Pegasus - Vol 04 No 4 July-Aug 1972

Magazine Overview

Title: PEGASUS
Issue: Volume 4, Number 4
Date: July / August 1972
Publisher: Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP)
Country: UK
Price: 15p

This issue of PEGASUS, the journal of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena, presents a range of articles and reports related to the study of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

Editorial

The editorial addresses the current state of SIGAP, noting a drop in membership since peak 'flap' periods. It suggests that while some members may feel they are not actively contributing, the committee also recognizes the work involved. The editorial proposes a future structure for SIGAP, dividing members into two groups: an active core of committee members and keen investigators who will conduct research and experimentation, and a larger group of subscribers who support the organization financially and by attending meetings. The committee emphasizes that the group cannot exist without the support of all members and looks forward to discussing these proposals at the next meeting in September.

Contents

The issue features several articles and sections:

• R.F.V. versus UFO by Bob Skinner
• Subterranean Mysteries by S.J. Holt
• UFOs and Dreams by Carol Godsell
• Press Releases
• Aerial Phenomena Guide - 5 by Richard Beet
• Current Sightings by Richard Colborne
• Retardation of the Pulse Rate in UFO Sightings by Dan Butcher
• Skywatch Report and forthcoming Meetings

Articles

R.F.V. Versus UFO

Bob Skinner discusses a 'dog-fight' incident in Spring 1972 involving a USAF F4 Phantom and an unpiloted machine, identified as a Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV). Skinner highlights how RPVs, developed in the US and potentially used in Vietnam, can perform high-G manoeuvres previously impossible for piloted craft. He notes that many factors previously attributed to superior UFO technology, such as rapid changes in direction and evasion, are now being matched or developed by human technology, including the ability to become optically and electronically invisible. The article speculates on a future where wars might be fought by machines with no loss of life, posing the question of whether RPVs or UFOs will dominate future aerial engagements. The article references work by Leonard Cramp and Gerald Heard regarding UFO maneuverability and control.

Subterranean Mysteries

S.J. Holt compiles accounts of mysterious phenomena occurring underground. The article recounts a 1770 incident in Staffordshire where a labourer discovered a stone stairway leading to a chamber with sounds of machinery and a hooded figure. More recently, in 1963, two miners in Pennsylvania reported seeing a large door open to reveal marble steps and figures in strange outfits. The article also mentions persistent underground noises reported in the UK, such as in Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks, and other locations. It further details an incident in Amiens, France, in 1769, where something emerged from the earth, causing death and leaving a smoking hole. A 1953 incident near Logan, Utah, USA, describes a bright red semi-spherical object emerging from the ground, causing a massive explosion, earth tremor, and the appearance of an artesian well in a newly formed crater.

UFOs and Dreams

Carol Godsell explores the connection between dreams and UFO sightings. She posits that dreams are generally related to real-life experiences and wonders if ordinary people dream about being present at UFO sightings and landings. Referencing Jung's theories, she suggests that dreams are not typically related to fiction or fantasy but to everyday life, making UFO dreams potentially significant. She invites members to share written accounts of their UFO-related dreams.

Retardation of the Pulse Rate in UFO Sightings

Dan Butcher's article, though brief in the provided text, is listed in the contents, suggesting a study on physiological effects during UFO encounters.

Press Releases

U.F.O.s STAY ABOVE CLOUDS

This report from the Surrey Advertiser (July 5, 1972) details a 12-hour 'Midsummer Night Watch' organized by SIGAP on Pewley Down, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the first US "flying saucer" sighting. Despite the efforts of twenty participants using equipment like binoculars and geiger-counters, no UFOs were observed due to a cloud base at 2,000 ft. Mr. Richard Beet, the Group Project Supervisor, expressed a pessimistic outlook beforehand, noting the low probability of success given the duration of the watch relative to the year. However, the event was considered valuable for gaining observational experience.

UFO SIGHTING OVER COMMON

Another Surrey Advertiser report (July 12, 1972) describes a disc-like object, resembling the planet Mars, spotted twice over Stringer's Common, Jacob's Well. Miss Janet Buttery reported observing the object for about 10 minutes, noting its size, hovering, and then rapid disappearance. Her mother also witnessed the event. Miss Buttery, a member of SIGAP, had previously seen similar objects in Devon.

Aerial Phenomena Guide - Part 5

Richard Beet's ongoing guide provides an alphabetical reference for UFO investigators. This installment covers:

• Gegenschein: Referred to see Counterglow.
• Green Flash: A brilliant green coloration at sunrise or sunset due to atmospheric refraction, with green light refracting more than red or yellow.
• Green Fireballs: Reports from 1948-1949 in the USA, including the Chiles-Whitted case of a cigar-shaped object, possibly due to slow-moving bolides.
• Ground Return: Anomalous radar echoes from the terrain, also known as clutter.
• Haloes: Iridescent circles around the sun or moon, caused by refraction, sometimes complex and accompanied by phenomena like parhelia (sun dogs).

