BUFORA Bulletin - No 01 - Sep 1981

Magazine Overview

Title: BUFORA BULLETIN
Issue: No. 001
Date: September 1981

This issue of the BUFORA Bulletin marks a significant shift in the organization's publications, moving from a more elaborate 'Journal' to a cost-effective 'Bulletin' due to severe financial constraints. The cover prominently features the title, a table of contents including 'Recession,' 'Farewell,' and 'Congress 81 Opens,' and a portrait of the BUFORA President, Lord Kings-Norton.

Editorial and Administrative Matters

The Recession Has Affected Us All!

An editorial note explains that BUFORA, like many organizations, is experiencing financial difficulties. To mitigate these, the decision was made to replace the expensive 'Journal' with the 'Bulletin,' which aims to provide more information at a reduced cost, albeit with less 'glossiness.' The editors express hope that this change is a step forward, especially given the financial struggles faced by other ufology publications.

Farewell

Norman Oliver, the outgoing editor, writes a farewell piece reflecting on his tenure. He states that the task of producing the Journal every two months required significant time (15-20 hours per week). Due to a combination of factors that reduced his available time, he decided to relinquish the editorship. He expresses regret that the Journal will no longer appear in its previous format due to financial considerations but sees it as an opportunity for his successors to start fresh. Oliver remains a BUFORA Council member and hopes to return to editing the Journal in the future if circumstances permit. He thanks those who assisted him during his time as editor, having produced approximately 30 Journals.

Administration and Contact Information

Page 2 provides detailed contact information for BUFORA's council members and administrative roles for 1980/81. This includes the President (Lord Kings Norton), Vice-presidents, Council Chairman (Leslie Bayer), and various administrative secretaries for general correspondence, membership, and treasurer. It also lists coordinators for publications, book and tape libraries, and research directors. The Edinburgh Branch and affiliated Member Societies, such as BFSB (Britain's oldest UFO investigation group), are also listed. The British UFO Research Association (BUFORA) is described as a limited company founded in 1964, with aims to conduct unbiased research, collect and disseminate UFO evidence, and coordinate UFO research globally. Annual membership is £7.50 ($18 in the USA and Canada).

BUFORA International Congress Speech

Lord Kings Norton's Address

Delivered on May 24, 1981, Lord Kings Norton expresses his appreciation for being made President of BUFORA. He outlines his approach to the UFO phenomenon, emphasizing that the term 'Unidentified Flying Object' is self-explanatory – an object that cannot be identified. He dismisses the notion of 'believing' in UFOs as a silly question, comparing it to believing in fairies or Father Christmas. He stresses the importance of eliminating all possible natural explanations (meteorites, re-entering satellites, weather balloons, trick reflections, ball lightning, etc.) before accepting an object as truly unidentified. Lord Kings Norton describes himself as a skeptic but clarifies that skepticism does not equate to disbelief. He firmly believes that life must exist elsewhere in the vastness of space, likely in forms different from Earth's life, and that communication with such intelligences would be fantastically difficult.

He concludes by declaring the 2nd International Congress open, wishing attendees fortune in their quest for truth.

Reflections of an Editor

The Current Climate

Charles Bowen, reflecting on the current period, notes a 'recession' not only in the economy but also in the number of UFO reports globally. He contrasts this with the stress caused by world events like wars, famine, and political assassinations, suggesting these have not led to a surge in UFO sightings as some theories proposed. He also mentions the continued circulation of the message by publications like 'The Unexplained' and the re-release of the movie 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.'

A Trip Back in Time

Bowen then takes a reflective trip back about sixteen years to 1964. He recalls editing 'Flying Saucer Review' temporarily when Waveney Girvan was ill. At that time, the ufology community was emerging from what Jacques Vallée termed the 'Dark Age of Ufology' in the early Sixties, characterized by a perceived lack of reports. However, Bowen notes that even before Girvan's death, reports began to increase, particularly from South America between 1962-1964. He mentions the extensive work of Gordon Creighton in translating these reports.

Early UFO Reports and Interpretations

Bowen discusses the prevailing view in 1964 that UFOs were extraterrestrial visitors, with occupants often imagined as counterparts to human astronauts. He touches upon 'evangelical' contactees who claimed conversations with 'ufonauts' and even space trips, noting that these groups often faced media criticism. He contrasts them with organizations like NICAP, APRO, and BUFORA, which sought scientific respectability and were initially hesitant to accept reports of humanoid entities, preferring to focus on the craft itself. The media's tendency to lump all UFO-related phenomena into a single 'nut file' is also highlighted.

The 'Nut File' and Humanoid Encounters

Bowen, as a new editor, believed NICAP had been too cautious and that humanoids formed a significant part of the phenomenon. He recalls receiving two small packages from the United States: one from Jerome Clark and another from investigator Marvin W. Smith. Clark had explored the idea that UFO occupants might present themselves in terms familiar to 'contactees,' drawing parallels with an 1897 'Airship' case. This suggested that UFO occupants could adapt their presentation to human technological understanding. Bowen notes that the 1947 Kenneth Arnold sighting marked the beginning of modern UFO publicity, but he was aware of earlier phenomena like 'Foo Fighters' (1943-45) and the possibility of UFOs existing much earlier.

The Whidby Island Case

Marvin W. Smith's report, largely based on a questionnaire from a retired lady ('Mrs. Ruth Brown') on Whidby Island, described two strange contacts. The investigator's initial attempts to find public information were unsuccessful. The witness, who wished to remain anonymous and was critical of contactee claimants, described a craft hovering outside her window and later approaching from the North. She saw occupants through a transparent front, described the craft as having a transparent 'front' with three occupants, and noted flattened grass. The entity was described as having a bald head, a solitary central eye, no brow or nose, and a mouth moving like a cod's. It led the craft around the house and communicated telepathically, stating, 'We will return!' The craft then tilted, shrunk, and dipped into the ground, possibly 'sucking water,' before departing noisily. A fungus was found on the spot where it dipped.

