Britain's latest batch of UFO files - March 2011

The UK's National Archives is due to release a new batch of the British Government's UFO files tomorrow.

If they keep to their previous practice, the files and press coverage relating to them will probably formally be subject to an embargo until midnight Wednesday UK time - i.e. until about 3 hours time.

The files will then probably be available on the National Archives website at the link below:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk...

Dr David Clarke (one of the few academics in Britain with an open interest in UFO reports) has worked with the UK's National Archives in relation to the releases of these batches of the British Government's UFO files - so I would expect him to publish one of his informative brief guides to the new files on his blog at about midnight:
drdavidclarke.blogspot.com...

Some minor press coverage has already started (not all newspapers - particularly local newspapers - respect the midnight embargo...) and the larger newspapers etc will probably publish their stories on the new files early in the morning.

To get a flavour of the comments that are likely to following the latest batch of files, some of you may remember the threads in relation to some of the earlier batches - including:

October 2008 : Britain releasing more UFO files

March 2009 : New release of UFO files in UK - March 2009

February 2010 : More UFO files released - UK February 2010 (including VIDEO overview showing images)

All the best,

Isaac

The Daily Telegraph newspaper had an article on its website earlier today entitled "UFO files: Lancaster bomber photographed with mystery UFO".

By the time I tried to access the relevant webpage, at the link below, the article had been deleted (presumably to await the midnight embargo which I'm assuming is in place in relation to the latest batch of files):

www.telegraph.co.uk...

So, I expect that article to reappear tomorrow morning.

Nice, Thanks for the heads up!

Look forward to having some good and hopefully recent reading material.

S&F indeed.

Originally posted by IsaacKoi
Some minor press coverage has already started (not all newspapers - particularly local newspapers - respect the midnight embargo...) and the larger newspapers etc will probably publish their stories on the new files early in the morning.

Well, one of the English national newspapers has started the ball rolling by releasing its article on the new files.

The Daily Star (a tabloid which likes to print photos of scantily clad women) has just put an article on its website which includes the following:

www.dailystar.co.uk...

A FLYING saucer has been snapped chasing a vintage airplane.

But it was only spotted when the digital pic of the Lancaster bomber was downloaded onto a computer.

The photographer told the Ministry of Defence: “I took several snaps and noticed one image contained an unidentified object (upper right and trailing the Lancaster) and looking decidedly triangular in shape.

“Nothing was noticed with the naked eye at the time.”

The Lancaster bomber was taking part in a Battle Of Britain memorial fly-past at Withernsea, East Yorks, in 2002.

Another picture taken by an Raf pilot in 2004 shows a mysterious doughnut-shaped object. Details and sketches from thousands of possible close encounters have been released by the Ministry of Defence.

UFO expert Nick Pope, said: “There’s a vast amount of fascinating material in these latest files. Whatever your views on the UFO mystery, prepare to be amazed.”

So, you heard it hear first : "prepare to be amazed".

Or not...

All the best,

Isaac

I wouldn't bank on any 'Real' revelations coming from these documents !
What they have released to date haven't set the world alight !
I suspect most of the papers already 'disclosed' weren't even 'Secret' to start with !
Some of the documents already released were reports submitted by Timothy Good the author
of some of the best books on the UFO subject.
He even said he was surprised to find that previous releases contained his reports !
Hardly secret then eh ?

Peace !

Looking forward to it. The UK seems to be a little bit more opened to share it with the rest of us. Not like some other countries.

S&F!

reply to post by IsaacKoi


Exellent , thanks for the heads up Isaac
Lets hope there's something a bit more interesting in this batch

Originally posted by ProRipp
I suspect most of the papers already 'disclosed' weren't even 'Secret' to start with !

The bulk of such files tends to comprise correspondence, whether it is with members of the public reporting sightings or members of the public seeking information about UFOs.

The items that tend to get news coverage from these files are ones that involve photos, military witnesses and the most bizarre claims.

Personally, in my visits to the National Archives I found the internal policy files the most interesting.

All the best,

Isaac

The clocks at the National Archives must a few minutes faster than mine, since the files are now online (a couple of minutes before midnight here in England).

The files are at the link I predicted in my first post in this thread (not that I'd claim this required any psychic ability):

ufos.nationalarchives.gov.uk...

The covering blurb includes:

The files contain a wide range of UFO-related documents, drawings, letters and parliamentary questions covering the years 2000-2005.

Find out more about the House of Lords’ debate on UFOs, a flying saucer hoax that was treated as a potentially real alien invasion of the UK and how 1978 nearly became 'the year of the UFO'.