SIGAP Information

Details are provided for SIGAP's Secretarial Address (20 Loman Road, Mytchett, Camberley, Surrey) and Administration Director (M.G. Frewett, AFBIS). Membership is open with an annual subscription of £1.50 (£0.75 for students/youth). Additional copies of PEGASUS are available for 15p plus postage. Articles and exchange journals should be sent to the Secretarial Address. A Board of Consultants is also listed, including J.M. Adams, T.C. Childerhouse, Rev. Dr. N. Cockburn, Prof. F.B. Salisbury, and R.T. Toft.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the practicalities of UFO investigation, the nature of unidentified aerial phenomena, and the organizational challenges faced by UFO research groups like SIGAP. The editorial stance is one of encouraging active participation and seeking a sustainable model for the group's future, emphasizing the need for member support. There's also a clear effort to demystify UFOs by comparing them to developing human technology (RPVs) and by providing a guide to natural phenomena that might be mistaken for UFOs. The inclusion of 'Subterranean Mysteries' and 'UFOs and Dreams' broadens the scope of unexplained phenomena considered.

Title: PEGASUS
Issue: vol 4 No 3
Date: May to September (interpreted as 1970-05)
Publisher: Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP)
Country: UK
Language: English

This issue of PEGASUS, the journal of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP), focuses on the first quarterly report of investigations and current sightings from May to September. The publication also includes explanations of atmospheric phenomena and a detailed case study exploring the physiological effects of UFO encounters.

Phenomena Explained

The issue begins by defining several phenomena:

• Inferior Mirage: Described as a spurious image of an object formed below its true position due to abnormal atmospheric refraction conditions caused by temperature variations.
• Ignis Fatous: Also known as 'Will o' the Wisp' or 'Jack o'Lantern', this phenomenon involves luminous globes seen floating above swamps. It is attributed to the ignition of methane and phosphine released by decaying organic matter, either through spontaneous combustion or atmospheric electrical discharges. Reports indicate these globes can be yellow, red, or blue.
• Kugelblitz: This term is cross-referenced to 'Ball Lightning', suggesting it is a related or synonymous phenomenon.

First Quarterly Report on Investigation and Current Sightings

The report, covering May to September, details a busy period for the Investigation Co-ordinator, Richard Colborne, who took office on May 9. Approximately 20 reported sightings were received, with a few deemed significant enough for thorough investigation.

Case S200

The first case investigated under the new co-ordinatorship was designated S200. This involved a report of a silver cigar-shaped object seen at a distance by pupils of Winston Churchill School, St.Johns. The investigation was conducted by member Robert Skimer and concluded that the sighting had a natural explanation.

Case S201

On June 6, seven flying saucers were alleged to have landed in Richmond Park. This case remained under investigation at the time of reporting. The witnesses were described as sincere, and a degree of confirmation was received from the Park Superintendent, who noted that 'GHOSTS' had been seen in the park around the same date.

Case S202

SIGAP received this case from WARMINSTER UFO NEWSLETTER. It involved a letter from two boys in Guildford alleging an encounter with an entity from a flying saucer. While the letter's contents were interesting, it was determined that the boys, aged about 12, had let their imaginations run away with them after watching the television series 'UFO'.

Other Reports to be Investigated

The report lists several other cases requiring investigation:

• A close approach of a UFO in Middleton Cheney, Oxon (referenced to PEGASUS vol 4 No 3, page 9).
• A detailed sighting by several witnesses at Shutford, Banbury (referenced to PEGASUS vol 4 No 2).
• The sustained observation of two sausage-shaped objects by an experienced witness in Wintney, near Oxford.
• A sequel to the 'Wantage monster' incident at Warminster.
• Two further cases at St.Johns, Woking.
• An incident in September 1969 where a London bus was reportedly buzzed by a saucer.

International Cases

• South Africa: In early June, a Flying Saucer reportedly landed at Fort Beaufort. This case was being investigated with the help of correspondents in South Africa. One correspondent claimed to have been present when police allegedly drove off the saucer by shooting at it. Several South African newspaper cuttings were received.
• Gatwick Airport Area: Two reports described bales of hay being raised high into the sky from a field, attributed to a 'freak whirlwind'. Two other reports involving hay followed.
• Odiham: A wild boar, extinct in England for 400 years, was captured.
• Norfolk: A possible 'flap' was mentioned in Norfolk.

Richard Colborne invites members and readers interested in the current scene to contact him at WOKING 5731.

Retardation of the Pulse Rate in UFO Sightings

This article, authored by Dan Butcher, discusses the physiological effects of UFO encounters, citing a case from Arthur Shuttlewood's book, 'Warnings from Flying Friends'.

