Re v ised Oct 80 FILENo PartNo This cover is to be used only for official file series recorded with Australian Archives. Form Number AR 111 is to be used for working papers. REPORTS ON FLYING SAUCERS AND OTHER AERIAL JECTS. eferred l o Folio Referred to ARCHIVAL ACTION INST RUCT IONS ON THE PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN THE FILING OF CORRES- PONDENCE AND THE HANDLING OF FILES ARE CONTAINED IN DEPARTMENTAL AND SINGLE SERVICE MANUALS File Number CLOSELY RELATED FILES Oeparlmenr of Defence (AIR FORCE OFFICE) MINUTE PAPER RECLASSIFICATION OF FILES eference: A. DI(AF)AAP 8 10 para 326. DEFAIR 580/1/1 I n accordance with Reference A, all folios, in all parts of Department of Air File series 580/1/1 are reclassified 'UNCLASSIFIED' with effect 7 May 82. .A. PERSKE) DO NOT REMOVE THIS SHEET FROM FILE NO MORE PAPERS ARE TO B~ ATTACH3D TO THI S FI1I:, FOR I.ATER PAPERS S3E~.,, , . OR REFER TO SUBJECT nm:SX. 4th January, 1963 Dear llr Kendorski From time to time reports of unidentified flying objects are received and investigated by tho Royal Australian Air Force, but details of individual investieations have not been nado public. On October 2oth, 1960, the '.inister for Air, the Honourable F . ~. Osborne, made a. ata.tement in the Australian national Pnrlinr.:ent at Canberra, sumnarioinc the position, and his cot:JI:ents rrD.y be pertinent to your request. In the courac of his remarks t:r Osborne oaid, "The Department of Air does obtain information nbout nll woll reported caoes of unidentif- ied flying objects. Although reports of this sort have been investigated very carefully for ycara, nearly all of them are explainable on a perfectly nor.r.al baois. Soootir.res they ore found to be t7e3ther balloons, high- flying aircraft, or even stars. On one occasion, it was established that a roported spaceship was the moon. Of all these reports, only three or four per cent cannot be oxplnined on the baais of some natural phenomenon, ond nothinG that baa arisen from that three or four per cent of unexplained cnsos gives any firt'l SU.P:POrt i'or the belief that interlopers from other places in this orld or outside it have been viai ting us". llr Frar.cis s. Keniorski III 5212 tarlowe Street Philadelphia 24 PEHNSYLVANIA USA (A. B. rcFarlano) Dear Sirs: 5212 Marlowe Street Philadelphia 24, Pennsylvania, Please send me any information that you havv available on unidentified fljing objects (UFO's)(flying saucers) in Australia. I would greatly appreciate any additional infammation. Thank y:u,) 1/ /)_ ~of ~Francis s. Kendorski III (AIR MAIL-POSTAL CARD) Informajion Service Royal Auatralian Air Force CONFIDENTIAL TE EP ONE: Penri th 2331 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA IN R6PL Y PLEASE QUOTE / Headquarters Operational Command PENRITH 1W NSV/ Department of Air (Attention: DAFI) Russell Offices CANBERRA ACT UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS 1 . Forwarded herewith, for information, is a copy of a message received from ACC Sydney by the Duty Operations Officer at this Headquarters at 192207Z DEC: - "Report received from AERADIO NORFOLK ISLAND as follows:- QUOTE: Reports received from many sources of unident- ified objects over Norfolk Island at 172240Z DEC. Objects appeared cylindrical in shape with two vertical projections above travelling very high in a NNE/SSW direction. In sight approximately 3 minutes, can you identify? UNQUOTE" . 2. DCA ATC authority has enquired ~nto all possible sources and have confirmed that no civil or military aircraft were in the area at time of sighting. ~ (R.J. RJJIKJN(/ ,. Squadron Leader For Air Officer Commanding CONFIDENTIAL TELEPHONE: IN REPLY PlEASE QUOTE Department of Air Russell Offices CANBERRA ACT COMMONWEALTH OF Headquarters-support Command Victoria Barracks St Kilda Road ~ MELBOURNE SC1 SIGHTING OF illWSUAL AERIAL OBJECTS Attached is a report on the sighting of an unusual aerial object seen at CRESSY ~a ... mania on the 8th December ~962. The re_ort was forwarded through the De.:'artment of Civil Avi"~tion, ~.