MOD file DEFE 24/2032/1

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• (8)
This indicates that they were not normal jet aircraft trails,
but do seem synonymous with something like the trail of a
'shooting star'.
After evaluating these reports and g~v~ng due regards to
peoples different perspectives of the objects, it is reasonable
. t
to assume that they, like the police officers, had also
observed the spent rocket on its south easterly travels.
As a footnote, I have also received a report from
~ the British Astronomical Association, that two people,
one in Belgium and one from the south of France, also observed
some bright objects flying in a south easterly direction. The
French report indicates a number of objects (6 or 7) and this
I believe is the breakup of the original two seen earlier over
Ireland and the south west coast of England. The Belgium report
is not very comprehensive, but the 'sighter' is believed to
have seen them from his location, most probably over France,
but not over Belgium.
What is evident here, is that although I cannot be absolutely
certain that the two objects seen was the re-entry of the
Russian Space Rockets, their presence at this time and their
reported locations, must be a strong consideration. Given the
known height of these objects - between 80kms and 100kms, and
the time they would have taken to traverse from horizon to
horizon, some 2 to 3 minutes and certainly not less than one
minute, then it can be reasonable assumed that from their known
flight path i.e. from Ireland over Lands End and on over
France, they would easily have been seen from as far away as
Somerset and most probably even further! On the night in
question there was very little cloud cover, which would have
afforded all of the 'sighters' a clear view for many miles.
(9)