Weird Wales

Welsh UFO Sightings 1923

Welsh UFO sightings from 1923. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1922

Welsh UFO sightings from 1922. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

PRESS
7th March
Llangollen

Flying Officer Brian Holding set out in an Avro 504k from an aerodrome near Chester at 10:30 for a short flight. About 11:00 he was seen near Llangollen, heading back towards Chester - but he never arrived. Although a search for signs of Holding and / or his plane continued for weeks, under the assumption he had gone down over a populated area, no trace was ever found. (Official RAF records are much less mysterious; Holding set off from RAF Shotwick in Flintshire and was presumed to have crashed into the Irish Sea off the coast of Barmouth.)

Charles Fort quoted the Daily Chronicle of 30/03/1922 as stating, "It is incredible, but nothing has been heard of Holding."

The papers carried a little bit of background on Holding. The Banbury Guardian (23/03/1922) reported that he had left Mill Hill School at 15 to train as an officer in the Flying Corps. Since WWI he had been working as an instructor at Chester. Not sure if he was the same Brian Holding of the Officers' Mess, Uxbridge RAF Depot, who was fined £2 for getting a driver to break the speed limit for him to catch a train to Dover in 1920. (Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette, 05/03/1920) Presumption of his death was reported in August 1922 - Liverpool Echo, 03/08/1922.

Saturday 9th September
Barmouth

John Morris, steersman of the local lifeboat and William James saw an object fall into the sea "with extraordinary slowness", so slowly that it was thought to be a plane. A boat was sent out but nothing was found. No aircraft was reported missing.

Source: www.nicap.org/magonia.htm citing Charles Fort.

I looked up the original news reports which were a little less mysterious. The Dundee Evening Telegraph (11/09/1922) reported that "Mr William Jones was on the coast at Barmouth when he observed that an aeroplane over the sea was in difficulties. He called the attention of Mr John Morris, coxswain of the Barmouth lifeboat, to the predicament of the machine, and Mr Morris, by means of his binoculars, saw the aeroplane nose-dive and disappear into the sea with the engine in motion. The incident happened about seven miles away, and in a northerly direction. The coxswain and others jumped into a motor boat immediately and raced to the spot. They cruised over the place for several hours, but could find no trace of the aeroplane or its occupants. It is feared that there has been loss of life."

The Westminster Gazette (11/09/1922) said their correspondent had interviewed John Morris who 'was positive of what he had seen'. In October the newspapers, eg. Westminster Gazette 10/10/1922, noted that Morris had just completed 50 years service with the Barmouth lifeboat. The Shields Daily News (11/09/1922) also reported on it:

Shields Daily News 11 September 1922

MYSTERY OF AN AEROPLANE. SEEN TO NOSE-DIVE INTO THE SEA. VAIN SEARCH. MACHINE COMPLETELY DISAPPEARS.

A mysterious aeroplane disaster is reported from Barmouth. Shortly after noon on Saturday, William Jones, a coast watcher, observed an aeroplane, which appeared to be in difficulties, out at sea. He called the attention of Captain John Morris, coxswain of the Barmouth lifeboat, who sighted the aeroplane with his binoculars. As Captain Morris was watching its flight, the machine began to nose-dive and disappeared into the sea.

LIFEBOAT PUTS OUT.

The spot at which it fell is about seven miles in a northerly direction from Barmouth, off the shore of Cardigan Bay, and in the vicinity of St. Patrick's Causeway, the scene, in foggy weather, of many shipwrecks. Without losing a moment, Captain Morris entered his motor-boat, and, with a scratch crew, raced to the scene of the accident. After cruising for some hours, and searching up to within a couple of miles of the Carnarvonshire coast, he returned to Barmouth, reporting that no trace could be found, either of the machine or his occupants.

Upon inquiry yesterday at the Air Ministry, a reporter was informed that no light could be thrown upon the supposed disaster. "We know of no machine which is likely to have been in the vicinity of Barmouth at noon on Saturday," said an official, "neither is any British aeroplane missing to our knowledge."
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Welsh UFO Sightings 1921

Welsh UFO sightings from 1921. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1920

Welsh UFO sightings from 1920. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

PRESS
1920
Graig

Various newspapers picked up a story from Pontypridd magistrates court, about a workhouse inmate who was said to have frightened people by pretending to be a ghost. The Portsmouth Evening News of August 31st 1920 reported:

"GHOST" OF THE MOUNTAINS. TROUBLE IN WELSH WORKHOUSE.

