REFERRED TO FILE PUT AWAYIC (INITIALS) (INITIALS) FILE NUMBER OTHER FILES BEARING ON THIS SUBJECT Australian Government OF AUS TRAL I A DO NOT OPEN This acid free mask contains ...... ? .~ .... folios The contents of the mask are: D Exempt from public access under paragraph(s) You have a statutory right to seek a review of the exemption. in the open period as defined by the Archives Act 1983. D Withheld pending agency advice Australian Government DO NOT OPEN This acid free mask contains ...... ? .... folios The contents of the mask are: D Exempt from public access under paragraph(s) ... of the Archives Act 1983. You have a statutory right to seek a review of the exemption. ~Not in the open period as defined by the Archives Act 1983. D Withheld pending agency advice Australian Government DO NOT OPEN This acid free mask contains ...... ? .... folios The contents of the mask are: D Exempt from public access under paragraph(s) of the Archives Act 1983. You have a statutory right to seek a review of the exemption. g/ Not in the open period as defined by the Archives Act 1983. D Withheld pending agency advice Australian Government DO NOT OPEN contents of the mask are: D Exempt from public access under paragraph(s) You have a statutory right to seek a review of the exemption. 0' Not in the open period as defined by the D Withheld pending agency advice ~FOS BULLETIN APPENDIX A: OFFICIAL AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE UFO CONTROVERSY - A PROGRESS REPORT BY Bill Chalker (E) CoPYri~ht: B. Chalker-1983) 1982, I was able to: Examine the majority of the extant UFO files held by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Examine the entirety of the extant UFO files held by the Department of Aviation. Initiate discussions with a defence scientist privy to the official files and the Inner workings of governmental policies and approaches to the UFO subject. Initiate enquiries with other Australian agencies and individuals r e UFO file Undertake enquiries with overseas government departments re UFO file holdings (In particular, the Ministries of Defence in the U.K. and New Zealand, and the USAF re Project Blue Book, the latter, in relation to Australian ~ases). Undertake discussions with the Department of Aviation/Bureau of Air Safety Investigation on the Valentich affair, and publish some of the results of my enquiries. THE RAAF FILES ~he RAAF files held by the Directorate of Air Force Intel! igence (DAFI) were examined '-aver four separate visits to the Department of Defence Russell Offices in Canberra during 1982-namely, January 11-14, May 7, June 4 and October 8. total of 56 files were examined. They fell into three categories: (1) "Unidentified Flying Objects-Reports of Sightings"-47 files covering the period 1955-1982. Three files covering the period around 1973/74 have yet to be examined. UF0s-Enquiries from Members of the Public and Flying Saucer Organisations"-7 files covering the period 1966 1981, and (3) "Investigation of Flying Saucers-Policy"-2 files covering the period 1953-1969. The current ''pol icy" file has not yet been made avai !able . THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION FILES The DOA files held by the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation were examined on November 19, 1982, during a visit to to their Melbourne office. Four files were examined and their contents included: -Previously papers related to the famous Drury film affair. (I) (2) Details about early reports from 1952-1968. (3} Early RAAF documents and reports (copies) no longer available in the RAAF files, due to the original files, ostensibly, being destroyed during the Department of Air (now Department of Defence (Air Force)) move from Melbourne to Canberra in the early sixties. (4) Papers relating to the controversial Bouganville Reef event of 1965, which appear to confirm that the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) had no knowledge of it, at least at the level of DCA-Director-General in Melbourne. (II} DISCUSSIONS WITH DEFENCE SCIENTIST Detailed discussions have been undertaken with a retired scientist who has worked the Defence Scientific and Technical Intelligence (DSTI) s ection of the Joint Intelligence Bureau (JIB, now Joint Intelligence Organisation-JIO). ~he scientist, in a civilian capacity, had access to the RAAF/DAFI UFO files in 1954 and later,as JIB liaison to DAFIJ had access to the DAFI files during the late sixties. He was in a unique