An investigation by the Gendarmerie Nationale; Petite-Ile, La Réunion, 14th February, 1975

Images have been added by myself (THS).  I ought also apologise for the translation from French -I attempted Google Translate but then had to tidy up some rather nonsensical English.  After this I found that Patrick Gross's excellent Ufologie site had already translated this item:http://ufologie.patrickgross.org/htm/reunion75.htm

A book which really should be translated into English is Jean-Claude Bourret's Le Nouveau Defi des O.V.N.I. (1976) which published the Gendarmeri documents or Michel Figuet and J.-L. Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochées en France (UFO: The first complete dossier of close encounters in France) (1979).  

As is common in European countries such as France and Germany the family names of witnesses, etc., are not given but we know the percipient's name was Antoine Severin.

Above: Some of the Gendarmerie UFO files from a photo in Bourret's book

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Presentation of the facts. On February 15, 1975 at 10 o'clock, at the office of our brigade, came Mrs. Marie S[-], without profession, resident of Petite-Ile in La Réunion. This person brings to our attention that on February 14, 1975, at approximately 1 o'clock p.m., her older son Antoine, aged twenty one, was strongly commotional due to a luminous ray coming from a brilliant ball seen on piton Calvaire in Petite-Ile. The latter went back to his home by foot, taking the way of the crater which passes close to the cemetery. Our informer specifies that her son stated to her to have seen three small beings coming out of the odd apparatus which did not touch the ground, to have observed them then to have been thrown at the ground by a powerful flash started from the higher part of the saucer which then rose while whistling very loud. Mrs. S[-] adds that after he had given the account of which he was the witness to her, her boy, very upset and shocked, lost the usage of speaking and that because of this, medical doctor T[-] of Petite-Ile was called at the bedside of the patient around 7 p.m..  On our request, Mrs. S[-] stated that her son Antoine, perfectly, was never treated for mental illness. She does not believe in a hallucination. We then contact Doctor T[-]. This expert declares verbally to us that Antoine S[-], victim of an important emotional shock, is under the effect of a pithiatic crisis. That he has all his mental capabilities, that he is no wounded and does not carry any burns. The witness is placed under medical control and a rest of forty eight hours is imposed to him. Under the direction of sergeant P[-], chief of station, all the personnel of the brigade takes part in the administrative investigation. Action taken At the reception of this information, at 10:15 on February 15, 1975, we report the facts to the commander of the company of gendarmerie of Saint-Pierre. According to the instructions of this officer, we proceed to the collection of further information allowing to make the case and to locate, if possible, the place of the appearance of the unidentified flying object. A message written at 14 o'clock on February 15, 1975, is sent to our company commander and this message reports on our preliminary investigations and observations. Notes on the location and observations According to statements by Mrs. Marie S[-], the place where the object was observed is located on the piton Calvaire, territory of the commune of Petite-Ile in La Réunion, 300 meters in the west of the city. This piton, which slopes are covered with a wood of filaos trees, comprises a cultivated plate, crossed North-South by the way of the crater which serves some huts dissimulated in the greenery. Taking into account the inaccuracy of the place and because of the quite rocky and brushy relief on the ground, the exploration of the piton proves to be difficult. We do not discover any trace or clue possibly left by the passage of an unidentified flying object. Investigation On February 15, 1975 at 10:30, gendarmes C[-] and C[-] go to the residence of Mr. Maximin S[-] where his son Antoine is. They discuss a few minutes with the observer, th latter is confined to bed. They note that the latter is in an undeniable state of prostration, his large white open stare in the unknown. His mother is there, she announces the visit of the investigators to him, he shivers. At the questions which are asked to him, S[-] cannot answer by voice. With much eagerness by gestures, he describes with his hands a round and elongated shape which shines. To explain this fact, he brings his hands to his eyes several times. He then shows four fingers of his hand thus indicating that there had been four passengers dressed of white and indicates for that the cloth of its bed. He held his hand at approximately a meter of the floor indicating the size of the beings. From his mute explanations, it appears that three beings equipped with antennas on the ground were grouped close to a ladder with three steps, the fourth was in the sphere or cupola. From his reclining position, Antoine