France 1954 -> Home

The 1954 French flap:

The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this site is here.

OCTOBER 21, 1954, POUZOU, CHARENTE-MARITIME:

Reference number for this case: 21-oct-54-Pouzou. Thank you for including this reference number in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

REPORTS:

[Ref. nr1:] "LA NOUVELLE REPUBLIQUE" NEWSPAPER:

Observed by hundreds of witnesses

A STRANGE CRAFT CROSSES THE SKY OF ILE-DE-FRANCE

Melun. -- Hundreds of witnesses, living the communes of the areas of the Bray-sur-Seine, Lagny, Moret and Thoméry say they have seen, Thursday evening, a strange phenomenon: a machine of oval shape, orange yellow color, measuring more than twenty meters, at 300 meters of altitude.

The machine remained motionless during a certain time and disappeared at a vertiginous speed.

One of the witnesses, Mr. André L..., a weather specialist, who lives in Thoméry, estimates that the speed of the machine was about 10.000 kilometers per hour, quite simply. Mr. L... specified:

"I am absolutely certain, because I know this matter well, that this was neither a plane nor a weather balloon."

Tickle, tickle...

A motorist of Cherbonnières (Charente-Maritime), drove on the road of Souzou in company of his three year old son, when he felt on all the body ticklings similar to electric discharges which were accentuated as his car advanced.

The child, who felt the same annoying sensation, started to cry. Soon the engine of the car stopped and the headlights died out. At the same time, a sharp gleam passing from a sharp red to the orange color dazzled the motorist who could nevertheless distinguish a craft, motionless in space during a few moments. Then, the latter soon disappeared. At once afterwards, the driver was able to restart the engine of his car.

Same phenomenon in Critreuil-la-Magdeleine (Charente), where Tuesday around 8 p.m., Mr. Sion had the headlights of his car extinct and his battery emptied by a red ball of two meters in diameter, which rose from road causing a violent displacement of air volume.

In Italy, saucers and cigars are reported everywhere, while in Sweden, a "disc in rotation" was seen in various points of the area. It was said to be a meteor.

[Ref. jg1:] JIMMY GUIEU:

Jimmy Guieu indicates that on October 21, 1954 in the area of La Rochelle, a motorist of Cherbonnières drove on the road of Souzou with his 3-year-old son when he felt prickling on the body similar to electric discharges which were increasing as the car advanced.

The child felt the same faintness and started to cry. Soon the engine stopped and the headlights died out, and at this very time a sharp gleam was seen, passing from the sharp red to the orange color.

The motorist was dazzled but however distinguished a circular craft during a few moments before it flew away.

As soon as the machine disappeared the faintness of the driver ceased and he was able to restart the car's engine.

[Ref. am1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel indicates that on October 21, 1954, a motorist who drove with his three year old son on the road Inter Communale I.C. 20 close to Pouzou, a village near La Rochelle, suddenly felt an impression of increasing heat and electrification of all his body.

The child started to cry, as he experiences the same symptoms.

The car's engine stalled and the headlights died out.

At the same time, a machine which had first appeared to them as dark appeared in front of them, almost instatanément became luminous, sharp red, then orange, and then flew away at high speed. The symptoms disappeared then.

[Ref. mc1:] MICHEL CARROUGES:

The author indicates that on October 21, 1954 in Charente-Maritime, an inhabitant of La Rochelle and his three year old son, "Car. Craft stopped on the road, initially dark then luminous. Witness feeling heat and electrification. Stalled engine. Extinct headlights. (M. II, p.341)."

[Ref. ni1:] NICAP:

22. October 21, 1954; near La Rochelle, France. Motorist and child felt shock and heat, motor and headlights failed; then luminous UFO became visible ahead of car.

[Ref. gc1:] LEONARD G. CRAMP:

The author indicates that in the night of October 21, 1954, a motorist and his three-year-old son were driving in the vicinity of La Rochelle, near Pouzou, when the child began to cry. At the same instant the driver felt an electric shock and increasing heat pass through his body. The engine stopped and the lights went out, revealing a glowing object on the road directly ahead, which until then had been invisible. Instantly the thing became brilliantly luminous, first bright red, then orange as it took to the air. Everything then returned to normal.

[Ref. jv1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

300

Oct. 21, 1954, 09:30 P.M., Pouzou (France).

Between Serifere and Paille, a man from Cherbonnieres suddenly felt painful pricklings similar to electric shocks and his 4-year-old child started crying. They felt increasing pain as the car went on, and suddenly the engine died and the lights went off. They were blinded by a strong red light, which turned orange. It came from an object hovering above the road, and everything returned to normal when it went away. (L'Aurore, 22 oct 1954) (80; M 341 ).

