1952 Memo on Yorkshire ‘Perfect Flying Saucer’ seen by RAF officials and pilots
This CIA Office of Scientific Intelligence memorandum for record, dated 18 December 1952 and signed by H. Marshall Chadwell, Assistant Director of Scientific Intelligence, summarizes a report brought by a recently arrived messenger from Britain who had spoken with Dr. R. V. Jones. According to the memo, the British established a standing committee on 'flying saucers' about sixteen months earlier, presumably then inherited by Jones, and the RAF had concluded that the observed objects were not enemy aircraft and that none had been seen over Britain. The memo describes a 'Yorkshire incident' roughly ten to twelve days prior, in which a 'perfect flying saucer' was seen at an RAF field during a demonstration attended by high RAF officials from London and RAF pilots; so many people saw it that articles appeared in the public press, which concerned Jones given his responsibility for correcting public opinion. Jones referenced an earlier Swedish incident (presumably 1946) and a paper by Chladni on the origin of meteorites published in the French Academy of Sciences between 1760 and 1780. The traveler informed Jones of U.S. interest and mentioned film taken by a Naval non-commissioned officer (the Tremonton incident). A second portion of the document discusses potential dangers of such sightings, including weakened early-warning identification, the risk of enemy-induced mass hysteria via faked reports, and overloading of emergency communications systems, and notes plans to raise these with the FCDA, the Interdepartmental Committee on Internal Security, and the Joint Communications and Electronics Committee. The releasing agency notes a more redacted version has long been available on the CIA public website.
Description
A declassified CIA memorandum for record dated 18 December 1952, reporting on British efforts to identify UFOs, including a standing committee under Dr. R. V. Jones and a 'flying saucer' sighting at a Yorkshire RAF field witnessed by high RAF officials and pilots. Released by the U.S. Department of War in 2026 under Section 1842 of the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
Claims
The British established a standing committee on flying saucers about sixteen months before December 1952, presumably later headed by Dr. R. V. Jones.
80%The RAF concluded that the observed objects were not enemy aircraft and that none had been over Britain.
80%A more redacted version of the memo has previously been available on the CIA public website.
80%A more redacted version of this memo has long been available on the CIA's public website.
80%Potential dangers of sightings include weakened early warning identification, enemy-induced mass hysteria via faked reports, and overloaded emergency communications systems.
70%Potential dangers of sightings include weakened early warning, enemy-induced mass hysteria via faked reports, and overloaded emergency communications.
70%During an RAF demonstration in Yorkshire, a 'perfect flying saucer' was seen by high RAF officials and pilots, prompting public press articles.
65%A 'perfect flying saucer' was seen at a Yorkshire RAF field by high RAF officials and pilots, prompting public press articles.
55%
Events
Dec 31, 1945
Swedish incident
Referenced earlier incident, presumably the 1946 ghost rocket sightings.
Dec 17, 1952
CIA memorandum for record authored
Chadwell records the messenger's report on British UFO activity.
Dec 14, 1952
Messenger report from Britain
On 15 December the recently arrived messenger reported having talked with R. V. Jones.
Yorkshire incident
About ten to twelve days before the memo, a 'perfect flying saucer' was seen at an RAF field during a demonstration by high RAF officials and pilots.
Jun 11, 2026
Public release under NDAA FY2024
Document approved for release in 2026 and posted by the U.S. Department of War.
Dec 14, 1952
Messenger report to R. V. Jones discussion
Recently arrived messenger from Britain reported having talked with R. V. Jones.
Yorkshire incident (RAF field sighting)
About ten to twelve days before the memo, a 'perfect flying saucer' was seen at an RAF field demonstration by high RAF officials and pilots, leading to press articles.
Dec 17, 1952
Memorandum for record authored
Chadwell records the British activity report.
Tremonton film
Film taken by a Naval non-commissioned officer, referenced as of possible interest to Jones.
Dates mentioned
Keywords
Entities
Organizations
Phenomena
Extracted text (OCR)
Approved fo r Release 2026 Under Section 18 42 o f the Nat ional Defense Aut h ori zat i on Act fo r Fiscal Year 2 02 4 .. ,, ·-seeRErsecurity nformatlon f 18 JDecemeer 1952 MEM0RANDtJM FOB RECORD Sl:'JBJEC'?: l. British Activity in the field 0f "Unidentified Flying Objects" I On 15 December, the recem.tly arrived messenger from Britain reported the following. Re 1aa4 talked with R. V. Jones and ~I---~ 2. The British have be.4 a standjng committee created a.bout sixteen months ago on f'lyillg saucers. . Pre8'1Dlably this is now ud.er Dr. Jeaes through inheritance. The RAF are aetien peopl.e. The graup bas c~ncludea. that the observations are not eneiq aircraft and ~ t none have been. over Brita.in. 3. The activity has been quiet and normal up to about tem. to twelve days ago, at wJaich time the Yorkshire incident took place. In some W' field, there was same sort of demenstratien to whieb. high official.a of the BAF in Lendon had been invited. During the show, a "perfect f ~ g saucer 11 -~ •seen by these officials as well ..as BAF pilots. So.Dlal:lY peaple saw it tbat ~ articles appeared in the pulic presa. Thi~ is disturbing te Jones because he rea1izes that the ·ereatisn of the e0rrection Qf pablic opinion is a part of' his responsibilities. 4. Jones reminded us ef the SWedisb. incident (pres'QD18.bly he refers to the 013.e in 1946-)., and reminds us o'f a paper on the origin of' meteari tes pu.blisllted ill the French Acu.em;y of' Sciences betlfeen 176o and 1780 by Cb.la.dni. 5. The traveler teld Jones of' 0ur interest at this time, mentioned the film vhich had been taken by the Naval non-commissioned officer (1'remonton incident). It is possibl.e that Jones. Will. write asking for a copy of'. the film or :further on the same subJect . . ~(!_ H. MABSHALI. ClWJWELL l Assis~t Direc;tor Scientific Intelligence Distributien: / Opns/SI - l. P&E7SI - l. W&E/SI - 1 AD/SI - 2 / /SECRET- ·:•, -....__ ~: , . ~ .:- ~ ' _. .~·.,....,.,, , ·,. . •. \ While there is no indication that these objects represent a direct threat to the national defense, there are certain potential dangers which are related to these sightings. These are: 1. The difficulty and delay in positive 1dentification which could weaken the early warning system in alerting defense in the event of commencement of hostilities.* 2. The possibillty of mass hysteria whieh might be ~ posely induced by an enemy at a critical time by faked reports. 3. The possibillty that the emergency eonmnmications systems to command headquarters might be seriously overloaded at a critical time by such reports. It is believed that the problems of communications confusion and overload and the serious e:ff'ects of mass hysteria mist be dealt with outside the intelligence community, and 1t is planned to bring these matters to the attention of those agencies with whom the prime responsibility appears to rest. With respect to ma.ss hysteria, it is believed this problem would lie with the Federal. Civil Defense .Administration and/ or the Interdepartmental. Cammittee on Internal Security. Accordingly, it is planned to bring this to the attention of the FCDA and ICIS through established channels. With respect to emergency eommm:deatiellS overloading, it is believed that each of the individual Mil.itary Services should examine this problem. Accordingly, we intend to introduce the subject at a meeting of the Joint Communications and Electronics Cammittee. " -·z " " #-1:f±t ~ ~ - - ~ - · ~ ; ~ c ,
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