S[-] makes a drawing of the machine which he saw. He finishes his demonstration by putting his hands at the ears initially, then at his forehead and then at the eyes. His face is grinning, he can then emit an acute whistle, first very low to high all while making the index of his right hand point towards the ceiling, thus explaining how the machine rose and disappeared. As a preliminary, while describing the three beings, Antoine S[-] rose his two fingers 20 centimeters above his head to explain that they were equipped with short antennas and that those of the third being moved. At the end of the interview, Antoine S[-], very agitated, forgets the presence of two military personal in the room. On February 16, 1975, at 9 o'clock, the Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Gendarmes squad of La Réunion, informed the day before by our commander of company, orders that we carry on an investigation, to write a UFO questionnaire and to perform various checks, in particular at the services of the air trafic control tower of the airport of Gillot Saint-Denis, in order to know if planes or helicopters were in flight on February 14, 1975, between 12 o'clock and 2 o'clock.  The instructions emanating from this high authority are carried out in the current of the morning of February 16, 1975. No aircraft flew over the department of La Réunion at the dates and hours indicated. It should be noted that on February 14, 1975, at 13 o'clock, the hour of the appearance of the UFO, the weather was clear, a clear sky, the clear sun was practically at the zenith, there was no wind, no rain fall took place, since February 10, 1975. On February 16, 1975, at 30:00 p.m., Antoine S[-] is still under a state of shock, he did not recover speech and moreover his sight weakened considerably. He can walk a little bit and, still by gestures, tries some explanations about the UFO. We understand that this craft did not touch the ground at the time of the observation and hovered at approximately 1,50 meters from the surface. Antoine S[-] explains that while he was approaching the place of the appearance, he was attracted by "beep beep" sounds which he can pronounce a dozen time. He sought to know from where these noises came and thus discovered the saucer at the bottom of a field, at his right at a distance from 15 to 20 meters. S[-] jumps with joined feet to make clear to us the was the three little beings were moving on the ground. Those beings reached the footbridge which was retracted under the apparatus. He explains that he was thrown down by a luminous discharge at the time when the third being which faced him actuated its antennas, the two others being showing their profile. S[-] then fled by rolling up his trousers. The dialogue with the observer proves to be tiresome, in particular when we ask him to locate the place of the appearance. We notice that he opens his hands several times, but we cannot understand the significance of that. A member of his family then brings a French-English dictionary to us, on the virgin title page, S[-] traced with a pencil the object which he observed but also a sort of plan of the location, which is all too vague and proves to be unusable to us. The drawing outlined on the Larousse book, February 14, 1975, little after the observation, is similar to that carried out on February 16, 1975. The unidentified flying object has the shape of a hat, standard hairstyle of the Canadian RCMP police force. Two rectangular port-holes appear on the higher part; under the saucer, a tilted short ladder has three steps. On February 17, 1975, at 8 o'clock, still very agitated, still deprived of speech and sight, Antoine S[-] would have liked to bring us on the location of the observation but only accompanied with armed men. He wants to prove his good faith, but this transport is differed because of the physical handicap of the witness. Above all, this young man's confidence must be restored. At the beginning, his story caused some scoffing in his village, then it was clear that the statements of Antoine S[-] ought to be taken seriously. The further information collected about him indicates that he is perfectly balanced. Several interrogated people seem to be convinced of the existence of the flying saucers, or do not categorically reject the possibility of such appearances. The same day at 9 o'clock, we contact the person in charge of the weather station of Gillot. It is brought to our attention that in the department of La Réunion, no weather balloons are launched. Moreover, the president of the flying-club of the South indicates to us that no plane took off of the track of Pierrefond Saint-Pierre on February 14, 1975 during the day. At 11:45, we report on the progress of the investigation to our corps chief in Saint-Denis and let him know that Commandant L[-], director of the civil protection, is to come to Petite-Ile. The senior officer of the gendarmerie announces to us that he will come to Petite-Ile on February 18, 1975, at 09:30. At 18 hours, on February 17, 1975, telephonically, Doctor H[-], deputy for his fellow-member T[-], tells us that he has examined Antoine