[Ref. fr1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors indicate that in Les Eglises d'Argenteuil en Charentes-Maritime, on October 21, 1954 at 09:30 p.m., a motorist and his three years old son which came from Cherbonnières drove on the departmental road D220.

Near Pouzou, they felt tickling on the body, similar to electric discharges which were accentuated as the vehicle advanced.

The child started to cry. The engine of the car stopped and the headlights died out.

At the same time, a sharp gleam was seen, changing color from sharp red to orange, gleam which came from a lenticular object evolving at low altitude above the road.

This object took altitude while accelerating. As soon as it disappeared, all became normal again.

They indicate as sources the newspaper "L'Aurore" for October 22, 1954, the catalogue by Jacques Vallée, "Black out sur les soucoupes volantes" by Jimmy Guieu, page 228, and "A propos des S.V." by Aimé Michel page 224.

[Ref. bb1:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:

The two authors affirm that "the purists of the saucer know well" of the case of October 21, 1954 in the Charente-Maritime in Pouzou. They indicate that the case was adulterated, and give this summary:

"A man and his son, 4 years old, coming from Charbonnières [sic; Cherbonnières] suddenly felt painful ticklings, similar to those produced by an electrical shock; the child started to cry. The intensity of the pain increased as the car advanced until the sudden stopping of the engine and the extinction of the headlights. They were dazzled by a powerful red light which changed to orange; it emanated from an object which evolved above the road."

They say then that nothing or almost nothing in this text corresponds so what the witness told. He allots the fact of having stalled, and the feeling of heat, unimpressive, which he felt to the emotion and surprise at the passage of a phenomenon that he describes as brief, very fast, a luminous body with a trail of light.

[Ref. mb1:] MICHEL BOUGARD:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that in France, on October 21, 1954, a man suddenly felt painful pricklings similar to electric shocks and his 4-year-old child started crying. They felt increasing pain as the car went on, and suddenly the engine died and the lights went off. They were blinded by a strong red light, which turned orange. It came from an object hovering above the road, and everything returned to normal when it went away.

The source is indicated as case 300 of the Vallée catalogue.

[Ref. mr1:] MARK RODEGHIER:

Oct. 21, 1954

Night. FRANCE, La Rochelle:

A man and his three-year-old son were out on a drive when the man felt an electric shock all over his body. He also had a sensation of increased heat, and his son began to cry. The engine of the car then died and the headlights went out. Suddenly an object on the road directly in front of the car became very bright. The witness had not seen it before. It was red in color, which changed to orange as it rose into the air. The car could then be restarted and the physical symptoms disappeared. (Michel)

[Ref. js1:] JOHN F. SHUESSLER:

1954/10/21 FRANCE, POUZOU

Source: Official UFO, Feb 76

Two witnesses felt painful prickling and heat all over their bodies. The car engine and lights failed.

EFFECTS: Electric shock
Prickling sensation
EM effects on car

[Ref. go1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, on October 21, in France, in Pouzou "At 09:30 p.m., a man coming from Cherbonnières (Charente Maritime) accompanied by his 4 year old son suddenly felt painful tickling, while the child started to cry. The intensity of the pain increased until the sudden stopping of the engine of the car and the extinction of the headlights. They were then dazzled by a powerful red light emanating from an object moving above the road."

The sources are given as "L'Aurore, 22 oct 1954"; "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - COLL. J'AI LU - p. 288"; "Michel BOUGARD: "Des S.V. aux OVNI" - SOBEPS 1976 - p. 215".

[Ref. jb1:] JEROME BEAU:

Jérome Beau published the Mark Rodeghier [mr1] text in English.

[Ref. jb2:] JEROME BEAU:

Thursday, October 21, 1954

[...]

09:30 p.m.: In Pouzou (France), 1 man and his son (4 year old), coming from Charbonnières, suddenly feel painful prickling, similar to those produced by an electrical shock, the child starts to cry. The intensity of the pain increases as the car advanced, until the sudden stopping of the engine and the extinction of the headlights. They are blinded by a powerful red light which turnedorange, it emanated from an object which moves above the road. A son as the object disappeared, all becomes normal again.

[...]

The sources are indicated as "L'Aurore, October 22, 1954".

