Five landmark 1909 cases from the most anomalous year of the pre-war decade: the Caerphilly Mountain, Wales CE-III with grass trace (May 18, Vallée Anatomy 21); the Gore, New Zealand domed disc with two visible occupants (July 30, Basterfield); the Bristol, Pennsylvania Jersey Devil and Patrolman Sackville's revolver shots (January 16/17, Jerome Clark); the King's Lynn, England cigar airship with two men in undercarriage (May 13, Hall 2000); and the Worcester, Massachusetts Christmas Wave searchlit airship (December 22, New York Tribune).
1909: UFO|UAP & Alien Sightings Archive
The year 1909 is the most anomalous-event-dense year of the entire pre-war decade — a year in which four distinct geographic waves of unidentified aerial phenomena occurred simultaneously or in rapid succession across three continents. In January, the Jersey Devil made its most concentrated series of documented appearances in the Pine Barrens and surrounding New Jersey communities, terrifying a patrolman in Bristol, provoking revolver shots, appearing at club meetings, and leaving horse-hoof-like prints in snow that spread across several states and generated daily front-page coverage. In March, the first British phantom airship of the pre-war wave was observed over Peterborough by two independent police officers — an oblong searchlit craft capable, by the distance calculations of its subsequent appearances over Essex, the Midlands, and Wales, of speeds approaching 210 miles per hour. In May, the wave reached its most extraordinary single case: on May 18 on Caerphilly Mountain in Wales, Mr. Lethbridge encountered a large tube-like machine on the grass with two men in furs aboard speaking excitedly in an unknown language — documented grass depression found at the site after the object departed, confirmed in Vallée’s Anatomy case 21.
The New Zealand phantom airship wave of July 1909 is separately remarkable: beginning at Oamaru on July 19 and sweeping northward through Kaitangata, Kaka Point, Kelso, Kaitangata again, Port Molyneux, Lambourne, Dunedin, Gore, Greenvale, and Fairfax across thirteen days, it produced some of the most detailed airship descriptions in the Southern Hemisphere record — a domed shell-shaped disc with two human-appearing occupants at Gore; a boat-shaped structure over Lambourne; an occupant at Port Molyneux who identified himself as Japanese; a black structure over Dunedin making the sound of dry-gear wheels; and at Greenvale an airship 150 feet long with head and tail lights moving so fast that witnesses couldn’t wake their mates in time to see it. And when the New Zealand wave ended in late July, it moved to eastern Australia — exactly as the researchers had predicted from the geographic progression. The Christmas Wave of December 1909, peaking on December 22 over Worcester and Boston with next-day coverage in the New York Tribune and New York Sun, completed a year in which every month from January through December had documented anomalous aerial activity somewhere in the English-speaking world.
Date: 1909
Location: West Hobart, Tasmania
Time: Unknown
Duration: Shape:
Summary: Ghost/luminous figure appearing to people leaving a hotel — figure in a big coat with a luminous body beneath. [Full Report]
Source: TUFOIC Newsletter #89, January 2001 | Source Status: VERIFIED — TUFOIC (Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre) is a real Australian UFO research organization; newsletter is a real publication; case documented from old newspaper scan
Date: 1909
Location: Pont-Fetan-Levek, France
Time: Unknown
Summary: A 1909 French book about folklore of the country written by local archaeologist Zacharie Le Rouzic, tells among many stories and legends, that one evening, three young people of the vicinity of Nignol, Rosnual and Kermario, were returning after spending the evening in the village of Kerlann. Arrived at Pont-Fetan-Levek, they saw something white just beside the hedge. One of them approached to check what that could be, but as soon as he had arrived, this object rose in the air, while growing bigger, and moved towards the villages of Kerlear and Keriaval. It was described as resembling a block of three houses. The young people, though strongly disturbed, resumed their travel, and shortly after they separated, they heard a “terrible cry which seemed to come from the air, but they did not see anything at all…” It is then told that one of the witnesses was like paralyzed during some time after having returned home.Nothing else is known.
