Form A.56s. CONFIDENnAL ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE File Number. /;f!TEA.A... SECTI Oi'JEADQUAa_TERS ORIGINATING FILE: Date of Opening. Papers bearing the same Subject. !!Iinuteor Date on Initials. Referred to for or Date on Initials. ~finute or Date on enclosure which file iB (Soo In enclosure which file is (Soo In-enclosure which file is In- passed out struction passed out struction stru<tion attention. of Branch. No.l2.) infoonati6n. attention. of Branch. No.l2.) ormation. 1 attention. of Branc . No. 12.) R.A.A.F. Form A 60 (May, 10ai) MINUTE SHEET Refer(fnce lfutJ.{~lA., ft, L/ I.~JSTRUCTIONS TO BE OBSERVED IN THE COMPILATION AND USE OF FILES. I. When opening a new file, care must be taken to see that a file rlealing with the subject is not already in existence and covers should be completed with details for which space is provided. 2. Cord laces only must be used to hold papers in file cover. 3. Minute Sheets to be attached to the left-hand inllide cover and enclosures to the right-hand side. 4. Minute Sheets are to be used for correspondence within tho Depart- ment. Corre3pondence from and to outside bodies is ill appear as an enclosure and a brief summary of every enclosure is to be included in the minute which gives the enclosure its number and makes it part of the file. If the enclosure is in one part, its number will be followed by the letter"" A," subsequent parts being lettered 5. Minute number one is to be on the printed side of the Minute Sheet and is to faco the cover on the minute side of the file. 6. Correspondence on subjects on which a file already exists must not be made on loose Minute Sheets-the file must be obtained and action tal<en thereon. 7. Minutes must be added in numerical order and both sides of the Minute Sheets are to be used. 8. Files must not be passed between Branches by hand without transit 9. tJotes of action taken may be entered on the Minute Sheets, other- wise unaddressed minutes will not be made. I 0. Minutes may be noted by Officers placing their initials over the reference to them at the minute head and such words as " agree" and" concur" m[!} be used to obviate separate minutes by indivi~ual addressees. An Officer's initials so placed will indicate concurrence with the minute. II. In Column I on the cover is to be indicated the persons for whom minutes or enclosures are intended, the number of that minute or enclosure and the date it is passed out from the last person noting (or otherwise using) the file being indicated in columns 2 and 3, respectively. 12. When the person indicated In column I has taken the necessary action on the flle, he (or his representative) will draw a line through tho reference to him in columns I, 2 and 3 on the cover and will place his initials in column 4, indicating that the necessary action has been taken. He will then indicate on tho next line to whom the file is to pass-completing columns 2 and 3. Victoria Barracks St.Kilda Hoed JelbOijD9 S.C.l CQftFIDERTIAL Headquarters, Eastern Area 1. On the 3rd May, 1952, Sydney Newspapers tentured prominently "FlYing Saucer" reports. Attached beroto for information is e copy or a report prepared as e result or interviews with the persons concerned. ~SADLER Flight Lieutenant For Air Vice J.larshsl AIR OFFICEij, ClrCN~ 1DI1l"'G Et TBmJ MA Flight Lieu to nant i . ,J. oadle r ( 022070) re e. I nte 11 i~e nee Officer and Squadron Leader r . C . r ur1ay (0113 '0; . P . 1 ... mo Senicr _ ir t~fi' Of it:er, Headquarters, Eastern _rea. ~POP:T ON" UNUSUAL IQ!!'l I ms OH 3RD r Y , 1952 1 . It is desired to advise that on 4th I ay, 1952, ling Corumewder I.L. Campbell l'equested that the Staff Officer Intelli6nco am the Assistant Provost La1shs.l jointly investigate newspaper reports on unusual si~htings on 3rd ! ey, 1952. 2 . Kenneth John Shiple~': P .L.G. employee: of .fo. 37 Victoria St1eet, BU!'