Ufologist and author Jean Sider discovered - or received from Michel Jeantheau - this case of November 18, 1954 at 6 o'clock in the morning by an article of the newspaper "Le Courier Indépendant", of Loudéac, on page 3 in the edition of November 27, 1954.
The article says that the young Danielle (or Danièle) Ponner, aged 12, living at her parent's in Bomel was waken up by a sharp gleam Thursday morning of last week.
She saw, by the window, very close to the house, a kind of shining boat resting on the ground and, around the boat, two small hairy beings which seemed to collect apples.
Frightened, the young girl called her parents, but at once the light and the boat disappeared. The young girl seemed very categorical in her statements.
Jean Sider points out the ambiguity of the word "disappeared" and the coincidence that the disappearance occurs when the young girl calls her parents.
In 2018, ufologist Dominique Caudron gave his prosaic explanation, similar to the one I proposed in 2008, and also gave what would be the exact text of the newspaper of the time, obtained from Michel Jeantheau:
"ST MAUDAN"
"A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL REPORTEDLY SAW A SAUCER"
"On Thursday morning last week, around six o'clock, little Danielle Ponner, 12, living at her parents' home in Bomel, St Maudan, was awakened by a bright glow. She saw through the window, near the house, a kind of sparkling boat resting on the ground and around the boat, two little hairy people who seemed to pick apples. Frightened, she called her parents, but immediately the light and the boat disappeared. The girl seems very categorical in her statements."
| Case number: | URECAT-000089 |
|---|---|
| Date of event: | November 14, 1954 |
| Earliest report of event: | November 27, 1954 |
| Delay of report: | 7 days |
| Witness reported via: | Not known. |
| First alleged record by: | Regional newspaper. |
| First certain record by: | Ufology book. |
| First alleged record type: | Regional newspaper. |
| First certain record type: | Ufology book. |
| This file created on: | January 15, 2007 |
| This file last updated on: | November 26, 2018 |
| Country of event: | France |
| State/Department: | Côtes-d'Armor |
| Type of location: | Outside seen from behind window |
| Lighting conditions: | Night |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | No |
| UFO departure observed: | Uncertain |
| UFO/Entity Relation: | Certain |
| Witnesses numbers: | 1 |
| Witnesses ages: | 12 |
| Witnesses types: | Young Girl. |
| Photograph(s): | No. |
| Witnesses drawing: | No. |
| Witnesses-approved drawing: | No. |
| Number of entities: | 2 |
|---|---|
| Type of entities: | Humanoid |
| Entities height: | Small |
| Entities outfit type: | Hairs |
| Entities outfit color: | Not reported. |
| Entities skin color: | Not reported. |
| Entities body: | Not reported. |
| Entities head: | Not reported. |
| Entities eyes: | Not reported. |
| Entities mouth: | Not reported. |
| Entities nose: | Not reported. |
| Entities feet: | Not reported. |
| Entities arms: | Not reported. |
| Entities fingers: | Not reported. |
| Entities fingers number: | Not reported. |
| Entities hair: | Face or body of both hairy. |
| Entities voice: | Not reported. |
| Entities actions: | Were near UFO picking apples. |
| Entities/witness interactions: | None. |
| Witness(es) reactions: | Observed, went to get her parents. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | Frightened. |
| Witness(es) interpretation: | Not reported. |
| Explanation category: | Extraterrestrial beings or confusion. |
| Explanation certainty: | None. |
[ln1:] "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT" MAGAZINE:
The magazine reproduces the text of the newspaper "Le Courrier Indépendant", of Loudéac, for November 27, 1954, page 3, indicated as the source.
The article indicates that young Danielle Ponner, 12 years old, living at her parents' in Bomel, in Saint-Maudan, was awaked by a sharp gleam, and then saw by the window, very close to the house, a kind of shining or sparkling "boat", and around this "boat", two small hairy being which seemed to be busy collecting apples.
She was frightened and called her parents, but "at once, the light and the boat disappeared."
The newspaper noted that the little girl was very affirmative in her statements.
[js1:] JEAN SIDER:
Ufologist and author Jean Sider discovered this case of November 18, 1954 at 6 o'clock in the morning by an article of the newspaper "Le Courier Indépendant", of Loudéac, on page 3 in the edition of November 27, 1954.
The article says that the young Danielle Ponner, aged 12, living at her parent's in Bomel was waken up by a sharp gleam Thursday morning of last week.
She saw, by the window, very close to the house, a kind of shining boat resting on the ground and, around the boat, two small hairy beings which seemed to collect apples.