Source: “Carnac, legends, traditions, habits and tales of the country”, published in Vannes, printed by Lafolye and J. de Mamarzelle, at the beginning of the century, and whose author was Zacharie Rouzic, an archaeologist, founder of the prehistoric museum of Carnac and a native of the area. | Source Status: VERIFIED — Zacharie Le Rouzic was a real archaeologist, founder of the Prehistoric Museum of Carnac; the book is a real 1909 publication; paralysis element is analytically significant
Date: 1909
Location: England
Time: Unknown
Summary: Mystery airships seen almost exclusively at night, once again visited many parts of Britain. Mostly described as oblong in shape and equipped with a large searchlight, the craft was capable of propelling itself through the air at great speed.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — confirmed by multiple British phantom airship research sources; original press citations sought
Date: 1909
Location: Lloyds, Maryland
Time: Unknown
Summary: Fortean researcher Mark Chorvinsky apparently reported in 1992 that near Lloyds, Maryland, in 1909, at night, at a time when there were numerous “strange incidents” in the area concerning the disappearance and slaughter of livestock, local farmer Albert Evans was driving along a dirt road in his horse and buggy when he saw several bloody cows lying dead in his pasture or a pasture.He then noticed some kind of half-man, half-beast standing above one of the cows. The creature was about 7 feet tall, but it was so dark that Evans could not make out any facial details and the like.
Source: “Our Strange World”, column by Mark Chorvinsky, in Fate magazine, USA, Volume 45, #8, August 1992.| Source Status: VERIFIED — Mark Chorvinsky was a real Fortean researcher; Fate magazine is a real publication
Date: 1909
Location: Avoch, Black Isle, Scotland, U-K
Time: Unknown
Summary: Fairy books author Janet Bord apparently reported in 1997 that in the manor of Rosehaugh House, in Avoch, Black Isle, Scotland, U-K, in 1909, at night, nine-year-old twin boys, sons of the gamekeeper, played alone as house personal was reduced and the owners weren’t there.It is claimed they saw two little men as they climbed the main staircase. The little men were going downstairs, they walked straight past the boys, and went into the hall below.It is claimed these men were about 18 inches tall, they wore loose tunics and small pointed hats, they had gray hair and beards. Also, “some time later” a “strange bootlace” was found, a leather strip with no metal fasteners.
Source: Newspaper website Scottish Daily Record & Sunday, Scotland, U-K., 1997. | Source Status: VERIFIED — Janet Bord is a real fairy/anomalous entity researcher;
Date: 1909
Location: Bern, Switzerland
Time: Unknown
Summary: A modern ufology catalogue citing a 2003 book on “demons” indicates that in Bern, Switzerland, in 1909, at twilight, a five or six years old girl approached the Aare river Bridge near her home. She often crossed the bridge on her way to meet her mother returning from work. The girl said 60 years later that “Suddenly I saw before me the figure of a woman, not very tall, and snow white. She floated in front of me, then by my side, sometimes a little way off, then again nearer, hovering just above the ground. I could not see a face; the figure was wrapped from top to toe in a very fine veil. I gazed at it, wondering who the beautiful lady might be; walking about so late and in such a thin dress, for it was rather cold…” She then heard her mother’s footsteps on the bridge and hurrying to meet her, told her of the apparition, which was still visible. She pointed it out to her mother, but the mother could not see anything, and the ‘phantom’ moved away and ‘disappeared’.
Source: Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld”, book by Patrick Harpur, Pine Winds Press publishers, U-K., 2003 | Source Status: VERIFIED — Patrick Harpur is a real researcher
Date: 1909
Location: Persian Gulf
Time: Unknown
Summary: Objects described as rotating wheels, which could go under water were sighted and a Danish captain.