S[-] during the day and that his diagnosis is not alarming. The patient is difficult to question and could remain in his current state of anxiety, due to a strong emotional shock, three days to three months. The general state is good, a good rest is advised on him, if not, he will have to be entrusted to a psychiatrist. The announced authorities arrive at Petite-Ile on February 18, 1975 at 09:30 and are led to Antoine S[-]. Confined to bed, the latter has the head hidden in cushions and hand towels. At the end of a few minutes and in spite of a precarious conditioning, Antoine S[-] is subjected without difficulty to the interrogation by the Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Gendarmes squad. His gestures to describe the UFO and its crew are the same as those recorded in the previous days. Also, commander L[-], provided with a Geiger counter, carries out a detection of radioactivity on the body and the clothing of the observer. The result is negative. Antoine S[-], with good will, wants to lead the interested people on the plate of the Piton-Calvaire, but he must give it up because of his blindness. At this point in time he makes us understand that a neighbor, Mrs. Albert F[-], present at the time of the initial account, would be able to take us along in the corn field where he saw the UFO. This person joined us quickly and told us to have noticed three holes in the ground. She guides us at the indicated place, which is not far from her residence close to the crater way, that is to say in the perimeter included on the plan drawn by the witness a few hours after the sighting. In the absence of the principal witness, we trust the statements of Mrs. F[-]. This person goes into a field of a surface of 13 ares approximately, property of Mrs. O[-]. The ground is naked, but some corn stocks remain. In the north-western angle, Mrs. F[-], accompanied by her two daughters, finally finds the site of the three holes which she says to have noticed at the beginning of the morning of February 15, 1975. They are spaced of one meter and are laid out in an isosceles triangle. They do not have a very precise shape because of the friability of the ground and they merge with other cavities having the same size similar to small deep bowls from 2 to 3 centimeters, very wide. These hollows distributed on a large ground surface seem to be caused by birds seeking food. The search for other clues proves all the more complicated since the ground was largely pressed by human steps, more particularly during the days of February the 15, and 16, 1975. The control of the radioactivity carried out at this place by the commander L[-] is negative. On February 19, 1975 at 10:45 p.m., at the office of our brigade, we are informed by Mr. Maximin S[-] that his son Antoine recovered the use of speech and the sight during the evening. The observer wishes that his statement gets quickly recorded because he fears he might to remain lucid a very a long time. To this end, the statement of the witness is collected at 11:50 p.m.. During nearly one hour, the investigating gendarme has to listen to the course of the events experienced by Antoine S[-] on February 14, 1975 around 1 p.m.. He does not remember to have remained six days in a state of coma and he painfully realizes this truth told to him by his relatives. During the account which perfectly matches the explanations provided by gestures, Antoine S[-] has interruptions, i.e. during a few seconds he gets into a state of shock. When he gets his mind together again, his body is shaking. He then says to have been in communication with the object, he wants to lead us on the location of the sighting. Because of the complete darkness and state of exhaustion of the witness, this trip is postponed to the beginning of the morning of February 20, 1975. We mention that at the beginning of our conversation, Antoine S[-] brings to our attention that two days before the sighting, he had already heard, in a dream, the "beep beep" sounds and that that his had puzzled and irritated him. This precursory element of the facts is probable because a resident of the community of Petite-Ile had noticed on the 12th of February 1975, at 1 p.m., the very uncommunicative attitude of the witness which worked in the store of his employer, Mr. Gabriel A[-]. The witness specifies that the scale with three steps in the shape of a door did not touch the ground completely, and that the first being, of the Michelin dwarf kind, carried a shining instrument, and the second a kind of pack or bag also shining. He did not see them acting as taking ground samples. H noticed that they moved more easily on the scale in contact with metal than on the ground where thir walk was awkward. At 08:30, on February 20, 1975, S[-] Antoine, firmly decided to show us the place of the appearance of the UFO, he seats in the jeep of the brigade of Petite-Ile driven by the gendarme C[-]. Mr. S[-] Maximin is present, he accompanies his son on the dirt track leading to the path who leads to the dwellings of S[-] and taps on the shoulder of the driver, thus indicating to him the corn field already checked