| The Rendlesham Forest Incident is the name | | | | emitting above the trees. In the center of |
| given to a series of reported sightings of | | | | the lighted area directly in the center |
| unexplained lights and objects in the sky, | | | | ground level, there was a red light blinking |
| and the alleged landing of an | | | | on and off 5 to 10 sec intervals. And a blue |
| extraterrestrial spacecraft, in December | | | | light that was being for the most part |
| 1980, in the vicinity of Rendlesham Forest, | | | | steady." |
| Suffolk, England. Along with the Berwyn | | | | |
| Mountain Incident, it is perhaps the most | | | | There were some strange noises, too. |
| famous UFO event to have happened in Britain, | | | | Burroughs reported a noise "like a woman was |
| ranking amongst the best-known UFO events | | | | screaming" and also that "you could hear the |
| worldwide. It has been compared to the | | | | farm animals making a lot of noises". |
| Roswell UFO incident in the United States and | | | | However, wildlife experts note that there |
| is, amongst Americans, commonly referred to | | | | were no animals on the nearby farm and that |
| as "Britain's Roswell" or the "English | | | | the noises were most likely made by wild |
| Roswell". | | | | animals such as deer. Burroughs' statement |
| | | | also states that "We could see a beacon going |
| Sceptical viewpoints | | | | around so we went towards it. We followed it |
| | | | for about two miles [3 km] before we could |
| Sceptics dismiss the more extreme claims and | | | | [see] it was coming from a light house." |
| offer rational explanations of the observed | | | | |
| phenomena: for instance they claim that the | | | | Penniston's statement is the only one that |
| initial sighting of an object apparently | | | | positively identifies a mechanical object as |
| descending into the forest was caused by a | | | | the source of the lights. He states that he |
| bright fireball and that the flashing light | | | | was within 50 metres of the object and "it |
| subsequently seen from the forest edge was | | | | was defidently mechlanical in nature" [sic]. |
| caused by the beam from a nearby lighthouse; | | | | |
| nor, they say, was there anything unusual | | | | The witnesses were unnerved by their |
| about the radiation levels. Believers do not | | | | experience and believed that they had |
| accept that the sceptics can adequately | | | | witnessed something, as Buran expresses it, |
| refute eyewitness, documentary, photographic | | | | "out of the realm of explanation". |
| and radiological evidence. | | | | |
| | | | The Halt Tape |
| Following the event, the Ministry of Defence | | | | |
| (MoD) denied that it posed any threat to | | | | Also, in 1984, a copy of what became known as |
| national security and that it was thus never | | | | the "Halt Tape" fell into the hands of |
| investigated as a security matter. However, | | | | researchers. Unfortunately, because of static |
| later evidence indicated that there was a | | | | and the fact that the tape had been dubbed on |
| substantial MoD file on the subject and this | | | | an old machine, much of its background |
| has led to claims of a cover-up. Some have | | | | conversations could not be discerned. The US |
| interpreted this as part of a larger pattern | | | | Sci Fi Channel has now acquired the original |
| of suppression of information in regard to | | | | recording, which documents Lt. Colonel Halt |
| UFO/Alien existence/knowledge by both the US | | | | (USAF) and his patrol investigating a UFO |
| and UK Governments | | | | sighting in Rendlesham Forest in December |
| | | | 1980. This tape not only reveals much more of |
| Like the Roswell incident, it occurred in the | | | | the background conversations but features |
| proximity of two military bases, RAF | | | | names that could not be heard on the |
| Woodbridge and RAF Bentwaters (now | | | | poor-quality 1984 dub. The tape has also been |
| abandoned), which were being used by the | | | | transcribed by researcher Ian Ridpath, who |
| United States Air Force (USAF), eight miles | | | | includes a link to an audio download. |
| (13 km) outside Ipswich, Suffolk. At the time | | | | |
| these USAF/RAF NATO bases were under the | | | | Suffolk Police log |
| command of Major General Gordon E. Williams | | | | |
| (ret.) and under the Deputy Base Commander | | | | Suffolk Constabulary have a record, dated 26 |
| Colonel Charles I Halt. | | | | December 1980, of a report from the law |
| | | | Enforcement Desk of RAF Woodbridge, stating |
| Rendlesham Forest is owned by the Forestry | | | | that "We have a sighting of some unusual |
| Commission and consists of approximately 15 | | | | lights in the sky, we have sent some unarmed |
| square kilometres (3700 acres) of coniferous | | | | troops to investigate, we are terming it as a |
| plantations, interspersed with broadleaved | | | | U.F.O. at present". The police investigated |
| belts, heathland and wetland areas. It is | | | | this report and the result is recorded as |
| located in the county of Suffolk, about eight | | | | follows: "Air Traffic Control West Drayton |
| miles (13 km) to the east of the town of | | | | checked. No knowledge of aircraft. Reports |
