SIGAP News No 5 - 1978 April

Magazine Overview

Title: Sigap News
Issue: April 1978
Volume: 5
Date: April 1978
Publisher: Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (Sigap)
Price: 20 PENCE

This issue of Sigap News, dated April 1978, focuses on a recent 'flap' of UFO reports in the Farnborough area of Hampshire, alongside reports from Surrey and Ashdown Forest. The magazine critically examines the media's coverage, particularly that of the Daily Express, and offers potential explanations for the sightings.

Reports Hot Up: Farnborough Area Sightings

The lead article, "REPORTS HOT UP," details a surge in UFO reports occurring at a rate of two per day. The magazine links these to a spate of sightings around Basingstoke the previous year. The Daily Express ran a centre spread on 7 April, connecting sightings from Farnborough, Ash, and Ashdown Forest, implying a single object. However, investigations soon suggested this was not the case, with sensationalism being a key factor.

Ash Walsh School Sighting

One report, brought to Sigap by member Alan Franklin, involved a caretaker at Ash Walsh school who observed a multi-coloured object for over an hour. Constable Alan Craggs was called to the scene and, along with the caretaker, watched the object for about 20 minutes on the evening of 5 April. The object was seen to change colour through the spectrum and move erratically over Twesledown, Aldershot, travelling north.

Farnborough Playing Fields Sighting

Simultaneously, a woman in Farnborough reported that her young son had been frightened by an oval-shaped object that emitted golden flashes as it hovered over playing fields.

Ashdown Forest Incident

Further east, at a farm near Kingstanding in the Ashdown Forest area of Sussex, around 22:30 hours on 5 April, an object was reported to break in two as it fell from the sky. Upon impact, the object started a gorse fire, prompting the dispatch of fire appliances.

Media Reaction and Analysis

The Ashdown Forest incident was seized upon by the Daily Express, which ran a banner headline "Close Encounter of the REAL Kind." The paper's impression was of a multi-coloured UFO that had travelled from the west, over Aldershot and Guildford, before crashing in flames in a Sussex forest. Police were pictured searching the Ashdown Forest with Geiger counters, a scene described by the magazine as "Real science fiction stuff."

However, the magazine questions the facts: the Farnborough boy's sighting involved a "large, cigar-shaped object" hovering, not moving, at 21:00 hours. The Ash caretaker observed a light for an hour and a half before reporting it at 21:50 hours. The flaming object in Sussex hit the ground at 22:30 hours. The magazine concludes that this period of observation, from 20:20 to 22:30 hours, does not suggest a consistent trajectory, and the object appeared to change shape remarkably.

Contrasting Descriptions

At Farnborough, the object was described as "cigar-shaped"; by Ashdown Forest, it was a "flaming object"; while in Ash, the caretaker and policeman observed a stationary or near-stationary object changing colour. The magazine argues it would be illogical to assume these were the same object.

Preliminary Conclusions

Sigap's preliminary conclusions are:

• The Farnborough boy likely saw something strange, possibly similar to disc-shaped objects with fins. The flashes might have been caused by army flares or military exercises, as night flying from the Royal Aircraft Establishment was also reported.
• The school caretaker and policeman in Ash were likely observing the planet Jupiter, which was prominent at the time. Atmospheric aberrations could cause such a light to appear to change colour and move erratically, especially when viewed for extended periods, compounded by eye fatigue.
• Investigations by Bufora and the British UFO Documentation Centre (BUDC) into the Sussex report suggested the cause of the UFO and fire was an army flare, possibly from an exercise involving army cadets.

Lessons Learned

The magazine draws several lessons from these experiences:

1. Media Credibility: Do not believe everything in national newspapers, which are fighting for survival and may sensationalize stories. The article notes that national dailies had lost 27,000,000 copies due to strikes that year.
2. Perception vs. Reality: What you think you are seeing is not necessarily the reality.
3. Official Error: Policemen can also make mistakes.
4. Positive Outcomes: The publicity has provoked further reports, with at least four more tallying with the Farnborough boy's sighting, which are now being investigated.

The magazine suggests a large-scale military exercise might explain much of the aerial activity and expresses a desire to improve communications with the police.