by the investigators on February 18, 1975. Antoine S[-] takes some steps in the field, its glance directed towards the bottom of the land piece close to the wood of filaos, he suddenly stops, puts his hands on his earsvery firmly, then he collapsed on the ground. His pulse is barely audible, his hands are cold, his eyes are counterirritated. He is immediately brought back to his home and partially recovers again only thirty minutes later. He then explains that a unexplainable force prevents him from advancing in direction of the precise location where he observed the unidentified flying object. On the decision by Doctor L[-], Antoine S[-] must be examined by a psychiatrist at the Saint-Paul hospital. The witness accepts this but wants to be accompanied by his mother. At 08:55, the Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the squad of Gendarmes of La Réunion is informed of the events of the investigation and more particularly of the physiological behavior of the observer. The same day we learn that Antoine S[-], examined at the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Paul, regained his residence in the morning. A second check for radioactivity is carried out on February 20, 1975 on the person of Antoine S[-], that is, six days after the supposed appearance of the unidentified craft. Commander L[-] did not detect any radioactivity. During the investigation, several people were interviewed, in particular, the employer, the fiancee the companions of the observer as well as the mayor of the commune of Petite-Ile. Unanimously, they depict Antoine S[-] as a serious boy, honest, sober and enjoying general appreciation. The hearing of Mrs. S[-] Marie confirms her verbal statement of February 15, 1975 having motivated the opening of an investigation. The statement by Mrs. Marie F[-] reveals that she witnessed the second loss of consciousness of Antoine S[-] on February 22, 1975, whereas he approached the place where he had observed the flying saucer. A faintness similar to that of February 20, but of a two hours duration. In various testimonies, as well verbal than written, it is specified that Antoine S[-] is not a television fan (he does not have a TV set), nor of readings of scientific or humorous nature on the topics of flying saucers and other extraterrestrial phenomena. Finally, on February 24, 1975, at 04:30 p.m., during an official interview granted to a journalist of Saint-Denis de la Réunion, Antoine S[-] agrees to go on the premises of Piton-Calvaire. No objection is formulated by the members of his family. Arrived at destination, i.e. in the field described above, the observer, as soon as he walks on the ground, is victim of an unexplainable syncope. As in the two previous occasions he is apparently possessed by the initial vision, which deeply shocked him. The observer agitates his hands above the ground, is eyes are counter-irritated, his pulse slows down and the ends of his members cool down. Brought back to his home, he recovers again thirty minutes later. Heard again on February 25, 1975, Antoine S[-] cannot explain his losses of consciousness each time that he goes to the site. He still hears the "beep beep" sounds, which force him to cover his ears. He states that he has never heard discussions about a flying saucer seen in 1968 in the plain of Cafres (island of La Réunion) and states not to read or broswe any science fiction magazines. From the investigation, it appears that Antoine S[-], of good control and morality, normally balanced, is not a simulator. The people who were interrogated do not believe in a hallucination of the observer and his statements are taken seriously. Moreover, two people worthy of faith were the witnesses of a sighting of an unidentified flying object the sky of La Réunion. They are Mr. Guy P[-], already interviewed, who saw a luminous object on February 10, 1975, around 10 p.m., moving at a sharp pace, and Mrs. Jocelyne V[-], aged sixteen, resident of Saint-Benoît (La Réunion) who saw, on February 16, 1975, at 08:00 p.m., a luminous ball advancing slowly. To date, March 6, 1975, closing date of this official report, Antoine S[-] took recovered, apparently, all his physical and mental capacities. However, because of the three failures having affected the observer at the approach of the place of the observation of the unidentified flying object, we did not believe useful to try out a fourth attempt, which could still be harmful for the witness. Written and closed in Petite-Ile, March 6, 1975.

On March 6, 1975, I, undersigned, certify to have examined on February 14, 1975, Mr. Antoine S[-], resident of Petite-Ile, La Réunion, who stated to me that he has been the victim of an "odd" phenomenon. I noted what follows: Extreme State of tiredness with prostration, distresses, partial loss of speech, fixity of the glance. It seems to be a matter of a crisis of pithiatic appearance which occurred during an intense emotional shock, difficult to specify, but real, for he is a person who did not express any disorder before, wether neurological or psychiatric. Certificate given to the gendarmerie on their request.