\'Jood, wall interviewed and he so.id "At about 6-10 a . m. on 3rd Jay I was sittin~ in a P . I . G. true-: outside tbe Enfield Post Office with .og ..t:idnards (P. L . G. drive1) "''ld /illiam .ri.ndc.H'son (P .. G. employee) hen d~ a1ds dre\7 my e.tte ntio'l to a bri~ht li ..... ht moving across the sky. le all 1atched it for a few seconds from the trucl:, then we all ocrru bled out of the truck and stood in the s treet. Once \Jhile we were Hatching it, it disappeared behind clouds but I so.1 it again aoo pointed it out to tbe othe.s. Finally it disappeared behind a cloud nd \e did not see it aes.in. 3 . /hen slced to describe the ob~ect -.lhip).ey ouid "It loo.ed like a number (he thouJht six orseven) of chculal' li[!hts in a straicht line. ':'he colour of the liehts was similal' to street lighting, there g s no noise, no a parent sh pe. The h~ieht so JiJEtd to be similar to the height o~ aircraft I have se n fly in a1ounu J~rdney but the speed ~1ae definitely faster althou..;h I don'r't tbink it \las t\:ice a::-f&st. S:he t1uc Has facin~ south and tho 1.:.~1ts seo1~d to pass in f~ont of tho truct, 1 oving ea t a~d. mho l:..ght s follo led a etc.right ath end did not clirrb 01 descend and I did not see e.ny trail Ol' vu.ou!' behind the li._.hts. " ho!J as .. ed how be k00\1 the time Shipley said "Re....,. ~d\Ja!.ds said ' Hht..t is ths ti e'? I 1 .s the only oro itb a w~tch which I loo :ed P.t and s id ton past s ix. " l.j.. Recinald Ed,Jalds, P.~ . G. tr nsport driver, of IIa ~t 1orno Para~.J, .!abelfiold, .1as .:.ntervie~ ed rY.l said "On tu. ay l'd v.f I \.'0... ::.vt:n._. in a . G. trucl: in ..1rou otreet, outside the ...!!Ofi'JlCl Post ufrice 1i tt1 Ken .;>hi. ley e-.nd Bill nderson, who are also 1:-. ... G. employees-{) ! le ned fo1 -ard in too cc.b in to p1ess the sta1ter button and sail some b!iuht li,)1ts 1 ovinJ cross the sry. I s id to the others 'tr.ook at this nC! Je all 1 tch d for a fet. Deco nd s , then ....,ot out of the t1uc': n:l stood in the st1eet fo1 a feu l10l'O secoJds \:atchine. ~ho li._.hts \.ent behiJd u cloud n:J .e lost them. hi_le ... s ..... 1 tLem l' ..... a1 nd ue \ etchod them u!1'ljil they ent behind .... clcud nd e did not se them a.s ... .:.n. "'he lichts re .:.ndod o of ~ ship t sea ~t niuht \ ith ju t the liulto Visible but no su_ e1structu.o. They tr v 11 d .:.'l tF i.._.ht 1.:. e, :1 id ,ot l'i f ..... !.l nd e od o e ov .:.J..., ro.w t t est. I thou._.ht t1. r " l1 vo been bout 5)0 il o r hour. I late1 r ..... n the J dno I orniJ..; er ld J told ttl to1y. li .. )lts .1ere, in con .. trieol ~th t ret li.._.hto icb .e '6 tlo time o ... ' t e inte1vie1, ~ oint d out nov rh d 1oxi.. t ly t,1' o :.. e IJ colour. ' ds . s the nor 1 .lou s t1 e t 1 i._,ht in~ 1!!-. . iss . o a Clit en on, o .55 estoo Street, ar is rk, se.id "I ~1as tr .... v llin..., on motor cycle 71th elvin llis c_ e .... t .. ocd on the .ornin3 of the 3rd I oy. Just before full ae.ylight I sm1 bluo-.vhite li ht, oval in shaDe, betwe n the t1oes \!ith t1. i l of 1-i..sh \ ith ale Ol' b1illia.nce behind it. I :...tched it for short time until I lost sieht of i t behind some t1eos. It ap ..... ed to be tr vellin~ in a strui._.ht line towards the 1orth st. " Bracnh, Victoria. B~urac s, Sydney, 1as intervie od on t1is m:;-.t er. le s i d travelling by c ar o u the Princ e ' s -i...,h JaY m~ er Heathcote e. t a.pproxi tu1y 0600-0610 hours on 3r 1 ay 1he n I saw an object c.oss fr01 th south st to the east t an elevation of about 300. The object . as b1.:.11i nt l y l iGhted. The front portion nao J intense 1hite it1 ... blue tint 1 a st-rin._. of follo\7in..., l i hts \ere yello\ nd flic .. er.:.n..... I atched the object for appro ... i tely L:; oeconds dur.:.n ... hch tir.l3 it tr velled throu...,h .,~ro i ate1y oo co oncin._. i.1 ... cuth '1d f~n lly dia~ rin..., hind a 1 ree tl un er-heo.d cloud over the ... ea en T first siahte the obj ct I us ~r.:.vin .... t about 50 m. p . h . I s l o\1ed doun and .i.th my f ist clenched n rum outst1etched I cove1ed tho o bl)o<; t u i th y .f .:.st. t the time of sight in~ ] thout;ht the ob~ ct \. s jet a ircr i't approxim toly ove1 Kiama 60 1 ileo south). 'he objec t !\erued to be about double the le ncth of a Co nv il 1rc r ft t thr e miles. 16. r rthur .:.111 Fi lel', 30u Cxfo1d oJtreet, ondi unction, x -:t . F . ilot .:.d ~t about 610 hours I ~as at od.i.oe on the first tee t the ..... tle ~o s .... lf cou!'se ci tin to hit off '.; 0 15 hour I tJ lo Lin.., to tho south od s \ an object ith ... fueel . ...,e sho_e ri ... htlj? lit, in the south , .;lt. li ht s .hite o t e elev tioo out . .oo eer s . I -..