[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

October 21

1954 - Pouzou, Charente-Maritime, France. At 9:30 p.m. a man from Cherbonnieres who was driving between Serifere and Paille suddenly felt painful pricklings similar to electric shocks and his 4-year-old child started crying. They felt increasing pain as the car went on, and suddenly the engine died and the lights went off. They were blinded by a strong red light, which turned orange. It came from an object hovering above the road, and everything returned to normal when it went away. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 204; Richard Hall, The UFO Evidence, p. 74; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 236-237, case 300; Michel Carrouges, Les Apparitions de Martiens, p. 129; Gregory Falla, BUFORA Vehicle Interference Report, p. 8; Mark Rodeghier, UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference, p. 4).

[Ref. lc1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Charente Maritime in L'Eglise d'Argenteuil on October 21, 1954 at 21:30 hours, "a motorist and his son (three years old), coming from Cherbonnières (17) drives on the D220. Near Pouzou, they feel on the body tickling similar to electric discharges that increase as the vehicle advances. The child starts to cry. The car's engine stops and the headlights die out. At the same time, a sharp gleam is seen, passing from the sharp red to the orange color. It comes from a lenticular object moving at low altitude above the road. This object takes altitude more and more quickly while accelerating. As soon as it disappeared, all becomes normal again."

La source est indiquée comme "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... par Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** éd. Alain Lefeuvre 1979".

[Ref. dc1:] DIDIER CHARNAY:

Didier Charnay indicates that the newspaper Sud Ouest for July 29, 2009, in their section "Sacrés Ovnis", published the case of Les Eglises-d’Argenteuil on October 21, 1954, on their [fee requested] website at www.sudouest.com/charente-maritime/actualite/article/662358/mil/4931453.html

[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 21 October 1954 at 21:30 in Pouzou, France, "An object was observed. Electromagnetic and physiological effects were noted. One object was observed by two male witnesses on a highway briefly."

The sources are indicated as Guieu, Jimmy, Flying Saucers Come from Another World, Citadel, New York, 1956; Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, Anatomy of a Phenomenon, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1965; Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Cramp, Leonard G., Piece for a Jig-Saw, Somerton, Isle of Wight, 1966; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Carrouges, Michel, Les Apparitions de Martiens, Fayard, Paris, 1963; Hall, Richard H., The UFO Evidence, NICAP, Washington, 1964; Flying Saucers, Flying Saucers Magazine, (Palmer); Rodeghier, Mark, UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference, CUFOS, Chicago, 1981; Falla, Geoffrey, Vehicle Interference Project, BUFORA, London, 1979; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

[Ref. ud2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 21 October 1954 at 21:30 in Pouzou, France, Motorist and child felt shock and heat, motor and headlights failed; then luminous UFO became visible ahead of car".

And: "Pouzou, France. Between Serifere and Paille, a man from Cherbonnieres suddenly felt painful pricklings similar to electric shocks and his 4-year-old child started crying. They felt increasing pain as the car went on, and suddenly the engine died and the lights went off. They were blinded by a strong red light, which turned orange. It came from an object hovering above the road, and everything returned to normal when it went away."

And: "Between Serifere and Paille, a man from Cherbonnieres suddenly felt painful pricklings similar to electric shocks and his 4-year-old child started crying. They felt increasing pain as the car went on, and suddenly the engine died and the lights went off. They were blinded by a strong red light, which turned orange. It came from an object hovering above the road, and everything returned to normal when it went away."

And: "An object was observed. Electromagnetic and physiological effects were noted."

And: "One orange-red object was observed by two male witnesses on a highway briefly."

The sources are indicated as "Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01)".

NOTES:

A source without reference says that on October 21 in Pouzou, a man and his 4 year old son, coming from Charbonnières, suddenly felt painful pricklings, similar to those produced by an electrical shock. The child started to cry. The intensity of the pain increased as the car advanced, until the sudden stall of the engine and the extinction of the headlights. They were blinded by a powerful red light which changed to orange, it emanated from an object which evolved above the road. As soon as the object had disappeared, all became normal again.

EXPLANATIONS:

Not looked for yet.

KEYWORDS:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Pouzou, Charente-Maritime, Charbonnières, pricklings, effects, electricity, electric, motor, engine, car, stall, failure, pain, headlights, light, red, orange, object, road

REFERENCES:

[---] indicates sources which I have not yet checked.

