ASIO UFO RELATED FILE

Introduction

We reported in the last Newsletter that we had requested a copy of an ASIO file recently found on the National Archives RecordSearch. This has now been made available to us.

File series A6122, control symbol 2155 has a date range of 1959-1973 and is “open with exception.” It is titled “Queensland Flying Saucer Bureau Volume 1.” The file cover, as shown on the released copy, carries the original ASIO file number 3/2/979 vol 1 and is titled “Flying Saucer Research Bureau (Qld.)

Two pages of the file are a “Statement of reasons under section 40 of the Archives Act 1983” why exemptions are claimed for not releasing the entire file. The next page is titled “Access application title” and indicates that of the original 36 pages:

• Total exemption was sought and given for 15 folios
• Leaving 21 pages to be released.

The main body of the file

There is a four page August 1959 “secret” report and covering letter, on the Queensland Flying Saucer Research Bureau which indicates the reason for ASIO’s interest in the organisation. The author of the reports states “There is some communist influence in the Bureau…” naming a committee member, whose wife’s parents are stated to be “…pacifists and communists.” Concerning another committee member, the report says “He is a fanatic in matters relating to U.F.Os and all attempts to prove their validity and would resort to any means to obtain information concerning them.” The report concludes:

“At present the Queensland Bureau does not appear to constitute any serious concern…but its activities will be constantly watched as there is the ever present possibility that…together with Soviet contact and any increased Communist Party of Australia membership, the Bureau could become of far greater interest.”

 This report was forwarded by ASIO Qld to ASIO HQ.

The next two documents are a report dated 12 August 1959 on a “Play Reading” evening of the “New Theatre Club” listing those who attended. One attendee is said to be “…a member of a writers’ group;  also of the Flying Saucer Research Group.”

A memo dated 5 Jul 1960 from the Regional Director ASIO ACT to ASIO HQ forwarded a letter, from one Fred Stone of the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society, which Stone had sent to the RAAF. In this letter Stone referring to a Sydney based UFO group writes “…the Sydney one which has some folk in its control who have ‘pink’ tendencies…” The ASIO memo says “The writer (STONE) may have some potential value for Regional Director, S.A., and Regional Director N.S.W. may be interested in the reference to the Sydney Society.”

The next folio, dated 17 July 1961, is from the Regional Security Officer SA to the Chief Security Officer Melbourne cc Regional Director ASIO Adelaide, concerning one Donald Frederick Stone who commenced employment at the WRE Salisbury.

A “secret” 9 January 1962 memo from Regional Director ASIO SA to ASIO HQ forwarded a report from the (blanked out) about the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society. The report is not on the file released to us.

The next two Department of Supply folios (dated 14 and 19 June 1963) are about Donald Frederick Stone’s involvement with the subject of Scientology.

There are then no papers on the released file until 17 February 1971 when the acting Establishment Investigations Officer WRE Salisbury wrote to the Establishment Security Officer Salisbury. This memo advised that Donald Frederick Stone ceased employment with the WRE on 29 January 1971. It also advised that Stone was off to the United Kingdom to Scientology headquarters. The covering memo dated 23 February 1971 from the RSO(SA) Department of Supply advised that “Stone has been kept under notice since 1961…”

A 3 November 1972 ASIO SA memo headed “Australian Flying Saucer Research Society” refers to a 13 October 1972 report concerning Colin Norris who the report says“…claims to be in correspondence with Soviet academicians on the subject of unidentified flying objects…Norris spoke to members of the Young Socialists League in South Australia about UFOs…” This report refers to an earlier 1969 report, which is not on the file.

Finally, a 15 August 1973 “Telephone message” from “Supervisor (Intelligence)” concerned Donald Frederick Stone, and posed questions re his connection to Scientology.

In summary

Not only does this file contain papers about the Queensland Flying Saucer Research Bureau, but also papers pertaining to the Australian Flying Saucer Research Society, and UFO researchers Colin Norris and Fred Stone. It is unclear from the papers on file whether or not the Donald Frederick Stone referred to, is the ufologist Fred Stone. With this documentation in mind we will return to ASIO to follow up our previous application for any files on The Australian Flying Saucer Research Society and early UFO researchers.

