NZDF declassified RNZAF UFO files

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

April 30th Auckland

A strange light glowing brightly in daylight and moving at moderate speed was seen by Mrs Caverdish, Mrs Richards and her II year old son at 3.30 pm Friday afternoon 30th April. The light was watched for three quarters of an hour during which time it was seen to travel across Auckland city in a northerly direction --- slowly turn to the east --- and then back to south to again cross the city but at a greater distance from the observers. At times, the light took on a solid form, dark in colour, at times a silvery-grey. When first seen, it appeared to be much brighter than Venus on clear nights, there was no sound heard, the flight path was level for some time but increased slightly on turning to the east. Light patches of cloud at times obscured the light, but it could be seen shining through with a halo effect. The observers were sure many others must of seen it, and were very surprised nothing appeared in the press. Mrs Caverdish rang the "Herald" who promised to send out a reporter, but none showed up. The president of C.S.I. interviewed the observers and is satisfied they did see something very strange in an almost clear sky, that did not appear to have been caused by aircraft -- balloon -- mirage etc.

While crossing the station fields at Whenuapai at 7.30 Friday night Sgt W. Rink, the guard commander saw a strange object flash across the sky. "It was the shape of a new moon and half the size", he said," and flashed across my view from west to east at great speed approx 100 feet up. It glowed with a phosphorescent light and with it came a swishing sibilant sound. I do not know what it was, I have never seen such an object before. President of C. S.I. who is stationed at Whenuapai, interviewed Sgt Rink and obtained the details. Sgt Rink was more than a little disturbed by the incident at the time. It was learned later that a woman living close to Whenuapai had seen a strange light flash past her house window at approx the same time Sgt Rink experienced the phenomena. A guard at the station gate, also stated seeing a strange meteor-like light flying low on a flat projectory at that time.

20 May Whenuapai Air Force Station Patrolman Thompson On the 20th May 1954 while on patrol at the above station, I saw and heard a most unusual occurrence low down in the western sky. At Approx II.10 p.m. II.I5 p.m. & II.20 p.m., three brilliant flashes of bluish light lit the sky; each flash was of at least 2 seconds duration, followed at a short interval by a deep throated roaring sound. The above was also witnessed by Patrolman C Shakeshalf. C.S.I. President checked on the incident and found that many people in the general Whenuapai area had seen the flashes, they all said that the flashes appeared to be not at all like lightning. Due west of Whenuapai takes you out to sea off the Muruwai coast-line.

## May 24th Taranaki

Three pilots of a New Plymouth aerial top-dressing firm saw a number of strange objects flying over Eastern Taranaki at about daybreak this morning. The objects were oval in shape and were seen flying at great speed before disappearing in the clear morning sky. The men were Messrs R. Ferrier, D.L. Falwasser and M Hodder, all of New Plymouth. They had left the New Plymouth airport at about 6.50 a.m., and were flying a Cessna high-winged to a strip near Tahora. None of the pilots had ever seen anything like these objects before. The men were reluctant to talk, but this is how one described the incident: We left for Tahora airstrip and were nearing there when at about 7.a.m. we saw some strange objects in the east in the direction of Taumarun-