[---] Article in the national newspaper L'Aurore, Paris, France, October 22, 1954.
[nr1] Article in the regional newspaper La Nouvelle République, Bordeaux, France, October 23, 1954.
[jg1] "Black-Out Sur Les Soucoupes Volantes", book by Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publisher, France, 1956.
[jg1] "Flying Saucers Come from Another World", book by Jimmy Guieu, English version of "Black-out Sur Les Soucoupes Volantes", Citadel Press publishers, USA, 1956.
[am1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Arthaud publisher, France, 1958.
[am1] "Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery", book by Aimé Michel, English version of "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", S. G. Phillips publisher, USA, page 204, 1958.
[---] Flying Saucers Magazine, Ray Palmer editor, USA.
[mc1] "Les Apparitions de Martiens", book by Michel Carrouges, aka Louis Couturier, Fayard publisher, France, page 129, 1963.
[ni1] "The UFO Evidence", book edited by Richard Hall, NICAP, USA, Section VIII, page 74, 1964.
[gc1] "Piece for a Jig-Saw", book by Leonard G. Cramp, Somerton publishers, U-K., 1966.
[am1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Seghers publisher, France, pp 270-271, 1969.
[jv1] "Un Siècle d'Atterrissages", article by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, N.43.
[jv1] "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publishers, USA, pp 236-237, 1969.
[jg1] "Black-Out Sur Les Soucoupes Volantes", book by Jimmy Guieu, Omnium Littéraire publisher, France, page 228, 1972.
[jv1] "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-Terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, Denoel publisher, France, page 278, 1972.
[---] Sensationalist magazine Official UFO, USA, February 1976.
[mb1] "Des Soucoupes Volantes OVNI", book by Michel Bougard, Jean-Pierre Delarge - SOBEPS publishers, France, page 215, 1976.
[fr1] "OVNI, Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", book by Michel Figuet and Jean Louis Ruchon, Alain Lefeuvre publisher, France, page 194, 1979.
[bb1] "La Grande Peur Martienne", book by Gerard Barthel and Jacques Brucker, Les Nouvelles Editions Rationalistes publishers, France, 1979.
[---] "Vehicle Interference Reports", by Geoffrey Falla, BUFORA, U-K., page 8, 1979.
[mr1] "UFO Reports Involving Vehicle Interference", by Mark Rodeghier, Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), USA, page 4, 1981.
[gc1] "UFOs and Anti-Gravity: Piece for a Jigsaw", book by Leonard G. Cramp, Adventures Unlimited Press publishers, U-K., page 153, 1997.
[js1] "UFO-Related Human Physiological Effects", by John F. Schuessler, in "Physical Evidence Related to UFO Reports, The Proceedings of a Workshop Held at the Pocantico Conference Center, Tarrytown, New York September 29 – October 4, 1997", published by the Journal of Scientific Exploration, 1997.
[---] "Computerized Catalog", compiled by Luis Schoenherr.
[go1] "Chronologie OVNI", web pages compiled by Godelieve Van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 1999, at users.skynet.be/sky84985/afin54.htm
[---] "*U* computer database", compiled by Larry Hatch, USA, 2002.
[jb1] "Résumés d'événements d'interférence avec des véhicules", web page by Jérôme Beau, France, circa 2005, at www.rr0.org/data/1/9/8/1/10/Rodeghier_VehiclesInterference/1/index_fr.html
[jb2] "Thursday, October 21, 1954", web page by Jérôme Beau, RR0 website, France, circa 2005, at www.rr0.org/data/1/9/5/4/10/21/index.html
[dj1] "Encounters with Aliens on this Day", web page compiled by Donald Johnson, USA, circa 2005, at www.ufoinfo.com/onthisday/October21.html
[lc1] Base OVNI France, website by Luc Chastan, France, circa 2006, at baseovnifrance.free.fr/listgen.php?typlist=1&page=0&numobs=1153
[ud1] "21 Oct 1954 - Pouzou, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf00/uf1/001653.htm
[ud2] "21 Oct 1954 - Pouzou, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf18/uf9/189173.htm
[---] Sud Ouest newspaper website, Bordeaux, France, July 29, 2009 www.sudouest.com/charente-maritime/actualite/article/662358/mil/4931453.html
[dc1] Ovnis Médias News, electronic bulletin by Didier Charnay, France, #47, July 24, 2009.

Document history:

Version:	Created/Changed by:	Date:	Change Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	April 21, 2003	First published.
1.0	Patrick Gross	December 23, 2009	Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [mr1], [go1], [lc1], [ud1], [ud2], [dc1].
1.1	Patrick Gross	January 12, 2010	Addition [jb2].
1.2	Patrick Gross	March 13, 2010	Addition [jg1].

This page was last updated on March 13, 2010