This day, February 23, 1975, we hear Antoine S[-], born on August 28, 1953, in Petite-Ile, driver-clerk, who states to us, at 11:50 p.m.: In the night from the 11th to the 12th February, 1975, I dreamed of grapes. The same night, I dreamed without anything to see but I heard sounds, of the beep beep type, which reached me sometimes near, sometimes very far. This lasted during the entire night. In the morning, whereas I cleaned my teeth, I still heard the same sounds, but very remote. Before leaving to work, I spoke about the dream of grapes to my friend Mauricette L[-]. During the morning, I also spoke to two colleagues at work, Marc L[-] and Guy P[-]. These people told me they had never dreamed of these fruits. I wanted to also to tell them about the other dream, but I could not do it. I am unaware of the reason. I was irritated, I could work, but I was annoyed because I still heard the same sounds. I thought of going to see a doctor, but something prevented me. This lasted until Friday February 14, 1975. That day, at 12:05, I said to my boss that it was necessary that I leave. She was astonished because it was closing time for the store, but that could have happened at any hour of the morning. The beep-beeps hurt my ears. Before leaving the shop I took a package of scrape, then I left, running while passing by the stadium, then close to the cemetery, my usual route. The sounds were more and more intense, sometimes I slowed down my pace, then I resumed my race. I was alone. Then at some time I was forced to stop as if I was held by a supernatural force. I was then close to the driving path to my hut and that of my parents, but still on the way suitable for motor vehicles. I had the impression that my tympanums were going to burst. I then swiveled slowly to leave the way and to advance a few meters in a corn field. I then felt a strange heat, accompanied by a burning airburst, I froze, like paralyzed, I could not make a gesture, at this point in time I saw a craft having the shape of a large hat or a cup posed on a reversed saucer. This object shone intensely. It had the color of aluminum and was at approximately 1,50 meter of the ground. It was thus motionless and still emitted the same sounds. Then, a scale with three steps appeared on the lower part the saucer. It was bent with approximately 45 degrees but did not touch the ground. Then a small odd being of rovedshape, like Michelin, came out of the machine, also shining, like the saucer. It carried by the right hand a 30 centimeters long shining object. On the staircase it seemed to be at ease, but as soon as it was ont he ground, its walk became different, awkward, it moved with joined feet. A second, then a third small being joined the first. This one scraped the ground, I did not see it put ground in the shining bag which the second held. All three had antennas on the head on each side. I saw them by their profile. At som time, I saw the third being which swiveled to face me. Its antennas moved. At thi very moment, I really realized what I saw. Immediately my glance went to the top of the saucer, to the turret. Through the circular port-hole, I saw the head of a fourth robot, wearing a sort of helmet, diving-suit type. I think that the third being, seeing me, had made an alarm. I was then thrown back by a powerful flash. I could see the small beings going up more quickly they went down. The scale was retracted, making a hydraulic noise. At once the machine rose, causing a very strong whistle. I could not see the direction which it took. I am unaware of how much time I remained on the ground. I then rolled up my trousers and I left directly to my parents' while bringing the package scrape. I do not remember to have lost the use of speech nor to have become blind. This evening, I chose to give you my account, which is true, because I fear to become blind and dumb. I think that tomorrow, at daylight, I will be able to take you along on the spot where I was the witness of the appearance of this object. February 23, 1975, at 1 o'clock, I read this, I persist, and I sign this. February 25, 1975, we heard again Antoine S[-], observer, who stated to us at 10 o'clock: I have virtually nothing to add or change to my previous statement. The object that I saw had the shape of a lady's hat or an egg cut in half posed on a saucer. It had the dimension of an ordinary car, all shone, the machine, the beings which came ot of it, and the tools which they carried. I much regret being unable to indicate the precise location. Indeed I am still decided to go back on the premises, but each time I arrive in the field I lose consciousness. Immediately, I hear remote noises and "beep beep" sounds. I am forced to put my hands on my ears and I promise to you that I do not do that intentionally. Each time, I am surprised to find myself on a bed and I never remember to have had a fainting. I am still weak, I think that one day I will recover all my poise and my physical strength which will enable me to preserve my moral balance. I could then locate the exact place where I saw the UFO. In my entire life, I never opened a science-fiction magazine or book where objects such as saucers or rockets appear. I had never heard speak about the flying saucer of the plain of Cafres. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I must go to Saint-Pierre to see a doctor who must come to the psychiatric hospital of Saint-Paul. In any event, I do not regard myself as a mental patient. I was shocked and upset and that weakened me. Sometimes my head capsizes and I sleep upright. I then realize somebody passes a handkerchief on my face, then all becomes normal again. February 25, 1975 at 10:20, I read the above statement, I persist in this and I do not have anything to change, to add or to edit in it.