| Ipswich. The two airforce bases in the area | | | | received of aerial phenomena over southern |
| (both being used by the USAF, at the time) | | | | England during the night. Only lights visible |
| were RAF Bentwaters, which is situated just | | | | this area was from Orford light house. Search |
| to the north of the forest, and RAF | | | | made of area - negative." A scan of the |
| Woodbridge which extends into the forest from | | | | report is available at Suffolk Constabulary's |
| the west. | | | | website. |
| | | | |
| The main events of the incident, including | | | | Other military installation involvement |
| the supposed "landing", took place in the | | | | |
| forest, almost a mile (1600 m) to the east of | | | | Some researchers have claimed that personnel |
| the main east gate of RAF Woodbridge. | | | | from Porton Down [4] visited Rendlesham in |
| | | | 1980 after the Rendlesham Forest Incident. |
| Orford Ness lighthouse is about six miles (10 | | | | However, no evidence has been presented and |
| km) almost due east of this location. | | | | there seems to be confusion with other |
| | | | alleged UFO incidents. |
| 26 December | | | | |
| | | | Lord Hill-Norton (himself a reviewer of |
| On the evening of 26 December 1980, a | | | | Bruni's book on the incident, mentioned |
| resident of Sudbourne, a village | | | | below) asked Her Majesty's Government: |
| approximately 6 miles (10 km) to the North | | | | "Whether they are aware of any involvement by |
| East of Rendlesham Forest, reported a | | | | Special Branch in the investigation of the |
| mysterious shape (like an upturned mushroom) | | | | 1980 Rendlesham Forest Incident [HL303]". |
| in the sky above his garden. An Unidentified | | | | Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean gave the |
| Flying Object was also reported at the nearby | | | | reply that "Special Branch officers may have |
| USAF Woodbridge air base, where servicemen | | | | been aware of the incident but would not have |
| initially thought it was a downed aeroplane | | | | shown any interest unless there was evidence |
| but, upon entering the forest to investigate, | | | | of a potential threat to national security. |
| they saw many strange lights moving through | | | | No such interest appears to have been shown." |
| the trees, as well as a blinding light from | | | | (Quoted in Georgina Bruni's book You Can't |
| an unidentified object. | | | | Tell the People) |
| | | | |
| Some of the airmen claim to have seen a | | | | The British Government has released its files |
| conical metallic object, suspended in a | | | | to researchers (with the exception of a small |
| yellow mist, hovering over a clearing in the | | | | number of documents) [5], [6], [7], but the |
| trees, with a pulsating blue and red circle | | | | United States continues to remain silent |
| of light above. One eyewitness claims to have | | | | despite the SciFi Channel-sponsored |
| seen triangular landing gear on the object. | | | | investigation entitled "UFO Invasion at |
| The servicemen further claimed that the | | | | Rendlesham", the History Channel's "UFO Files |
| object seemed clearly aware of their presence | | | | - Britain's Roswell" and Coalition for |
| and moved away from them, forcing them to | | | | Freedom of Information inquiries. |
| give chase. Later the servicemen were said to | | | | |
| have been found in a dazed state, and some | | | | Other possible explanations |
| reports claim that local farmyard and | | | | |
| domestic animals had been behaving in a state | | | | Science writer Ian Ridpath investigated the |
| of fear and panic. | | | | incident, initially for BBC TV's Breakfast |
| | | | Time, and on 5 January 1985 wrote an article |
| The airmen were allegedly debriefed, | | | | for The Guardian that did much to discredit |
| threatened and ordered to sign documents that | | | | the accounts of the UFO sightings at |
| vowed silence; one even claimed to have been | | | | Rendlesham. Ridpath asked local residents |
| forced to sign a document claiming the UFO | | | | about the lights, and most of them indicated |
| was a lighthouse. Some reports suggest that | | | | that the light originated from a nearby |
| they were reportedly ordered to stay quiet, | | | | lighthouse, which can create the impression |
| with the warning "bullets are cheap". | | | | of a light hovering slightly above the |
| | | | ground, especially in weather conditions |
| The next morning, servicemen returned to the | | | | where there are patches of freezing mist |
| small clearing where the conical object had | | | | amongst the trees. Also, if a UFO was |
| been seen, and found three small impressions | | | | present, the airmen should have reported a |
| in a triangular pattern, as well as burn | | | | second source of light (the lighthouse). In |
| marks and broken branches on nearby trees. | | | | the Halt tape (mentioned above), one can hear |
| | | | an unidentified airman call out "There it is |
| 28 December | | | | again...there it is." with the same frequency |
| | | | at which the Orford Ness lighthouse flashes. |
| They returned again on the evening of 28 | | | | Further analysis of the case can be found on |
| December with radiation detectors, although | | | | Ridpath's website [9]. |
| the significance of the readings they | | | | |
