrey, object, saucer, robot, Lons-le-Saulnier, Switzerland, slow, fast, red, yellow, orange, halo, sparks, silent, trail, phosphorent, motionless
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
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| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | January 6, 2021 | First published. |