~.elbourne. -!ling Commander For Air Officer Commanding Mr. T. A. Gatenby. Observer Creekden, Cres~y, Tasmania. rvation (Ti o given in 2 rio of o~ rvat~on s) Approximately 2 minutes. ~ann r o Observatio : ( ive t if pos ible, or by lmoun lan l rks , Visual sighting from property at Cressy. (10 n . m. south-west of Launceston Airport) . Where ~s object first O'served, e.g ov Almost directly overhea~ r c~eu ooserv rs Did oh n+- As a star moving fast and high up 10.. If there \-las more than one object, hou r!lany \-Tere there One object. as any detail of structure 0 \las any method o propul.;ion obviou. Height,or angle of elevation. Very high up directly overhead. Speed. or angular velocity Ip~eterminate could have been a satellite. State any experience 'nich ena 1 s obserr r t about tt ive Has seen satellites before. ~ Since it is normally imposwiole to strange object, it'will Uwually be better the angle of elevation or the object, moved, nd the time t t Jo this South to North, slightly to the west of observer Weather at Launceston airport -7/8 Stratus 1600 ft 25. Location of any air trnff c n t;l e vicinity t t11e ogic 1 st .t ous in th Launceston Airport ~ ~ nl Mr. Gatenby fairly certain that object was a satellite. uestions 25 26 and 27 to co ns Ter d by interro COMMONWEALTH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE, CANBERRA, A.C.T. The Secretary, Department of Air, REPORTED SIGHTING OF UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT ~'V \ Further to our mem~dum on this dated 21th November attached is a copy of letter from Mr . Wells dated 18th November. As it does not appear to affect~ the views expressed in your memo of ~Oth November we are replying to Mr. Wells in the sense suggested. TELEPHONE: 69-J550 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE ROYAL AUSTRAL(AN AIR FORCE Department of Air Russell Offices CANBERRA ACT Headquarter or~ Command Victoria Barracks St Kilda Road r:J \ ~ MELBOURNE SC1 \ ~ SIGH~ING OF UNUSUAL AERIAL OBJECTS Attached is a report on the sighting of an unusual aerial object seen at CRESSY Tasmania on the 3rd Nov ember 1962. The report was forwarded through the Department of Civil Aviation I. elbourne. ing Commander For Air Officer Commanding REPOR~ ON A-RIAL OB~CT CBSSRVED !Irs Bosworth Occupation of Date and Time of Observation (Time given in 24 hour clock zonal seconds approxi~ately 6. Manner of Observation: (Give details of own position c.r ~-.. D:) reference if possible~ or by known landmarks and de~cri~e any equipment use d in the observation). ~osition of observer Liffey (9 m. west of Cressy) Visual sighting due east of observer ]. Where was object first observed overhead, coming from ~ behind a hill~ over the aorizon 8 . Waat firs t attracted observer ' s attention ; e . l iJht or noise. Very,bri ht light . 9 . Did object appear as D light or as a definite object. Definite object 10. If tnere was more than one object, how many were there, and what was their formation . One object 11. Wha t was the colour of the light or object . .~:~al~ic What was its . Needle shaped Was any detail of structure observable . . .. 14. Was any method of propulsion obvious Was there any sound -h-hu 1 ht 1 f 1 t Very High 17.kk8peed, or an..!Jular velocity Very fast, thought it was a "jet" 18. State any experience which enables ob~erver to be reasonably certain about the answer ~iven to 16 and 17. ~ Since it is normally impossible to estimate the heiJht and speed of a strange object/ it will usual~y be better to e ndeavour to determine the angle of elevation of the object, the angle through which it moved, a nd the time taken to do this Report on Aer~al 0bject Observed ( Con tel.) 19. Direction of flight with r efere nce to landmark s or points of the compass, Appeared to be coming "straight down" 20. Did the object remain on a &treight path, deviate or manoeuvre Straight vertical path Was any trail of exhaust Vapour trail 22. Where did object disappears e . g . in mid-airs behind c r-ill, over the horizon. Behind cloud 23. Existence of any physical evidence such a s fragments graphs, or other supporting evidence. 24. Weather conditions experienced at t ime(s) or observation(s) Light SW breeze. Cloud approx. 4/8 cu. Base 3500 Ft 25. Location of a ny air traf f i c in the vic i nity at t h e time of sl~11.ti ng . No air traffic operating in area which is 9 m. west of Launceston Control Zone Boundary. 26. Location of any meteorological s t ations in the cieneral a r e6. Launceston Airport f t Sightin confirmed by observer' s Questions 25s 26 and 27 to be answered by interrogator . Department of Defence Administrative Of~ices CANDERRA ACT REPORTED SIGHTING OF UniDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT 1. Please refer to your letter 128/1/21 dated 12th November, 1962, forwarding a copy of a letter dated let November f.!r. F .s . Welle of ttH111ford'', Gou1burn, concerning the sighting of an unidentified flying object. 