Ministry of Defence File: UFOs - Public Correspondence

This document is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) file containing public correspondence regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP/UFOs) spanning from 2000 to 2008. The file primarily documents the persistent, often erratic, correspondence from an individual identifying himself as the President and Founder of the West Country U.F.O. Research Association (WCUFORA). The correspondent frequently writes to the MOD claiming to have information about 'aliens' in the Mendip Hills and Burrington Combe areas of Somerset, while also making bizarre claims about his own status, including references to being a member of the SAS, using the code name 'Ken', and claiming to be the grandson of Lord Mountbatten. The correspondent repeatedly requests government grants, back pay, and permission to carry a firearm to deal with 'black magic' and 'the Moonies' at a caravan site in Hutton Park. Internal MOD notes reveal that the department viewed the correspondent as a mentally disturbed individual who had previously made threats of violence, including arson and shooting. Consequently, the MOD adopted a policy of not replying to his letters, instead filing them alongside internal notes documenting his history of threats and police involvement. The file also includes historical context regarding the MOD's stance on UFOs, specifically referencing the 1951 'Flying Saucer' Working Party report, which concluded that reported sightings were likely misinterpretations of conventional objects, natural phenomena, or hoaxes. The MOD consistently reiterated in its responses that it has no expertise or role in investigating extraterrestrial life and only monitors reports for potential threats to UK airspace from hostile foreign military activity. The file serves as a record of the administrative handling of persistent public inquiries and the intersection of UAP interest with security concerns.