\7 ob~oc for bout fo "he li~ht ~e ~ed 1 s .:.nt nse e.t th r n t int .:.nod~ st~ i._.ht easterly fi~ lly dis . P ring into b n~ of cu ulus clou I th irn~ re ion th t it . s u fi...;hte! t, r _ e. ire l':...ft bonber t .. _e. sa lool: in<-> to th the sky rJd it ~ ~ ny t .:.1 O!' trail t l y 30 to l~o. olf.:. ld, on the roads ide s Lo n(J draw any no i e . " D e te rly 20. Dr A. R. Hogg, ssiatant Commonwealth Meteorologist, \7as interviewed at Mt. Strom1o, A. c. T. Dr ffogg said that no observations of the sightings reported in the newspapers, had bee made on 3rd May at Mt. Strmmlo. In explanation of the sightings he said that on or about May 6th showers of radiants frora meteors may be seen just before sunrise. These showers occur annually and may be expected over a period of several days early in May. Dr Hogg explained that meteors and meteorites become visible when entering the earth's atmospgere, which extends to approximately sixty (60) kilometres above the earth's 21. It w111 be noted that in every case the reported sighting occurred in the southern sky shorDly after 0600 hours, the direction of mevement being approx~ately west to east. Although it has not been possible to definitely fix the exact time each sighting was made, it is considered that all sightings were made at the same time, this tUne being approximately 0610 hours on 3rd May and therefore it is assumed that all persona reported the same sightins. 2~ Where an impression ar distance has been formed in most cases the observer was of the opinion that the lights or objects were within a ten mile radius, and where an estimate of elevation has been made the consensus of opinion is between 30 and 40. Although various ~pressions of colours and sizes of ~ights were given, it is considred that the variations in reports were in most oases due to the short length of time the light was seen. 23". The investigating officers formed the following (a=) The sighting was of a light, not of an obJeot. (b) The light was of a considerable distance tnot leas than sixty miles) from the earths surface. (c) The light was probably caused by a meteor or similar bodY. ~ regard to the above opinions/B~t~R~ reppDts stated that an object had been~een, it is considered that the observers in these oases may have been influenced by a previobs reading of reports in newspapers and magazines. ~he distance factor is borne out that al1 observers were facing the southern sky and whilst al~ had the opinion that the light was merely a few miles away, the moat southerly sishting at Minnamur (see paras 18 and 19) was approximately fifty {50) south of the most northerly sighti~ It will also be noted that the observer in para 12 gave the elevation as between 30 and 400. This observer was some thirty (30) miles south of Sydney which fUrther supports the opinion of great distance, there being little change of elevation although the observer is thirty miles closer to the light. Furthermore, newspaper reports of sightings in Victoria at the same ttme, which were not investig- ated, support the opinion that the lights or objects were a considerable distance from the earth's surface. 24. In support of the meteor theory many observers gave their ~pressions as a large light or lights, followed by smaller lights. The investigating officers are of the opinion that this impression could be given by the break up of a large meteor 25. Recommendations: It is recommended that any future investigations as a result of newspaper reports be conducted as follov~: (a) Copies of all leading State and Interstate daily ne\~papers be obtained covering the period of the (b) The Commonwealth Meteorologist be contacted for an opinion as to reports and sightings made by official observers. (c) Individual interviews then be undertaken i.f deemed necessary. 26. Attached are copies of various reports which appeared in Sydney newspapars. 