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URECAT - UFO Related Entities Catalog

URECAT is a formal catalog of UFO related entities sightings reports with the goal of providing quality information for accurate studies of the topic. Additional information, corrections and reviews are welcome at patrick.gross@inbox.com, please state if you wish to be credited for your contribution or not. The main page of the URECAT catalog is here.

OCTOBER 4, 1954, MEGRIT, COTES-D'ARMOR, FRANCE, HENRI OR MICHEL LEHERISSE:

Brief summary of the event and follow-up:

An observation took place in Mégrit in the Côte-d'Armor in France apparently on October 4, 1954 at 10:00 p.m., witnessed by Henri Lehérissé, aged 23, and another person according to a reader of my website who indicates that the affair made quite an uproar in this village of his childhood.

The details of the incident are contradictory, depending to French ufologists who mentioned it briefly and obviously without investigation. For Aime Michel, it was a disc-shaped obkect described at the same time as luminous and metallic, of 2.50 meters in diameter, hovering in the air at an altitude of 50 meters, in which the witness saw agitated silhouettes.

For Jacques Vallée, it is a case of UFO landing although the UFO is not described as having landed but as hovering above a farm. No occupant is mentioned, the form flat and the UFO is metallic and emitting light.

For Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, the witness sees a metallic object of approximately 3 meters diameter with luminous reflections and close to one to his hangars, and when he approached fearing that there was some fire, he distinguished two choild-sized silhouettes who almost at once, "disappear" inside the machine which then goes away at high speed.

For Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, who note the disparity of the above reports, there is in addition an newspaper article they indicate to be dated one day before the observation, and it told od an apparatus in the witness' farmyard, of a diameter of 1 meter approximately, with two child-sized human forms inside.

No investigation or checking seems to have been carried out and one or the other version were recopied thereafter without more efforts.

Basic information table:

Case number: URECAT-000304
Date of event: October 4, 1954
Earliest report of event: October 7, 1954
Delay of report: 3 days
Witness reported via: Not known.
First alleged record by: Newspaper.
First certain record by: Ufology book.
First alleged record type: Newspaper.
First certain record type: Ufology book.
This file created on: September 13, 2007
This file last updated on: September 13, 2007
Country of event: France
State/Department: Côtes-d'Armor
Type of location: Farm
Lighting conditions: Night
UFO observed: Yes
UFO arrival observed: No
UFO departure observed: Uncertain
UFO/Entity Relation: Certain
Witnesses numbers: 1 or 2
Witnesses ages: 28
Witnesses types: Man, farmer.
Photograph(s): No.
Witnesses drawing: No.
Witnesses-approved drawing: No.
Number of entities: 0, 2 or several
Type of entities: Humanoid or human
Entities height: Child-size
Entities outfit type: Not seen
Entities outfit color: Not seen.
Entities skin color: Not seen.
Entities body: Not reported.
Entities head: Not reported.
Entities eyes: Not seen.
Entities mouth: Not seen.
Entities nose: Not seen.
Entities feet: Not seen.
Entities arms: Not seen.
Entities fingers: Not seen.
Entities fingers number: Not seen.
Entities hair: Not seen.
Entities voice: None reported.
Entities actions: Are inside or near UFO, went back in or were in, departure.
Entities/witness interactions: None.
Witness(es) reactions: Observed.
Witness(es) feelings: Not reported.
Witness(es) interpretation: Not reported.
Explanation category: Extraterrestrial visitors or hoax or confusion.
Explanation certainty: Medium.

Narratives:

[Ref. am1] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel reports that on October 4, 1954, in Mégrit, Mr. Henri Lehérissé went outside at about 10:00 P.M. to make his horses drink. Surprised by a strange light, he looked up and saw at about fifty meters above a hangar, motionless in the air, a flat, luminous, object of metal appearance, with a diameter he estimates as 2 meter 50. At his approach, the object quickly moved away. Mr. Lehérissé thought of having seen black shadows agitated as in transparency in the luminous mass.

[Ref. jv1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

The bolded part is the part related to this case.

191

Oct. 04, 1954, evening, Trégon (France).

Several people noticed an object hovering near a hilltop. They drove to the site, but it flew away. What seems to be the same object was seen at Megrit, 25 km to the southwest, hovering over a farm. It was described as metallic, flat, emitting light.

(38; M 139) (Le Parisien, Oct. 7, 1954)

[Ref. jv2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Jacques Vallée indicates that on October 4, 1954, in the evening, several inhabitants of Tregon noticed an object which seemed to hover near the top of a hill. They drove to the site, but the object flew away. What seems to be the same object was also seen at Megrit, about 15 miles south­west of Tregon, hovering above a farm. It was described as metallic, flat and emitting light.