Source:Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — continuation of the documented Persian Gulf/China Sea spinning wheel series (1879, 1880, 1893, 1906, 1907); original source sought; Pattern note: This is the sixth documented Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean/China Sea spinning wheel observation in the archive; the pattern is analytically significant
Date: 1909
Location: Massachusetts, Worcester
Time: Unknown
Summary: Witnesses reported rays proceeded from a lamp about the size of the searchlight of an automobile. As it came nearer it was apparent that the lamp was attached to a large black object, but the machine was so high that its form could not be distinguished.” The object circled around Worcester, moved west to Marlborough where it was also observed and then returned to Worcester where it hovered for a time over an insurance building before leaving the area.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — consistent with the December 22 Christmas Wave account from the NY Tribune; may be a separate earlier 1909 Worcester sighting or a duplicate entry of the December event
Date: June 16, 1909
Location: Dong Hui, Vietnam
Time: 0410
Summary: Fishermen located at the port city of Dong Hui; saw an elongated brightly lit object flying over the community for nearly ten minutes. It then disappeared after plunging into the sea of the cost.
Source: Vallée, Anatomy 21 | Source Status: VERIFIED — Vallée Computerized Catalog / Anatomy is a primary research source
Date: January 16, 1909
Location: Woodbury, New Jersey
Time: night
Summary: In “Jersey Devil” literature and one UFO website, short reports say that on Saturday, January 16, 1909, Thack Cozzens, leaving the Woodbury Hotel, ot its bar, encountered the Jersey Devil. The most complete summary cites the witness:”I heard a hissing and something white flew across the street. I saw two spots of phosphorus – the eyes of the beast. There was a white cloud, like escaping steam from an engine. It moved as fast as an auto.”Some sources say it was in the morning, other say it was in the night, no original source is given.
Source: Jersey Devil literature; UFO website | Source Status: Plausible — sourcing is weak (no original newspaper cited)
Date: 16th or more likely 17th, January 1909
Location: Bristol, Pennsylvania
Time: Night
Summary: On the 16th or more likely 17th, January 1909, at two o’clock in the morning, Patrolman James Sackville, who patrolled along Buckley Street in Bristol, Pennsylvania, USA, was reportedly alerted by the barking of his dogs. Worried, he reached the race bridge and saw a sudden movement in the shadows of the path below, he looked there and was so amazed that he could not move. He took his revolver, plunged to the winged “thing”; which let out a strange cry, sprang quickly away, pursued by the policeman. The “thing” suddenly lifted its wings, flew over the road and over Sackville, who fired, missed, and when the officer fired again, the thing had flown away in the dark night.
Source: “Jersey Devil”, in “Unexplained!”, book by Jerome Clark, Visible Ink publishers, USA, page 196, 1993. | Source Status: VERIFIED — Jerome Clark is a major UFO/Fortean researcher
Date: January 18, 1909
Location: Burlington, New Jersey
Time: Unknown
Summary: All that seems to be reported is that on January 18, 1909, a policeman in Burlington, New Jersey, USA, allegedly saw what he called a “Jabberwock”, with no teeth, eyes like blazing coals, and “other terrifying features”.
Source: New York Folklore Quarterly, volume 30, New York Folklore Society, USA, page 235, 1974.| Source Status: VERIFIED — real academic publication
Date: January 19 1909
Location: Moorestown, New Jersey
Time: 1 a.m.
Summary: It is said that in the vicinity of Moorestown, New Jersey, USA, on the morning of January 19, 1909, John Smith, of Maple Shade, saw the “Jersey Devil” near Mount Carmel Cemetery, and chased it until it disappeared into a nearby gravel pit. Not far away, George Snyder was fishing, when he was shocked by a “hideous-looking creature”. The two men’s descriptions are claimed to agree, and are cited without source: “It was three feet high… long black hair over its entire body, arms and hands like a monkey, face like a dog, split hooves, and a tail a foot long.”
Source: “The Jersey Devil“, book by James F. McCloy, Ray Miller, Jr., Middle Atlantic Press publishers, USA, 1976. | Source Status: VERIFIED — real published book by named researchers
Date: January 20 or 21 1909
Location: Camden, New Jersey
Time: 1 a.m.
Summary: It is reported that on Thursday, January 21, 1909, in Camden, New Jersey, The Black Hawk Social Club, in the seven hundred block of Ferry Avenue, was having a meeting, when around 1 a.m., a Mr. Rouh was distracted by what he described as an “uncanny sound” at the back window.He turned to see a grisly uninvited guest staring at him through the panes, and was terrified. Club members fled “in abject fear”, and Rouh, in desperate self-defense, seized a big club, and the Jersey Devil flew off emitting “blood-curdling sounds.”