Two women inmates of the Central Homes which the Pontypridd Guardians maintain at Graig, appeared before the local magistrates yesterday on charges of assaulting nurses, and with being refractory paupers. It was said of one, Abigail Booth, that she had been in and out of the homes since 1911, and was a constant source of trouble. For some time she lived in a crevice on the Penrhyn Mountain, and frightened many people by pretending to be a ghost.

During the disturbances which these women provoked on Sunday, one nurse was bitten in the arm and another was severely mauled, being pulled to the floor by her hair. Plates were also thrown about, and the master declared that for a time pandemonium prevailed.

One woman was cautioned and sent back to the homes, but Abigail was fined £1.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1919

Welsh UFO sightings from 1919. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1918

Welsh UFO sightings from 1918. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

PRESS
March 1918
Neath

Identified Flying Object: Llais Llafur of March 16th 1918 reported that a new airship, the C3, "flew over the town for a considerable time on Wednesday afternoon."

Welsh UFO Sightings 1917

Welsh UFO sightings from 1917. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

PRESS
1917
Kidwelly

Strange knocks were first heard at the beginning of January 1917, in a new build house at the Kidwelly Gasworks. Living at the house was the manager, Mr. Charles Touking Rippin, his wife (Elizabeth Hannah) and their four children: Flora May (b. 1904), Edgar Charles (b. 1905), Arthur Henry (b. 1907).

The knocks became more and more insistent until Mr. Rippin began replying with knocks of his own. By the end of the month 'conversations' via knocking were being held, with the knocks beginning around 20:30 and continuing until 23:30 each evening. The phenomena attracted lots of interest from the public and psychic researchers alike, with people generally believing it to be the ghost of Abel J. Williams, a young shunter who was killed by the Fishguard Express in December 1916.

The ghost had heavy press coverage during February 1917, but it trailed off in March with no obvious cause being discovered. I've transcribed all the press reports I could find here.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1916

Welsh UFO sightings from 1916. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

Reports of a ghost in Swansea were quickly debunked, but the response is amusing enough to bear recording (Cambria Daily Leader, Sep 21st 1916):

"A rumour circulated amongst the youngsters of Brynmill that a ghost was making periodical appearances in a certain street at nightfall has created considerable commotion in that particular thoroughfare. Each night at dusk crowds of children have congregated, with the result that an erstwhile peaceful corner of the district has been converted into a positive pandemonium. So exasperated have the residents become that on Tuesday evening one of them took to throwing buckets of water among the rowdy crowd. Where are the police? The origin of the rumour was the result of a stupid prank by two boys several nights ago."

PRESS
26th September
Cardiff

A 'thunderstone' fell following a flash of lightning. I found this via Fort's ook of the Damned, via Nature 95/98:

According to the Times a "meteorite (commonly known as a 'thunderbolt ')" fell at Dinas Powis, near Cardiff, on the night of September 26-27, and did some damage. The cause of the damage was, however, not a meteorite, but a lightning-flash. There had been thunderstorms on or about the same day of the month in the previous May, June, and July, whilst it was on March 27 that the famous storm occurred.

PRESS
Monday 16th October, 19:00 - 20:00
South east Wales

South-East Wales was on tip-toe on Monday evening between 7 and 8 o'clock gazing excitedly at a luminous shape in the sky, away towards the south-east.

Locally, in common with other districts opinion was divided as to the nature of the apparition, some inclining to the belief that it was the northern lights, others that it was a peculiar light from Dowlais or other works. Very few believed that the mysterious light was an airship.

Major Baird, M.P., of the Air Board, in reply to an enquiry from Mr. C. B. Stanton, M.P., who watched the "light" in his own constituency has informed that gentleman that "There is no doubt that the airship seen over Aberdare and Merthyr was one of ours. You will not ask me where it lives. The main thing is that it is ours."

Mr. Stanton was given authority to make the fact known.

Source: Labour Voice (Llais Llafur) 21 October 1916.

