Nessletter - No 129 - 1995

Magazine Overview

This issue of NESSLETTER, number 129, dated June 1995 with a later update in April 1997, is published by NESS INFORMATION SERVICE and carries the ISSN 0204-7001. It primarily focuses on ongoing investigations and reports related to the Loch Ness Monster, but also delves into other unexplained phenomena such as UFO/UAP sightings and ghost encounters.

Andreas Trottmann's Research

The issue features contributions from Andreas Trottmann, a long-time member interested in Loch Ness. His work and findings have appeared in past Nessletters, and his Loch Ness Clipping Service is in its third year. Trottmann has been exploring the internet, finding over 33,000 references to 'Loch Ness Monster' or combinations thereof. He notes the astonishing number of results but also the difficulty in sifting through the 'dross' to find useful information. He shares his personal reactions to computer programming, explaining how his son Colin, a programmer, has helped him understand the technology.

Trottmann recounts a disappointing trip to Loch Ness with his wife Angela and their son, where they had several meetings but no significant Nessie sightings. He mentions meeting with Doug Macfarlane, Alastair and Sue Boyd, and Adrian Shine. Shine showed him and Andreas black and white photographs of a Nessie model. Trottmann found these images strikingly similar to the famous 'Surgeon's Photograph', leading him to conclude that the latter was 'elaborately faked'. Their sonar search yielded little, and they faced issues with their boat, the 'Witch of the Mist', including finding a place to keep it over winter. Fortunately, the Loch Ness Yacht Charters engineer offered assistance, and the boat was to be kept in Fort Augustus.

Andreas is also involved in paranormal investigations, including house hunting in haunted locations. He keeps up with relevant literature and came across an article in Bruce Barrymore Halpammy's 'Ghost Stations IV' by Pete Smithson, detailing a Loch Ness sighting.

The Ghost Airman of Loch Ness

A significant section details a report from September 1978 concerning a ghost airman. The witness, dressed in wartime flying clothes with parachute and harness, appeared injured and pointed towards the loch. The witness, startled, shouted to the figure, who then vanished. The witness described the figure as looking very real, with a greyish complexion.

This sighting is linked to a Wellington bomber on a training flight that suffered engine failure on New Year's Eve 1940 and ditched in Loch Ness. The pilot and co-pilot survived by reaching the shore in a rubber dinghy, but the rear gunner, whose parachute failed, was killed. The report questions the connection between the Loch Ness Monster and this phantom airman, noting that reports of the ghost began only in 1978.

Further investigation into the bomber identified it as a Mk.1 Wellington N2980, the only known example remaining. This aircraft had participated in the first British air attack on Germany in 1939. The issue references previous reports on 'The Loch Ness Wellington' in Nessletters 72 and 98. The aircraft was located by Marty Klein using side-scan sonar in 1976 and retrieved in September 1985. The article mentions that the airman killed was Sgt. Fenshome, a trainee wireless operator, not a rear gunner. The restored aircraft is now exhibited at Brooklands Museum.

The 'Secrets of Loch Ness' Photograph

Andreas also provided a letter concerning the first issue of the US magazine 'Secrets of Loch Ness'. This issue contained an article on a sighting by a Moray party on Sunday, June 10th, 1934, accompanied by a photograph. This photograph, which Andreas had not seen before, is described as a poor quality photocopy but impressive. It reportedly shows a single hump/back with a slight dip in the center, with mountains in the background. The article is referenced in Nick Witchell's 'Loch Ness Story'.

The sighting described in the article involved an object slowly coming to the surface, making little motion, and then disappearing. The object was described as a black shining object or an upturned boat, estimated to be between fifteen to eighteen feet in length, and about 200 yards away. It reportedly had two distinct humps about two feet out of the water.

Val Smith's Sighting

Val Smith, a subscriber, shared an account of an interesting visit to Loch Ness. While at the Clansman, he observed a round object of a russet color on the water. He estimated its size to be about half a mile away and four feet across. The object sank vertically and reappeared about a minute and a half later in the same position. After watching for four minutes, it suddenly shot across the water at the speed of a motor boat and disappeared. Val, who has naval experience, is mystified by the object reappearing in the exact same spot, which he believes is not characteristic of a diving bird. He is also confident about the size estimation. The color could be explained by sunlight, as the Clansman is on the northwest side of the loch.

Cave Discovery in Loch Ness

A story from February '97 reported the discovery of a cave in the bottom of Loch Ness, sensationalized as 'Nessie's lair'. George Edwards, an Auxiliary Coastguard, is credited with finding it. Dicky Raynor, who operates boat trips and was a relief skipper, provided more details. Edwards became aware of a depression in the loch around 1990. Raynor suggests the depression might be caused by an underwater silt avalanche, where silt builds up over centuries at the edge of the bay, triggering an avalanche that scours material, leaving a depression.

Raynor explains that sonar readings show a depth differential, with the slope continuing down without a pause over the hole to depths of 238 meters, occasionally 240 meters, before rising to the flat bottom. The time elapsed suggests an East-West dimension of the area is only 30-40 meters, and a North-South dimension of about 30 meters. He questions if this is related to deeps found by the Murray and Pullar Bathymetrical Survey (1897/1909) or the Vickers Pisces Submarine (1969). Offshore Survey and Engineering UK has expressed interest in investigating the site.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the persistent mystery of the Loch Ness Monster, supported by ongoing research and witness accounts, and the exploration of other unexplained aerial and aquatic phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded investigation, presenting various reports and witness testimonies for the reader to consider, while also critically analyzing some evidence, such as the 'Surgeon's Photograph'. The newsletter encourages reader participation, welcoming news and views.