South Lincs UFO Study Group Newsletter - No 15 - 1969

Magazine Overview

Title: SOUTH LINCS U.F.O. STUDY GROUP NEWSLETTER
Issue: No.15
Date: April 1969
Publisher: South Lincs U.F.O. Study Group
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

This newsletter from the South Lincs UFO Study Group focuses on UFO sightings, astronomical phenomena, and related scientific speculation. The cover features a hand-drawn illustration of flying saucers and clouds, with the group's name and the term 'NEWSLETTER' in a distinctive, informal style. The issue number '15' is circled in the top right corner.

National Sky-Watch Day

The lead article announces the upcoming National Sky-Watch Day, scheduled for Saturday, June 28th, 1969, extending into Sunday, June 29th. This event is described as an established fixture in the Ufological calendar, eagerly anticipated by members of various UFO Research groups. The success of the sky-watch relies on close cooperation among dispersed societies and groups, necessitating a robust communications network. To ensure scientific value, measures are being taken to prevent interference from hoaxers and pranksters, and to keep gawking onlookers away. To achieve this, absolute secrecy about observation posts, phone numbers of control centres, and radio frequencies or call-signs will be maintained, with information to be disseminated only through group organisers or directly from the National Sky-Watch Organiser, Edgar Hatvany (SKW), of 19, Richmond Avenue, East Bedfont, Middx. (SAE required for correspondence).

The objectives for the National Sky-Watch Day are threefold:
1. A country-wide watch for unidentified flying object activity.
2. Testing the communications network and eliminating the element of surprise by being forewarned of approaching objects.
3. Obtaining verifiable scientific proof through the use of modern instrumentation.

The duration of the watch is set for 12 hours, from 7 pm on Saturday, June 28th, to Sunday, June 29th.

Life On Other Planets

This section touches upon the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Professor Jules Duchesne of Liege University is cited as stating that life of some sort may have developed on an estimated 100,000,000,000,000,000 other planets besides Earth. Furthermore, NASA scientists are reported to have found 'conclusive proof' of water on Mars, suggesting that organisms could exist either under the soil or within the water. The possibility of two independent forms of life developing along identical lines on both Earth and Mars is also raised.

'Ball of Fire' May Have Been Meteorite

This article details a mysterious phenomenon, a 'ball of fire,' observed over nine counties from Kent to Northern Ireland the previous night. The most popular theory at the time of reporting was that it was a large meteorite that fell to Earth. It was clarified that this event had no connection to a gorse fire in North Wales. Another report suggested the meteorite descended in a bog at Ballynahinch, Ulster, though this remained unconfirmed. Hundreds of people in Leicester and Leicestershire witnessed the phenomenon, leading to a flood of calls to the police, many via the 999 emergency system.

Mr. Kenneth W. Gatland, vice-president of the British Interplanetary Society, initially suggested it was 'almost certainly a Russian satellite, Cosmos 265 burning out and fragmenting in the atmosphere.' However, he later revised his statement after checking the path of the sightings. Dr. Henry Palmer of Jodrell Bank radio astronomy station commented that 'Maybe someone, somewhere, might find a trace of it on earth tomorrow,' and noted that descriptions of the 'fiery tail' fit the theory of a Russian satellite.

Mr. Gatland's revised statement indicated that he was 'more inclined to believe that this was a meteorite which partly vaporised and fragmented in the atmosphere.' He concluded that the object had been moving in the wrong direction to have been Cosmos 265. The article emphasizes the scientific importance of freshly fallen meteorites, stating that 'uncontaminated by long exposure to the earth's environment could hold important clues to the origin of the solar system'.

Eyewitness Accounts of Fiery Objects

Several eyewitness accounts of fiery objects are presented:

• Mr. Malcolm Branston of Lyddington, Rutland, described an object as 'like a ball of fire moving across the sky very fast and coloured a phospherous blue.'
• Anthony Hollies, an 11-year-old from Birstall, described a UFO as 'shaped like an ice cream cornet,' moving swiftly and appearing two-tone green.
• Mrs. T.L. Perkins of Leicester reported seeing 'a huge object, brilliant emerald green in colour, moving rapidly across the sky towards Evington' around 9:15 pm.
• Mrs. Dorothy Swanson of Braunstone described seeing a 'pinkish glow in the sky, falling towards the ground and leaving "a white beam behind it."
• In Doncaster, an object was described as 'a shining flying saucer.'
• A young man from Dublin reported his car had been 'shaken like a leaf by an 'explosion' seconds after it had passed overhead,' likening the sensation to being rocked by an invisible hand.

'Thing' Flashed Through Our Sky

This section, referencing a report from The Leicester Mercury (26.4.69), discusses the 'Fiery Thing' that amazed the country. It suggests that the phenomenon might have been nothing more than a meteorite. Despite this, the event prompted calls to local police and the Ministry of Defence. RAF Wittering also received calls from people who saw the object. Stamford police station reported sightings, including one by two policemen in a Panda car.

• Mr. Frank Hance of Easton-on-the-Hill witnessed the object. His wife and daughter first saw it as it 'cruised by.' Mr. Hance described it as 'going fairly fast in a dead level flight towards the north.' His wife stated the object was 'shaped like a tadpole,' with the front part being light green, lighter and brighter at the edges, and a pinkish-red tail that 'pulsated' as it moved.
• Three lads in Red Lion Square, Stamford, described the object as 'pear-shaped.' Local sightings generally occurred between 9 and 9:30 pm and all agreed the object was moving very fast.
• Mr. Michael Gaskell of Oakham initially thought the object was a firework but realized it was too large. He described the front portion as a 'round ball about half the diameter of the moon,' with a reddish colour, and an 'enormous tail - vivid green with orange flames coming out all round it.' He noted there was no noise, and the object vanished after about five or six minutes. (Reported in the Stamford Mercury, 2.5.69).

'Whistling UFO' Causes a Scare

This brief report from the Daily Express (3.4.69) describes an incident in Harrow Road, Wembley, Middlesex, where a 3ft. piece of heavy metal piping fell from the sky, accompanied by a loud whistling noise and a crash. The falling object narrowly missed an 18-year-old youth and ripped off a corner of an asbestos roof. One theory proposed is that the piping may have fallen from a plane.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter exhibits a strong interest in UFO phenomena, meteorites, and the scientific investigation of unexplained aerial events. The emphasis on the National Sky-Watch Day highlights a commitment to rigorous observation and data collection. The inclusion of scientific perspectives from figures like Professor Duchesne and Dr. Palmer, alongside reports from ordinary citizens, suggests an editorial stance that values both expert opinion and public testimony. The newsletter appears to encourage a rational, yet open-minded, approach to these subjects, seeking verifiable proof while acknowledging the vastness of the unknown. The concluding quote from Friedrich Nietzsche suggests an underlying philosophy that embraces mystery and curiosity.