In the House of Commons on Tuesday Mr. J. H. Cory (U., Cardiff), asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he was aware that a British airship's sudden appearance over parts of South Wales on Monday night week, created a good deal of excitement that would have been avoided had any warning been the practice in London; and whether he directed the officials responsible for these flights by British airships to give warning whenever possible of such proposed visits?

Dr. Macnamara: Airships were over South Wales, during Monday, the 16th October but returned to their base in day light. No reports have been received indicating that any alarm was caused.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1915

Welsh UFO sightings from 1915. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

PRESS
January 1915
Soar, Anglesey

A strange voice was heard at Bryncoch House near Soar on Anglesey, home to Elizabeth Jones, her adult son and daughter, and grand-daughter Annie, who it singled out particularly.

The North Wales Chronicle of January 15th 1915 reported:

AN ANGLESEY GHOST STORY, A "STRANGE" VOICE HEARD AT A LONELY HOUSE.

The inhabitants of the district between Bodorgan and Gwalchmai have passed through a nerve-trying experience; indeed, it may be said that the best part of Anglesey is more or less excited over a "ghost story" which is being told with unlimited variations. The "visited" house lies in a lonely spot, about a mile to the north of Soar village, and is inhabited by a widow named Elizabeth Jones, with an adult son and daughter, together with a girl thirteen years of age, who is Mrs Jones' grand-daughter. With the view of gaining first-hand knowledge of the place and of listening to evidence on tho spot, our correspondent proceeded there this week, a task that should never have been attempted minus a pair of sea-boots, as the road leading thereto was well-nigh impassable owing to the recent heavy rains. It may be stated that the opening chapters of the story as told in the district synchronise with the return home on leave of a soldier who is undergoing training with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

He was on his way home along a lonely road when he was startled at hearing a voice calling out to him, but apparently there was no one on the road except himself. He proceeded on his way, but had not gone far when he was brought sharply to the "attention" by hearing the voice again calling out to him. This time he received an invitation to go to Bryncoch, the house referred to on the following night, taking his wife with him. Startled beyond measure and fully believing that there was a "ghost" in the neighbourhood, he hurried to Bryncoch and there related what had occurred. A short time later he left and proceeded to his own house.

Having been invited to the house by Mrs Jones, our correspondent was told that this was only one instance of many similar cases in which "something" had troubled them during the first week of the year. Startled one night by hearing continuous rapping, the son got up but was unable to ascertain the cause. This was on a Sunday night; the two following nights the same sharp rapping Was heard at short intervals, and on Wednesday evening some neighbours who were in the house heard a faint voice.

A MYSTERIOUS VOICE.

Silence reigned supreme for some minutes when suddenly the "spirit" began to "speak." At first it seemed as though the voice came from an empty cupboard close to the fireplace, and after several persons had refused to open it one of the company did so, but the cupboard was bare. Those present were terrified to hear the "voice" revealing to them "secrets" which each individual had fondly hoped was locked in his and her own breast. The little girl did not seem to take things too seriously and her grandmother rebuked her for laughing. Thereupon the "spirit" in turn rebuked the lady of the house, "because," as he remarked, "it is with Annie that I want to speak."

So awed were the company that they spent a considerable time in meditation. The party broke up at a late hour, wondering greatly, and amazed at the things which they had heard, but marvelling still more at the fact that the "spirit" had not deigned to appear. On the following night a large company sat together at Bryncoch, and on this occasion similar scenes were witnessed. Among those present was a gipsy whose curiosity had impelled him thither. He claimed to have solved the mystery by discovering that the girl was gifted with ventriloquial powers, but the girl (who was at school) is not aware herself that she possesses any such powers, and denies that she hoaxed the company present at the house.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1914

Welsh UFO sightings from 1914. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

PRESS
February 1914
Abergwessin

In the local news column for Abergwessin, the Brecon County Times of February 5th 1914 reported:

"CORPSE CANDLE." A Wil' o' the Wisp," locally known as "Corpse Candle," was seen in the district a few days ago, and, though not unusual in the neighbourhood, the occurrence caused an observer, who lives some miles away, much fear and anxiety."

PRESS
Wednesday 25th March 1914
Cardiff

The Western Mail of March 26th 1914 reported on an exhibition flight by Gustav Hamel:

LOOPING THE LOOP. MR. HAMEL'S LOW FLYING AT CARDIFF.

