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