Ministry Of Defence Starts UK UFO Archive Release (14th May 2008)

The National Archives (TNA) had a release scheduled for the 14th May, apparently there was an embargoed press announcement which was circulated from Monday. There was also an earlier pre-emptive warning circulated to the national press last week which was also embargoed.

---

The National Archives virtual press event - UFOs

For first time, The National Archives is making 8 Ministry of Defence (MoD) files relating to (Unidentified Flying Objects) UFOs available on Monday 12 May 2008.

The files will be available to download at no charge for the first month, online at the TNA website.

These are the first files to be released by the MoD as part of a 4-year transfer project relating to UFOs. The files are under embargo until the 00.01am 14 May 2008.

Visitors to the site will, in addition to downloading the files, be able to listen to a Podcast from Dr David Clarke, senior lecturer, Hallam University , discussing the files and the release. He has also written a background briefing on UFO files held at The National Archives.

There is also a short videocast from Nick Pope, a British UFO specialist presents a short videocast providing additional explanations. The files cover 1978 to 1987 and contain details on recorded incidents from the Ministry of Defence during this time.

Some of the highlights include:

DEFE 24/1925 - this file contains a long letter and drawings from a member of the public describing his 'physical and psychic contact' with green aliens since he was a child. One of them called Algar was killed in 1984 by another race of beings. The writer says that he visited their bases in the Wirral and Cheshire , whilst his wife reported seeing a UFO shot down over Wallasey Town.

DEFE 31/172 - On 21 February 1982, a group of customers and staff in Tunbridge Wells report an unknown object with green and red flashing lights - seen heading in the direction of Gatwick. (p.22)

DEFE 31/172 - A detailed briefing prepared by the Ministry of Defence for Lord Strabolgi, Government Chief Whip, for debate on UFO's in the House of Lords in January 1979. Paddy Stevens who briefed the Government spokesperson, said, "there is nothing to indicate that UFOlogy is anything but claptrap..." (Page 126-135)

Plus many more.

If you would like any further information, please contact Tim Matthews on 020 8392 5277, or tim.matthews@nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Press Officer
The National Archives,
Email: tmatthews@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Tel: 0208 392 5277 ext 2578
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

---

Indeed, far from this being a surprise it has been a long promised and much anticipated event, regular (and attentive!!) readers may remember that I posted about the MOD release back on the 24th December (2007), writing:

(UK) UFO Researchers Secure Release Of MoD UFO Documentation. “Following sustained pressure by a small number of UFO researchers during the last 8 years, the British Ministry of Defence have decided to release all of their UFO files. (For the full details of the planned release, visit: UK-UFO.org).

Gary Anthony, Dave Clarke, and Joe McGonagle have been making full use of the Freedom of Information Act and its precursor, the Code of Practice on access to Government information. At considerable personal expense, effort, and investment of time the three of us have submitted a steady stream of requests. As well as making requests ourselves, we actively encouraged and assisted other ufologists to make their own requests.”

Click here to read the full post.

So when you read further articles or postings regarding this imminent disclosure, or when the release of these documents is finally realised, I urge you not to forget the efforts of Dave Clarke et al. Whose efforts are directly responsible for this landmark event, the results of their collective efforts should stand as irrefutable testimony to the enormity of what can be achieved with perseverance, dedication and determination.

In fact, why not visit their website at UK-UFO.org and thank them right now?

---

But I certainly wouldn't get too excited about the release and I feel it important to stress that there will be NO SMOKING GUN found, or even implications of such but that's not why this is such an interesting release. I personally believe it's such an interesting release so that the general public may finally have some inkling into the inner-workings of the MOD as it relates to UFO reports and I also believe the ineptitude and 'couldn't care less' attitude will prove to be more shocking than yet another ‘aliens stole my dog' report (which the media take a little too much delight in reporting on).

That's not to say there aren't any interesting cases included of course.....

Like the account from air traffic controllers, each with over eight years in the job, they reported that at 4 p.m. on April 19, 1984 a UFO landed at the airport they were working at then took off at an incredible speed.

The men, each with more than eight years on the job, described how they were helping guide a small plane to a landing on runway 22 when they were distracted by a brightly lit object approaching a different runway without clearance.

“Everyone became aware that the object was unidentified…..SATCO (code name for a controller with 14 years experience) reports that the object came in at speed, made a touch and go on runway 27, then departed at terrific speed in a near vertical climb.”

But of course this is merely one of the hundreds of *credible* reports that poses no kind of threat or no *defence significance* or so we're told. Still I don't doubt for a second that the conspiracy theorists will have a field day with what they think has been retained…..