Mr. Gustav Hamel successfully looped the loop in the air several times at Ely Race course on Wednesday afternoon. The monoplane reached an altitude of about 1,000ft., and the airman first performed a couple of single loops. Then came another circle, followed by a couple of double loops.

Immediately afterwards Mr. Hamel set off for a flight over Cardiff. On returning he performed another loop, and then entertained the spectators to some thrilling low flying. He swooped down until he was within a foot or two of the ground, and then soared aloft again, swept round the course, and repeated the manœuvre.

This time he altered his course somewhat, and a crowd of spectators who were in the direct line of flight scattered in all directions. One of the spectators, instead of running, bent down, the machine just clearing him.

FIRST FLIGHT SENSATIONS.

Mr. Hamel afterwards went up with a passenger, Mr. A. Pritchard, manager of the Great Western Hotel, whose first flight it was. Mr. Pritchard described the experience as most enjoyable, and like sitting in an easy chair.

In another section of the same issue, the Western Mail reported:

When Mr. Gustav Hamel was seen in his aeroplane coming in the direction of Ninian Park yesterday spectators forgot the game, and when the aviator started looping the loop even the players and the referee lost interest, and play suddenly ceased while everyone gazed skywards for about five minutes. It was a distinct breach of the rigid laws of the Football Association, and Mr. Hamel, no doubt, recognised this fact for he flew over the park twice and treated the lawbreakers to a couple of magnificent loops.

Over the next few days Hamel flew from Newport to Cardiff with Baron Gunsberg in torrential rain, in addition to more exhibition flights in Cardiff. He also met with Charles Horace Watkins, to see the latter's home built 'Robin Goch' aeroplane.

PRESS
July 20th 1914
Rhyl

IFO: A French balloon race ended in a crash at Rhyl for one of the competitors. The Nottingham Journal of July 21st reported:

The balloon Belgica, which took part in the 10th annual contest of the Aero Club de France on Sunday, dropped at Foryd Station, near Rhyl, North Wales, yesterday morning. The two occupants - Ernest Demnyter, of Brussels, and Albert Vleninex - stated that they crossed the Channel in 135 minutes, whilst the full flight from Paris to Rhyl occupied 15 hours.

M. Spire, another competitor, was yesterday morning admitted to the Aberystwyth infirmary with a fractured leg and other injuries, his balloon having met with a mishap in landing.

PRESS
August
Bridgend

Identified Flying Object: I'm always on the lookout for reports of things which could be mistaken for UFOs in the early years, so found this article from the Glamorgan Gazette of August 7th 1914 kind of intriguing.

"LOCAL AMUSEMENTS. THE CINEMA, BRIDGEND. Next week there will be an enormously successful programme at the Cinema. At the top of the bill an original turn entitled. "The Wireless Airship," is an exciting novelty which should appeal to everyone at this time. It is a small dirigible 18 feet long, which sails round the audience without any control except electricity and without any attachments whatsoever. It is a marvellous invention."

September, afternoon
Caerphilly

Two boys named Uden and Hopkins, recall they were wandering on a mountainside after school on their way home, when they suddenly encountered a widespread mist at the edge of which were two small humanoid figures totally white all over. They advanced towards the children who became frightened and fled. Both beings wore abnormally tall hats, rather like those worn by chefs, and had piercing eyes.

Source: 'Humanoid Encounters 1900-1929' Albert S. Rosales 2016 page 139 citing Rupert Drew.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1913

Welsh UFO sightings from 1913. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

In the early part of the year there were numerous sightings across England and Wales of a mystery airship... The Cambria Daily Leader (06/02/1913) took it every bit as seriously as you might expect:

PRESS
Friday 17th January, late afternoon / early evening
South Wales

16:45 - Captain Lionel Lindsay, Chief Constable of Glamorgan, saw a large airship trailing dense smoke passing in a westerly direction. He was reported in the Cambria Daily Leader (21/01/1913) as saying: "At a quarter to five on Friday evening last I noted the object in the air. It was then dusk and rather foggy, so that one could not define it. It was much bigger and moved faster than the Willows airship, and it left in its trail a dense volume of smoke. I called the attention of a bystander to the object, and he agreed with me that it was some large air-craft. It disappeared quickly, thus giving us evidence of speedy movement, and it was taking a direction as if making for Swansea. I have failed to meet with someone else who saw it, and am anxious to solve what appears to me something like a mystery."

