Awareness - 1978 - Vol 07 No 1 - Spring

Magazine Overview

AWARENESS, published by Contact (UK), is a magazine focused on UFO phenomena. This issue, Volume 7, No. 1, is dated Spring 1978. The cover features the title "AWARENESS" and the publication date.

Editorial

The editorial discusses the enduring public and media interest in UFOs since 1947, noting a current period of high interest. It specifically addresses the impact of two popular films, "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." While acknowledging their technical merits and entertainment value, the editorial criticizes them for failing to adequately inform the public about the true nature of the UFO situation. "Star Wars" is dismissed as escapist, while "Close Encounters" is seen as relying on cinematic wizardry and only loosely basing its narrative on actual UFO events, thus failing to convince viewers of the reality of UFOs or alien intelligence. The editorial laments that despite these films, the public remains largely uninformed about the UFO problem, calling it a "great opportunity lost." It notes that public response monitored by Contact (UK) indicates continued widespread UFO sightings and that many British UFO groups have been overwhelmed with reports from the public.

The editorial concludes by urging readers to learn from the shortcomings of these films and to actively promote the cause of UFOs and ufology.

Articles

MYSTERY "HELICOPTERS"

This article by David L. Rees explores the phenomenon of "mystery helicopters" sighted in Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire between late 1973 and throughout 1974. Rees suggests these sightings may be connected to the broader UFO problem. The article details several incidents, including:

• October 26th, 1973: A "copter" was seen flying at low altitude near Buxton, Derbyshire. Police received reports of a lighted cigar-shaped object. Witnesses described it as more like a flying saucer, about 40 feet in diameter, and cigar-shaped, heading east.
• January 14th, 1974: Sightings centered around Goostrey, Cheshire, and the Hope Valley, Derbyshire. The copter was observed landing or hovering over fields, using a bright searchlight, and flying dangerously close to pylons. The Special Branch investigated, with one theory linking the activity to possible IRA movements. The copter was even mentioned in the trial of Donald Neilson.

Pilots at Manchester Airport, where Rees was working, stated that no pilot could maneuver the craft in such a manner, describing it as a "large size model." The article notes the terrific noise and the fact that only the outline of the object was reported, with everything within being dark.

Rees references reports of "tailles helicopters" and cigar-shaped objects in Canada and discusses the possibility that UFOs could mimic terrestrial aircraft. He concludes that these mystery copter sightings share similarities with low-level UFO encounters and should be studied further. He invites participation in a future report on British mystery helicopters.

A "Brief Summary of Sightings" lists dates and locations from October 1973 to May 1976.

THE HURON VISITATIONS: A PERSONAL NARRATIVE

This lengthy personal account by Miss Vera L. Perry details her experiences with UFO phenomena in Huron, Ohio, from 1962 to 1976. The article is presented as a republication and amplification of an earlier account in the Eden Bulletin, with Perry now acting as Contact (UK)'s representative and field investigator in Ohio.

• Perry's first experience occurred in the late Spring of 1962:
• While walking her dog, she saw a glowing red cigar-shaped object moving from West to East. The object approached, emitted a searing white beam of dazzling light that momentarily blinded her and caused a hot tingling sensation. She hid in bushes as the object circled, then moved off. The encounter left her shaken and with a severe headache, nausea, and burning eyes, which took days to subside.

• Her next encounter was on June 8th, 1975:
• She observed brilliant white lights flashing in the sky, initially thought to be a storm. A local newspaper report attributed similar flashing lights to Army maneuvers at a NASA facility.

• On November 1st, 1975:
• While at a shopping center, she saw a huge reddish-orange light with a pale yellow light beneath, resembling a lozenge, approaching. It later appeared wedge-shaped with alternating orange-red and pale yellow lights, and tilted upwards before climbing into the sky.

• In early April 1976:
• She was awakened by her dogs' growling and a strong, rotten-egg-like stench. She saw nothing but darkness outside, but the stench persisted for hours.

• Later in April 1976:
• She was woken by a figure of a manlike being, approximately 6 feet tall, dressed in a greyish suit with a rounded neckline. The facial color was mushroom-like (dirty white) with brownish tinged areas where eyes would be. The entity vanished when she screamed.

• In the first week of May 1976:
• She observed a long pink oval light flash in the sky over Lake Erie, which disappeared almost immediately.

• Two nights later:
• She saw a pink colored disc moving noiselessly, appearing to emit steam or vapor.

• Four nights later:
• A brilliant white arc of light shot out of the sky, followed by more flashes and arcs, reminding her of the June 1975 events.

