Disclosure Australia (AURA) - No 24 - July 2005

Magazine Overview

This issue of the DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA NEWSLETTER, number 24, dated July 2005, focuses on unidentified aircraft sightings and related government documentation within Australia and its territories. The publication is from DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA, with contact details provided for AURA (updated May 2011) and an email address.

Unidentified aircraft over Papua & New Guinea and the Drury film

The newsletter begins by referencing the Boiana, Papua incidents from June 1959 involving Reverend Gill's observations of UFOs and humanoids. A newly uncovered file from the National Archives of Australia (NAA) titled "Unidentified aircraft Papua & New Guinea 1958-1959" (File series MT 1131/1, control symbol A31/1/133) is discussed. While this five-folio Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) file did not contain documents relevant to the Gill incidents, it did include one UFO-related item.

This item, from folio 3 dated 17 June 1959, is a memo from the Department of Territories in Canberra to the Department of Defence (DOD) regarding a "falling object." It describes an object sighted from Baniara on 24 May 1959 at 1900 hours, appearing high in the sky, descending erratically in a SW direction, with colors described as brilliant blue alternating with a reddish glow, and ending with a green flash. The object disappeared at 2015 hours.

Folio 4 is a memo dated 29 June 1959 from the DOD to the Department of Air (DOA) and DCA, referring to the report in folio 3.

A second file, labeled "Secret" and titled "New Guinea F.I.R.-Operation of Unidentified and foreign aircraft" (file series MP1279/1, control symbol 99/1/478), is also a DCA Head Office, Melbourne file. This file covers the period 1948-1965 and contains reports of unidentified and foreign aircraft. It also includes several folios related to the 1953 Drury sighting and film.

Folio 66a is a secret memo dated 31 August 1953 from the Regional Director, DCA Port Moresby, to the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Melbourne. Titled "Unidentified aircraft sighting 1200hours 24 August 1953," it reports the Drury sighting in Drury's own words. The memo notes that the date of 24 August is incorrect, as Drury's account states 23 August 1953, a confusion that persists throughout the file. The memo states, "We do not know of any aircraft of the operational performance implied by this observation operating in this area." Copies were sent to the RAAF Officer in Port Moresby, HQ RAAF Townsville, and the Government Secretary in Port Moresby.

Another secret memo from DCA Port Moresby to the Director-General DCA, Melbourne, dated 5 September 1953, concerns transferring the film with the note "herewith undeveloped film."

On 22 September 1953, a secret memo from DCA Melbourne to the DOA, with a covering memo titled "Flying saucer – New Guinea," stated, "herewith is a photographic film."

A memo dated 12 July 1954 (reference 114/1/197(52a)) recorded that the DOA referred the film back to DCA Melbourne. The DOA stated, "We have subjected the film to detailed study and processing, but have been unable to establish anything more than the fact that a blur of light appears to move across the film." Memos indicate the film was returned to DCA Port Moresby for return to Drury.

In 1958, an American citizen, Max B Miller, requested a copy or loan of the film for photogrammetric analysis. The response letter, signed by T P Drury (the film's photographer), stated that the film was handed over to the Commonwealth Security Branch for processing and investigation immediately after being taken and had not been sighted by him since. This statement conflicts with the July 1954 memo indicating the film was returned to Port Moresby for Drury.

NAA Darwin files

After a year's wait, two RAAF files from the NAA Darwin office have arrived.

E1327/25, control symbol 5/3/air part 1, titled "Maritime and air incidents/contacts" (1966-1992), contains 21 folios released between 1966 and 1973, relating to suspected sightings of submarines and aircraft.

E1327/25, control symbol 5/4/air part 1 (1960-1968), titled "Unusual sightings-incidents," is identified as a RAAF HQ Darwin UFO file. It contains numerous low-level interest UFO reports. Notably, it includes correspondence where the USAF Air Attaché at the US Embassy Canberra sought assistance in "securing any debris from the satellite," referring to a 1964 satellite re-entry where the "rocket body of this satellite may have fallen in the area between Carnarvon and Darwin." This is linked to the USAF "Project Moon Dust."

Further section 40 applications to ASIO

The project previously applied through the NAA to ASIO to determine if they held files on Australian UFO organizations or individuals. This resulted in the release of one file and confirmation of the former existence of another.

In response to James Holledge's 1965 book "Flying Saucers Over Australia," which mentioned Australian Security services' involvement in UFO research, associate David Hearder conducted newspaper searches. He examined Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra papers from 2 to 11 May 1952. Based on his findings, David submitted section 40 applications for information ASIO might hold on James Holledge, R M Seymour (DCA), the CSIRO liaison Dr. Piddington, and media items related to "Security Officers."

