SIGAP Bulletin - No 15 1968 08

Magazine Overview

This document is Bulletin No. 15, dated August 1, 1968, from THE SURREY INVESTIGATION GROUP ON AERIAL PHENOMENA (S.I.G.A.P.). It details recent UFO sighting reports received by the group.

Sighting Reports

Glowing Ball Over Wanborough

Arthur Langley of 8 Manor Farm Cottages, Wanborough, reported seeing a UFO on July 6, 1968, at approximately 12:20 a.m. He observed a round ball, about three feet in diameter and slightly transparent, moving slowly over the cottages and barn. The object glowed brighter as it moved towards the Hogs Back. Langley and his wife observed the object for 15-20 minutes until it disappeared on the horizon. He noted a car had stopped on the Hogs Back in the object's vicinity.

Mr. Langley's wife also reported seeing several peculiar lights. On one occasion, around the end of June or beginning of July at 2:40 a.m., her dog howled unusually. She then saw six or eight fairly large, whitish lights, about the size of a tea plate, spaced about four feet apart in a semi-circle, approximately 20 feet below the Hogs Back. She initially thought it might be an accident due to the brightness but later concluded otherwise.

Cigar-Shaped Object Over Gatwick Airport

On June 30, 1968, at 5:10 p.m., Mr. A. G. Pyatt, a salesman from London, observed a UFO over Gatwick Airport while driving. Mrs. Ingersoll, who was with him, also saw the object. Pyatt described it as a bright object in the sky, in line with the Gatwick Airport runway, which appeared to be hovering and not moving. He could not determine its exact shape but described it as cylindrical and not like an aircraft. The object was visible for three to four minutes. S.I.G.A.P. investigator Mr. R. J. A. Snow reported that Mr. Pyatt stated there was no noise associated with the object, which is unusual for Gatwick Airport. Snow found the story accurate and noted that both observers were not firm believers in UFOs.

Flying Saucer Over Hindhead

Miss Ellinor Austen of 14 Heatherbank, Tower Road, Hindhead, reported seeing a silver, very bright, classic "flying-saucer" shaped object on July 6, 1968, at 1:30 a.m. She was standing outside her house and felt that the object contained instruments and people.

Bright Light Over Hogs Back

Mr. R. K. Thackray, a S.I.G.A.P. member, saw a "very bright large white light" over the Hogs Back at 11:25 p.m. on July 3, 1968. He was in Elstead at the time and observed the object moving from west to east at a steady rate and constant height. The object was the size of a pea held at arm's length with constant brilliance. John Enever and Stuart Reffold also witnessed this sighting. Thackray noted no aircraft noise or navigation lights.

Star-Shaped UFOs Over Guildford

Two star-shaped UFOs, appearing to be joined, were observed by Mrs. Dorothy White and Mrs. Irene Skinner in Guildford on June 13, 1968, at approximately 10:30 p.m. Mrs. White saw them from her home in Peasmarsh, and Mrs. Skinner saw them from the back of the Odeon Cinema. Mrs. White described an extra large bright star with a smaller one underneath, the bottom light being reddish. Mrs. Skinner's description was similar, noting they stood out as unusual but looked like stars, and did not change color or move.

UFOs Galore in Wales

During a skywatch on Caerphilly Mountain, Wales, on June 15, 1968, Mr. Derek Toombs, a Welsh S.I.G.A.P. member, documented several unidentified objects:

• S.97.A: A whitish-yellow star-like object travelling west to east with zig-zag, pendulum, and curved motion (23:52-23:53).
• S.97.B: A small white star-like object travelling south to north in a zig-zag pattern, observed by ten people (02:10).
• S.97.C: One large object and five or six small green objects with varying luminosities, behaving irregularly. The larger object moved north-west to south-east, and a diamond-shaped formation of UFOs moved east to south (03:04-04:15).
• S.97.D: An ellipsoidal-shaped UFO, with a length more than three times its breadth. The leading edge was green, trailing edge red-orange, with a pulsating bright white central area sometimes appearing blue (03:48-04:04).

Surrey UFO Report

Richard Colborne reported seeing a yellow-white, cylindrical object with tapered ends while travelling to Woking at 4 a.m. on June 29, 1968, with Mr. Edgar Ingrams. The object was seen above Guildford Technical College and was below cloud level. They followed the UFO for 2 miles before it disappeared behind houses.

Lost and Found

An item from The Contact Group at Shepperton is mentioned: one of their folding chairs disappeared during the National Skywatch on June 15th. They are seeking its return.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The bulletin highlights a period of increased UFO activity in the UK during June and July 1968, with a variety of object shapes, sizes, and behaviors reported. The S.I.G.A.P. group appears to be diligently investigating and documenting these sightings, with members acting as observers and investigators. The tone is factual and report-based, presenting witness accounts and investigator notes without overt sensationalism, though the nature of the subject matter implies a strong interest in unexplained aerial phenomena.