ANOTHER WOOMERA FILE

Another file relating to observations of “unusual occurrences” at the then restricted Woomera test range has been located, this time in the Sydney office of the NAA. It is a “Secret” Department of Supply file series number D250/3 control symbol 1956/483 Part 1 titled “Reports on unidentified aircraft, strange occurrences etc.” The file’s highlights are:

28 Apr 1952 Woomera West SA 0345hrs 15secs 3wits NL

Three men noticed at 45 degrees SE, a light in the sky. This light was moving WNW parallel to the ground, lighting up clouds and the surrounding terrain. It was visible through breaks in the clouds. The bus driver remarked, “They are firing rockets early today.” One witness replied: “It was not a rocket.” The light had an estimated size of one third that of the full Moon.

27 Sep 1952 Woomera SA ca2050hrs 5 secs 5 wits NO

Five witnesses were at the Woomera West Open Air Theatre.  They sighted an object, variously described as a “cigar,” an “airship,” and “cylindrical” with an “exhaust” at the rear. It travelled horizontally from west to east, possibly NW to SE. One witness reported “…two portholes with internal lighting.” It was moving quickly, with no noise noted.

8 Oct 1952 Woomera SA 1345hrs 44 minutes 1wit 3 Radar

While tracking an aircraft, a target was acquired by radar. However, no visual object could be seen by the radar operator. “The signal to noise ratio was at least 5 to 1 which is similar to that obtained  from a large aircraft.” At one stage between 1345 and 1400hrs the target approached to within one mile. Between 1405 and 1429hrs the operator tracked the invisible target at heights between 1500 and 5600 feet. “At times during the movement of the target smaller targets seemed to detach themselves from the main target and drift away.” Weather was fine, 5/8 high cloud at 25000 feet-84 degrees F, north wind at 25-30 mph. Comments by the Security Officer included (note it snowed briefly at 0900hrs the next day): “…it was most probably that the snow cloud had some connection. However, the possibility of a neutron cloud is not ruled out…” A ground plot of the radar target was located on the file.

29 & 30  Jul 1953 Woomera SA 1205hrs & 1010hrs DO

29 July. Unidentified aircraft reported on bearing 180 degrees. No known aircraft in area.

30 July. Unidentified aircraft reported visually and on radar. No known aircraft.

29 Jul 1953 Woomera SA Various hrs DO

• 1058hrs Round shining object moved across sky. Peace Officer Jack Downwood.
• 1030hrs. Small white round object moved rapidly across the sky. Mr Victor Moore.
• 1400hrs. Spherical objects seen through binoculars moving rapidly across the sky. Colour white with occasional red flashes of colour
• Morning. Round object mistaken for bomb during trials and a series of photographs were taken. When the film was examined nothing unusual was noted.

An investigation report suggested the objects were balls of thistle seeds.

15 Oct 1953 Woomera SA 1030hrs Radar

An object was detected by radar in position 60,000 to 70,000 yards East of Post R Range A. Probably an aircraft circling. Checks revealed it was a known aircraft.

14 Nov 1953 Woomera SA 0145hrs 1wit NL

Sighting of a “glare” believed to be an aircraft.

5 May 1954 Woomera SA (1600-1645hrs) 5 mins 3 wits Radar/visual

A major event. Details previously shown in Newsletter Three.         

13 Apr 1956 Peak Hill SA 1300hrs DO

Object seen travelling at the speed of an aircraft. It left a vapour trail.

MEDIA RELATIONS

During the month of November, Debbie Payne and Keith Basterfield were interviewed on five different regional and Capital City ABC radio stations concerning the  Disclosure Project.

FOI REQUESTS

The Project has submitted two more FOI requests to Government agencies, namely:

• The CSIRO
• The Department of Defence-specifically, Army, Navy, the DSTO and the DOD’s  Intelligence Group

seeking access to any papers held since 1 December 1977 on the subject of UFOs. This now brings to a total of five, the number of FOI requests generated by the Project. Of the previous three, two went to the Department of Defence concerning RAAF UFO files, and the other to the Department of Transport.

OUTSTANDING ARCHIVE FILE REQUESTS

Out of the remaining Archive files we are waiting to examine, two stand out. Both appear to be RAAF Darwin files. File series E1327 control symbol 5/4/AIR Part 1 titled “Unusual sightings-incidents” with a date range of 1960-1968; and E1327 5/3/Air part 1 titled “Maritime and air incident contacts” with a date range of  1966-1992. Their original status was “Not yet examined.” We asked the NAA to have the files examined and the status was then noted to have changed to “With held pending agency advice.” The NAA does not say which agency is reviewing the files for us.