THE SURREY INVESTIGATION GROUP ON AERIAL PHENOMENA

Magazine Overview

This document is Bulletin No. 16 from THE SURREY INVESTIGATION GROUP ON AERIAL PHENOMENA (S.I.G.A.P.), dated September 1, 1968. It details several UFO sightings and related phenomena reported by members and witnesses in the Surrey area and nearby regions.

Reported Sightings

Farncombe Sighting

On the evening of July 6, Mr. Robert Harris and his wife Janice reported seeing a "radiant orange" star-shaped UFO at Farncombe. Mr. Harris described it as appearing like a bright star low in the sky, which then descended vertically from a point above trees on a hill about half-a-mile away. The object took about 15-20 seconds to disappear behind the trees. It was described as having a radiant orange colour with its light varying slightly. The weather was dry and clear.

Bramley-Alford Road Sighting

Concurrently with the Farncombe sighting, Miss Phyllis Pease, while driving along the Bramley-Alford road, saw a red ball of fire in the sky. It was visible for about half-a-minute before suddenly disappearing. Miss Pease's passenger also observed the object, which was in the North-East.

Ash Hill Road Sightings

On August 19, at 11 p.m., Miss Pamela Jennings of Ash Hill Road, Ash, reported seeing a cluster of three "very large" stars that hovered for three to five minutes and made a droning noise. They then shot up into the air and disappeared. Earlier, in late May, Miss Jennings, while sitting in a car with R.A.E. engineer Mr. Anthony Frost, saw another peculiar star-like object from Ash Hill Road. Mr. Frost described it as a shooting star streak of light in the south-easterly direction that slowed down, hovered, and made a droning noise. It turned red and disappeared in a flash of red.

Ash Vale Sighting

Mrs. White of Homely Crescent, Frimley Road, reported seeing a brilliant white light in the sky over Ash Vale in mid-May, between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. She described it as round, visible for only a few seconds, and making no noise. S.I.G.A.P. Chairman Omar Fowler investigated this sighting and noted that Mrs. White also recounted a peculiar dream about a saucer and occupants taking her children, which led her to believe in the 'Lord'. She emphasized the light was so bright it was impossible to describe.

Guildford Sighting

Miss Dorothy Raggett reported seeing an orange UFO shaped like a half-circle over Guildford one night in June, around the middle of the month. She described it as a very bright orange object, initially mistaken for the moon, but recognized as the wrong shape and colour. It was moving very slowly from the Guildford direction towards Woking. She estimated its size as about ten inches along the top and five to six inches in depth in the centre. It suddenly vanished after about five minutes. S.I.G.A.P. member Mrs. S. J. Holt investigated and found Miss Raggett to be a reliable and truthful person.

Biggin Hill Sighting

On July 17, just after midnight, Mr. and Mrs. S. V. Russell of Biggin Hill, Kent, reported a mysterious circular light passing over Biggin Hill. Mrs. Russell described it as a large circular light travelling at excessive speed, too fast for an aeroplane and not fast enough to be a meteorite. It maintained a very regular height and was apricot-coloured. She also noted an unusual stillness and a short burst of a light aircraft engine sound.

Ball Lightning in Normandy House

By Dick Beet, this article describes an incident at Normandy House on Sunday, February 19, 1967. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston and their two children were in their bungalow when an explosion, described as a loud popping followed by a clap of thunder, shattered the silence. The telephone went dead, and from the telephone protector appeared a ball of fire. It was the size and shape of a narrow light bulb with a yellow-orange colour and a "fuzzy blue edge". It travelled slowly, scorching Mrs. Johnston's neck and singeing her hair, and later complained of a headache. The fireball then moved towards a power socket, increasing in size and changing shape to "more octagonal with jagged edges" before shrinking and disappearing. Investigations by a maintenance telephone engineer revealed that the telephone earth wire had become disconnected.

Group Information and Membership

S.I.G.A.P. is preparing to be listed in the Guildford Telephone Directory under "Research & Development Organisations" and in the ordinary classified section. Member Leslie Seymour has emigrated to Montreal, Canada. The group currently has 66 members, with a list of new members joining in the last couple of months provided, including Mr. Ian Mackinlay, Mr. Trevor Heath, Mr. Christopher Hopper, Mr. Edward Giles, Mr. Peter Hill, Miss Phyllis Pease, Miss Ellinor Austen, Mr. Roger Amos, Miss Marjorie Dalley, Mrs. Rosemary Hick, Mr. Richard Farrow, and Mr. Arthur Tuffill.

Articles for publication in the Bulletin should be sent to Ron Toft, S.I.G.A.P. Bulletin Editor.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the reporting and investigation of UFO sightings and related atmospheric phenomena. The group appears to be a serious investigative body, with members like Omar Fowler and Mrs. S. J. Holt conducting interviews and investigations. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry into these phenomena, presenting witness accounts and investigation findings without overt skepticism, as seen in the inclusion of the ball lightning report and the detailed accounts of various sightings. The inclusion of a personal reflection by Capt. S.R.B. Urry on the logic of flying-saucers and man's potential origin from another planet suggests a broader philosophical interest within the group.