17:15 - Mr Steven Morgan of Merthyr believed he saw the same object as Capt. Lindsay from his bedroom window. It was flying from Merthyr over a mountain summit into the Aberdare valley. (Cambria Daily Leader, 22/01/1913)

c. 18:00 - Sara E. Hanmer of Bettisfield, Rogerstone, saw a low flying airship with a searchlight. She wrote (23/01/1913) a letter to the Western Mail which was printed in the 25th January edition: "Sir, - My sister and I also observed the mysterious airship on Friday evening last, at about six o'clock. It was wobbling considerably over Fox Wood. It seemed to carry a searchlight, which flashed brilliantly at times, and at others was quite obscured it seemed to us. From this we concluded the occupants were in difficulties. It was so close to earth that we could distinctly hear the whirr of the machinery. Eventually it only appeared to be a darker object travelling in a westerly direction. This is the third time we have seen a similar object in the last four or five weeks, but this one was much nearer, and looked an immense object travelling very swiftly."

The Western Mail of Monday 27 January 1913 printed a map showing the probable route that the 'airship' took. This started at Barry. The object was seen above Barry by an observer in Bonvilston, some miles inland. It was next seen above Cardiff by a witness in Roath Park. At about 6 pm it was seen above Newport. Merthyr Tydfil was next, also reportedly seen at about 6 pm. It was seen over Glanamman between 6.30 and 6.45 pm, finally seen by an observer in Sketty, Swansea.

The newspaper said: "....probable route of the mysterious airship which hovered over South Wales on Friday, January 17, according to the times and places of correspondents who wrote to say they had seen it. The following night an airship was also stated to have been seen over Essex and Surrey."

PRESS
Saturday 18th January, 20:00
Swansea

Mr. Marshall, a ship-broker residing in the Uplands, informed a "Leader" representative that he could not say with certainty whether the object which he saw at eight o'clock on Saturday evening was an airship or anything else. He observed what he at first took to be a star. The light, however was diffused, and he watched it for some time, observing that it appeared to be moving at a fairly good speed. He went into the house to call the members of the family to see it, and when they came out it had disappeared.

Source: 'Cambria Daily Leader', Wednesday 22nd January 1913.

PRESS
Saturday 18th January, between 20:30 and 21:00
Swansea

SWANSEA BOY AND A WHIZZING NOISE

Master Harold Gibbs, son of a superintendent of the estate department under Swansea Corporation, claims to have heard the aeroplane between half-past eight and nine on Saturday evening on the Parade Mayal of the Town Hall Garden City, Swansea.

"I was taking the bread home," he said, "when I heard a hooting noise from St. Thomas way, so I stopped and put down the bread. My brother was with me; we stopped to listen to it. We heard it whizzing overhead, and there was a hooter in it, and then it passed over in direction of Sketty. We both looked up, but we couldn't see anything. We could hear the whizzing of the propeller and a sound like a motor horn. It passed as soon as anything. It went over between Honey's Farm and Sketty."

Source: 'Western Mail', Friday 24th January 1913.

PRESS
Saturday 18th January, 19:00
Clyne Valley, Swansea

A postman named J. Bowen, of Sketty was going towards the Clyne Colliery when he saw a large bright light hanging over Clyne Woods. He had been reading about the airship only an hour before, and noticing the brilliancy and unsteadiness of the light, he was convinced that he had at last seen it.

Arriving home at No. 2, Harry-street, Sketty, about an hour later, he could still see the light, which had moved very little at all. He called out his brother and his next-door neighbours, but they were at first sceptical, saying it was only a star.

Then, as they were gazing at the light, it began to bob about, and finally went out. It re-appeared shortly in a slightly altered position, and was seen to be considerably larger than the brightest star.

Spoken to by a "Leader" representative this morning, J. Bowen said it looked twice as large as Venus.

"Do you think it was a searchlight?" asked the "Leader" man.

"No", said J. Bowen, "it looked like a head-light. A very bright one and when it went out it died out slowly. It looked as if they put the light out, flew a bit, then lighted it again."