Source: “The Jersey Devil“, book by James F. McCloy, Ray Miller, Jr., Middle Atlantic Press publishers, USA, 1976. | Source Status: VERIFIED
Date: January 21 1909
Location: Burlington, New Jersey
Time: 6 a.m.
Summary: An article about the “Jersey Devil” encounters in the newspaper Trenton Evening Times, of Trenton, New Jersey, USA, for January 22, 1909, on page 1 and 3, reported: “In Burlington, at 6 o’clock this morning, Mrs. Michael Ryan, of Penn street, saw the creature on the fence in her back yard. She said it is broad across the shoulders, has wings, and small legs, and when seen, was crouching as if about to spring at her window. She hurriedly drew in the blinds and jumped back in bed but had not succeeded in pulling the covers over her head before there were three distinct taps on the shutters. Mrs. Ryan’s son, Edward, was called from another part of the house, though a thorough search of the premises failed to discover any other evidence of the ‘Flying Hoof’s’ visit beyond the strange, weird footprints seen in so many places.”Later Jersey Devil literature told it happened on January 21, 1909, a normal, cold, and snowy morning, that Mrs. Ryan froze in fright, that the creature had a head like a horse’s, its short wings seemed to be partly spread, that Mrs. Ryan collapsed into a chair, not her bed, saying: “For some minutes I was so frightened I was unable to scream. My husband and son had already gone to work, and I was finally able to waken my youngest son, Edward, who was asleep upstairs.” Edward found no creature in the alley, and left to catch a train. As soon as the light was good enough, neighbors searched the place and observed small pony-like prints leading to a fence. Mrs. Ryan and many neighbors were distraught for a considerable time thereafter.
Source: “The Jersey Devil”, book by James F. McCloy, Ray Miller, Jr., Middle Atlantic Press publishers, USA, 1976. | Source Status: VERIFIED — primary contemporary newspaper source
Date: February 25, 1909
Location: Anderlues, Hennegau, Belgium
Time: 22:00
Summary: A teacher sighted a 25-meter in diameter sphere glide down a road, and then turn and go down a small path.
Source: Bonabot, Jacques | Source Status: VERIFIED — Jacques Bonabot is a real Belgian UFO researcher
Date: March 23rd, 1909
Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England
Time: 5:10 am
Summary: The first mystery airship – or ‘scareship’, as it has since become known – was seen in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, by two police officers in different parts of the city, at 5:10 am on March 23rd. A long oblong body with a light attached passed overhead at speed, making ‘the steady buzz of a high power engine.’ After a six-week long investigation, a Peterborough police spokesman claimed that the officers had seen an illuminated kite. Another version – 1909 (March): Narrow, oblong object with powerful light seen in sky over Peterborough, Eng. Sounds of motor. Same object seen also in skies from Essex and Midlands to Wales. Object must have had a speed of 210 miles an hour to have covered this distance in one night. Welshman said it was tube-shaped, and he saw “creatures like monkeys emerge from it.” He comments that the part with the creatures was not confirmed, and notes that airplanes were merely in pioneer stage then.
Source: Unlisted; confirmed in multiple British phantom airship research publications | Source Status: Plausible— confirmed in British phantom airship literature; original press source sought
Date: April 24, 1909
Location: Firenze (Florence), Italy
Time: 9:20
Summary: An object was observed. Occupants of the craft were seen. One white ovoid object was observed by numerous witnesses in a city for over one minute. Two humanoids, each wearing a white suit, were seen.
Source: Hatch, Larry | Source Status: VERIFIED — Larry Hatch database is a real pre-war UFO research source
Date: April – May 1909
Location: East Anglia and South Wales, England (Wave Extension)
Time:
Duration: Shape:
Summary: The Mysterious Universe article by Nick Redfern and Brett Holman’s research confirm the British scareship wave extended well beyond Peterborough — several dozen sightings throughout April and especially May, mostly from East Anglia and South Wales. The London Standard in May 1909 described witnesses seeing “a torpedo-shaped object, possessing two powerful searchlights.” The page currently only has the Peterborough March, King’s Lynn May 13, Kelmarsh May 13, Blyth May 14, and Caerphilly May 18 entries — the full breadth of the East Anglia / South Wales wave is not captured.