A guide to the files is supposed to be at the link below, but I am currently getting an error message stating that the relevant PDF file is damaged:
filestore.nationalarchives.gov.uk...

All the best,

Isaac

Originally posted by IsaacKoi
Dr David Clarke (one of the few academics in Britain with an open interest in UFO reports) has worked with the UK's National Archives in relation to the releases of these batches of the British Government's UFO files - so I would expect him to publish one of his informative brief guides to the new files on his blog at about midnight:
drdavidclarke.blogspot.com...

And another of my (albeit not very impressive...) predictions has come to pass...
drdavidclarke.blogspot.com...

Largest ever release of UFO files

The UK National Archives have released the single largest collection of UFO files so far as the three year disclosure programme nears its end.

Included in the 8,500 documents opened to the public today are policy and intelligence documents covering a 60 year span from the 1950s almost to the present day. The 35 files include papers produced by the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office and United Nations.

...

One of the highlights from the UFO reports released today are two striking colour photographs of a strange “atmospheric occurrence” (pictured above right) taken by a member of the RAF in 2004. The photographer was on holiday in Sri Lanka when he heard a clap of thunder. Then he saw a doughnut-shaped cloud in the sky that “did not rise but headed from the high atmosphere towards the earth” (see DEFE 24/2036/1).

I realise I've already posted in this thread quite a few times tonight and will stop in a minute, but I just thought some of you may be interested that (now that the midnight embargo has passed) the media have now started realising quite a few articles about these papers:

www.guardian.co.uk...

Alien invasion hoax fooled MoD, archive papers reveal

'Flying saucers' joke by aircraft engineers mobilised the military in southern England in 1967

...

The latest batch of released UFO files also show that in the late 1970s the potential threat of alien abduction and attacks by extraterrestrials became a serious issue of debate for the UN and the CIA.

A proposal from Sir Eric Gairy, then president of Grenada, that the UN set up an agency to monitor UFO activity and conduct a full-scale investigation became a matter of delicate international diplomatic manoeuvring that included the British Foreign Office.

Gairy had been influenced by the views of a former astronaut and the Grenadians distributed free tickets for the recently released film Close Encounters of the Third Kind to press their campaign.

Britain was resolutely opposed but the files show that at least one senior diplomat was relaxed about the idea: "It must also be said, in fairness, that the Grenadian proposal is no more ridiculous than many other proposals before the UN. Indeed, President Carter has in the past reportedly taken a personal interest in UFOs," said one Foreign Office man warning against taking too open a stand against the Grenadians.ends

news.scotsman.com...

Prestwick, we have a problem: the UFO files

EYEWITNESS accounts of unidentified flying objects following planes above Scottish airports and claims by hillwalkers of close encounters atop remote Highland mountain ranges are among thousands of newly declassified documents released by the National Archives today.

The files detail insistent claims from a member of the public of unusual lights in the night sky above Glasgow, and also include a letter from a sheepish UFO watcher admitting he may have got his facts wrong following a visit to an optician.

Across the UK, the documents include apparent sightings of UFOs by the military and a "War of the Worlds" style emergency in the 1960s prompted by a student hoax. They also show that the phenomenon was discussed at the highest levels at the United Nations, the CIA and the House of Lords.

Press Association article:
www.google.com...

MoD shows 'close encounter' files

...

The extra-terrestrial files reveal how the phenomenon was discussed at the highest level of government and security services worldwide, including at the United Nations (UN), the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and was even the subject of a debate in the House of Lords.

...
The files reveal that in December 1977 the government used its influence to talk down a call by Grenada president, Sir Eric Gairy, for a UN agency to conduct research into UFO sightings. Gairy eventually withdrew his proposal but continued his campaign for a full UN debate on UFOs - calling on the UN General Assembly to make 1978 "the year of the UFO".

One of the 35 newly-released files shows 15 unidentified aircraft were detected on radar approaching the UK between January and July 2001 in the months leading up to 9/11. The MoD received just one UFO report (with no radar corroboration) on September 11 itself.

Other highlights include claims the Home Office had emergency procedures for dealing with landed and crashed satellites and UFOs; US policy files on UFOs, including CIA papers discussing the use of UFO reports for "psychological warfare"; an alleged UFO sighting by crew of HMS Manchester off the coast of Norway and how the logbook recording the incident could not be recovered.

Thanks for the heads-up.

It's interesting to see that the Daily Star also removed the article.

And now covered by The Express, Reuters and others as well...