position to examine the files and observe the policies and approaches of government agencies (DAFI, JIB etc.) to the UFO question. Further to my discussions with him by phone and Jetter, I was able to meet him personally during May 1~83. I have found his information extremely Informative and it has served to compliment and supplement data I have amassed from other sources. A detailed picture of the history of official involvement In the UFO controversy, in Australia, can at last be discerned. OTHER AUSTRALIAN AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS Upon my request, on July 13, 1982, the Director of Naval Intelligence (DNI) declas- sified documents relating to the famous radar-visual Sea Fury incldnet of August 31, 1954. These included written statements by the Sea Fury pilot and the Nowra Naval Air Station radar operator and a previously confidential memorandum from DNI to OAF I. (II I) -4n correspondence with R.H. Mathams, former Director of Scientific Intelligence (JIB/ JIO) and author of the book: Sub Rosa-Memoirs of an Austral Jan Intel Jigence he indicated to me that, 0STI had only a marginal interest in UFOs; our analytical resources were limited and I had to take the position that we could not afford to become too involved in Investigation of UFO slghtings until we had reasonable grounds for believing that they were of foreign-as opposed to alien-origin. We relied on DAFt to make the initial investigations and, at times, assisted in the interpretation of the resulting data Mr Mathams is not the defence scientist mentioned earlier. Other agencies and Individuals have either been contacted, replied, or are in the process of being contacted. I do not, at this stage, propose to possibly jeopardise results, with premature disclosures of current and future Jines of enquiries. OVERSEAS ENQUIRIES Enquiries with some overseas government departments have borne fruit. The Ministry of Defence (MOD), Defence Secretariat, Division 8, of the United Kingdom, Indicated: s records on UFOs go back to 1962. Most of the materia l is reports of ~ Individual slghtlngs by members of the public, passed on to us via ATC centres, pollee, RAF stations, etc. As an Indication of the size of our holdings, we received 2250 sighting reports between 1978 and 1981. "b. MOO Investigates UFO slghtlngs solely to determine whether they Indicate anything of defence Interest. No attempt Is made to find a positive lndentlflcation for every object seen. We have, therefore, no category of 'unexplained' slghtings .. " A reply from New Zealand authorities confirmed that there appears to be little organised effort to Investigate UFOs there. No comprehensive records are maintained. From the National Archives and Records Service, Washlngton,-D.C., U.S.A., where the USAF Project Bluebook files are held, I have received copies of documentation held on some Australian cases. (IV) I also have on order microfilm copies of a comprehensive Bluebook Index and all photographic holdings. * 1 have also been In contact with a number of overseas civilian researchers who have assisting me in my enquiries. THE VALENTICH AFFAIR On May 26, 1982, the Department of Transport (now Aviation) released to me their Aircraft Accident Investigation Summary Report on the disappearance of VH-DSJ and Its pilot, Frederick Valentich. It would appear that this document was made available only to parties having a bonafide interest in the incident. It would appear that, via my correspondence with the Department, they were satisfied that my interest, despite It being from a "ufologlcal" point of view, was never-the-less bonafide. I am aware that the same report has been denied to other parties, whom on the face of It, appeared to have had a bonafide Interest. (V) During my November 19, 1982, visit to the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation, I had the opportunity to discuss the Valentlch Affair with Mr A.R. Woodward, A/Director of the Bureau. He referred to the files on the case,he had In front of him, to answer some of my questions, however, access to these files was denied to me, on the basis that all "air accident" Investigation files were privileged Information. It was evident that they were only treating the affair as an."accldent/lncident" pertaining to air safety Investigation. More recently, when I questioned him on the alleged discovery of the aircraft, VH-DSJ, ~ off Cape Otway, by divers, Mr Woodward Indicated that no action was planned by