A SHORT APPRAISAL OF THE HURON VISITATIONS

This article by J.B. Delair provides commentary on Vera L. Perry's account, suggesting that UFOs could assume the external appearance of stars, clouds, helicopters, and aircraft. Delair references John Parkinson's conclusions that UFOs exist and that light aircraft could be used for reconnaissance. Delair emphasizes that "all things are possible" when dealing with alien science.

SELECTED UFO REPORTS

This section, by D.N. Mansell, presents a collection of UFO reports, though the specific details are not fully legible in the provided scans.

Important Notice

This section contains an "Errata" note regarding the Spring 1978 "Awareness" issue, page 12, line 4, stating that "decided not to investigate..." should read "decided not to investigate...". This appears to be a correction to a previous error.

Publications Corner

This section likely reviews or lists other publications related to UFOs or ufology.

The Contact (UK) Directory

• This section lists the key personnel of Contact (UK), including:
• National Chairman: F.W. Passey
• General Secretary: J. Loveridge
• Treasurer: D.N. Mansell
• Membership Secretary: Mrs S. Robb
• Public Relations Officer: J.B. Longhorn
• Research Enquiries: J. Sears and P. Flatman
• Senior Research Officer: (Address provided)
• Librarian & Research Programme Co-ordinator: J.B. Delair
• Archivist: E. Cox

Contact information, primarily addresses in Oxford and surrounding areas, is provided for most positions.

Opinions and Copyright

An editorial note states that opinions expressed in the journal are not necessarily those of the editor or staff of Contact (UK). Material is copyrighted by Contact (UK) 1978. The editor expresses regret for not always being able to acknowledge correspondence but gratitude for communication.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UFO sightings, investigations, and related phenomena. The editorial stance is one of promoting ufology and encouraging public awareness and research into UFOs, while critically evaluating media portrayals of the subject. There is a clear interest in connecting various types of aerial anomalies, such as "mystery helicopters," to the broader UFO phenomenon. The publication serves as a platform for personal accounts, research findings, and organizational information for the UK UFO community.

This issue of UFO Review (Volume 1, Issue 10, dated November 1977, priced at £0.50) focuses on the "Huron Visitation," a series of unexplained events occurring in the Huron district, USA. The primary witnesses are Miss Perry and Millard Faber, whose experiences are detailed and analyzed by J.B. Delair. The magazine features numerous illustrations of reported UFO shapes and a map of the Huron visitations area.

The Huron Visitation: Miss Perry's Experiences

The article begins with Miss Perry's account of a strange "shaped light" observed near mock-orange bushes. The light, which emanated from no visible source, lasted for approximately five minutes. Following this, Miss Perry experienced severe illness, including headache, nausea, sore throat, and glandular swellings, which her dogs also exhibited symptoms of. She notes the oppressive atmosphere and dirty grey clouds that followed, similar to those after a previous "mystery sky flash" near Perkins. Puzzlingly, the mock-orange trees bloomed out of season shortly after the illumination.

Miss Perry also describes her dogs becoming unusually agitated, as if sensing something unseen. One evening, while exercising her dogs, she lost approximately 50 minutes of time, an event she cannot explain.

On February 9th, 1977, at 8:50 pm, Miss Perry's dogs became extremely restless. She then observed a "gigantic white light" in the western sky, as large as a full moon and brilliant as a floodlight. The object, initially circular and yellow-white with flashing red lights, changed to a diamond shape, then a round configuration with a golden-orange color, and finally a pear shape with a vivid red outline. It then shrank and disappeared.

Later, on February 17th, 1977, Miss Perry received a phone call that led her to arrange a trip, causing her to be out late. While preparing food for her dogs, she heard a helicopter. She observed a large, black helicopter circling her property at tree-top level, paying special attention to an area illuminated by mystery lights in the previous May. The helicopter circled twice before heading over Lake Erie.

Two days later, on February 19th, while at a local grocery store, Miss Perry heard the same helicopter sound. She saw the black helicopter heading in her direction from the vicinity of her property. It flew very low with its lights on, heading out over Lake Erie.

Miss Perry also recounts an incident on November 25th, 1977, where a loud banging noise was heard, followed by a "blue coloured" substance, 6 inches thick and 3.5 feet wide, entering the kitchen. This substance moved like a whirlpool before disappearing out the back door. No ill effects were experienced from this event.

Millard Faber's "Bigfoot" Sighting and Subsequent Events

On November 7th, 1977, Millard Faber reported a sighting of a large, hairy humanoid creature, described as tall (8 feet), with abnormally long arms, a hairless face, and glowing orange eyes. The creature was seen standing upright near the west branch of the Huron River. It stood still briefly before disappearing into the water.