2. It will be appreciated that the details forwarded by Mr. Wells are very sketchy and i t is therefore very difficult to make any assessment of the nature of the object sighted. Your letter was received in this Department on 13th November, 14 days after the sighting; it is therefore, considered that fUrther in- vestigation by interview with Mr. Wells would be of very doubtful 3. Inquiries into the :covement of RAAF and civil aircraft at dusk on the date of sighting have revealed that there were no RAAF movements, but that civil aircraft could have been in the vicinity though it is impossible to be certain of this owing to the absence of a specific time of sighting. 4. Baaed on the information given by Mr. Wells, this Department considers that the ?llOst probable explanation of the object sighted is that it was a meteor. COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Secretary, Department DEPARTME N T OF DE F ENCE, AN B ERR A , A C. T. REPORTED SIGHTING OF UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT Attached is a copy of a letter dated lst November, Wells of "Hillford" Goulburn in which he reports the sighting of an unidentified flying object. Ve have informed Mr. Wells that we are making inquiries and would be grateful if you would look into the matter and advise us. rsecretary To Department of Defence, Melbourne. 1st November, 1962 Can you inform me anything about a large object I see in the sky last Tuesday 30th near dusk in evening. It appeared to be sending out an orange coloured exhaust thick and wide at the front end of which was something bright like a very hot bright light. The angle it was from prevented me from kno\rlng whether the bright part was round or disc shaped. My observation point was about five miles south of Bungonia -I could not estimate how high the object was. live by myself my reading matter has been good books of educational value not fiction. I do not have a wireless. The object was travelling towards Canberra or Melbourne. Sgd. F .S. Wells. ANTt\RCTIC September. 1962 Clauce Tayior sent t. e fo owing message on .:'u y 9 after t'1e ne:1 ~t Hal ctt Sta~ion had heard a radio news repor~ from New Zculc:.:J.d of a "s~ange s:<y pbcnomenon seen !:here. "Following observations recorded here bv several obseners and on ' all sk~: camera colour photo rna~ be of help to interested parties in i'\ew Zealand. l. Object appeared at about Jl.lO hours G~cenwich 0:1 Ju'v 7. Tool.; about three to four mincrtes to eros~ from south horizon to nort'1 2. At northern horizon bearing from Hallet was 51 degrees east from true north. Closest approach to zeni ~ h was 36 degrees when bearinh was 39 degrees west from true north. 3. Ob.iect appeared as three with re~olvcd spots of light, o'1e much brighter than other ~wo. Grcvish l0rm around them was possible ''apour trail. Overall impression was that object o:-bited we'I with in atmosphere. Ccrtainlv it wa~ be- low normal auroral hci:zhts as it passed below auroro.l. 4. When bearing was approxi- matelv true Porth a flash of liifht occurred whicr did not alter oroit or fo:rn at aL. Xo noise heard. 5. RcYolution of three spots of light at great height indicated large sp:-ead. Relative position of spots did not seem to change. Camera photo did noi. revolve spots. 6. No resemblance to satellite or any sky phenomenon seen by any of seven observers who arc unlikely to a~ain scoff a t reports of flying Taylor, Hallet Station. CO:\'FlRMA TIO! '? A luminous object sim:lar to that described bv Taylor :.~s seen at Hallett S.otion \vas observed bv personnel at the Sout'1 African SANAE Sta~ion, on t~e other side of the Antarctic, o n : ~rch 18. NEW ZEALAND TR:O FOR 1963 As usual, the scientific staff to winter over at Hallett Station will include three !'Jew Zealanders. They M . SUTER (39), of Christ- church, Senior Technician. Doug Suter was born in Wellin~ton and educated at Christchurch B .H.S. :.~nd .Mt. Albert Grammar School. radar technician he served in the later was in the Armv (R.N.Z.E. M.E.). He was senior Ionospheric Ob- server at Campbell Island 1959-60. He is married and has three child- B. J . L. 1 AIN (22), Waiouru, Technician. Brian Main is a Radio Technician in the New Zealand Armv School of Signals, Waiouru. He was born at Christchurch and went to St. Bedes' College. He has scned for I I vears in the Scout Movement, being :.1 Queen's Scout and a Scoutmaster. He has repre- sented Central Militarv District at .. Socce~ 4 L. J . WYLDE (22), of Rami) ton, .1 Technician. Len Wylde is TaL~rang:.~ ' born and was u p upil of Hamilton B.H.S. 1952-56. He obtuined his B .E. (civil), at Auckland University Col- lc~e, and "vorked in Wellington and Two men will be c a rrying out biologic:.~! investigations, chiefly at Cape Hallett. during the summer months. Th