the Department of Aviation. In the event that VH-DSJ was actually salvaged, the Department confiscate the aircraft In view of It being the subject of an aircraft accident Investigation. Dr Richard Haines has provided me with an advanced complimentary copy of his "Journal of UFO Studies" paper: "Results of Sound Spectrum Analysis of the Metallic Noises of a Tape-recorded Radio Transmission Between Cessna VH:DSJ and the Flight Service of Melbourne, Australia". (VI) PUBLICATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS I have been able to publish part of the results of my research Into official Australian government Involvement In the UFO controversy: (1-2) "UFOs and the Royal Australian Air Force-the Inside Story", In the UFO Research Australia Newsletter (UFORAN), Vol.3 Nos.2,3 and 4 (March-April, *These have now been received and the index is being thoroughly examined to facilitate, eventually, a full record of all Australian cases held within Project Bluebook files. May-June and July-August, 1982) and MUFON UFO Journal No.175 (Sept. 1982) e and No.176 (Oct. 1982), the latter In a slightly edited form. (3-4) "UFOs: Australia's Secret Documents Revealed", in Omega-Science Digest, Sept.-Oct. 1982, and the APRO Bulletin, Vo.30, No. 10 (Oct. 1982) and Vo1.30 No.tl (Dec. 1982) as "Australian A.F. UFO Report Files". (5) "The RAAF UFO Files", The Journal of the Australian Centre for UFO Studies, Vo.3, No.3 May/June, 1982. (6) "The RAAF Files", UFORAN, Vo1.3, No.4, July-August, 1982. (7) "Valentlch Disappearance-the Official Verdict", ACUFOS Bulletin, July 1982. (8) "UFOs-the Secret RAAF Files", by Ken Anderson, The Dally Telegraph (Sydney), "Air Force Files Examined-UFO Slghtings 'Still a Mystery'", by Tim Cribb, The (Sydney) Sun, December 8, 1982. -he British Flying Saucer Review (FSR), via Gordon Creighton, have indicated an Interest ~n publishing some of this material. UFO Nyt, the Scandanavlan publication, have also been given permission to publish m~terlal. The Orbls mulltple part publication, "The Unexplained", may also be briefly refering to this research with an article by Jenny Randles In the near future. will continue to release the results of my research as time permits. have made limited copies of some documents available to those Individuals with bonafide Interests, e.g. Nebo area events of 1964 and 1965 (VII) and a possible "land; ng" near Mandurana In 1978 (VIII) to UFO Research (FNQ); 1957 radar visual event in Tasmania (IX) and 1960 USAF aircraft encounter nearCres sy (X) to TUFOIC; Groote Eylandt (1964) "EM" event (XI), radar-visual event at Kalamunda (1969) (XI I) etc. to UFOR (WA), and various "alrcraft/UFO encounters " to Dr Richard Haines, who Is specla 1 Is ing !n such In view of the fact that I have signe d a DAFI document undertaking to preserve confidentiality, I have to maintain strict control of the RAAF documents released to me. As time permits documents will be released with confidential details (names etc.) SPECIAL AREAS OF STUDY During my reviews and research of official files several particular areas of study have received additional attention. These Include: (1) The cas e for and against officia l "cove~-ups" of UFO DATA: More than twenty Individual accounts from civilian sources allegedly Indicative of "cover-up" activities were and are being examined. I hope to report on my findings shortly. (2) The Drury film affair: Most of the original documentation Is now secured. Frames from the film are In my possession, however, they are of poor quality. Mr Drury has been contacted and was most helpful with my enquiries. A report on my Investigat ions will be made available when completed. (3) Reports by mil ltary personel: Reports by service personal have been collected together and a report will be mod~ available when completed. Reports from aircraft: Such cases have been Isolated and are to be added to an expanded catalogue in conjunction with Keith Basterfleld's revision of his existing document on this theme. (XI II} (5) Official policies to UFOs: of official documents relating to policy have been secured. The evluatlon of official policy re UFOs ln Australia from 1950 through to 1983 Is fairly clear. I will be reporting on this In due course. {6) Summarising and indexing official file holdings: Preliminary general indexes are already being worked on which will cover the period Search for missing files: While It appears that I have been able to examine the majority of RAAF/DAFI file holdings, a few Individual file parts remain to be located and examined. These Three sighting file parts covering reports during about 1973 and 1974. Major cases known to be In them have already been secured (e.g. UFO over North West Cape (XIV}/np a physlcal..t.rave event near N;:,bo (XV)).