SUFOG Newsletter No 018

Magazine Overview

This document is the "SOUTHAMPTON UFO GROUP NEWSLETTER", Issue No. 18, dated May 1991. It functions as a compilation of media reports and information relevant to UFO research and crop circle phenomena. The newsletter is coordinated by Steve Gerrard and provides contact information for the group.

What the Papers Say (May 1991)

The newsletter meticulously lists numerous newspaper and magazine articles from May 1991, categorized by publication type. This section highlights public and media attention on UFOs during that month.

National Newspapers:

• The Times (6 May): Reports a UFO blamed for an air miss with a jet.
• Daily Star (7 May): Features pictures of a being from outer space.
• The European (10 May): Covers close encounters of the Belgian kind.
• Independent on Sunday (12 May): Mentions 'Reliable Saucers' in its diary.
• Sunday Telegraph (12 May): Poses the question, 'Is there anyone out there?'
• Sunday Times (12 May): Suggests 'Earth Life Just Like on Venus'.
• Daily Telegraph (17 May): Reports on 'Lost US Squadron is Found: Flight 19'.
• Daily Express (18 May): Discusses 'The Deadly Hoodoo Sea: Flight 19'.
• International Herald Tribune (18 May): Features Dave Barry.
• Southampton Echo (8 May): Reports 'Close Encounters: An Author with his eyes on the skies'.

Crop Circles:

• Wiltshire Times (3 May): Notes that corn circles continue the county's UFO history.
• The Guardian (16 May): Asks, 'Running rings around the corn?'
• Southampton Echo (17 May): Reports on new crop circles sparking warnings.
• Today (30 May): Claims a mystery in corn has been solved.

Magazines:

• Country (London) (May): Features a letter on UFO sightings.
• Timeout (London) (8 May): Has an article titled 'Beam me up'.

Paper Unknown:

• (13 May): Discusses a 'New UFO Theory to Big Bang'.
• (20 May): Offers an 'Objective look at the unknown'.
• (22 May): Covers 'Things that go flash in the night'.

Regional Newspapers:

This section provides an extensive list of articles from various regional UK newspapers, detailing local reports and discussions on UFOs and related phenomena.

• Barking & Dagenham Post (1 May): 'Mystery hum is caused by flying saucers.'
• Brentwood Review (3 May): 'Out of this world plea.'
• Bristol Observer: 'UFO probe after light over wood.'
• Kentish Gazette: 'Mystery object in sky.'
• Worksop Guardian (10 May): 'Don't keep UFOs to yourself.'
• Glasgow Herald (11 May): 'Try to catch a UFO napping.'
• Leicester Mercury (13 May): 'Magical mystery tour of county.'
• Aberdeen Press & Journal (13 May): 'UFO hunters hit wall of silence.'
• South Kent Citizen (15 May): Reports a 'Flier in flap as 'missile' buzzes jet at 22,000 feet.'
• Western Evening Herald (16 May): 'Flying saucers report upheld.'
• Southport Visitor (17 May): Features a 'Talk on UFOs.'
• Wolverhampton Chronicle (17 May): 'Is there anybody there?'
• Western Morning News (18 May): Discusses 'Pitfalls avoided in a dangerous task.'
• The Magazine on Sunday (19 May): 'Space oddities.'
• Peterborough Evening Telegraph (21 May): 'Close encounters of UFO kind revealed!'
• Birmingham Evening Mail (21 May): Reports on 'Club UFO.'
• South Kent Citizen (22 May): 'Kent's own UFO is back again to buzz Margaret's garden!'
• Barking & Dagenham Post: 'No title.'
• Chad: 'UFO Group Meeting.'
• Evening Standard: 'UFO Celebration.'
• Nottingham Post (24 May): 'Quiet UFO 'lit up the skies'.' (29 May): 'Checks on UFO reports.'
• Todmorden News & Advertiser (31 May): 'Close encounters of the Todmorden kind.'
• Yellow Advertiser: 'Don't be scared - tell us about UFO's.'

Historical Sighting: Kevin's 'Flying Saucer' Picture

A section features a photograph claimed to be of a 'flying saucer', taken by Kevin Dudley in Erdington, Birmingham. The picture was provided to the Daily Express by Contact U.K., a U.F.O. research group. Derek Mansell, a technician and Contact U.K. executive, stated that after investigation, the pictures were believed to be genuine. Kevin Dudley described the object as hovering for some time before moving off at a very fast speed.