The latter remark was in answer to a suggestion that perhaps the disappearance of the light was caused by the tacking of the airship, which would have put the stern towards the observer.

On these details all the witnesses agreed. Mr. James, of No. 1 Harry-street, describing the light as having a bluish centre throwing off sparks. The only thing lacking in the airship theory of the light is, that, in spite of the exceptional clearness of the atmosphere and the bright moon, no one saw the body of the ship; neither did they hear the propellers, which latter fact could be explained by the fact that they locate the position of the "mystery" as being over Clyne Common - a distance of a couple of miles from their point of observation.

Mr. Bowen went to the top of the hill and once more saw the light, which appeared to have moved considerably in the direction of Tenby, then it slowly died down and disappeared, as on the previous occasion. After he had mentioned the light, he said, several other people said they had seen lights during the last few nights, but had thought them to be only stars.

Source: 'The Cambria Daily Leader' Wednesday 22 January 1913.

[SUFON Note: compare this sighting with that of the boys in Kidwelly on the same evening. No time given but it could have been after the Clyne sighting, and it being to the west of Swansea, could have been the same object - bluish centre, sending off sparks. - E.W.]

More on this sighting in the 27th January edition:

PRESS
Tuesday 21st January
Kidwelly

Richard Williams, a Standard VII pupil at Kidwelly Castle Council School who saw the mysterious light many days ago wrote the following bright and intelligent description of it at the request of his schoolmaster, Mr D. O. Jones -

A Mystery, 28th January 1913

Last Tuesday, as I was playing with some friends in Bridge street, my attention was drawn to some curious object, which took the form of a star, and moved slowly to and fro in the sky. A strange thing about the object is that it did not keep its shape for a long time. When my friends and I first saw it, it was a brilliant star situated in a lighted atmosphere, and appeared to be sending out sparks in all directions. Then it got smaller and smaller until we could only distinguish its bluish centre, which at times went out of sight. It then re-appeared and kept on disappearing and re-appearing for a very long time. After gazing at it for some time we lost sight of it altogether, when it appeared to be going in the direction of Carmarthen. We then parted, greatly puzzled at the wonder we had seen.

(Signed) RICHARD WILLIAMS
10 Bridge St., Kidwelly. 13 years.

Source: The Carmarthen Weekly Reporter, 14/02/1913. [SUFON note: I have since discovered that this news cutting from The Carmarthen Weekly Reporter of 14 February 1913, was originally printed in the Western Mail Monday 10th February 1913.]

PRESS
Saturday 25th January, 20:00
Fishguard

Sir, - You may be interested to hear that on Saturday last, at about eight p.m., my wife and self saw what we believe to have been the lights of an airship. We were returning from Fishguard to Goodwick by the Priory-road, and saw the lights, which appeared above the high land to the southward of Pen Cae. It moved to the northward at a fairly rapid rate, and we watched it for some minutes when it was hidden by the higher land. While we were observing it the lights varied in grouping, as if the direction were being altered.

ANDREW MORTON, Anstruther, Goodwick, Pem. Jan. 29.

Source: 'Western Mail', Tuesday 4th February 1913.

PRESS
Saturday 25th January, 20:25
Aberystwyth

WHAT IS IT?

More Reports About The Light In The Sky - Contradictions

Is it an airship? If so the mystery of the elusive aircraft grows more mysterious. It has been seen again flying by night as usual and this time on the coast of Mid Wales. It was seen by country people a few miles south of Aberystwyth at 8.25 on Saturday night. At first it headed out over Cardigan Bay but its searchlights which swept the hills evidently revealed the nearness of the ocean for it turned south and left in the direction of Carmarthenshire.

This is at least the fifth time this month that the mystery airship has been seen flying by night and yet no one has seen it rise or decend [sic] and no one knows whence it comes or wither [sic] it goes. On Tuesday it was reported that five persons declared that they had seen it going over Liverpool between 7 pm and 8.30 pm on Saturday night, yet at 8.30 pm it was seen near Aberystwyth! At Liverpool as in Wales it carried a light or lights. We have already recorded the statements of persons at Cardiff, Merthyr and Swansea and other places who claims to have seen "the strange light" in the sky.

Source: BUFORA BULLETIN No.18 July 1985 citing CAMBRIA DAILY LEADER Thursday 30 January 1913.