~ t~. IfF 5Z'f '13 Paris I, z ~ 3 -lt./Ol.tcl hlat ~,.,.~ ~ The "current polic}'" file. n ...J--7 _ ohv ot.t5l'1nc1_,. {ff><;t,qJ.~'Jf,e.t~!J: I!!. IfF 551-/ J/:Jd r"ttn :;;::> ""lq fll"tYCI tiKR-fv/t:A"QI'TIJI?e rr. The original DAFt files prior to 1955. There is official evidence that these may have been dest royed during the move of DefP.nce from MelbOllrne to Canberra In the early 1960s. Fortunately, a previously secret report written in 1954, and made avai I able to me, summarises much of the DAFI f t les of the period 1950-1954. As already mentioned, early DCA UFO files I examined also hold copies of a number of reports and documents from these missing DAFI files of the early 1950s. Other files are being searched for, however, It Is thought that, in some cases, the "missing" files may have been "recovered" as new file series (or the earlier parts of ~.nore recent file series). Following the erratic history of official UFO files has sometimes been daunting. I am confident that I have established a fairly thorough understanding of the DAFI UFO files, so much so that the DAFI Intelligence liaison officer I have worked with during 1982 was once moved to tell me tha t I knew the DAFI UFO files better than he did, In fact, better than anyone In the Department of Defence. This can In part be seen as a reflection of the significance DAFI/RAAF may now appear to give to UFO reports. CONCLUSION As someone who has taken a special Interest In the degree of official Involvement in UFO Investigation In Australia, for more than a decade now, I have personally been at the extent of the material I have been allowed to become privy to In just on short year -namely 1982. We have gone from a confused and vague picture of clandestine official involvement to a detailed understanding based on direct officially sanctioned file reviews by a civilian researcher. In closing I wll 1 say that I will be working very hard at making available to each and all the full extent of what I have learnt during this study and the benefit of a much closer relationship with the RAAF. . . ./ R.eferences and Notes: The Drury film affair refers to an incident during 1953 wherein Mr T. Drury, Deputy Director of DCA in Papua, took a movie film of a daylight object which exited a "cloud" at high speed,climbing at about 45 degrees, and disappeared. The film was examined by RAAF and USAF, however, It appears the film Itself subsequently ''disappeared". The affair has now been one mainstay of the claim made by many civilian researchers that there Is an official "cover-up". (II) The Bouganville Reef event Involved the alleged photographing of a UFO by a pilot of a DC6 aircraft. It has been alleged that evidence about the case, Including the film, has been confiscated by DCA offfclals and subsequently covered up. The classified papers I examined consisted largely of internal communications between the Queensland Regional Director of DCA and the Director General of DCA, which appears to confirm a lack of knowledge about the event, at least at the level of Directors of DCA. (I II) The Sea Fury Incident Involved a naval pilot flying over the Goulburn area of New South Wales, encountering two unidentified lights, the presence of which were confirmed by ground radar. (IV) In particular the classic Drury affair of 1953 (see (I) above) and the Willow close encounter of 1963, wherein farmer Charles Brew had a very explicit sighting of a UFO on his property. The Incident featured animal reactions and ~ apparently related headaches for Mr Brew. (V) See ACUFOS Bulletin, July HJ82. The "Aircraft Accident Investigation Sunmary Report" makes no definite conclusion as to cause but Indicated "the reason for the disappearance of the aircraft has not been determined". (VI) See also, for example, "Valentlch-Bass Strait (Australia) Affair", in R.D. Story's, The Encyclopedia of UFOs , Doubleday, 1980, and New English Library, 1980, and The Devils Meridian" ny Kevin Killey and Gary Lester (Lester-Townsend, 1980). (VI I) These events refer to an unusual ground mark and an apparently unrelated UFO sighting at the same location. (VIII) An extraordinary phenomenon ostensibly had landed In a