UFO Blamed for Air-Miss with Jet (The Times, 6th May 1991)

This article details an incident where an Alitalia jet, carrying 57 passengers, reported an apparent air-miss with an unidentified missile-like flying object over Kent. The object passed within approximately 1,000 ft of the aircraft, which was flying at 22,000 ft. An unexplained faint radar trace was produced at the London Air Traffic Control Centre. The Ministry of Defence stated that the range was closed on the day of the incident and that remotely piloted vehicles, sometimes used as targets, do not reach such altitudes. The reported air-miss occurred over the Lydd Range.

Items for Sale

This section lists various items available for purchase by enthusiasts:

• Audio Tapes: Around 70 tapes on UFOs and crop circles are available, costing between £3 and £5, including postage.
• Slides: A list of over 300 black and white or colour slides concerning UFOs is available from other groups.
• UFO Models & Kits: UFORIA offers UFO models, kits, entity figures, posters, badges, T-shirts, and ufological memorabilia. A free catalogue is available by sending a large SAE.
• Books for Sale: Several UFO-related books are listed with their publishers, dates, and prices, including:
• 'Flying Saucers Are Hostile' by Brad Steiger & Joan Whritenour (£0.75p).
• 'Mankind - Child of the Stars' by Max H. Flindt & Otto O. Binder (£0.75p).
• 'UFO' by Robert Chapman (£0.50p).
• 'The Flying Saucer Vision' by John Michell (£0.75p).
• 'The Cosmic Connection' by Carl Sagan (£1.00).
• 'Operation Earth' by Brinsley Le Poer Trench (£0.50p). A bundle of 5 books is available for £3.00 plus postage.
• New Books to Look Out For:
• 'UFOs: The Final Solution' by David Barclay.
• 'Crop Circles: Harbingers of World Change' edited by Alick Bartholomew (£14.95).
• 'Crop Circle Secrets' edited by Donald L. Cyr (1991).

UFO Hotlines and Services

Contact numbers are provided for various UFO-related services:

• UFO Hotlines: Standard Rate (33p/min) and Peak Rate (44p/min) lines for news updates and information.
• Computer UFO Network/UFO Reporting and Information Service: Details for connecting to a computer line and reporting/information service functions, including international dialling codes.

Useful Addresses

• Book Service: Midnight Books in Sidbury, Devon.
• UFO Brigantia: Information about the bi-monthly journal of the Independent UFO Network (IUN), its content, and subscription rates for UK, Europe, and USA.

Videos

Three new videos are reported:

1. YUFOS Osset Conference 1989 (Quest): 3 hours, 180 video.
2. Linda Perrin: The Unknown & The Unseen: Approx. 2 hours.
3. Granada's 'Up Front with the Two Elderly Hoaxers of Crop Circles': Approx. 1 hour.

Additionally, a 3-hour compilation video includes 'Flight 19 News Flash', 'Australian UFology', 'Roswell Reconstruction (The Unexplained)', and 'Texas Ghost Lights'. These videos are available from Rod Haworth.

Next Meeting

The next meeting is scheduled for December (details to be announced in the December newsletter). The time is 7:30 pm, and the venue is 25 Weston Grove Road, Woolston, Southampton.

Editorial for October '91

Future Event:

• BUFORA's 30th National Conference: Scheduled for 19.9.92 at the London Business School. Details available by SAE to BUFORA.

Television & Radio:

• Radio Two (October): A 4-week series on the paranormal hosted by Derek Jameson, featuring interviews with Jenny Randles on UFOs and crop circles. The interviews were brief (approx. 10 minutes each).
• Television (19.10.91): The James Whale Show featured Jenny Randles, but the interview was considered disappointing, with her being 'mickey-taken out of her'.
• Channel 4 (27 October): The programme 'Equinox' examined crop circles, featuring interviews with Terence Meadon and other 'fringe groups'. The editorial noted the absence of interviews with Colin Andrews and Pat Delgado. It was considered a worthwhile watch, though potentially off-putting due to its start. There was speculation that Terence Meaden was told what to say.

Request for Audio Recordings:

The editorial concludes with a request for audio recordings of TV and radio interviews concerning crop circles or UFOs, as the writer is building an audio library and is willing to swap material or make other arrangements.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter's primary theme is the documentation and dissemination of information regarding UFO sightings and crop circle phenomena, largely through the aggregation of media reports. It reflects an active interest in these subjects within the Southampton area and the wider UK. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, presenting various reports and theories without necessarily endorsing them, while also engaging with the practical aspects of UFO research, such as resource availability (books, videos) and group activities (meetings, conferences). The inclusion of historical cases and media analysis suggests a comprehensive approach to the subject matter.