[Ref. cb1:] CHARLES BOWEN:

The author indicates that on October 4, 1954, in the evening, several inhabitants of Trégon noticed an object which seemed to hover close to the top of a hill. They went there, but the object had flown away. What seems to be the same object was also seen in Mégrit, approximately 24 kilometers in the south-west of Trégon, hovering above a farm. It was described as metallic, flat, and emitting light.

[Ref. gl1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:

The authors indicate as source their personnel file and newspaper clippings for this observation in Mégrit in the Côte-du-Nord on October 4, 1954 at 10:00 p.m.

They tell that a farmer of this village, Mr. Lhérissé, aged 23, cames out of his stables where it had just taken care of his horses, when he became pzzled by a strong gleam close to one of his hangars.

He approached, fearing a beginning fire, and then discovers a machine of approximately three meters in diameter, with luminous and metallic reflections.

Not frightened at all, but curious, he approached and distinguished two silhouettes "the size of a child," which almost at once disappeared in the machine.

The machine moved away at high speed.

[Ref. fr1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors present the case of October 4, 1954 in Megrit by noting that two sources report two different versions of the incident, and quote these two sources. They are Aimé Michel on the one hand, and Garreau and Lavier on the other hand.

They then indicate that the sources are case 192 in Vallée's catalogue; the book "A propos des Soucoupes volantes" by Aimé Michel, page 175; the book "Face aux ET" de Garreau et Lavier pages 137-138.

They then present a third version which they indicate to come from the newspaper Le Provençal for October 3, 1954 and which tells of a "machine, in the farmyard of the witness, of a diameter of one meter approximately, inside whose two motionless human forms of the size of a child appear."

[Ref. js1:] JEAN SIDER:

Jean Sider indicates that on October 4, 1954, at 10:00 p.m., in Mégrit, Côte-d'Armor, Henri Lehérissé left his place to make his horses drink, when a strange light attracted his glance. Looking up, he saw that the light came from a flying machine hovering 50 meters above a hangar. It was a flat object of metallic appearance and a diameter of approximately 2.50 meters.

The witness claimed to have been able to distinguish black forms moving through the transparency of the luminous mass, according to a second source.

Jean Sider indicates as ufological sources " Figuet, pages 122-123" and Aime Michel, page 175.

He notes that Figuet indicates two other sources, case 192 of the Vallée catalogue, and the newspaper Le Provençal, of Marseilles, for October 3, 1954, that is to say 24 hours before the incident, thus Sider wonders whether it was a mystyping or a mixture of files.

[Ref. ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:

108.
Location. Megrit France
Date: October 4 1954
Time: 2200

M. Leherisse observed a flat, luminous, metallic looking object, 7, or 8 ft wide, hovering 150 ft above a garage. He could see dark forms moving about like shadows in the lighted mass. As he approached it, the object rapidly moved away.

Humcat 1954-74
Source: Aime Michel
Type: A

[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

Donald Johnson indicates that on October 4, 1954, Several people noticed an object hovering near a hilltop in the evening in Tregon, France. They drove to the site, but it flew away. What seemed to have been the same object was seen at Megrit, 25 km to the southwest, hovering over a farm; which was described as metallic, flat, and emitting light.

Donald Johnson indicates that the source are Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 139; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 217.

[Ref. pg1:] PATRICK GROSS (This website's author):

Hardly did I announce the update of this case file as it appeared in the France 1954 section of my website in my "last updates" page on August 22, 2004, that I received the following email. (I have kept for myself all the names of people whom were not yet known.)

Subject: UFO Mégrit cotes d'Armor
Date: 22.08.2004 23:55:32
From: [Retained]@[Retained]
To: [my email address at the time]

I remember this apparance very well.
Another person was witness of this appearance the owner of the neighbouring farm "La Petite Métairie" Mr. [first name and name retained] Michel Lehérissé was resident of the farm "La Grande Métairie". I was 11 years old at the time and this created quite an uproar in the village. During my summer holidays I kept the cows in the farm "la Petite Métairie". I did not witness these apparitions. I believe in these people whom I have known very well.
[Lastname and firstname retained]

(Many thanks to Mr. R. for this information).

[Ref. jb1:] JEROME BEAU:

Jerome Beau indicates that on October 4, 1954, in Tregon, France, several people saw an object "seeming to fly over above a hill." They went there by car but it had disappeared. What seemed to be the same object is seen in Megrit, 25 km in south-west, flying over a farm. It is described like a metallic object, flat, emitting light.

Jérôme Beau indicates that his source is Le Parisien, October 7, 1954.

[Ref. lc1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Côte d'Armor in Mégrit on October 4, 1954 at 22:00 hours, there was an observation with two versions depending on the authors.

"According to Aime Michel - The witness leaves home to make his horses drink. Surprised by a strange light, he looks up and sees the craft, motionless in the air, at about fifty meters above a hangar. The witness believes to see black shapes inside which are agitated as in transparency in the luminous mass."

