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NZDF declassified RNZAF UFO files

NZDF / RNZAF via Internet Archive · 2010-12 · 445 pages · text by GLM-OCR

This is a New Zealand Defence Force public release of RNZAF file AIR 39/3/3, "Flying Saucers," which covers 1952 to 1955 and was declassified in September 2010 under the Official Information Act. It collects sighting reports from the public and military personnel, press clippings, and a table of 1952 sightings. It also holds Carter Observatory opinions attributing some reports to meteors. A large part covers the inquiry into lights seen from National Airways Corporation Flight 108 on 31 October 1955, which the RNZAF could not fully explain as Venus.

  • p. 10 …They passed over Christchurch about 1.30 p.m. As the aircraft moved on, they left…
  • p. 24 25 NOV 1955 # AIR DEPARTMENT. CHRISTCHURCH, N.W.4. 23rd November, 1955. The Director of Civil…
  • p. 25 …2 R.D. , CHRISTCHURCH. The Regional Superintendent, Civil Aviation Administration, CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT. Dear Sir, The following…
  • p. 36 …12168 0182/50652 90/12165 17/16399 CHRISTCHURCH/AUCKLAND: 67/39485 CA 90/34627 CA WELLINGTON…
  • p. 165 …It was also seen by Palmerston North and Christchurch residents in N.Z. about that time…
  • p. 186 …which he witnessed from his home in Christchurch at 10.21 p.m. on the 20th…
  • p. 211 …The "Star-Sun" reporter and his wife were travelling by car towards Christchurch at 3.46…
  • p. 219 …Coutts Island to the back of the Christchurch Airport and though the cloud bank was about…
  • p. 226 …Carter had reported the incident to the Christchurch, N.Z., Press, and later decided to write…
  • p. 255 …had the pleasure of meeting for the first time, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin Representatives, Branch leaders…
  • p. 266 …It made a whizzing noise like a spinning top, they said. # MYSTERIOUS LIGHT IN SKY CHRISTCHURCH…
  • p. 299 …REPRESENTATIVES Two further representatives have been appointed in two southern cities, Christchurch and Dunedin. Representatives are…
  • p. 307 …Secretary 55 Tedder Avenue Christchurch E.3. ## WAS IT A METEOR? ## PERHAPS ONE DAY WE WILL…
  • p. 312 …received two other reports around this time one from a lady in Christchurch and another from…
  • p. 313 …August 25th Christchurch 6.40 p.m. fast moving strange light horizon tal course, in view…
  • p. 314 ## FLYING SAUCERS PAGE 18 November 17th Christchurch 11p.m. two further observers of fast m ing…
  • p. 332 …8.30 Palmerston North, Wellington, and Christchurch. A bright object, reported by many to be round…
  • p. 333 …March 18, Christchurch. Dr C.D. Ellyet, Senior Lecturer in physics at Canterbury University College, claims…
  • p. 359 …Sam Rix, Tauranga; Miss Ethne Hamber, Christchurch; Miss V.E.J.Allan, Dunedin; Dr.Benjamin D…
  • p. 393 …A passenger on the Express from Christchurch saw an unusual light in the sky near Camara…
  • p. 394 …Southland, North Otago, the West Coast and Christchurch. Some people who said they had seen it…
  • p. 396 …was travelling with his son from Christchurch to Wellington on the Saturday night when they saw…
  • p. 397 …The Christchurch observers given an apparent size of half a crown indicating a height of 6000…
  • p. 398 …Nelson Yellow/White 10.30? Cheviot? Blue Green Christchurch Blue S. Hissing Camara Blue 11.8…
  • p. 400 …9 17 minutes Christchurch/New Brighton 29.10.52 9 p.m. 1 Taradale, Napier 30…
  • p. 412 …Cigar South Nil GREEN LIGHT. Moving swiftly. Christchurch 13.10.52 Nil One 5 secs Starline…
  • p. 413 …minutes Saucer Nil Nil Redlights around lights Christchurch 3.11.52 1115 pm Two one minute…
  • p. 414 …Christchurch 6.12.52 1015 pm One 30 secs Disc South Hissing Blue in colour Ryeburn…
  • p. 418 …Williamson, has written to the "Evening Post" to say that the "flying saucer" seen in Christchurch…
  • p. 421 # BLUE DISC THAT HISSED South-Bound 'Saucer' Seen At Three Points PEOPLE in Christchurch, Kyeburn, and…
  • p. 428 …Otago, from the West Coast and from Christchurch, among others. Some people, who said they had…
  • p. 436 …Auckland astronomers and meter- ## Riccarton Run Confused By CHRISTCHURCH, November unsettled nature of the weather heavy…