ASIO's reply was, "We have searched our open access period records and found nothing on the subject requested."

The search for DAFI file "SEC. CD2/2"

The project has been searching for pre-1953 DAFI UFO-related files, with references to a file numbered "SEC CD2/2" found in several NAA documents:

1. PP474/1 item 5/5/Air – RAAF HQ Pearce UFO file: A confidential memo dated 16 Jan 1951 from the Chief of Air Staff to HQ Command areas attached a pro forma for gathering information about flying saucer reports, referenced as SEC.CD2/2(3a).
2. A11339, item 5/7/air part 1: A memo dated 21 Nov 1953 from HQ Penrith superseded the Jan 1951 pro forma, referenced as SEC.CD2/2 (54A).
3. A703 554/1/30 part 1: A memo dated 16 Nov 1953 from CAS to HQ Commands forwarded a revised UFO proforma, also referenced as SEC.CD2/2 (54A).

In March 2005, David Hearder found file A1196, item 29/506/13 part 1, "Security-special instructions to area commanders," containing top-numbered documents from a DAFI file CC1/3. David deduced that SEC CD2/2 was an early DAFI file, but the NAA does not appear to hold it.

Another reference to SEC CD2/2 was found in folio 37 of RAAF UFO policy file 554/1/30 part 2. An internal RAAF memo summarizing RAAF involvement in the UFO phenomenon stated that "the inquiry can not go back any further than the 11th November 1953." This blockage was attributed to the loss of Part 1 of file 114/1/197 (ex CD2/2) during the department's move from Melbourne to Canberra. Searches in March 1966 and July 1969 failed to trace the file, leaving approximately six years of UFO correspondence unaccounted for.

Papers relating to the 1966 search, conducted on the 580/1/1 series regarding the Drury case, revealed:

1. 580/1/1 part 1 was the renumbered version of file 114/1/197, opened on 16 September 1955.
2. The original 114/1/197 file was opened on 30 October 1953, titled "Photographs of Unexplained Aerial Object over New Guinea forwarded by Mr T C Drury."
3. 114/1/197 part 2 became 580/1/1 part 1.
4. File 114/1/197 part 1 was passed to DAFI in 1957 and was lost.
5. The old internal DAFI file on UFOs might have been a recovery of 114/1/197 part 1 and is also missing.

The NAA does have a file numbered 114/1/197, opened in August 1953, titled "Reports on flying saucers and other aerial objects Oct 53 Apr 55." However, it contains no references to file CD2/2. The cover of 580/1/1 part 1 has a special instruction to close file 114/1/197, and its cover indicates it was opened on 16 September 1955, with the original cover showing 114/1/197 crossed out and 580/1/1 written in.

In summary, no file explicitly states to "Close file CD2/2." The file CD2/2 appears to have a date range of at least 16 January 1951 to 16 November 1953. The project has requested assistance from the RAAF Historical Section to locate the file, as it may be in DOD archives.

It's a small world

The project received an email from Robert Frola, Editor of "The Australasian UFOlogist." During a visit to the United States, he and Diane met a man who had served as an engineer in the USAF, based in Laverton for three years servicing U2s. He stated these aircraft were used over the Antarctic for detecting Russian forces. Frola notes that they did not mention their involvement in UFO research or FOI attempts, suggesting this might explain some UFO reports over southern Victoria and Tasmania.

An analysis of digitized government files on "Operation Crowflight" (radioactivity monitoring) available at the NAA indicates no such use for the U-2s. The US Government stated the U-2s were monitoring upper air radiation levels from nuclear tests, with missions operating between latitudes 40 and 60 degrees South.

Part 2 of RAAF UFO policy file digitized

File 554/1/30 part 2, previously sighted at RAAF Edinburgh, is now available as digitized images on the NAA website. This file, along with the other two parts, provides a continuous review of RAAF policy regarding their role in the UFO phenomenon.

Funding this research

The project's expenses, including purchasing NAA files, FOI requests, and miscellaneous costs, total approximately $3,000. This amount has been personally funded by the eight members of the Adelaide-based Australian UFO Research Association (AURA).

Contacting the Project

Contact information for DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA is provided: PO Box 783, Jimboomba 4280, and the email address [email protected].

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme throughout this newsletter is the meticulous investigation of historical UFO cases by analyzing government documentation, particularly through Freedom of Information requests. The editorial stance appears to be one of persistent inquiry into official records to uncover information about UFO phenomena in Australia, highlighting the challenges of lost or inaccessible files and the dedication of researchers in piecing together fragmented evidence. There is a clear emphasis on the importance of official documentation and the systematic pursuit of information from various government agencies.