SIGAP Newsletter No 06 1967-11

Magazine Overview

The S.I.G.A.P. Newsletter No. 6, dated November 15th, 1967, is published by the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena, affiliated with the British Unidentified Flying Object Research Association. The newsletter aims to promote unbiased investigation and research into Unidentified Flying Object Phenomena. The Secretary is R. Beet, located at 195, Epsom Road, Guildford.

The October "Flap", Surrey's Contribution

This section details a period of heightened UFO activity in Surrey during the latter part of October 1967, referred to as the 'flap'. The newsletter notes that following a sighting by two Devonshire Police Constables of a 'Flying Cross', there was a surge in reports of various aerial phenomena including 'Crosses', 'Stars', 'Green Balls', and 'Fireballs'. The media, including newspapers and television reporters, covered these events extensively. Since the previous newsletter on October 6th, SIGAP received 19 sighting reports, with 9 occurring after October 23rd. The publicity generated by SIGAP and general media coverage contributed to this increase. The reports included sightings going back as far as a year, but only eight reports from October were definitively classified as UFO activity. The newsletter contrasts this with the Ministry of Defence's statement that numerous sightings were Venus, aircraft, or satellite reflections, suggesting UFOs do not exist. The article notes with interest a Russian statement about investigating their own UFO reports, which they have been tracking on radar for 20 years, humorously questioning if they are unaware of Venus.

The newsletter then lists local sightings in date order:

• October 7th, 1967, 8:20 pm: Mr D. Law and his girlfriend near Guildford Cathedral saw a whitish object shaped like a half moon streak across the sky at approximately 500ft altitude. It left no trail, made no noise, and headed west.
• October 15th, 1967, 2:30 am: Miss J. Darrah saw two bright lights in the sky, one above the other. After about ten minutes, a third light joined them from the south. All three lights moved into the distance and disappeared.
• October 3rd, 1967, 3:30 am: Miss Akworth of West End, Woking, observed a red disc about 50 degrees above the southern horizon in clear weather. The disc remained stationary for 3 to 5 minutes.
• October 24th, 1967, 9 pm: Miss P. Warren and two friends saw a 'glowing ring of fire' approach the ground at Wood Street Common, near Guildford. It hovered for a few minutes before suddenly shooting skywards and disappearing.
• October 26th, 1967, 7:15 pm: Miss C. Fisher and her parents observed a formation of amber coloured lights in the direction of the 'Hogs Back'. The circular lights changed formation several times, flying in a 'Vic' and then a 'Cross' formation. Two lights flew away, and the remainder suddenly disappeared as if switched off.
• October 13th, 1967, 6:35 pm: Mrs B. Pratt of Jacobs Well saw a bright light approaching as she led her ponies from the field. The light drew closer, taking the shape of a 'Flying Hovercraft' with several brightly glowing lights and three hazy trails underneath, as depicted in a sketch.
• October 29th, 1967, 4:18 pm: Mr R. Martin of Godalming saw a Vee formation of lights, as bright as 100-watt bulbs, from his window. By the time his wife came outside, the lights had gone.
• November 6th, 1967, 7:15 pm (approx.): Mr Murray of Woking saw a very bright cross-shaped star moving slowly across the sky from south to north-north-but, then changing course west to east. Its movements were irregular, occasionally stopping for a second or two.

The newsletter states that these sightings are reported to date and are still under investigation, with no further comments at this time.

Sky Scouts/Contact Groups

This section reports on the organizational changes within the International Sky Scouts. The group, which recently renamed itself 'Contact' (U.K.), has apparently split, forming a further group called 'International Sky Scouts Assc. (UK)'. This new group has, in turn, separated from its parent body, the Japanese-based 'Cosmic Brotherhood Association'.

Sussex Investigation Society of Aerial Phenomena

The newsletter announces the welcome of a new investigation group, the Sussex Investigation Society of Aerial Phenomena (S.I.S.A.P.). Mr D. Rodway of Herne Hill has contacted SIGAP for co-operation. The formation of a Sussex group will reduce the need for SIGAP to travel to that area for investigations.

