The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 9-Oct-54-Saintes.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
It is the ufologist author Jean Sider who unearthed a letter from a reader requesting anonymity to the newspaper Sud-Ouest.
Published in the October 12, 1954 issue, "Bruno L"'s letter said that on October 9, 1954, at 9:30 p.m., in Saintes, as he parked his car in the yard of his farm, he saw in the light of its headlights a "brilliant monster" set on the ground at a hundred meters, surrounded by shifting shadows.
The object, he said, resembled a barrel or a millstone and was about ten meters long by five meters high. As he approached, he distinguished several silhouettes that seemed to make a round around the machine. Having fetched a shotgun from his home, he shot towards the phenomenon, and when he approached again, everything had disappeared and a ball of fire took off not far from him. He then saw it rise in the sky.
[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:
The author indicates that on October 9, 1954, in Saintes in the Charente-Maritime, at 09:30 p.m., Mr. Bruno L..., when parking his car in the court of his farm, saw in the light of its headlights, a "shining monster" posed on the ground at a hundred meters, surrounded by moving shades. The object resembled a little a barrel or a haystack and had approximately ten meters in length on five meters in height. While approaching, the witness distinguished several silhouettes which appeared to make a round around the machine. Having gotten a shotgun at his home, he shot towards the phenomenon, and when he approached again, all disappeared and a ball of fire emerged not far from him. He then saw it rising in the sky.
The source is indicated as "local Source: Sud-Ouest, Bordeaux, October 12, 1954, p. 12."
Jean Sider points out that this is in fact of the letter of a reader who asked for anonymity, but that his report does not have anything eccentric and that he reaction of the witness who gets a weapon and shoots towards what frightens him does not correspond to the usual of a mystification, for it puts the gunner in an unfavorable position owing to the fact that it is not an act of self-defense since he was not attacked.
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates in his database that in Charente-Maritime in Saintes on October 9, 1954 at an unknown hour, "the witness parks his car in the his farmyard when in the light of the headlights he distinguishes a brilliant monster posed on the ground at about a hundred meter and surrounded by moving shades. The object has the shape of a barrel or a haystack ten meters in diameter by five in height. The witness approaches and sees several silhouettes which seem to make a round around the object. He then goes to get a rifle at his place and returns towards the phenomenon. Whereas he approached at a short distance, all disappears and a ball of fire emerges not far from the witness rising towards the sky where it disappears."
The source is indicated as "Lumières dans la Nuit issue 374".
[Ref. jgz1:] JULIEN GONZALEZ:
The author indicates that there was a close encounter of the third kind in Saintes, the Charente-Maritime, on October 9, 1954, at 09:30 p.m..
"Bruno L...", when he parked his car in the court of his farm, saw in the light of his headlights, a "shining monster" posed on the ground at some hundred meters, surrounded by moving shades. The object resembled a little a barrel or a haystack and had approximately ten meters in length by five meters in height. While approaching, he distinguished several silhouettes which appeared to make a round around the machine.
He sought a shotgun at his home, shot towards the phenomenon, and when he approached again, all disappeared and a ball of fire emerged not far from the witness who then saw it rising in the sky.
Julien Gonzales points out that this "is actually the letter of a reader who asked to remain anonymous."
The sources are given as Sud-Ouest for October 12, 1954; Jean Sider, Le dossier 1954 et l'imposture rationaliste, page 192.
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Possible extraterrestrial visitors, unknown credibility.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Saintes, Charente-Maritime, yard, farm, headlights, monster, brillant, shadows, object, barrel, millstone, silhouettes, occupants, round, craft, gun, shoot, disappearance, ball, fire, rise
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | June 10, 2009 | First published. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | December 13, 2016 | Additions [jgz1], [jsr1], Summary. |