Frightened, the young girl called her parents, but at once the light and the boat disappeared. The young girl seemed very categorical in her statements.
Jean Sider points out the ambiguity of the word "disappeared" and the coincidence that the disappearance occurs when the young girl calls her parents.
[Ref. lh1] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
|
4403: 1954/11/18 06:00 2 2:47:00 W 48:07:00 N 3333 WEU FRN CDN 9:4 St.MAUDAN,FR:GIRL/12:GLOW-BOAT ^/FIELD:3 HAIRY OIDS PICK APPLES!:/LDLN#325 Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 225 : FARMLANDS |
[ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:
|
228. Location. St Maudan France Date: November 14 1954 Time: 0600A A 12-year old girl sees a luminous boat shaped craft land on a nearby field. Three hairy humanoids emerged from the object and began to gather apples from a nearby orchard. No other information. HC addition # 2399 Source: LDLN # 325 Type: B |
[Ref. ed1:] EMMANUEL DEHLINGER:
This author defends the thesis that UFOs are caused by military personal using waves and other devices to make believe in the existence of aliens by misleading in the witnesses. He studies as example of the thesis this case, indicating that in Bomel in Saint-Maudan in the Côte d'Armor on November 18, 1954 at 06:00, a luminous boat and two small hairy beings pretence to collect apples were seen, with a disappearance on the spot. He suggests that it can be a "luminous projection?"
He indicates as source LDLN #325 page 36.
[Ref. bo1:] BASE OVNI FRANCE:
The web site indicates that in St Maudan in the Côtes d'Armor, on November 18, 1954, at 06:00, at the location Bomel, a girl sees by the window very close to the house a kind of shining boat on the ground. Around it two small hairy beings seem to be collecting apples. The child calls her parents, but all had disappeared when they come.
The indicated source is Lumières dans la Nuit.
[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 14 November 1954 at 06:00 in St Maudan, France, a 12-year old girl sees a luminous boat shaped craft land on a nearby field. Three hairy humanoids emerged from the object and began to gather apples from a nearby orchard.
The source is a link to a nonexistant web page.
[Ref. ud2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 18 November 1954 at 06:00 in St Maudan, France, a 12-year-old girl sees a "glowing boat" descend into field. Three hairy dwarfs get out and pick apples.
The website comments that it was a "close encounter with a an unidentified craft and its occupants. One luminous boat-shaped object was observed by one female 12-year-old witness in a field for two minutes. Three hairy dwarves were seen.
The source is indicated as Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. te1:] "LA TAVERNE DE L'ETRANGE" WEBSITE:
In a list of cases given without date, without source, without content, we read "Saint-Maudan and Mademoiselle Danièle Ponner".
The author assures that recurring letters or the number of letters of 9 and 13 frequent in the names of witnesses and places of a few tens of cases presented without any reserve proves this:
"One comes to the conclusion that at least part of the game set by the Responsible for the UFO leads to: it stages the Order of the Templars!"
[Ref. ni1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
|
*Nov. 14, 1954 - At six o'clock in the morning in St. Maudan, France a 12-year-old girl saw a luminous boat-shaped craft land in a nearby field. Three hairy humanoids emerged from the object and began to gather apples from a nearby orchard. (Source: Lumieres dans la Nuit, issue # 325). |
[Ref. ta1:] "THINK ABOUT IT" WEBSITE:
|
Location: St Maudan France Date: November 14 1954 Time: 0600A A 12-year old girl sees a luminous boat shaped craft land on a nearby field. Three hairy humanoids emerged from the object and began to gather apples from a nearby orchard. No other information. Source: LDLN # 325 257. |
[Ref. gz1:] JULIEN GONZALEZ:
The author indicates that there was a close encounter of the third kind in Bomel, Saint-Maudan, the Côtes d'Armor, on November 18, 1954, at 06:00 a.m.:
Twelve-year-old Danielle Ponner was awakened by a sharp gleam, and she saw by the window, near the house, a sort of shining boat resting on the ground and, around the boat, two hairy beings who seemed to pick up apples. Frightened, the little girl called her parents, but the light and the boat disappeared at once.
The sources are indicated as Le Courrier Indépendant for November 27, 1954; Jean Sider, "Le dossier 1954 et l'imposture rationaliste", pages 225-226.
