WEST YORKSHIRE UFO RESEARCH NEWSLETTER

Magazine Overview

This is the third issue of the West Yorkshire UFO Research Newsletter, dated January 1985. The newsletter aims to increase its pagination and material, with the editor hoping to maintain a regular publication schedule. It expresses gratitude to Anne for her assistance with photocopies and wishes luck to Darren and Anne in their correspondence with UFO sighting correspondents. The newsletter also mentions upcoming articles or contributions from Darren regarding the 'Oz Factor' and Jenny Randles.

UFO Reports and Sightings

January 1985 Flashes of Light

Paul Bennett reports on the reappearance of inexplicable flashes of light, similar to lightning, which he links to UFO flaps from JASON77 to JASON81 and Paul Devereux's book "Earth Lights." On Wednesday, January 16, between 11:55 pm and 12:05 am, Sylvia and Paul observed two bright flashes heading towards Ilkley Moor. They are excited about the possibility of an oncoming UFO flap and urge readers to keep their eyes open for similar phenomena.

"Huge Torpedo-Shaped UFO Possibly in 1938"

This section details a sighting by Mr. Edward Burton of Barnsley, who, at approximately 13 years old, witnessed a large, torpedo-shaped object with a pale blue haze and rectangular windows. The object was described as huge, like two football fields end to end, and travelled very fast over Bradford towards Shipley. The sighting occurred on a cold winter's night and is taken from a 1981 article in "Flying Saucer Review."

UFO Reports from April 1978 (Leeds-Bradford Area)

This article, by Steve Hart, compiles reports from the Pudsey News about UFO sightings over the Leeds-Bradford Airport at Yeadon on April 4-5, 1978.

• April 4, 1978: A cigar-shaped, silvery object was seen low to the horizon, appearing to flutter down behind a hill (Plane Tree Hill, an old prehistoric site with ghost reports) and reappear after an aircraft landed. Some observers, mostly children, reported a "dome-like object" on top of the cigar. The object was estimated to be about 100 meters long and was visible from 12:20 pm to 1:15 pm in clear weather with about 10°C temperature and 50% cloud cover.
• April 5, 1978: This phenomenon was different, with observers (mainly 7-11 year olds) seeing as many as five objects, though most saw two. These large, oval-shaped objects with hub-like protrusions were seen at about 30° elevation, rotating rapidly in a vertical axis. They appeared to change places and one seemed to descend as if to land before both disappeared very fast, moving upwards. The air temperature was about 13°C with 10-15% cloud cover. The objects were silvery, and some witnesses reported seeing "sparks." The first drawing of the objects was provided by Lorraine Stephen and Helen Morley.

The article concludes that these were likely two Close Encounters of the First Kind in Leeds.

Paranormal Encounters

The BramLEY Hall Spook

This section presents a ghost story, justifying its inclusion in a UFO magazine by stating that all paranormal material is relevant to ufology. It recounts an event from the late 1790s at Bramley Hall, where an eccentric miser, Mr. Oliver Hiles, was murdered. The murderer was subsequently half-strangled by Hiles's bleeding figure. In the following years, inexplicable noises, bangs, bell-chimes, and glows were reported. Author Johnnie Gray reported in 1891 that Hiles's spirit occasionally visited the spot.

Strange Encounters of the Inexplicable Kind

This section details two similar cases from 1977.

• September 13, 1977 (Great Horton, Bradford): Andrew Cromak, 19, reported a sudden electrical atmosphere in his room, followed by a greenish glow and a hand with electrical static reaching out from it. He was immobilized and blacked out. The next morning, his entire bed was saturated with water, with no ammonia or other distinct smells.
• November 1977 (Bradford area): A witness, identified pseudonymously as John Smith (19), reported a loud, unnatural roaring noise and a humanoid entity about nine feet tall with Satanic red proportions and eyes, emitting a brilliant white aura. The entity was in his attic bedroom. After several minutes, he screamed but no noise came out. He blacked out. The following morning, he found half the paint where the entity had been had peeled off the wall, and his bed was saturated with water, similar to Andrew Cromak's case.

The author notes the fascination with the water phenomenon, suggesting it's not simply excess sweat. The similarity in timing (within a month and a half) and location (within miles of each other) of these two encounters, occurring during the 1977 flap, is highlighted. The author concludes with a complaint about such phenomena.

May Festivities and Ufology

This article explores the potential connection between May Festivities, Morris Dancing, and ufological events, particularly in the context of the "Appletreewick enigma." The author notes that the British Isles, and Yorkshire specifically, have a long history of such festivities, with areas like Baildon, Adel, Idle, and Grassington considered powerful centres of the 'Mother Goddess.' These areas have also seen a high number of paranormal/ufological events.

The article posits that the rhythmic spiral dance of Morris Men, performed during the May Festivities, might be linked to the 'Mother Earth's' energy being at its peak. The author suggests that the area of Appletreewick and its surroundings come alive during this time, referencing previous mentions of fairies. The May Pole, made from Hawthorn or Oak, is also discussed. The theory is that the tree where an anomaly was photographed might have been activated by the rhythm of the dance. If the tree could be identified as Hawthorn or Oak, it would strengthen the connection between the strange object and the idea of an 'elemental' evoked by the dancers' ceremonial rites.

The article also mentions that some group members reported a perfect circle of nettles directly underneath where the object appeared in a photo. This is explained through energy extrapolation, where the energy taken from the tree was replaced, and the frequency of the energy around the tree was complementary to the nettle plant, creating its growth.

Postscript to A Useful Acronym

This section continues Steve's article on "temporary anomalous occurrences" with a series of quotes from the "Tao Te Ching" (Penguin version, pp17-18), focusing on concepts of indistinctness, shadowiness, and formless shapes.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The newsletter consistently links UFO sightings with other paranormal phenomena, including ghost stories and unexplained physical effects like water saturation. There's a strong emphasis on investigating and reporting these events, encouraging reader participation and correspondence. The editorial stance appears to be one of open-minded inquiry into all aspects of the unexplained, with a particular focus on local sightings and historical cases within West Yorkshire. The articles often explore theoretical connections between different phenomena, such as the link between ancient rituals, natural energy, and UFO events.