UFO's and Radar Tracking

Written by Dick Beet, this article addresses the common question of why UFOs are not tracked on radar screens. Beet dismisses this as a fallacy, citing an instance where a government radar tracking station in Scotland allegedly traced an object the size of the Queen Mary at a height of 160,000 ft. and travelling at 60 mph. Further evidence is presented from E. Ruppert's 'Report on UFOs', formerly of the U.S.A.F.'s 'Project Bluebook'.

The article details an incident from September 12th, 1961, at the Army Signal Corps Radar Centre at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. During a demonstration, an operator spotted an object about 12,000 yards southeast of the station, flying low towards the north. The operator failed to switch the set to automatic tracking, noting it was 'going too fast for the set'. The object remained in range for three minutes before leaving the scope.

Twenty-five minutes later, the pilot of a T-33 jet trainer flying at 20,000 ft. over Point Pleasant, New Jersey, spotted a dull silver disc-like object descending from an altitude of about a mile. The pilot banked the T-33 to pursue it. As he descended, the object reportedly stopped, hovered, then sped south, made a 120-degree turn, and vanished out to sea.

The Fort Monmouth radar group then received an urgent call to pick up a target high and to the north. They acquired a fix on an object travelling slowly at 93,000 ft., which they could also see visually as a silver speck. The next morning, two radar sets picked up another target that exhibited unusual climbing and diving maneuvers, including climbing almost straight up. The two-day sensation concluded when radar tracked another UFO moving slowly for several minutes.

The B.U.F.O.R.A. Northern Conference at Liverpool

Reported by O. Fowler, this section covers a visit to Liverpool on November 4th to represent SIGAP at the 'Northern Conference'. The meeting, held in the Central Hall, Renshaw Street, was attended by delegates from various UFO research groups, including the Merseyside UFO Research Group, Tyneside UFO Society, Cambridge University Group for the Investigation of UFO's, and the British Unidentified Flying Object Research Society.

Key presentations included:

• Charles Bowen, Editor of 'Flying Saucer Review', discussed outstanding UFO reports from recent years.
• Anthony Durham spoke on the possibility of some UFO sightings being 'ball lightning' and raised interesting points for consideration.
• W. Skellan of the Direct Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena presented on 'Mechanical Implications of UFO's', using a stroboscopic disc to illustrate his theories.

During informal discussions, Mr Stewart Miller of the Cambridge Group requested copies of SIGAP's sighting reports to be programmed onto computer cards at Cambridge University. Mr Bowen (who lives at Woking and is Editor of FSR) commented on the publicity SIGAP had received, suggesting that sky-watches yield little and that time might be better spent investigating witness reports more fully. The reporter agrees with this sentiment, noting the steady increase in reports.

SIGAP Application Form For Area Investigators

The newsletter includes an application form for Area Investigators. The position is honorary, and investigators can opt out at any time by writing to the Secretary. The Executive Committee reserves the right to remove individuals from the post. Applicants are asked to provide their full name, address, age, telephone number, occupation, qualifications/technical skills, and details about portable tape recorders, personal transport, and investigation radius. They are also asked if they can investigate a report within 24 hours, 3 days, or 7 days, and if they have a camera. The form concludes with a request for comments and an urgent plea for investigators, stating that expenses cannot be paid. The form is to be returned to the Hon. Sec. at 195, Epsom Road, Guildford, Surrey.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently promotes the unbiased investigation of UFO phenomena. It highlights the challenges of gathering credible evidence, the role of media publicity, and the official skepticism from bodies like the Ministry of Defence. There is a clear emphasis on collecting and analyzing witness reports, as evidenced by the application form for investigators. The publication also tracks developments in the broader UFO research community, including conferences and the activities of other investigative groups. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, seeking to understand UFO phenomena while acknowledging the difficulties and the need for systematic investigation.