Parallels and Further Cases

Bowen then examines parallels to the Whidby Island case, presenting several other incidents:

• Argentine Coal Truck Driver (October 12, 1963): Eugenio Douglas reported a 'prickly sensation' from a powerful beam of light from an oval object with three entities. He collapsed and saw the entities with 'glowing helmets' and beams from their devices.
• Le Mans Incident (October 7, 1954): Renault workers on bikes experienced a 'disagreeable prickling' from an object emitting green light.
• Belo Horizonte Case (August 28, 1963): Three boys saw a luminous sphere with occupants visible through a transparent wall. One entity emerged, described as having a solitary central eye and wearing a transparent helmet.
• Valensole Case (1965): Mentioned as another instance of a transparent 'front.'
• Ranton Case (October 21, 1954): Mrs. Roestenberg reported seeing two entities through transparent panels.
• Premanon Case (September 27, 1954): A glowing red sphere was seen wobbling over grass, creating a ring of swirled grass.
• Kinnula Case (January 5, 1971): An entity emerged from and returned to an object through an aperture in its base.
• Newark Valley Case (April 24, 1964): Gary Wilcox encountered an aluminium-hued egg-shaped object.

Bowen notes that the 'no eyes visible' aspect of some entities is a recurring theme.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the financial challenges facing ufological organizations, the transition in BUFORA's publication format, and a deep dive into historical UFO cases. There's a strong emphasis on the scientific approach to investigating UFOs, as exemplified by Lord Kings Norton's presidential address, which advocates for rigorous elimination of conventional explanations. The articles also explore the evolution of understanding UFO occupants, moving from purely extraterrestrial astronauts to more varied and sometimes unsettling humanoid forms, and the challenges of interpreting witness testimonies. The editorial stance, particularly from Bowen, suggests a belief that humanoids are a significant, often overlooked, part of the UFO phenomenon, challenging the more conservative views of some organizations.

This issue of UFO Study, Volume 17, Number 3, published May-June 1971, is a UK-based publication focusing on UFO phenomena. The magazine presents a collection of detailed case studies and discussions relevant to ufologists.

Case Studies and Encounters

The issue begins with a description of an encounter in Linha Bela Vista, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where a farmer, Pedro Morais, witnessed a "copper-bottomed" object resembling a sewing machine. Two small humanoids, enveloped in yellow sacks, were seen. The object then vanished in seconds.

Another account details a conversation on Sr Iriart's farm near Olavarria, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 2, 1968. The farmer's son, Oscar Heriberto Iriart, encountered two "men" with transparent legs who dismounted from a craft. They spoke of taking him to "know the world" and gave him an envelope with a message.

A significant case from San Pedro de los Altos, Venezuela, on August 7, 1965, involved a gynaecologist and two industrialists. They observed a discoid object descending, from which two tall beings (7-8 ft) with long yellow hair and protruding eyes descended in a shaft of light. These beings communicated telepathically, stating they were studying human psyches to adapt them to their species and claimed to possess a weapon capable of disintegrating the moon.

The magazine also references encounters at Familia Segrada, Brazil, and Kinnula, Finland (February 5, 1971), where entities re-entered their craft. The Valensole, France case from July 1, 1965, is mentioned, involving Maurice Masse and an object with a central pivot stuck in the ground.

An anonymous case describes entities inside a craft looking out through a transparent "front" as the machine floated away. Examination of the site revealed a cement-like central pivot hole and withered lavender plants.

The Villa Santina case from August 14, 1947, reported a disc-shaped object with part buried in a cleft above a stream.

Discussion on UFO Waves and Investigation

The article reflects on periods of intense UFO reporting, referred to as "waves," and acknowledges a current "recession" in reporting. The author suggests that the phenomenon is likely continuing but may be occurring in remote areas with less communication. The importance of re-investigating older, promising cases from the earlier 1960s is emphasized, particularly during these lulls in reporting, as witnesses may pass away.

Notable cases that "broke the spell" in North America and Europe are mentioned, including Whidby Island, Newark Valley, Socorro, and Valensole. The author expresses a desire to re-investigate the 1963 Whidby Island case.

The text also touches upon the complexity of UFO cases, citing the Trancas case (1963) as a "most complex CE3" and mentioning a study of an anthropomorphic entity and possible UFO from Villa Carlos Paz (1968).

Book Review

A book review of "UFO Study: A Handbook for Enthusiasts" by Jenny Randles, published by Robert Hale in 1981, is included. The reviewer praises the book for its comprehensive coverage of Ufology, particularly in Britain, its readable style, and inclusion of photographs, physical traces, IFOs, contactees, and witness accounts. While acknowledging potential disagreements on UFO hypotheses, the reviewer finds the book to be a valuable resource for investigators and enthusiasts.

Advertisements

The issue contains advertisements for UFO books available at bargain prices from Lionel Beer, and unique colour-change UFO ties or scarf pins. It also promotes a "NEW! UPDATED! DIRECTORY!" of UFO and Strange Phenomena organizations, groups, societies, and publications from UFO Network. Additionally, BUFORA Publications offers various titles like "UFO Investigation" and "Congress '79."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around detailed accounts of UFO sightings, close encounters of the third kind (CE3), and encounters with non-human entities or humanoids. The magazine emphasizes the importance of rigorous investigation and re-examination of past cases. There is a sense that the UFO phenomenon is ongoing and complex, with potential for deception or misinterpretation. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious inquiry into UFO phenomena, encouraging researchers to explore the subject matter thoroughly and critically, as evidenced by the book review and the call for re-investigation of older cases.