(A new story is popping up every few minutes at the moment, but I'll stop posting for a while given the number of posts I've made in this thread tonight).


www.express.co.uk...

UFOS...THE TRUTH IS UP THERE

Floating mysteriously between the clouds, this orange-coloured disc sparked fears of extra-terrestrial activity.

The bizarre, fluorescent “doughnut” was spotted, photographed and reported to the Ministry of Defence by a retired RAF officer.

Although the UFO investigators declined to launch an inquiry – because the sighting was in Sri Lanka – they filed it away with other British “X-files”.

Details were published online yesterday in the latest batch from the files held by the National Archives in Kew, south-west London.

The unnamed ex-airman from Yorkshire saw the shape hanging in the sky near the city of Habarana, Sri Lanka, while on holiday seven years ago. After capturing it on camera, he sent it to former colleagues at RAF Fylingdales, North Yorkshire.

Here is the relevant image:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/b6c17f757355.jpg[/atsimg]


Reuters article:
uk.reuters.com...

Government releases UFO sighting and policy files

(Reuters) - The government Thursday released 35 previously classified files documenting sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) by the military and members of the public dating back to the 1950s.

The files contain around 8,500 pages which mainly cover the period from 1997 to 2005 and include photographs, drawings and descriptions of flying saucer sightings, as well as letters the Ministry of Defence sent eyewitnesses in response to their accounts.

Policemen, a soldier, a RAF officer and members of the public report sightings of objects including a "chewy mint shaped solid craft" and aerial objects resembling a "ring," a "jellyfish" and a "silver voile spin top."

www.irishtimes.com...

There may be something out there, but it hasn't been found yet

British officials dealing with reports of UFOs required a great deal of patience, papers show

THE QUIET exasperation of British ministry of defence officials tasked with dealing with reports from the British public of UFO sightings is evident in thousands of pages released today by the National Archives in Kew.

...

Official files subsequently examined in 2000 by MoD officials showed that the Rendlesham Forest files had disappeared, even though files from before and after the period held in the same place were perfectly intact.

Urging that the discovery of the missing papers be kept quiet, senior officials warned that if this “apparent anomaly in the records” were to become known, “it could be interpreted to mean that a deliberate attempt had been made to eradicate the records”.

All the best,

Isaac

Last article from me for tonight in relation to this latest release of files:



Daily Mail article
www.dailymail.co.uk...

Decade of the UFO: Secret files show alien sightings soared in 1970s

...

In April 1979 the Home Office issued guidance to all police forces, fire services and councils about what to do in the event of a ‘nuclear satellite crash’ – code for UFO wreckage from space that could be radioactive.
ABDUCTION IN BARNES

In October 1998 a man in Barnes, West London, claimed aliens had landed in his garden and abducted him after he fell asleep and woke to find he had lost an hour.

MoD officials wrote back explaining the clocks had gone forward that night.

It says: ‘There would be a possible radiation hazard... debris from the crashed satellite might be scattered over a very large area, perhaps the greater part of the country.’

People would be ordered to keep 100 yards away from potentially harmful debris and any fragments would be sent to the Ministry of Defence.


The article includes this photo:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/dcf9f5eafc08.jpg[/atsimg]

with this caption:

Bomber buzzed: A man contacted the MoD in summer 2002 after a photo he took of a flypast at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, showed 'an unidentified shape ... looking decidedly triangular in shape' next to a Lancaster bomber

Great info! I really want to see all of the photos. The few that have been posted here are intriguing, but not very impressive...

One of the 35 newly-released files shows 15 unidentified aircraft were detected on radar approaching the UK between January and July 2001 in the months leading up to 9/11. The MoD received just one UFO report (with no radar corroboration) on September 11 itself.

Oh god, here we go...

KEWL They took the price tag off again... for a while they were charging £3.50 each


Time to download

AH I see only the new ones are free, the earlier ones they charge. Anyone saved the 2010 batch? Got the 2008-09 ones but missed the 2010

Blue Beam incoming!

educate-yourself.org...

It's 3:07 a.m.

I can't wait to wake up and see all of the goodies our British cousins have released.

Yum.

Now if OUR Gov't would treat us like adults and be honest (for once) all will be right in my world.

Originally posted by zorgon
KEWL They took the price tag off again... for a while they were charging £3.50 each

Each new batch is made available free for about the first month.

Then the cost recovery starts...

BBC News website on the release: www.bbc.co.uk...
It also reports that 'Intelligence papers' relating to the Rendlesham Forest incident have gone missing.