PRESS
Saturday 1st February, 20:30
Pontlottyn

Hundreds of witnesses saw what was believed an airship, going in the direction of Fochriw and Bedlinog.

Source: 'Western Mail' Tuesday 4 February 1913.

PRESS
Saturday 1st February, 22:50
Tongwynlais, Cardiff

The flight of an airship near Tongwynlais on Saturday night is stated to have been seen by two men-servants of Colonel Henry Lewis of Greenmeadow. It was at ten minutes to eleven that they observed its movements. The first to see it was a groom. He states that he saw a dark object with a red light at the rear approaching from the direction of Cardiff and following the course of the road. Immediately he called another servant, who states that he also is convinced that it was an airship. Together they watched it for about four or five minutes. After following the road for some distance, its course was turned westwards over Tongwynlais and between Tynant and Radyr, eventually disappearing. It was travelling at a fairly good rate and several hundred feet above the ground, and the light carried is described as "a big red lamp".

Source: 'Western Mail' Monday 3 February 1913.

--
Newport - A Newport resident states that on Saturday night he noticed a moving light over the docks or the river, and for some minutes when first seen it was difficult to tell whether it was a very high land light or a mast-head light. Slowly the light rose, and at the same time gradually travelled in the direction of Cardiff. No sound of engines could be heard, but that was not to be wondered at, seeing that the airship, if it was one, was much too far off. Then suddenly the light disappeared as though the craft was enveloped in a dense cloud.

Source: 'Western Mail' Tuesday 4 February 1913.

PRESS
Sunday 2nd February
Port Talbot

Whilst on special duty on the Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot, at about 6.30 on Sunday evening, Police-constables Church and Hurley plainly discerned an airship proceeding from a northerly to a south-westerly direction towards Swansea or the Mumbles. Its outline and also its light were clearly made out, and its flight was also followed by a number of people who were on the beach.

Police-constable Church told a Western Mail reporter that there was no possibility of any mistake, as he could see it distinctly, and also heard the action of the machinery. After some minutes it disappeared in some mist in the direction of Swansea. The other officer supported these statements, and declared that he was sure it was not an optical illusion.

The Neath and Swansea police were communicated with to keep sharp look-out over these locations.

Source: 'Western Mail' Monday 3 February 1913.

PRESS
Wednesday 5th February, 19:30 -
South Wales

7.30 PM. Cardiff. An 'airship' displaying a bright light was seen hanging over the west of the city. Large crowds soon gathered in the streets. Inside the Western Mail offices, one or two members of the editorial staff went up to the roof for a view of the object. Towards the west hung a bright light amidst the stars, but some cynics decided it was just Venus, and so they descended again. But many in the streets were still watching. A few minutes later, the Swansea office of the Western Mail telephoned to say that the same occurrence was taking place there, with many out, watching a light. So could this indeed have just been the planet Venus?

However at Taffs Well a powerful light was seen in the sky which brought everyone outside to see it. It was described as being bright enough to illuminate the whole area before it disappeared in the direction of Llantrisant. The light did not travel across the sky but receded into the darkness.

Witnesses in the Llantrisant area reported that a headlight and searchlights were clearly visible. The object seemed to approach from the direction of Cardiff (east of them - so could not have been Venus).

At Llanharry the object is said to have hovered over and around the same spot for about ten minutes. It made descents and ascents, and once came so close to the ground that a number of people declared that they clearly discerned the wings of the machine. It then proceeded in the direction of Swansea.

Witnesses in the Aberdare area heard "something" overhead. Between 7 and 8 o'clock Police Sergeant Evans and a number of other people in Abercynon said that they saw a powerful searchlight, and could distinctly hear a "whizzing noise" as of an air machine. It was travelling at a fast speed in the direction of the upper part of the Aberdare valley. From some parts of that district, similar accounts came to hand.

From Seven Sisters in the Dulais valley, Police Sergeant Morgan and Police-constable Foster, of the Glamorgan County Police saw the light. Its presence was first revealed to PC Foster. He was standing at the rear of the police station when he was startled by the flashing of a brilliant light which shone down right upon him. He described it as a searchlight. Looking up, he distinctly saw an airship of the dirigible type speeding swiftly at a considerable height in the direction of Swansea, and he watched it for a full twenty minutes, when it disappeared from view. This statement is confirmed by PS Morgan.