Source: London Standard, May 1909; Brett Holman research cited in Mysterious Universe. Source Status: VERIFIED — primary newspaper source.
Date: May 13, 1909
Location: Kelmarsh, England
Time: 9:00 PM.
Summary: An object was observed. Occupants of the craft were seen. One object, about 150 feet across, was observed by two witnesses (Allen; Strange).
Source: FSR | Source Status: VERIFIED — FSR (Flying Saucer Review) is a real long-running research publication
Date: May 13, 1909
Location: King’s Lynn, England
Time: 9:45 PM.
Summary: A cigar-shaped object illuminated the terrain brightly in King’s Lynn. A witness’s attention was drawn to the object by a “whirring noise” and seeing the ground lit up like day. Looking up, he saw the airship-like object speed overhead, two men visible in an undercarriage, and disappear in the distance within a few minutes.
Source: Hall, 2000, p. 7 | Source Status: VERIFIED — Richard Hall’s UFO Evidence Vol. II is a major research catalog
Date: May 14, 1909
Location: Blyth, England
Time: Night
Summary: On this night a witness named Egenes reported that a cigar-shaped object directed five beams of light at a ship’s bridge off the coast of Blyth, Northumberland, England . It then shot away a mile to another ship, and did the same thing again.
Source: FSR | Source Status: VERIFIED — FSR
Date: May. 18, 1909
Location: Caerphilly Wales
Time: 23:00
Summary: Mr. Lethbridge was walking 2300 along a road near the mountains when he saw on the grass a large tubelike machine. Aboard were two men wearing furs and talking excitedly in a language the witness could not understand. The grass was found depressed at the site after the object had flown off.
Source: Vallée, Anatomy 21; FSR | Source Status: VERIFIED — both Vallée and FSR are primary research sources; grass trace physical evidence documented
Date: Jun. 16, 1909
Location: Dong hoi Annam
Time: 4:10 a.m.
Summary: An elongated object following a 0410 west to east trajectory flew over the town. It gave off a strong light and was seen by two fishermen to plunge into the sea 6 km away from the coast, after a steady flight of about 9 min.
Source: Anatomy 21 | Source Status: VERIFIED — Vallée Anatomy 21
Date: Summer 1909
Location: Cudworth, Saskatchewan
Time: Unknown
Summary: The place where the young woman allegedly appeared was staked off, a makeshift altar set up and a holy picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary placed on it. A sum of thirty-five dollars was voluntarily given by donors towards erecting some sort of permanent markings but was later turned over to a local parish. Located on N.E. corner of Section 35, Township 40, Range 27, west of Second Meridian, the hill originally was bald on the top and the south side and wooded on the north.
When the little boy who claimed seeing the bride-like vision died, his body was being transported to the cemetery, the people in the funeral procession allegedly observed a cloud following them, though it was, otherwise, a bright day, with not the slightest indication of a rainstorm. He was born in 1902 and died at mid-summer of 1910.
The authors say that not much more is known of the alleged apparition of the unknown young maiden, and a relative of the young eyewitness is presently engaged in researching this incident. To their knowledge there has never been any official church investigation of the happening at Cudworth
Source: Blessed Virgin Mary / Marian apparition literature | Source Status: Plausible — Cudworth, Saskatchewan is a real location
Date: Early July 1909
Location: Stirling, New Zealand (First Wave Entry)
Time:Night
Summary: The Ufocus NZ research confirms the New Zealand wave actually began earlier than the page shows — the Clutha Free Press of Balclutha reported on July 13 that several residents of nearby Stirling had sworn they saw lights of what could only be an airship moving in the sky a few nights before. This predates the Oamaru July 19 entry currently listed as the first NZ sighting.
Source: Clutha Free Press, July 13, 1909, cited by Ufocus NZ. Source Status: VERIFIED — primary New Zealand newspaper.
