YUFOS Journal vol 1 no 3

Magazine Overview

This issue of the YUFOS JOURNAL, Volume 1, Number 3, published by the Yorkshire UFO Society, features a cover with an illustration of a flying saucer over a city skyline. The price is 30p. The issue appears to be from around 1979, based on the dates of the reports.

Contents and Articles

From the Editor

The editor notes the new cover design, which is also the emblem for YUFOS Tee shirts. Orders for these shirts are strong, with over 30 sold. The proceeds from the shirt sales are intended to help the Society purchase books, maps, and improve its financial stability, a common reason for UFO groups to fold. The editor thanks G.W. Birdsall for donating the initial outlay for the shirts and encourages members to ask friends and neighbours to purchase them. The shirts are priced at £3.50 including P&P and are available in Red, Yellow, Blue, and Black, in sizes L, M, and S.

The contents list includes:
1. Editorial.
2. YUFOS case reports. Index 1.
3. UFO report. Tony Dodd.
4. UFO report, contd.
5. Reports from Telegraph & Argus. Graham Townsend.
6. Reports from Graham contd.
7. Letters to the Editor, Psychic ability and UFOs by Pamela Sheridan.
8. Pamela Sheridan contd. Interval.
9. Crossword, UFO crossword by Nick Morris & Carol Walker.

Y.U.F.O.S INDEX No 1

• This section provides a detailed index of UFO cases investigated by the Yorkshire UFO Society. It lists 31 entries with the following details:
• Number: Sequential identifier.
• Location: Specific towns and regions, primarily in Yorkshire (e.g., Brimham Rocks, Armley, Leeds, Cracoe, Headingley, Morley, Sheffield, Hull, Bradford).
• Year: The year the sighting occurred, ranging from 1968 to 1981, with a notable entry for 1998.
• Investigator/s: The individuals who investigated the case, predominantly G.W. Birdsall, often in collaboration with M.I. Birdsall or N. Morris. Tony Dodd and Graham Townsend are also listed as investigators.
• Class: A classification, possibly indicating the type or certainty of the sighting, with categories like Yellow, Green, and Red.

UFO Report: North Yorkshire (YUFOS Case Number 26)

This report details an incident on a Thursday in January 1978, involving two police officers on patrol near Skipton. While driving towards the village of Conoley, they observed a bright white light in the sky, approximately 100ft above the ground, moving towards them. The object was circular and grew in size as it approached, estimated to be as large as two double-decker buses end-to-end. The officers stopped their car and observed the object, which appeared saucer-shaped with a raised section containing darkened portholes and a dome on top. Its underside featured a shallow skirt with rotating red, green, white, and blue lights, giving the impression of moving neon signs. The entire object glowed with an incandescent white light. Three large ball-shaped objects were spaced evenly around its perimeter. No sound was detected. The object then moved to the left, stopped, and hovered over a distant hillside before appearing to land near a plantation of trees. The officers drove to the area but could not find it. Leeds/Bradford and Manchester airports confirmed no aircraft were flying or on radar in the area at that time.

The accompanying illustration is based on a policeman's description, noting similarities to the 'Adamski' photo but distinct from the 'Adamski Saucer'.

UFO Report (contd.) - 'The Dark Gods' by Roberts & Gilbertson

This section references an article from the 'Sun newspaper' dated 20th February 1978, detailing an encounter involving Troopers Michael Perrin and Titch Carvell. While driving a Land Rover, they saw a UFO described as 'silvery, the size of about 5 Land Rovers and dome shaped'. It had portholes and was internally lit by flashing red and white lights. Hovering about fifty yards away, it emitted a buzzing noise. When Perrin attempted to start the Land Rover, the vehicle became 'dead'. After five minutes, the UFO rose into the sky, and the Land Rover's power returned. The next morning, the troopers and a sergeant returned to the area and found a large circle of burnt grass.