'S n Leader, Assistant Provost Marshal. Sundav Herald. Sunday May 4th.I952. SEVEN MEN REPORT A ''FLYING SAUCER'' Seven men reported aeeing a "flying aaucer" over the Sydney area and at Parkes, 180 milea by air west of Sydney, yesterday. They said it was BEROWRA, seven miles for. at. lea~t two min~les a cigar-shaped object, \north of Hornsby, at 6.17 until 1t dlSappeare~ mto well lit, which flew a .m. (by two men). cloud. lt travelled silently. silently and vc~y. fas~. p ARKES : BELFIELD: R.A.A.F. and Civil Av1a-. ion . officials and meteo-" White Obj' ect" olog1sts at the Sydney ------=:.--- W'cathcr Bureau could not Mr. L. Bailey, of the Mr. G. McKenzie, of ~ive an explanation. P arkes rad1o station 2PK, Linda Street Belfield Fast And High The "flying saucer" was said be saw a white object, said he was o~ his way t~ reported over:-flat at one end and pointed work about 6.10 a. m. PARK ES at 6 a.m. (by at the other, flying over thelwhen he saw a "flying one man); town at 6 a.m. 'saucer. " ENFIELD, w~stcrn SY.d-ll was abou~ 4,000 feet " I thought I was seeing ncy suburb, e1ght m1les up and travelling at 450 thing~ a nd could hardl} from the cl!y, at 6. 10 a .m. miles an hour. /believe my eyes but the <by three men); Mr. Bailey said he was objcct passed overhead a t ELFIELD, adjacent to/on his way to conduct the about 500 miles an hour and Enfield, at 6.10 a .m. (by station's breakfast ~ession. ltravellmg at around 25,000 one man); I He watched the "saucer" feet," he said. said they were on their \\.ay sky as straight as a gun wiJI ever convince us we ti) work at Enfield at 6.10 barrel and appeared to be on didn't see the 'saucer.'" a .m. when they saw an a fixed course. object which appeared to "We saw it for at least a BEROWRA: have many lighted windows. full minute, and ran to the " D S h" The men are:-Reg Ed-corner of thr ~treet to watch . ue out wards, of Haw~h~rn Parade Keith Holmes, 19, dairy- Haberfield; Wilham Ander-farmer, of Turner Road, of George S!reet, E n Berowra, a nd G o rdon Ross, field ; and Ken Sh1ppley, o 21 university student of Victoria Road, Burwood. Cr~wley Road, Ber~wra, Edwards, who acted a~ said the object t hey saw ap- sp~k7,man for . the three, peared over Berowra at 6.17 satd: We were m my truck a .m. It was travelling due outs1de the Enfield p~st-south at a high speed. ~ffice whe~ we saw the fly. It was well lit and they aucer. could see sparks coming "It was well to the no:th from a type of exha ust. of Enfield and travelling north to soLth. "It took u~ a ~oouple of seconds to realise we weren't No Known Plane dreaming. MR. R. EDWARDS "We then dashed from the . . Offical th t' OFFICIALS : truck to get a be tter view. It finally disappear mto a ~. e _?Pe.r~ lo n.s "It wa a long thing like ba~k of clouds. . . an airship or a submarine, l use? to th1nk stone! and all lit up like a liner at about flymg saucers were sea fairy tales but now the three ' of us are convinced the} MADE N O SO UND really do exist. "It was at least th ree or " We could even see tht...Jie Al!MP!W uo SM04S ~41 Jll four times larger than a exhausts at the back of thfS ' 1! JOJ IU~v. SJtJeq four-engined Skymaster, it 'saucer' which looked tik1'1& uodweq;, pueJI) JO do made no sound as it flew, jets. ll JOI <~l:dwo;, 01 SJ'fC~s !~ Jln a11d travelled at about 500 :whenyou see things like' aua:~:'o. '1.~uq awt.J d81 miles an ho ur. th1s 1t kind of makes yof"uo lU c Ol 0 I WOJJ ' JO "One th ing we were all wonder how long we al 1! IU:lv. ~J:li.UnH convinced about, it was defi have to live. S:l'fUUJ :IICI u n!tely not a meteor or any . "None of us were suffer'~o k.ind of star. mg from hang-overs yester J!Jd~ JO IUnH ~Jtcus / - renuuc J!:l41 JO SJ!CI SI!A\ 0 JUJS seq ~JJ;)WWO:) -~q U Ullq:) JO!Unf Jql 1nq 01 ~0 '\UIIul u A;)Ul li!U.V./1\0U'f n dJ Sun da y Te legr a ph . Sunda y May4 th. ! 952 . Eleven people in Sydney and others at B e r o w r a and P a r k e s yesterday cia imed that they f I y i n g All ot them sald they saw th~o: saucer soon after 6 a.m. One of them, Mr. M. T . ChatswOOd, au ex-Air Force instructor, ts an instructor at the Kings- ford Smith Aero Club. Bankstown. "I was In the Boulevarde, Stra.thfleld. when I saw the obJect 4000 to 5000 feet up, be[ween Bankstown and "It appeared to have no was cigar-shaped