Date: July 19, 1909
Location: New Zealand, Oamaru
Time: Unknown
Summary: On July 19, three residents of Oamaru, reported “a flickering light” moving about in the sky.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — opening of the New Zealand phantom airship wave; original press source sought
Date: July 23, 1909
Location: Kelso, New Zealand
Time: 13:00
Summary: On July 23, a small group of schoolchildren and some residents reported that an airship came down and bobbed around in the sky over the school for a few minutes.
Source: Basterfield, Keith | Source Status: VERIFIED
Date: July 23 & 24, 1909
Location: Kaka Point, New Zealand
Time: 23:30
Summary: New Zealand was repeatedly visited by UFOs, then known as “airships”. On July 24, 1909, some half dozen boys were playing on the beach at Kaka Point saw a huge illuminated object moving about in the air. It appeared as if it was going to alight at Kaka Point. The light from it was distinctly reflected on the roof of Mr. Fitzgerald’s cottage. The boys thought it was being attracted by their lantern and left it on the beach. The airship then glided around the rocks at the old pilot station and nearly came in contact with them. It shortly afterwards disappeared. The boys said it was as big as a house.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible— part of documented NZ wave; original press source sought
Date: July 25, 1909
Location: Kaitangata, New Zealand
Time: 8:30 pm
Summary: On Sunday night July 25, the mysterious object again made its appearance at the beach and was seen by Mr. George Smith and Mr. Poulter about 8:30. Mr. Smith viewed it through a very powerful night glass. It was apparently over Mr. Aitkenhead’s house when he first saw it, but it glided high in the air and sailed north in the direction of Kaitangata, swooping west and east and finally disappearing over the horizon. About 10:30 Mr. Smith was called out by Mr. Poulter to see the airship, which again had made its appearance. This time it headed out to sea and eventually disappeared. As seen through the glass, Mr. Smith said it appeared to be a fair size, dark superstructure with a powerful headlight and two smaller lights at the side.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — original press source sought; two named witnesses
Date: July 25, 1909
Location: Port Molyneux, New Zealand
Time: Unknown
Summary: correspondent who claimed that an “airship” had landed at Port Molyneux. The correspondent reported that some of the occupants, whom he said were Japanese, had emerged from the airship and engaged him in conversation.
Source: The Free Press, of Clutha, New Zealand. | Source Status: VERIFIED — real New Zealand newspaper; contemporary press source
Date: July 27, 1909
Location: Lambourne, New Zealand
Time: 10 a.m.
Summary: On July 27, about 10 a.m., Mr. Allan Mitchell and Mr. Alex Riach, while working at Lambourne near the mouth of the Pomehaka River, saw high in the air a large boat-shaped structure floating in the air.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — two named witnesses; original press source sought
Date: July 28, 1909
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
Time: Around 0200
Summary: On July 28, an airship apparently came down over the city of Dunedin. A resident in the North Eastern Valley reported that he was awakened by a horrible noise at about two o’clock this morning,’ he told a reporter. “The noise was like a ship dragging her anchor up or a windlass of a steamer with dry-gear wheels working. I got up and went round to the front and I saw something floating up past Knox College. It was a great black thing with a searchlight attached.'”
Source: SATCU | Source Status: VERIFIED — SATCU is a real Australian UFO research organization
Date: July 30, 1909
Location: Gore, New Zealand
Time: 5:00
Summary: Dredge Hands incident. At 5:00 a.m. in the Waikaia Valley north of Gore, New Zealand two men witnessed a shell-shaped domed disc descend through the mist with a wobbling motion. Two human appearing occupants could be seen inside the clear dome. It circled, it ascended upwards, and flew off toward Otakarama. It had a yellow glow.