"According to Garreau and Lavier - The witness leaves his stables where he had just bandaged his horses. A strong gleam intrigues him close to one of his hangars. He approaches fearing a fire. He discovers the craft then, approaches. He distinguishes two silhouettes of child size which, almost at once, disappear in the craft. The latter moves away at high speed."

He adds: "An email received by the website 'UFOs at Close Sight' specifies that two other people are said to have seen the object."

The sources are indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979" and "Les OVNI vus de près by Gross Patrick ** http://ufologie.net".

[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 4 October 1954 at 22:00 in Megrit, France, "Shadows seen moving inside flat luminous, metallic object, 7-8' wide, hovered 150 feet above garage.""

And: "At 10:00 p.m. Mr. Henry Leherisse, age 23, in Megrit, France saw two shadows moving about inside a flat luminous, metallic, three-meters wide object, that hovered 50 meters above his garage."

And: "An object was observed. Occupants of the craft were seen. One luminous object, about 10 feet across, around 100 feet away, was observed by one witness for two minutes (Leherisse)."

And: "M Leherisse observed a flat, luminous, metallic looking object, 7, or 8 ft wide, hovering 150 ft above a garage. He could see dark forms moving about like shadows in the lighted mass. As he approached it, the object rapidly moved away."

The sources are noted as Webb, David, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports; Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Delaire, J. Bernard, UFO Register Volume 7 (1976), Data Research, Oxford, 1976; Newspaper Clippings; Rosales, Albert, Humanoid Sighting Reports Database.

[Ref. ta1:] "THINK ABOUT IT" WEBSITE:

Location: Megrit France

Date: October 4 1954

Time: 2200

M. Leherisse observed a flat, luminous, metallic looking object, 7, or 8 ft wide, hovering 150 ft above a garage. He could see dark forms moving about like shadows in the lighted mass. As he approached it, the object rapidly moved away.

Source: Aime Michel

[Ref. ni1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 4, 1954 - At 10:00 p.m. Mr. Henry Leherisse, age 23, in Megrit, France saw two shadows moving about inside a flat luminous, metallic, three-meters wide object, that hovered 50 meters above his garage. (Source: newspaper clipping, October 7, 1954; Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, pp. 122).

[Ref. pg2:] PATRICK GROSS (Website author):

I received this email:

Subject: Ufo in megrit in 1954

From: [Firstname] [Name] [Email address]
Date: July 12, 2015

Hello,

I contact you about your article in reference.

I come from Megrit and it so happens that this we [weekend] we were at my father's who still lives there.

My father's companion is the sister in law of Henri Leherisse the person who saw the ufo in the farm of the petite métairie. So is is not Michel like some articles let think.

Henri is still alive, he lives in [-] and spends his holidays in Megrit, we had lunch with him this we [weekend], and he told us what he had seen.

He was going outside to care for his horses when he saw an intense light, going closer he saw 2 black shapes quite small, with behing them a 'saucer' of metallic color with much light that was posed on three feet.

He became scared and rushed inside his hom to come outside only the next day.

The next day the saucer had disappeared, however there remained on the ground the print of the 3 feet which would have been seen by several people.

That's the story he told us, it differs a bit from what I could read.

If you want to get in touch again with mr Henri Leherisse, I do not have his address, however my father does, he is mister [Firstname Name] at the village of [City], street [Street].

Good evening to you

[Firstname] [Name]

Points to consider:

Unfortunately, while it seems that there was an observation reported by Mr. Lehérissé and another person in Mégrit; which would have been of interest, the usual incapacity of the French ufologists to seriously document the cases of the 1954 saucer flap render the case practically meaningless.

Indeed, for Aime Michel, silhouettes are seen in an hovering object, for Jacques Vallée, this is a UFO landing with no mention of occupants, and for Garreau and Lavier, objects and occupants are seen on the ground. so we have three contradictory versions by three different French ufologists.

As none of them considered it useful to publish what the newspaper of the time said, whereas it seems to have been the only source at the time, I would really like to know how anyone can now say for sure what happened in Mégrit that night.

List of issues:

Id: Topic: Severity: Date noted: Raised by: Noted by: Description: Proposal: Status:
1 Data Severe September 13, 2007 Patrick Gross Patrick Gross Primary source not available. Help needed. Opened.
2 Data Severe September 13, 2007 Patrick Gross Patrick Gross Ufology sources lacking information and with contradictions. Help needed. Opened.

Evaluation:

Possible extraterrestrial visitors.

Sources references:

* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.

Document history:

Authoring

Main Author: Patrick Gross
Contributors: None
Reviewers: None
Editor: Patrick Gross

Changes history

Version: Created/Changed By: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross September 13, 2007 Creation, [am1], [jv1], [gl1], [cb1], [js1], [ar1], [dj1], [pg1], [jb1].
1.0 Patrick Gross September 13, 2007 First published.
1.7 Patrick Gross October 13, 2016 Additions [lc1], [ud1], [ta1], [ni1], [pg2].

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