Following the sighting, Mr. Faber searched the area and discovered a horrible putrid odor, a clearing where grass was stomped down, a branch with a claw mark, and huge footprints approximately 24 inches long and 18 inches wide. He contacted local police and newspapers. A deputy and a reporter from each department, along with Mr. Faber, revisited the site. The putrid odor was still present, though one deputy claimed not to smell it. The branch with the claw mark was destroyed by Captain Larry Silcox of the Huron County Sheriff's Department. Mr. Faber decided not to show the giant footprints, suspecting a cover-up.

On November 11th, 1977, the Sandusky Register published an inaccurate account of the sighting, misdating it and misspelling Faber's name. The deputies were quoted as intending to forget the incident.

When the author contacted the Erie County Sheriff's Department, the dispatcher was helpful and provided the official report. However, the Huron County Sheriff's Department dispatcher was unhelpful and evasive, calling Mr. Faber "crazy" and stating there was "nothing to it."

Later, Millard Faber's brother, Robert, who had read about UFOs and Bigfoot, wished to speak with the author. On November 23rd, the author met both Faber brothers. Robert Faber revealed that initially they were suspicious of the author due to the authorities' reactions. He recounted an incident where, 36 hours after the Bigfoot sighting, Millard Faber saw five glowing pink humanoid forms in his bedroom. These entities, about 5 feet tall with large heads and slanted, glowing eyes, wore sleek suits. They communicated telepathically, conveying anger and hatred for Millard making the sighting public, and a desire to take him. Millard Faber yelled at them to leave, and they did.

On December 9th, 1977, Millard Faber confirmed he and his brother had not yet revisited the site but intended to. By December 13th, having not heard back, the author telephoned Robert Faber. He stated that he and Millard had revisited the site but experienced odd feelings and unaccountable nervousness, and that friends had made a discovery that prevented footprint casting.

On December 30th, Millard Faber reported that friends exploring the area were confronted by Erie and Huron County Sheriff's deputies and ordered to leave. Millard himself was also ordered away when he went to investigate.

Helicopter Activity and Other Events

Between November 11th and November 14th, 1977, an unusual number of helicopters (six on one day, four on another) flew over the author's locality. This concentrated activity was considered curious.

J.B. Delair's Appraisal

J.B. Delair offers "A Short Appraisal of the Huron 'Visitations'", comparing the events to similar cases elsewhere, such as Maresfield, Sussex (1973) and Keats Island, Vancouver (1967), where females were prime witnesses. He notes that Huron borders the "Great Lakes Triangle," an area known for disappearances, malfunctions, and alleged time warps.

Delair suggests that the aerial objects described by Miss Perry align with other UFO reports, and their ability to alter configuration is a common characteristic. The mystery helicopter visits are highlighted, linking them to similar reports and the context of UFO activity and animal mutilations in Montana. The nocturnal timing of the Huron visitations is consistent with global UFO activity.

The putrid odor reported by Miss Perry and Millard Faber is also noted as a recurring element in UFO and "Bigfoot" cases. Delair posits that the "Sutton Monster" might have been an early "Bigfoot" sighting and that there appears to be a connection between "Bigfoot," UFO entities, and water, as suggested by other researchers.

The invasion of bedrooms by unknown humanoid beings, as reported by Miss Perry and Millard Faber, is seen as a growing trend. Delair also discusses the "blue whirlpool" visitation, suggesting it might be ball-lightning, and notes the apparent "intelligence" displayed by Miss Perry's visitor.

Delair concludes that more research is needed, but the Huron visitations resemble other events associated with the UFO phenomenon. He emphasizes the concentration of these events in a small geographical area and their potential significance within the "Great Lakes Triangle."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, encounters with humanoid creatures (both Bigfoot and other entities), unusual aerial phenomena (lights, helicopters), and potential government or police cover-ups. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation into these phenomena, presenting detailed accounts and expert analysis to explore their possible connections and significance within the broader context of ufology and unexplained events. The article highlights the need for further research and acknowledges the limitations of current human knowledge regarding these occurrences.

This issue of Contact magazine, dated October/November 1977, features a collection of "SELECTED UFO REPORTS" compiled by D.N.Mansell. The publication focuses on UFO sightings received by the Data Research division of Contact (UK) during the specified months, with an emphasis on British sightings. The magazine also includes sections on "Publications Corner" and "Books For Sale," offering a range of UFO-related literature and journals.

Selected UFO Reports (October/November 1977)

The core of this issue is a chronological listing of UFO sightings, with each report investigated and documented by members of Contact (UK).