Hundreds of people in the Newport area saw a light soon after 7 PM and continued for over two hours, which was assumed to be that of an airship. It was seen distinctly by people in Rogerstone and Risca, who observed that it seemed directly over Foxwood, about 5 miles to the north-east of Newport. It appeared to have come from the direction of Cardiff (the opposite direction to the progress of the object above). It made turns and sometimes the light would grow dim and almost disappear. Then it would become visible again and seemed to be stationary. The light at times became so bright that it had the appearance of a searchlight.

An 'airship' was seen over Wenvoe and Barry and passengers on the last train from Pontypridd to Barry followed its movements for some time. It moved about at a great height, making rapid progress through the air in an inland direction from Barry (so could not have been Venus).

Source: 'Western Mail' Thursday 6 February 1913.

Source: Aberdare Leader, February 8th 1913.

At about 9.45 pm, George Winterson, of Ashfield Cottage, Crickhowell said, '....my attention was called to an airship sailing in a North-West direction, apparently coming from the South, at a slow speed and not very high; after travelling three or four miles beyond Crickhowell on the West side of the River Usk; in the direction of Brecon it suddenly turned to the left and disappeared.

Source: 'Western Mail' Monday 17 February 1913.

The Cambria Daily Leader were of the firm opinion by this point that these sightings were of Venus see 07/02/1913 and the article below from 06/02/1913:

PRESS
Saturday 8th February
Ogmore-by-Sea

Mrs Bassett, Little West, Southerndown, wrote to Captain Lindsay, Chief-Constable of Glamorgan, reporting that she saw, '.....out of a west window an airship going over the mouth of the Ogmore River, and bearing to the right. It had a bright red light and was going very fast. There was not any wind; I distinctly saw the shape of it. It was most certainly not Venus. The light disappeared as it was going,and did not reappear.'

Source: 'Western Mail' Wednesday 12 February 1913.

Note - I haven't got a newspaper archive sub at the moment, so I'm using NLW which only goes up to 1910 for the Western Mail. I'll add snips to these SUFON transcripts next time I have one.

PRESS
August
Porthmadoc

One of the attractions of the 1913 National Show was aeroplane flights by Gustav Hamel. Thousands poured into the town just to see Hamel in the air. On the Thursday he flew with passengers but on the Friday, due to poor weather, flew alone. The Cambrian News of August 15th reported:

The great attraction connected with the show were the aeroplane flights of Mr Gustav Hamel. It was at the express recommendation of Porthmadoc Local Committee, who insisted that the programme should include aeroplane flights, that Mr Hamel was engaged, the Committee feeling that to ensure a big success, the engagement of a first-class aviator was imperative.

On Thursday he made two successful flights with a lady passenger on board. The success of the flights soon spread, and there can be no doubt that the immensity of the crowd on Friday was largely due to Mr Hamel. On Friday, owing to a gusty wind, he declined to take passengers.

In one flight he was in the air for about twenty minutes and flew to a height of over 4,000 feet, this being the highest altitude he has yet reached in an exhibition flight. He thus ascended to about 500 feet above the summit of Snowdon - which overlooks the showyard - and there being neither mist nor clouds, he had a perfect view of country on the other side of Eryr.

He made several circles of the showyard and also flew a good way out over Cardigan Bay. During the aeroplane flights the pickpockets were busy and made a large haul. They relieved one gentleman of a purse containing £8.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1912

Welsh UFO sightings from 1912. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

Welsh UFO Sightings 1911

Welsh UFO sightings from 1911. For sightings from other years please click HERE.

PRESS
August 1911
Aberdare

The Aberdare Leader of August 5th 1911 reported on a ghost sighting:

A Ghost at Aberdare. A few nights ago from the back window of a house adjoining St. Elvan's Churchyard, the inmate was astonished by an extraordinary appearance - a figure in white. Slowly the appearance moved towards the church, and assumed a sitting posture. With extraordinary courage the person witnessing the phenomenon descended to the churchyard, and the object on a nearer inspection assumed a form strongly reminding him of a woman in white. Gradually she glided into the street and vanished from his gaze at the door of a respectable tradesman's house.

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