Meetings and Events

Next Sigap Meeting

The next Sigap meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, 19 April, at 8:00 pm at the Prospect Club, Prospect Road, Ash Vale, Aldershot. The speaker was to be Alan West, Director of the British UFO Documentation Centre, discussing his organization's work. Alan West is a past Director of Bufora.

Close Encounters Film Preview

Omar Fowler and Richard Beet represented Sigap at a press preview on 3 March of the film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The magazine recommends the film for ufologists and notes that it would be available in London around August.

A Question of Identity

Sigap reiterates its policy of withholding witness names to protect them from embarrassment and unwanted attention. An apology is issued for failing to edit out names in a previous issue, which was published without consultation in a local trade promotional newspaper, causing embarrassment.

Sigap Film Project

A 16mm film about Sigap, previously reported, was about to begin production. Director/Producer David Furmage from the West Surrey College of Art and Design was to start filming in Surrey, Hants, and possibly London.

Bufora Conference

A conference in Nottingham hosted by Bufora is mentioned, with plans to report on it in the next issue.

Skateboard UFO Case S804

This section details a case previously reported in issue 4 of Sigap News. On 30 January 1978, at approximately 20:00 hours, two boys, Tony (13½) and David (14), were playing on skateboards in Basingstoke when they noticed a bright light moving towards them. Initially thought to be an aeroplane, the light grew closer, revealing a round shape in the middle of a glowing orangy-yellow light that seemed to be spinning. The object hovered about 100 feet from the ground, with a series of yellow lights rotating around its centre (estimated at 80 revolutions per minute), and a small green light appearing with each revolution. The yellow lights were clear at the front but blurred at the back. A red dome was on top, with a red light suspended above the body, and a white light at the front. A rhythmic droning noise, like bees, was heard. The object reversed slightly, then moved forward again. The boys described it as being the length of a house roof. Scared, they ran home, with one briefly dropping his skateboard. After a short time, they looked back, but the object was gone.

Close Encounter with Charles Bowen

Charles Bowen visited Sigap on 22 February, coinciding with the publicity surrounding the film CE3K and UFOs in general, driven by the Daily Express and The Sun. Bowen shared insights into the methods used by the press to extract information, noting that the Express had spent considerable time with him, detailing cases from Flying Saucer Review (FSR), of which he is editor. The magazine acknowledges that it was "extremely galling" for those who provided information that references to sources were only given at the end of the Express series.

Bowen shared the opinion that the film CE3K would lead to an increase in sightings, a mixture of genuine observations and hoaxes. The discussion also touched upon the "Establishment view," Russian attitudes to UFOs, and the influence of the CIA, particularly the Robertson panel report, and the Condon Report.

A First World War Phenomenon

This section is an extract from "Air Observation - Warplanes of World War 1." It describes an experience where the engine of a plane became increasingly erratic. The pilot prepared for a crash landing among enemies when the engine unexpectedly stabilized. The crew then witnessed a "family ghost" of the clan of Archibald: an immense pillar of grey-white smoky substance that appeared suddenly, stretching vertically from the ground. It was described as rigid, cold, unnatural, and implacable, spraying round at the top like asparagus. Similar apparitions had been seen for two or three months. These pillars of smoke seemed to fade away as mysteriously as they appeared. Rumours suggested they were an experiment in aerial gassing or a phosphorous compound, but the author states they simply "entertained us from time to time, with no apparent damage."

Editorial Notes

Sigap News is printed, published, and distributed by the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena, a voluntary organization founded in 1967 to investigate UFO reports. Material is copyright reserved, and permission to reproduce items must be obtained from the Editor, Richard Beet, at 3 Grantley Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 6BW.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the reporting and investigation of UFO sightings, the critical analysis of media coverage (particularly sensationalism), and the exploration of potential mundane explanations for sightings. The editorial stance is one of cautious investigation, emphasizing the importance of factual reporting, questioning sensationalist claims, and educating the public about misidentification and the unreliability of eyewitness accounts when influenced by external factors or media hype. The magazine also highlights the importance of its own role in collecting and investigating UFO reports, while also acknowledging the limitations and potential for error in all investigations, including those by authorities.