On February 21, 1975, we hear Mr. Gabriel A[-], forty-five years old, tradesman, employer of the witness, who states: For six months approximately, I have employed the named Antoine S[-] as store boy. Sometimes he also makes the deliveries with my van. This boy is very serious, does not drink, does not smoke, does not get in trouble with anyone. I state that he gives me entire satisfaction in his work, but I find him a bit withdrawn. He does not try to engage into chatting and he is perhaps a little sharp. But at no time I saw him loose i temper at my place. On February 15, 1975, via his sister, I learned that S[-] saw, on February 14, 1975, around 13 hours, whereas he was going back to his home, an unidentified craft which could be a flying saucer. Knowing this young man, I do not think that he invents a story to make himself interesting. It is difficult for me to judge, but I think that the claims by S[-] can be taken seriously. I never saw him reading scientific books or magazines. He never spoke to me about anything similar. With regard to the affair of a flying saucer in the plain of Cafres, I believe that S[-] did not even know about that. February 21, 1975 to 18 hours, I read this, persist, and sign. Above: Gendarmerie photographs of the encounter site (c Bourret)

On February 21, 1975, we hear Marie L[-], of French nationality, who told us: Since October 28, 1974, I live in cohabitation with Antoine S[-]; we soon will marry, he is a serious boy, he does not drink, does not smoke and does not seek troubles with whoever. On February 14, 1975, I was at the house. Before coming to lunch, my fiancee went to his parents'. I found it abnormal that at 13 o'clock he still wasn't home. I too went to my parents-in-law's and I learned that Antoine was lying on a bed. He was pale, and I noticed that he perspired and said absolutely nothing. I thought that it had fever and I let him sleep. Around 15 o'clock, I realized that he cried. I asked for the reason of this sadness of him. He explained that he had seen an object in the shape of large hat with three small beings beside the craft, as well as another which remained on board. He explained to me that one small beings had a sort of bag in its hands, another carried a tool which he pricked in the ground, the third was still on a small staircase made up of three steps. Precisely, this third character made the antennas that he had on its head function, the others also had antennas. At this time the being who had remained in the cabin of the apparatus showed up at a port-hole and it also had antennas on the head. My fiancee, attracted by this object, advanced discreetly in this direction. He then received a flash coming from the apparatus, dazzling him completely. My fiancee was thrown at the ground while seeing the three small beings who went up in the apparatus which took off while whistling. My fiancee does absolutely not read scientific books or magazines, it does not take drugs. I think that the explanations that he gave can be taken seriously, he is not a boy want seeks publicity. Moreover, he had lost the use of speech from February 14, 1975, around 7 p.m. until February 19, 1975, around 9 p.m. approximately. I never heard speak about the case which happened in the commune of the plain of Cafres. Antoine never spoke to me about this appearance, I believe that he did not even know about it. Antoine permanently wears a hat, I do not think that he was victim of an insolation. He was never sick, but sometimes he has sinusitis. In all sincerity, I believe that Antoine was socked by this affair, I do think that he really saw an object. I want to specify that on February 12, 1975, Antoine had made a dream, he saw grapes and he learned that this means misfortune. On February 13, 1975, he spoke to me about this and asked me whether I had made a similar dream. February 21, 1975, 5 p.m., I read this, persist and sign.