| obtained is disputed . That night, the lights | | | | Locals in the area also believed the alleged |
| returned, and the servicemen witnessed a | | | | "landing marks" simply to be "rabbit |
| bright flashing light between the trees. | | | | diggings." Moreover, the supposed burn marks |
| There are claims that the incident was | | | | in the trees were actually axe cuts that |
| videoed by the USAF; but the resulting tape | | | | indicated the trees were ready to be felled. |
| has not been made public. | | | | To give further pause to accepting the |
| | | | alleged UFO sighting, a meteor "almost as |
| It has been rumoured that small beings with | | | | bright as the full Moon" was spotted over |
| domed heads left the craft, and that twin | | | | southern England at exactly the time of the |
| base commander Gordon Williams claimed to | | | | initial reports of a bright object "landing" |
| have made sign language communication with | | | | in the forest, according to Dr John Mason, |
| the aliens. These rumours have no evidence to | | | | who collects reports of meteor sightings for |
| back them up, and come from unconfirmed | | | | the British Astronomical Association. |
| reports. | | | | |
| | | | Crucial amongst the evidence is the recording |
| Primary and secondary sources | | | | of high levels of radiation in the area |
| | | | (clearly heard on the "Halt tape"). Ridpath |
| The first public report of the incident was | | | | points out that the equipment used for this |
| published in the tabloid newspaper News of | | | | measurement was not intended to measure |
| the World, on 2 October 1983, beneath the | | | | background radiation and therefore the |
| sensational headline UFO lands in Suffolk | | | | readings at the low end of the measurement |
| – and that's official. The story was | | | | scale are meaningless. |
| based on an account by a former US airman, | | | | |
| using the pseudonym Art Wallace (supposedly | | | | Steuart Campbell proposes an alternative |
| to protect himself against retribution from | | | | explanation. He suggests that the incident |
| the USAF), although his real name was Larry | | | | began with the sighting of a fireball |
| Warren. | | | | (bolide) which was seen to the east and |
| | | | interpreted by guards at the base as an |
| The Halt memo | | | | aircraft falling in flames in the nearby |
| | | | forest. In fact it would have been hundreds |
| Letter from Lt. Col. Charles HaltThe first | | | | of miles away over the North Sea. Campbell |
| piece of primary evidence to be made | | | | argues that the object subsequently seen by |
| available to the public was a memorandum | | | | Halt and his men on their nocturnal |
| written by the deputy base commander, Lt. | | | | expedition was the Shipwash lightship and |
| Col. Charles I. Halt, to the Ministry of | | | | that the supposed "spacecraft" were actually |
| Defence (MOD). Known as the "Halt memo", this | | | | bright planets. Campbell is critical of the |
| was made available publicly in the United | | | | USAF's abilities with their equipment. |
| States under the US Freedom of Information | | | | |
| Act. The memorandum (left), was dated "13 Jan | | | | Another theory is that the incident was a |
| 81" and headed "Unexplained Lights". The | | | | hoax. The BBC reported that a former US |
| two-week delay between the incident and the | | | | security policeman, Kevin Conde, claimed |
| report might account for errors in dates and | | | | responsibility for creating strange lights in |
| times given. | | | | the forest by driving around in a police |
| | | | vehicle whose lights he had modified. |
| Statements from the eyewitnesses on 26 | | | | However, he is "unsure exactly when the prank |
| December | | | | took place, and therefore is not sure if he |
| | | | was inadvertently responsible for the |
| The Scottish reseacher James Easton succeeded | | | | so-called UFO incident." Kevin Conde now |
| in obtaining the original witness statements | | | | states (2005) that he was not responsible for |
| made for Col. Halt by Fred A. Buran, 81st | | | | the incident. He said this long before he was |
| Security Police Squadron, Airman First Class | | | | famously interviewed by the BBC 'Inside Out' |
| John Burroughs, 81st Security Police | | | | or the Daily Mail Newspaper. "This incident |
| Squadron, Airman Edward N. Cabansag, 81st | | | | [hoax] occurred right after Christmas. For |
| Security Police Squadron, Master-Sergeant J. | | | | reasons that are hard to explain it is my |
| D. Chandler, 81st Security Police Squadron | | | | impression that I pulled my stunt during an |
| and Staff-Sergeant Jim Penniston, 81st | | | | exercise. We would not have had an exercise |
| Security Police Squadron. These documents are | | | | during the Christmas holiday. That is a |
| now in the public domain and scans of them | | | | strong indication that my stunt is not the |
| are available on Ian Ridpath's website. | | | | source of this specific incident". |
| | | | |
| These documents describe the sightings of | | | | Other explanations for the incident have |
| strange lights. Penniston, for instance, | | | | included a downed Soviet spy satellite or a |
| states that a "large yellow glowing light was | | | | nuclear incident. |