Welsh UFO Sightings 1908

Welsh UFO sightings from 1908. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

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PRESS
June 1908
Carmarthen

Not a UFO, but the very first airship to ascend in Wales went up at the Carmarthen Whitsun Sports, giving us some idea of how unusual it would have been to see something flying in the sky at this time. The Carmarthen Journal of June 12th reported:

"The main attraction was an air-ship's flight by Messrs. Spencer Bros., London, as this was the first time that an air-ship has ascended in Wales, although the famous French wind-driven dirigible balloon, "La Patrie" passed over West Wales. Unfortunately, during the inflating process, the silk of the long cigar-shaped balloon somehow got rent, and two women had to be got to sew it up. The result, was that instead of making the flight at 4 p.m., it was nearer 7 o clock when it went up, and a large number of people who had to catch early trains, were disappointed. However, it was a pure accident, and Messrs. Spencer at the last named hour made a very fine ascent.

The ship made several revolutions, and it was clearly demonstrated that mastership of the air was possible in a slight degree, although the ship could not be propelled against the breeze blowing. After making several semi circles, the air-ship gradually drifted before the wind in the direction of Llanddarog, and after being within sight of the crowd for about twelve minutes, descended between Llanddarog and Paxton's Tower, Llanarthney, some eight miles from the town. There was, luckily, no mishap. The airshp was inflated with coal gas, and had in it a cigar-shaped balloon 80 feet in length, carried a bamboo structure with a 12-horse power motor propeller 10ft. in diameter, and a sail-like rudder."

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PRESS
December 26th 1908
Monmouth - Blaenavon

Another identified flying object, this one piloted by the famous pioneer aviator Charles Rolls - at this point he owned three balloons and had made over 130 ascents. The first issue of Flight magazine (Jan 2nd 1909) reported:

Ballooning Home. On Saturday last the Hon. C. S. Rolls gave an exhibition of the possibilities of ballooning by taking his mother, Lady Llangattock, home by balloon. The ascent was made at Monmouth in the balloon "Mercury," the occupants of the basket being Lady Llangattock, Hon. S. Rolls, Hon. Mrs. Assheton-Harbord, Mr. Claud Crompton, and Mr. Charles Freeman, and the balloon landed on the lawn in front of Lord Llangattock's house, 'The Hendre'.

After lunch the balloon again ascended, Lady Llangattock relinquishing her place to Mr. Benham Smith, and after crossing the mountains, the peaks of which were covered in clouds, the balloon was finally brought down at Blaenavon. All the ropes, etc., attached to the balloon were frozen.

Variations on this article appeared in various newspapers in late December 1908 / early January 1909. The other interesting thing about including these early IFO reports, in my opinion, is that they're *not* accompanied by UFO reports. Even if people haven't personally seen these things before, they're not mistaking them for anything weird and wonderful.