SIGAP BULLETIN

Magazine Overview

The October 1968 issue of the SIGAP Bulletin, identified as No. 17 and part of Volume 1, marks a significant shift towards a more professional presentation, adopting a 'new look' with a printed heading to appear more like a proper magazine. The publication is produced by the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP) and is edited by Ron Toft, with Omar Fowler as Chairman and Richard Beet as Secretary. The bulletin is now priced at 1/- per issue for non-members, a move intended to cover production costs and expand its reach beyond the Surrey area to ufologists nationwide.

Editorial Content and Future Plans

The editorial expresses a desire to broaden the bulletin's appeal beyond SIGAP members and friends to a wider audience of ufologists. The publication aims to provide full details of important UFO sightings from around the world, not just those restricted to the Surrey area. Future issues are planned to include:

• UFO news from Surrey and all parts of the world.
• Letters from foreign UFO societies.
• Advances in astronomy and astronautics.
• Progress in the science of exobiology.
• Details of SIGAP projects and group information.

The editor appeals for articles and interesting UFO 'titbits', including features on ufology, extracts from UFO books and magazines, and personal views on the phenomena. Newspaper clippings are particularly welcomed, with the offer to photostat them if they are needed back. The current circulation is around 80, with aspirations to upgrade to a quarto duplicated magazine with a glossy cover if circulation increases substantially, with the ultimate goal of a printed magazine.

Local UFO Sightings

The bulletin features several reports of UFO sightings in the Surrey area:

• Earlswood Lakes, Redhill (August 11): A luminous cigar-shaped UFO was observed by several people, including Mr. James Winze and Miss Hilary Parker. It was described as like a luminous sausage and bore no resemblance to an aircraft. An airline navigation officer at Gatwick Airport suggested it could have been a weather balloon.
• Hooley (near Redhill): Residents reported seeing a similar spindle-like UFO with a disc structure, possibly revolving underneath. The Meteorological Office stated it was not a weather balloon, and the Ministry of Defence took details.
• Guildford (September 11): A 'very bright light', appearing as a large star with smaller lights nearby, was seen in the sky over Friary Sportsground by members of an archery club. The lights appeared stationary before splitting off and gradually fading.
• Guildford (August 5): Margaret Francis reported seeing five white lights in the sky, which vanished when obstructed by trees. She was certain it was neither an aeroplane nor a helicopter.
• Cranleigh (August 24): A spherical object 'enveloped in an orange glow' was observed.
• Midhurst, Sussex (July 15): Mrs. G. C. Richardson reported an extremely interesting account of a brilliant glowing object, approximately the size of the moon. It was seen cruising steadily below the tree line, appearing like the headlights of a car in brilliance, with faint grey vapour. It made no sound and appeared to be on a reconnaissance mission.
• Guildford and Worplesdon (September 1): SIGAP member Roger Thackray reported a bright star-like UFO performing various antics. The object moved east to west and back, stopping for brief periods, and occasionally flickering. A vague shape seemed to materialize, described as two domes joined at their bases.

International UFO Reports

Reports from outside the UK include:

• Madrid (August): A mysterious pyramid-shaped object with three bright knobs hovered for over an hour and was pursued by a Spanish Air Force jet until it ran out of fuel.
• Argentina: A UFO wave was reported with sightings in Mendoza (humanoid beings paralyzing people and taking blood samples), Mar del Plata (saucers over the sea), Buenos Aires (alleged collision with a 'saucer'), and Bahia Blanca (an alien described as tall, hairless, and earless).
• London Airport (August): Around 400 people phoned London Airport after seeing flashing lights, which the Ministry of Defence and British Airports Authority attributed to aircraft calibration tests.

Explanations and Theories

Two alternative explanations for UFO sightings are presented:

• Philip Klass: Editor of an American aviation magazine, suggests UFOs are 'plasmas' – molecular balls of fire associated with power cables and atmospheric phenomena, not alien spacecraft.
• Vesco: An Italian aeronautical engineer proposes that flying saucers are experimental craft designed and built by British scientists and flown from secret bases in Canada.

The editor expresses skepticism about these explanations, particularly Klass's theory, stating it fails to account for many facets of the UFO mystery, such as landings and contact with crews.

SIGAP Activities and Correspondence

The bulletin details SIGAP's ongoing activities and correspondence:

• Meetings: SIGAP is resuming its meetings in the canteen of the Plastic Coatings Factory, Guildford, at 8 p.m. An impressive program has been drawn up.
• Scheduled Meetings: Upcoming talks include 'Leys and Orthoteny' by Jimmy Goddard (October 15, 1968), a showing of SIGAP member Dan Butcher's UFO paintings (November 12, 1968), and 'A Film Evening' featuring space films 'Doorway to Tomorrow' and 'The Clouds of Venus' (December 10, 1968).
• International Exchange: SIGAP Foreign Correspondent Keith Burnett has initiated correspondence with other UFO societies. Replies were received from:
• Students Investigation on UFOs (SIUFO) in Oklahoma City, USA, a youth organization focused on serious UFO study and science projects.
• Extraterrestrial Phenomena Investigating Committee (EPIC) in Schenectady, New York, USA, which is cooperating on publication exchange and whose director, Jennifer Stevens, is working on a book about ancient sightings and hosts a radio program.
• Membership: The latest member to join SIGAP is Mrs. J. Hodgins of Guildford.
• FANCY THAT: A request for information on SIGAP and its bulletin was received from Michael McNamara in Victoria, Australia.
• Personal News: Congratulations are extended to SIGAP Photographic Analyst Norman Wynn and Ivy Price on their marriage on August 24.
• Public Talk: SIGAP Chairman Omar Fowler gave a talk on UFOs to the Emmanuel Church Young Wives' Group in Guildford on September 11.

Fact or Folklore?

Dan Butcher contributes an article titled 'FACT OR FOLKLORE?', examining a historical 'UFO wave' preceding the Spanish conquest of Mexico in 1519. The article describes sinister auguries, inextinguishable fires, and comets. It recounts two specific reports from this period: one of an enchanted 'crane' with a mirror reflecting a starry sky, and another of a shepherd kidnapped by an 'eagle' and taken to a shining grotto.

UFOs Round The World

This section provides brief reports from various locations:

• Chile: A giant 'birdman' creature is reportedly terrorizing people in the Chillan area.
• Argentina: A UFO wave is sweeping the country, with specific reports from Mendoza, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, and Bahia Blanca.
• Columbia, New Jersey: A research centre is to be built by the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained to study UFOs and other unexplained phenomena.
• Fremantle, Australia: John Stevens believes he was followed by a 'saucer' for 20 miles, which lit up his car with a peculiar V-shaped light.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The SIGAP Bulletin, in this October 1968 issue, clearly aims to establish itself as a serious and informative publication within the ufology community. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry, seeking to broaden the scope of reported sightings and encourage contributions from a wide range of individuals and organizations. There is a strong emphasis on reporting factual accounts of sightings, while also acknowledging and, at times, critically examining alternative explanations and theories. The transition to a more magazine-like format signifies a commitment to professionalism and wider dissemination of information. The recurring themes include detailed local sighting reports, international UFO activity, historical UFO phenomena, and the ongoing efforts of SIGAP to investigate and document these events. The publication also serves as a platform for SIGAP's internal activities, including meetings, member news, and correspondence with other groups, fostering a sense of community among those interested in aerial phenomena.