[Ref. pr2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
|
November 18 1954. 0600 BOMEL, SAINT-MAUDAN (COTES D'AMOUR : FRANCE) Danielle Ponner (12) was awoken by a bright light, and looking through the window, she saw a luminous object like a boat on the ground and near it two small hairy beings picking up apples. She called out to her parents and when she did so, the light and object disappeared. (URECAT citing Lumieres dans le [sic] Nuit 325 + Sider 1997 p225) Evaluation - Gross suggests apple pickers, another possibily is a hypnopompic hallucination or false awakening) |
Note: The source reference "URECAT" is this file.
[Ref. dc1:] DOMINIQUE CAUDRON:
No Martian in Saint-MaudanHere is another case taken out of oblivion by the patient researches of Michel Jeantheau. But of course, there was no counter-investigation, and we should not have too much trouble doubting a story told by a 12-year-old girl who had just woken up in the middle of the night. The case is told by Le Courrier Indépendant at the time
The case resurfaced in 1994
Then in 1997, Jean Sider recovers this case. He begins by copying the text that appeared in Lumières Dans La Nuit, while pretending to copy Le Courrier Indépendant, and then adds:
In 2014, the witness was probably still alive, but no one had re-investigared. Never mind. Julien Gonzalez keeps the observation
Conclusion Once again ufologists copy each other, either by enriching the story or as here, without taking into account the remarks of their predecessors. And of course, no investigation, no attempt at objective reconstruction of the facts. In Saint Maudan, there is a hamlet named Bomel, which is 7 km south of Loudéac. But on November 18, at 6 o'clock in the morning, it's the middle of the night because the sun does not rise until around 8:22. The girl was woken in the middle of the night by an unusual light. She saw what she describes, for want of something better, like a boat lying on the ground, and two little hairy people who seemed to pick up apples. She did not see any craft land or take off, so that a vehicle headlights on, could be suitable. One can also doubt that at a distance, and in the middle of the night, she could have distinguished the hairs of the little beings. We do not have to invoke a hoax, because then the girl would have invented something more in keeping with the mythology of the time than a boat and little hairy creatures. We do not have to invoke a hallucination, because we do not report any sequelae, not even related to fear. We do not have to doubt that there was indeed a craft, and two beings. But a 12-year-old net, woken up in the middle of the night, is not really an experienced observer, and interpretation is the problem. As Jean Sider remarks, taking the opportunity to put a very personal hypothesis, as soon as the girl called her parents, everything disappeared without anyone knowing how. The assumption, by far the simplest, is that, as it was in the middle of the night, the scene was no longer visible as soon as the light went out, which can be explained very simply by a vehicle having extinguished its headlights. A more twisted assumption is that when the girl was better awake, and had enough lucidity to call her parents, her interpretation of the scene changed, and that she saw nothing unusual about it, but this does not explain why the light went out. It remains only the two "little" beings, seen a few moments, without knowing what size they really were, or why they seemed hairy. No, really, nothing proves that Saint-Maudan was visited by hairy Martians. Last updated: 11/03/2018 |
In addition of the points noted by Jean Sider, it should be noted that the single witness is a young girl, 12 years old, and the story is a quotation of a newspaper article. No investigation seems to have been carried out, and the case is of little strangeness. A confusion with people picking up apples at some light cannot be excluded.
| Id: | Topic: | Severity: | Date noted: | Raised by: | Noted by: | Description: | Proposal: | Status: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data | Severe | January 18, 2007 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Missing the article in the newspaper Le Courier Indépendant, of Loudéac, page 3, November 27, 1954. | Help needed. | Opened. |
| 2 | Ufology | Severe | January 18, 2007 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | No ufology investigation known to have been conducted. | Help needed. | Opened. |
Extraterrestrial visitors or confusion. Insufficient data.
* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.
| Main Author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | One source provided by reader, anonymity preserved by default. |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Created/Changed By: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | January 18, 2007 | Creation, [ar1], [js1]. |
| 0.2 | Patrick Gross | January 18, 2007 | First published. |
| 0.2b | Patrick Gross | May 19, 2007 | Addition, [ed1], [bo1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | January 15, 2008 | Addition, [ln1]. Conversion from HTML4 to XHTML Strict. |
| 1.0b | Patrick Gross | January 29, 2008 | Addition of publication date for the reference of [ln1]: "January/February 1994". |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | February 21, 2017 | Addition [gz1]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | November 26, 2018 | Additions [te1], [lh1], [pr2], [dv1]. In the Points to Consider, addition of what follows "Additions on November 26, 2018". In the Summary, addition of "- or received from Michel Jeantheau - " and what follows "In 2018, ". |