Reports from Telegraph & Argus (Bradford)

This section compiles several UFO reports from the Telegraph & Argus newspaper:

• 14/11/79: Dominic Royston, an 11-year-old schoolboy from Bradford, saw a large, star-like object, estimated to be the size of a fingernail or golf ball, which moved very fast.
• 9/3/79 (National Paper): Gaynor Sunderland, aged 11, and her mother Marion, were questioned under hypnosis regarding an event in July 1976. Gaynor saw a silver 'Saucer Craft' about half the size of a house, with a man and woman in silver suits. The craft was 35ft across and 9ft high, with yellow windows and a flashing 'Box' on top. The 'people' probed the ground with equipment before taking off with a loud humming noise.
• 3/1/79: Mrs N.R. Byrne, an ex-Royal Observer Corps member from Girlington, Bradford, saw an object in the sky at 7.10 pm, which she thought was an aircraft on fire, estimating its altitude at around 21,000ft.
• Mrs Rhodes from Queensbury, Bradford, saw a flashing object moving through the sky at 7.15 pm on New Year's Eve.
• Mr and Mrs Stephen Masser from Laycock saw a very bright object that dropped slowly, turned over horizontally, and moved into the clouds.
• Mr Manley of Tong, Bradford, reported three UFOs to the police at 7.30 pm, which were still visible at 11.35 pm. Two were saucer-shaped with multi-coloured lights, and one ejected a star-shaped object just before a plane was due to land at Leeds/Bradford Airport.
• 25/8/78: Miss Elizabeth Dunn, a bank clerk from Bradford, saw an orange light at 11.25 pm, which she identified as a 'Flying Saucer' hovering in the direction of the Royal Infirmary. Two days prior, two boys saw a UFO with a white glow over Clayton Golf course.
• 17/5/78: U.S. Navy radar technician Timothy Collins reported tracking a UFO over Florida. At the Navys Pinecastle Electronic Warfare range, workers observed brightly lit objects that hovered, turned, and sped off, evading computer-equipped radar. Commander John Sullivan stated the radar 'would not handle it'. Duty officer Robert Clark of Detroit mentioned civilian calls about an object 50-60ft in diameter with flashing lights on state road 19. The Jacksonville Navy air station confirmed no Navy planes were in the area.
• 14/3/78: Bradford police received several UFO sightings around the Manningham area. A police spokesman noted it was unusual for so many people to report sightings in a short time, but police could not issue descriptions due to home office regulations.

Letters to the Editor: M.I.Birdsall

M.I. Birdsall writes regarding the relationship between astronomers and ufologists. He criticizes the skeptical attitude of many astronomers towards 'Flying Saucers', attributing it to the vast distances involved in space travel. He calls for astronomers, like Dr. Patrick Moore FRS, to adopt an open-minded and scientific approach to investigating the heavens and anything associated with them. He believes that UFOs and unexplainable phenomena exist, but remains open-minded about their origin, with extraterrestrial theory being the most popular.

Psychic Ability and UFOs by Pamela Sheridan

Pamela Sheridan discusses the possibility of UFOs originating from our solar system or beyond. She notes the immense distances involved in interstellar travel, even at the speed of light. Sheridan suggests that UFO occupants might possess superior psychic powers, which could explain their ability to appear and disappear suddenly and travel vast distances instantaneously, possibly by thought alone. She draws parallels with people experiencing 'out of the body' experiences and astral walks, questioning the capabilities of 'space friends'. This hypothesis, while not answering all questions, offers a perspective on the bewildering aspects of the subject.

Interval

This section features a humorous cartoon titled 'INTERVAL' depicting alien figures and a UFO, with the caption "AMMONIA" AMMONIA"!

Crossword

A crossword puzzle titled 'This Crossword is just for fun. GOOD LUCK!!' is provided, compiled by Nick Morris and Carol Walker. Answers are promised in the next edition.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings and reports from various locations, primarily in Yorkshire, UK, but also including a report from Florida. The Yorkshire UFO Society appears to be actively investigating and documenting these cases, as evidenced by the detailed index and investigator reports. There is a clear emphasis on witness testimony, including accounts from police officers and ordinary citizens. The issue also explores speculative aspects of UFO phenomena, such as the potential link between psychic abilities and extraterrestrial intelligence, and addresses the skepticism within the scientific community towards UFOs. The editorial stance seems to be one of open-minded investigation and a desire to gather and share information within the UFO community, while also seeking to establish the society on a more stable financial footing through merchandise sales.