ufo - UFOS at close sight: the 1954 French flap, October 2, Chalon-sur-Saône, Saône-et-Loire

Reference for this case: 2-Oct-54-Chalon-sur-Saône.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The regional newspaper Le Courrier de Saône-et-Loire of October 4, 1954, published an account of a possible sighting with a "hilarious" aftermath, which did not win the favor of ufologists.

On October 2, 1954, in the afternoon, a crowd gathered in the Place de Beaune in Chalon-sur-Saône because a man, with exaggerated gestures and explanations, was pointing at a white spot in the sky, immediately dubbed a "flying saucer."

People looked for a while, then each went on their way, "quite determined not to settle for this fleeting vision."

But a good lady who had been among the onlookers then realized that she was no longer in possession of her coin purse.

People wondered whether a pickpocket had played the "flying saucer trick" on her; and the lady went to the police station to have an investigation carried out.

But once back home, she found, "not a Martian as one might think, but her coin purse."

Reports:

After the "flying saucers," the panic saucers!

The Martians will now greatly complicate the lives of our fellow citizens, especially if the latter, abandoning down-to-earth topics, get it into their heads to walk around with their noses in the air, hoping to spot the slightest "Cigar," "Stovepipe," or "Flying Diver" randomly lost in the skies over our Burgundy.

Consider this anecdote, guaranteed to be authentic:

Saturday afternoon, a crowd gathered at Place de Beaune, following a discovery made by a bystander who, with much gesturing and explanation, pointed to a white spot in the sky, instantly dubbed a "flying saucer."

There was a moment of awe - at the risk of going cross-eyed - but ultimately, each person went on their way, firmly resolved not to be content with this fleeting vision.

Also entranced by the presence of this mysterious craft drifting through the clouds, a good lady who had been among the curious suddenly changed the subject of conversation upon realizing she no longer had her purse.

Had she lost it while in shortwave contact with the Martians? Or had someone played the flying saucer trick on her with her own money? She had no idea.

To be sure, she went to the police station to tell her tale, hoping to spark a discreet investigation.

Trusting in the inquiry the constabulary would undertake, the good housewife returned home where, to her great surprise, she found not a Martian, as one might expect, but her purse.

The flying saucers had made her lose her head...

Explanations:

All is well that ends well, but we will never know what the mysterious white spot in the sky really was...

The 1954 French flap:

October 2, 1954, Chalon-sur-Saône, Saône-et-Loire:

Summary:

Reports:

After the "flying saucers," the panic saucers!

Explanations:

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