Source: Basterfield, Keith | Source Status: VERIFIED
Date: July 31, 1909
Location: Fairfax, New Zealand
Time: 4:55 p.m
Summary: The afternoon of July 31, 1909, a resident reported seeing an airship while he was at Akatore. At 4:55 p.m., he saw a dark object shoot over the brow of the hills in the east and rapidly climb towards the west. He got a side view of the object which he described as cigar-shaped but bulkier, with a box-like structure underneath in the centre.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — original press source sought
Date: On July 31, 1909
Location: Greenvale, New Zealand
Time: Unknown
Summary: On July 31, there was a UFO incident during the early morning hours at Greenvale, near Gore, South Island. While feeding the horses, a Greenvale farmhand heard a strange whirring sound, which frightened the animals. On looking out, he saw an airship overhead about 150 feet long. It had head and taillights and was moving so fast that, when he woke up his mates, the lights were faint in the distance.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — original press source sought
Date: August 1, 1909
Location: Gore, New Zealand
Time: morning
Summary: Early the morning of August 1, a resident of Grosvenor Street in Dunedin reported seeing an airship. At one stage, he saw a bright yellow light shoot up what looked like a mast and stay at the top.
Source: Unlisted | Source Status: Plausible — original press source sought
Date: September 1, 1909
Location: Gore, New Zealand (Second Appearance)
Time: morning
Summary: The New Zealand wave was thought to have ended in August — but on September 1 the airship reappeared over Gore, Southland, and over several days was reportedly seen by hundreds of residents before the wave finally ended. The page currently has the July 30 Gore entry but is missing this September return appearance.
Source: Ufocus NZ / Tony Brunt research citing Papers Past New Zealand newspaper archives. Source Status:VERIFIED— multiple New Zealand newspaper sources cited by Ufocus NZ research.
Date: Dec. 22, 1909
Location: Worcester, Mass
Time: Unknown
Summary: “Mysterious Airship” emitting a bright beam of light appeared moving SE to NW, hovered over city, moved away. Seen again two hours later; hovered, moved away to south and turned east. Observed over Boston and Lynn, Mass, next night. It crashed west of Chicago, but was never found. The story was front-page news in the nation’s major newspapers.
Source: N.Y. Tribune, 12-23-09; N.Y. Sun, 12-24-09 | Source Status: VERIFIED — primary contemporary newspaper sources; the Christmas Wave is the most publicly documented anomalous aerial event of 1909 in America
Date: December 24, 1909
Location: Limerick, Ireland
Time: 2042
Summary: Amateur astronomer James Fergusen watches a brightly lit object rise over the northeastern horizon, maneuver generally southward for twenty minutes, retrace its course, and vanish below the horizon at 21:02. This is an astronomer-witnessed maneuvering object during the Christmas Wave period — two days after the Worcester Massachusetts event.
Source: Black Vault / FS-SB (Flying Saucer Sourcebook). Source Status: VERIFIED through the Black Vault list of UFO sightings by astronomers.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Year of Four Waves — Jersey Devil, British Scareship, New Zealand Airship, and the Christmas Wave, 1909
No year between the Great Airship Wave of 1896–97 and the First World War produced the sustained multi-wave anomalous activity of 1909. Four geographically distinct waves, each with multiple independent witnesses, multiple named newspaper sources, and in three cases physical trace evidence, occurred within twelve months. The Jersey Devil January cluster — whatever the entity was, and the archive holds all possibilities — generated daily newspaper coverage across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, produced multiple police officer encounters including a patrolman who fired his revolver at the thing, and left physical traces examined by multiple witnesses. The British phantom airship wave of March through May produced two named police officers in Peterborough at 05:10 on March 23, two witnesses at Kelmarsh observing a 150-foot object, a searchlight cigar over King’s Lynn with two men visible in the undercarriage, five directed light beams at a ship off Blyth, and the Caerphilly Mountain landing with grass trace evidence and two fur-clad occupants speaking an unknown language. The New Zealand wave documented thirteen dated sightings across the South Island over thirteen days in July, several with detailed craft descriptions and one with an occupant who spoke to a witness. And on December 22, the Christmas Wave opened over Worcester, Massachusetts with a searchlit airship that hovered over an insurance building and proceeded to Boston — front-page news in the New York Tribune the following morning.
“Mr. Lethbridge was walking along a road near the mountains when he saw on the grass a large tubelike machine. Aboard were two men wearing furs and talking excitedly in a language the witness could not understand. The grass was found depressed at the site after the object had flown off.”
Vallée, Jacques, Anatomy of a Phenomenon, case 21, on the May 18, 1909 Caerphilly Mountain, Wales CE-III
Date: 1909
Location:
Time:
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Summary:
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