The Woodcutter's Experience

In early 1967, an unnamed old woodcutter near Warminster and Frome witnessed a UFO land in front of his cottage. He observed two occupants emerge from the craft, described as tall figures wearing rounded, black plastic-like helmets and close-fitting clothing with a peculiar sheen. One figure shook its head, while the other spoke in muffled tones. As the woodcutter approached within 22 yards, one figure raised a gloved hand, and both vanished instantly. A cloud of mustard-coloured mist obscured the craft, and a light was seen to fly up from the grass.

Physiological Effects

When questioned about physical sensations, the woodcutter initially reported none. However, later, after brewing tea, he experienced his heart beating strongly, not like a heart attack, but powerfully, yet at a slow rate of about thirty beats per minute. Arthur Shuttlewood commented on this, suggesting that the visitors might have transmitted a ray to slow the woodcutter's heartbeats to prevent damage or collapse.

Shuttlewood then relates one of his own UFO encounters where he was stung by invisible rays, knocked off his feet, and suffered a similar retardation of pulse rate.

Astral Projection and UFOs

The article posits that a slow pulse rate is conducive to 'astral projection', an out-of-the-body experience where consciousness separates from the physical body. It is suggested that the UFOs and their occupants, as seen by witnesses, might be manifestations encountered during such states, or that the UFO encounter itself induces a state conducive to astral projection.

• Sylva Muldoon's Experience: The article references Sylvan Muldoon, author of 'The Projection of the Astral Body', who experienced an abnormally slow heart rate. He found that taking strychnine, a cardiac stimulant, stopped his projecting experiences, and ceasing the medication allowed them to resume. He later learned to control his heart rate through suggestion and will.
• Inferences: The experiences of Shuttlewood and the woodcutter suggest that their slowed heart rates led to them projecting from their physical bodies. In this 'exteriorised condition', their consciousness was open to mental, emotional, quasi-physical, and mystical phenomena, which could account for the sightings of UFOs and their occupants.
• Projection Phenomena: The stinging sensation felt by Shuttlewood is described as a common projection phenomenon. The light seen by the woodcutter leaping from the UFO might have been a glimpse of the 'astral cord', a connection between the physical and astral bodies. The raising of a creature's arm before disappearance is also suggested as a possible homologue of the astral cord.
• Fear and Interiorisation: The article concludes by noting that the sight of a raised arm can cause the mobile consciousness to 'interiorise' (return to the physical body), usually due to fear on the part of the witness.

Mini-Skywatch

A mini-skywatch was held on Pewley Downs a few weeks prior to the National Skywatch. The weather was poor, with approximately 7/8 cloud cover, leading to the adjournment of the watch to a local pub. It is noted that due to the British climate, skywatches often have to be called at the last minute via telephone.

SIGAP Meeting

A general informal UFO discussion meeting was scheduled to be held in Guildford House on Tuesday, September 5th, at 7:30 pm in the Garden Room. Access was to be via a railed passage at the side of the Library in North Street. Members were encouraged to attend and support the group, with coffee and biscuits to be served during the interval.

Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP)

This section provides details about SIGAP, including its formation in May 1967 as a voluntary research organisation investigating UFOs. The administration director is M. G. Prewett, Esq., A.F.B.I.S., located at 20 Loman Road, Mytchett, Camberley, Surrey.

• History and Aim: UFOs have been observed for thousands of years, with a substantial increase in reported sightings since the late 1940s. SIGAP aims to investigate all sightings to uncover the truth behind the mystery.
• Consultants: SIGAP utilizes special consultants, including an optical physicist and a satellite expert from the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, to evaluate sighting reports.
• Publications: SIGAP publishes 'PEGASUS', a bi-monthly journal containing news, comments, investigations, and articles by members.
• Affiliation: SIGAP is affiliated with the British Unidentified Flying Object Research Association, maintaining close cooperation.
• Membership Benefits: Members receive the journal free, have access to a book, magazine, and tape library, and can attend meetings in Guildford. SIGAP also organizes skywatches.
• Membership Application: The annual subscription is £1.50, with a reduced rate of 75p for student members aged 14-18 who are still in full-time education (evidence required for ages 16-18). An application form is provided for interested individuals to complete and return, along with payment (cheques and P.O.s payable to SIGAP).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the systematic investigation of UFO sightings, the classification and explanation of related phenomena (like mirages and swamp gas), and the exploration of potential physiological and psychological effects of UFO encounters, particularly the concept of astral projection. The editorial stance is one of serious inquiry and data collection, encouraging member participation and the sharing of information through their journal, PEGASUS. There is a clear effort to provide rational explanations where possible (e.g., S200, S202) while also documenting and exploring more unusual or unexplained cases (e.g., Richmond Park, Fort Beaufort, the woodcutter's experience).