October 1977 Sightings:

• October 10th, 1977 (approx. 9:00 pm): Between Banbury and Stratford-on-Avon, a lone witness reported a red ball, about the size of a football at arm's length, travelling soundlessly and very quickly across the sky. It was visible for about half a minute.
• October 24th, 1977 (4:15-4:30 pm): Near The Devil's Punch Bowl, Surrey, investigator Mrs Anne Horn observed an object resembling a flying dart, slate-grey in color and the size of a "Tiger-Moth" biplane. It appeared to be "tree-hopping" before climbing steeply and disappearing into the clouds.
• October 24th, 1977 (7:29 pm): In Wolverhampton, West Midlands, four sisters witnessed a soundless, cone-shaped object with three white lights on its lower edge and two in the center (one red, one green). It crossed the sky quickly.
• October 27th, 1977 (dawn): In Salisbury, Wiltshire, two police officers in a Panda car observed an oblong-shaped object with a dome on top, approximately 500-700 feet above Salisbury Plain. Initially travelling slowly, it suddenly accelerated and disappeared, leaving a vapour trail.
• October 28th, 1977 (11:35 pm): In Warminster, Wiltshire, Miss Bridget Chivers saw a blue oval disc that changed to a dark color and an inverted cone shape upon landing in a field. It had green and pink lights and a searchlight-type beam. It took off after approximately two minutes. A photograph was taken, but the developed film showed nothing.
• October 30th, 1977 (day-time): In Loughborough, Leicestershire, a husband and wife, along with a sister-in-law, observed a long, arrow-shaped object with a tail fin, described as misty grey and the size of a football at arm's length. The object was stationary before disappearing.

November 1977 Sightings:

• November 6th, 1977 (approx. 5:30 am): In Graddanall, Cheshire, a man saw three duck-egg blue globes, each slightly larger than a tennis ball at arm's length, proceeding slowly and noiselessly across the sky. He later observed another three spheres moving in the opposite direction.
• November 10th, 1977 (5:05 am): In Wandsworth, London, a police inspector reported observing a stationary pillar of bluish lights, possibly an ionized force field, for over 30 minutes.
• November 14th, 1977 (4:50 pm): In Littleton, Worcestershire, a mother saw a round object, the size of a cricket ball, colored red and white, hovering, rotating, flickering, and throbbing in the sky for about ten minutes.
• November 17th, 1977 (10:55 pm): In Warrington, Cheshire, Mrs Joan Bullock observed an object resembling a lamp-shade that could "switch off" parts of itself, dimming until it was no longer visible. It was about half the size of a rugby ball at arm's length and was seen entering a dark-grey cloud.
• November 18th, 1977 (2:15 am): In Wolvercote, Oxfordshire, Mr Ayers noticed a brightly glowing object, long and exceedingly thin, travelling at great speed from north-west to north-east.
• November 20th, 1977 (6:30 pm): In Bexley Heath, Kent, investigator Mrs Margaret Fry and her husband observed an object with red and yellow lights. It made an abrupt right-angled turn, emitted a reddish-yellow light, and a small orange ball appeared below it, from which a blue light beam was directed. Both objects then vanished.
• November 22nd, 1977 (7:35 am): In Warrington, Cheshire, Mrs Olive Magraw observed a bright white, cigar-shaped object, the size of a half-penny at arm's length, moving steadily south-east for about two minutes before disappearing.
• November 24th, 1977 (8:00 pm): In Wigan, Lancashire, a lone witness saw a pulsating red object rise in the sky. Its pulsation rate increased and its color deepened as it accelerated and disappeared, resembling an upturned saucer the size of a pea.

Publications Corner and Books for Sale

The magazine also includes advertisements for various UFO-related publications and books. These include:

• "UFOLK" by Gene Duplantier: A Canadian ufologist's review of prominent UFO figures.
• "Quarter Century Studies of UFOs in Florida North Carolina, and Tennessee" by George D. Fawcett: A recently reprinted publication by the MUFON State Director for North Carolina, USA.
• Lantern: A quarterly journal of East Anglian Oddities.
• Fortean Times: A quarterly journal covering various mysteries, including UFOs.

A "Books For Sale" section lists numerous hardback and paperback titles on UFOs and related topics, with prices and ordering information provided by Lionel Beer.

Important Notice

An important notice reminds members that annual subscriptions are renewable on April 1st. It also addresses the delay in the publication of the "UFO REGISTER for 1977," assuring members that it is in production and will be released soon.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the detailed reporting and investigation of UFO sightings, emphasizing factual accounts from witnesses and investigators. The magazine appears to maintain a neutral stance, presenting the reports as received and investigated, without overtly endorsing any specific theory. The inclusion of numerous book and journal advertisements suggests an aim to provide readers with further resources for studying the UFO phenomenon. The editorial stance is one of diligent documentation and information dissemination within the UFO community.