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

IOUD POUNDINGS IN THE NIGHT AND STRANGE STENCHES:

It is with reluctance that I relate these personal experiences of an equally strange nature, but I feel that my story will not be complete without them. If the incidents had been confined to myself and the other party mentioned, no significance, other than a few days of puzzlement, would have been attached to them. The occurrences, to my knowledge, were confined to the headquarters of C.S.I. (N.Z.) and A.F.S.B. (Aust.), these headquarters being, really, the private residences of Mr. E.R. Jerrold, President of A.F.S.B., and myself, President of C.S.I. (N.Z.)

On approximately 21st July, 1953, whilst I was engaged upon.C.S.I. affairs in the late afternoon, our pet Siamese cat became very disturbed at something outside the window (she was on the window sill). Hearing the growling of the animal, I investigated by opening the window, but nothing was in sight and all I detected was a strange odour. The cat, however, defied all efforts to put her out of this window. The matter was soon forgotten.

When I arose to leave for work on the morning of approximately 18th August, a particularly unpleasant smell was noted as I left via the front door. When I arrived home from work that evening my wife immediately told me of a similar experience she had encountered at the back door. I had not told her in the morning of my experience on leaving by the front door. My wife added that the cat, (pedigree), made to dash out as she opened the door, but recoiled rapidly, spat, leapt into the air, and doubled back inside as it ran into the strange stench. We discussed the incident, said it was strange, and forgot about it.

The next day I received a letter from the President of an American Organisation, and was surprised to read that he had been informed of strange incidents at the Australian Headquarters. Some strange odours had been detected outside Mr. Jerrolds doors, I was informed.

For the first time my interest was really aroused, and I wrote to Mr. Jerrold immediately. Two nights after I had written this letter, my wife and I were awakened in the early hours of the morning by a particularly loud and violent pounding on the outside of the house. I awoke with a mixture of fright and apprehension, and the noise stopped as suddenly as it had begun. I lay listening intently in case it happened again before investigating, because I was not exactly sure from which direction it had originated. The noise did not occur again, and I did not investigate.

You can imagine my surprise when I received the following account from Mr. Jerrold of the experiences at his home in Fairfield, Australia.

"REPORT OF STRANGE OCCURRENCES AT A.F.S.B. HEADQUARTERS:

Just as the August issue of the A.F.S.B. Magazine went to Press, a series of puzzling, but apparently related incidents, occurred outside the A.F.S.B. Headquarters in Fairfield. The meaning or purpose behind the events is placed on record as being as inexplicable as the actual happenings themselves.

At 2.45 a.m. on July 21st, the President was awakened by a violent pounding outside the Bureau, and on investigating, a strange odour, suggestive of burning Plastic, was noticed. On going outside, however, nothing unusual could be seen or heard.

Liverpool Police, called in to investigate soon after daylight, were unable to account for the phenomena. (Expressed to the President himself) that a hoax or publicity stunt may have been attempted by someone. Dissatisfied with those explanations, further personal enquiries by the President showed that others besides himself had heard the pounding, and that one other person had smelt the strong burnt odour. A lady residing across the road heard the noise, but did not investigate.

The following morning, July 22nd, at 3 a.m., a mystery car pulled up outside the Bureau and remained there until 6.30 a.m. It was heard to cruise past very quietly several times between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. when it stopped outside. It carried no lights.

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Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. The text was read from the page images by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word. 445 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.