---

MoD Confirms Release of UFO Reports (Dec 2007)

(UK) UFO Researchers Secure Release Of MoD UFO Documentation. Very recently (21st Dec 2007) Joe McGonagle of UK-UFO.org announced that:

“Following sustained pressure by a small number of UFO researchers during the last 8 years, the British Ministry of Defence have decided to release all of their UFO files. (For the full details of the planned release, visit: UK-UFO.org).

Gary Anthony, Dave Clarke, and Joe McGonagle have been making full use of the Freedom of Information Act and its precursor, the Code of Practice on access to Government information. At considerable personal expense, effort, and investment of time the three of us have submitted a steady stream of requests. As well as making requests ourselves, we actively encouraged and assisted other ufologists to make their own requests.”

Anybody who is interested in UFOlogy, especially as it relates to the UK and to the “Official” stance of the government owe these researchers at the very least a word of thanks as even anyone who's unaware of the previous achievements of this small but dedicated group will undoubtedly be aware of the many documents that they have been instrumental in obtaining the release of. As far back as 2001, Dave Clarke and Andy Roberts discovered the existence and much more importantly secured the release of documents relating directly to the sensationally named, “Flying Saucer Working Party”. Some of these documents were retained for a further six years before Dave Clarke finally secured release of the sections which were earlier withheld under Section 3(4) of the Public Records Act. (8th February 2007).

And there's also, “Project Condign” Britain 's Secret UFO Study which was the first ever document obtained under the FoIA with a, “SECRET” classification. The researchers meticulous gathering and analysis of documents first identified the existence of the, “Condign report” in 2005 and then promptly secured its release in 2006. A release of information which Dave Clarke doggedly pursued and upon appeal forced the further release of details which were previously claimed too sensitive. Rather than highlight all of their remarkable achievements, I suggest that you visit (and bookmark!!) their main/updates page which has full details and all relevant links to these and many other FOIA requests. (UK-UFO.org updates page).

This recent revelation is the culmination of many years work some of which dates back to 2003 while actively pursuing the release of information via FoIA requests they discovered that DI55 (the Defence Intelligence Branch charged with the investigation of UFO reports) were considering physically destroying millions of pages of files due to asbestos contamination, some of which were specifically created by DI55 in relation to UFO reports. These were just a small percentage of the files which were earmarked for destruction, however all of the files combined covered a diverse and eclectic array of topics which they argued were representative of a key period of military and political history and as such it would be a travesty to simply destroy and ultimately erase these records in their entirety.

Rather than simply sit back and await a decision regarding the demise of these files, they instead launched a campaign enlisting support from MP's, academics, the media, the UFO community and raised awareness among the general public. After rethinking their position the MoD subsequently initiated a costly (estimated at around 3 million pounds!!) project of digitally scanning, archiving and collating the files prior to their destruction. The researchers ensured the progress of this project was closely monitored and periodic updates were requested and granted from the Departmental Records Officer at the MoD, thus ensuring that the details of the project were firmly kept in the public domain.

The scanning stage of the contaminated UFO files was completed early 2007 and as the UK-UFO.org website states:

“This prompted a dialogue within the MoD as to the future release of files. Due to the volume of requests about UFOs received by Defence Intelligence, they discussed the viability of a staged, wholesale release, and concluded in April 2007 that this was the preferred way forward. This encouraged the Directorate of Air Space (DAS, the MoD agency charged with filtering reports before passing those thought to be of defence interest to other MoD branches including DI55) to make a similar evaluation and they have now also reached a decision for a staged release of all of their UFO records.”

The following is from a document obtained under a FoIA request and that was originally dated March 2007. An internal letter which discusses the full release of the documents and leaves no doubt as to the significance of the role the researchers (especially Dave Clarke) played, which was instrumental in this unprecedented release of all MoD UFO documents:

“I agree absolutely that we cannot sustain the current level of FOI requests. I have spoken to (name removed) - the AD in my area that is the only one left in DIST who knows anything. He feels strongly that the campaign is being led by one man and the cumulative resource implications of what he has been asking for is considerable. We expect this to continue.”

The story has since filtered through the tabloids, I was a little disappointed to see that the UK 's Daily Telegraph (online version) chose to extensively quote Nick Pope with absolutely no mention of Dave Clarke and the other researchers at UK-UFO.org. I have no doubt that this omission will subsequently be perpetuated throughout the internet on News websites, Blogs, forums etc.

So when you read further articles or postings regarding this imminent disclosure, or when the release of these documents is finally realised, I urge you not to forget the efforts of Dave Clarke et al. Whose efforts are directly responsible for this landmark event, the results of their collective efforts should stand as irrefutable testimony to the enormity of what can be achieved with perseverance, dedication and determination.

In fact, why not visit their website at UK-UFO.org and thank them right now?