Here is the official report of the interrogation of the mother of the witness on February 22, 1975 by the same National Gendarmerie squad:

On February 22, 1975, at the office of our brigade, we hear Marie H[-], spouse S[-] who states to us, at 03:30 p.m.: On February 14, 1975 while entering in my residence at approximately 04:30 p.m. I found my son Antoine, aged twenty and one, sitting on a bench in the kitchen. He had the two elbows on the knees, the hands on his cranium and he wept. I asked him if he had a headache. He answered me by the affirmative. I asked him whether he had had been hit, if he had had an accident or if he fell. His answer was negative. He added that if he told what he had seen, nobody would believe it. At this time, I noticed that he was afraid, he shouted and cried. I succeeded in making him speak out. He then gave me the account which he gave several times thereafter. Returning from work, not being very far from his place on a dirt track, he had seen a very brilliant large ball. He explained to me that three small and fatty beings came out of the ball though a staircase made up of three steps. The first who touched the ground carried a brilliant object in the hand, the second held a kind of bag, also shining, the third did not seem to carry anything. He saw the profile of these beings. All three wore shining clothing, having the aspect of the Michelin man. They had antennas on the head. When the third swiveled in the direction of my son, the antennas moved. At this point in time a very powerful flash started from the higher part of the ball, throwing him back. Antoine does not know how much time he remained lying on the back. He stood up, rolled up his trousers and left running directly to our premises. Antoine took a very long time to explain us what he saw with his eyes. He did many gestures, as if he drew what he had seen. He was shaking, his glance became fixed and gradually his voice extinct. Neighbors camed and carried him in my bedroom. We gave him rosemary herb tea. A little later we summoned the doctor from Petite-Ile. The doctor told us that my child had received a bad shock, adding that he would soon recover the use of speech. Antoine heard well, he even, at my request, drew the apparatus on a sheet from a dictionary. He understood all that we told him but could not speak. He often jumped, at the least noise. I was very anxious. Another doctor, deputy for Doctor T[-] told us that we must not despair, He however noted that my son had been strongly shocked. On Wednesday, February 19, 1975, around 8 p.m., Antoine pushed a cry while raising the hands, then he pronounced the word "mom". It then raised his hand on the eyes and told us what he could see. We were all relieved. He told us that he was very tired and that he came out of a long dream, that he could not explain. We told him that this dream was known to the gendarmes and that they wanted to hear it again from his mouth. A little later, Antoine wanted that the investigators come to the house, because he again feared to become unable to explain. He then told you his accident in details, as he had done to us on the 14th and the following days, by gestures. Currently, my son is still weak. He was examined by a psychiatrist doctor in Saint-Paul, who must re-examine him Wednesday or next Thursday in Saint-Pierre. He was not considered as mental. Since the first day, I never considered that my child is insane. Antoine is a boy of healthy body and mind. He was never treated for anything at the head. He is normally balanced, he does not indulge in drinking, does not smoke. He does not attend the movie theaters, does not read much. He did not know about the flying saucer seen at the plain of Cafres a few years ago. My son does not lie. I immediately believed what he said. We spoke about this appearance in the family and we are now convinced that my son really saw the machine which he describes always in the same manner. He was not victim of an hallucination. Antoine is well considered by his employer, his colleagues at work, and also by the neighborhood. On two occasions, Antoine, since he recovered eyesight, went on the spot in order to show the exact place where he saw the machine. Each time, while arriving in the vicinity, he fainted. We will watch after him and when he completely recovers, we will let you know. No member of my family was subject of mental illness. I am fully at your disposal to provide all possibly useful information to your investigation. 22nd February, 1975                                           ***************************************** It cannot really be argued (unless you are a debunker or "sceptical ufologist" -which is the same thing) that something genuinely affected Severin.  in both UFO Contact? and Unidentified-Identified I looked at the physiological and also psychological effects of these encounters on percipients. Shock and post traumatic stress syndrome and inability to cope with what is, to the percipients, a massive shock to their world view.  "Flying saucers and little green men are dumb!" one day then encounter and "They are real". Massive blow to a person's psychology. And if you know your CE3K cases then you will be aware that the "Michelin Man" type entity is not so rare -in fact, there are (once you sort through the heap of misidentifieds/hoaxes, etc) certain AE types that appear regularly and at least two types have never been really highlighted or noticed within ufological literature. Cadiz, Spain, June 1960 1960, Jerez, Spain Reunion Island, 1968 Seen by a couple, 14th March, 1976, Liria, Spain 1976, Goodland, Kansas If each UK police force had two officers trained to deal with UFO reports then that would be a start, however, with policing in the UK under-funded it seems very unlikely. Open reporting on these cases in France has not led to mass panic.  Anyone interested can find out what Gendarmes have concluded when investigating -not theorizing on origins- and gathering evidence.  In a perfect world most countries would have police investigating UFO incidents.