Important Department of Supply UAP file digitised by the National Archives of Australia.

Hi all,

An interesting UAP file has just been digitised, at my request,  by the National Archives of Australia. File series D174, control symbol SA5644/2/1, barcode 10663583, held by the Adelaide office  titled "Unidentified Flying Objects," originated with the former Department of Supply (Weapons Research Establishment, Salisbury.) It has a date range of 1966 to 1974.

There is so much material of interest, that I have decided to post a page by page description of the file.

Page	Item
1	File cover. File opened 26 July 1967. Last active entry 5 Aug 74.
2	Letter 6 Aug 74. Public Relations Officer to Mr Arundel, Alice Springs re your UFO sighting. No range activity can explain it.
3	Memo. 2 Aug 74. To PRO WRE Salisbury to WRE Woomera. Attached telegram received, please reply.
4	Telegram. 31 Jul 74. From “Arundel UFO Research Section Box 1588 Alice Springs.” Was UFO seen 9.42am 26 Jun 74 a rocket launch?
5	Letter. 28 May 1971. From PRO WRE Salisbury. To M. Mellefont. Thank you for your letter and photo of high altitude vapour trail-Most likely a meteor trail.
6	Teleprinter. 21 May 71. From World  Date Centre to B Harkin –no record of satellite decay 5 Feb 71.
7	Teleprinter. From Harkin to World Warning Agency. Any satellite re-entries 5 Feb 71.
8	Teleprinter . 28 Apr 71. From WRE Salisbury to World Warning Agency. Any satellite re-entries 5 Feb 71?
9	Letter. 22 Apr 71. Letter from M Mellefont of Sydney to WRE re photo of vapour trail.
10	Photo of high altitude vapour trail.
11	Letter. 25 Sep 69. From Harkin WRE to RAAF Townsville re 14 Sep 69 Bang Bang Homestead UFO.
12	Letter. 16 Sep 69. From RAAF Townsville to WRE Salisbury re 14 Sep Bang Bang Homestead report.
13-14	Memo. 13 Dec 67. From a/g Supt American Projects Division to Asst Sec Projects. To clarify if instructions contained in memo of 8 Aug 62 still in effect. The 1962 memo stated that the US Embassy. “…had informally sought the assistance of the Department of External Affairs in obtaining information which might be used in the identification of space vehicle fragments… Subsequently arrangements were made  for Woomera staff to report sightings in that area.” Reports outside Woomera details are sent to Head Office for transmission through Dept of External Affairs to the US Embassy as per memo of 8 Aug 62. Reports from WRE should go to RAAF. Suggests changing to refer all reports to RAAF.
15	Minute 25 Nov 67. Brian Loggan (?) of HO. “Seems to have practically nothing in his own files on UFOs and your fragments. I think that he will need a fairly thorough briefing.”
16	Minute 19 Nov 67. To P.O. APP from ? “All action lies with A/SP.”
17	Minute. 7 Nov 67. List of recipients of satellite predictions.
18	Memo. 3 Nov 67. RAAF HQ Sup asking for satellite predictions.
19-20	Minute. 3 Nov 67. To S/APD from A/DD/SP Outlining reporting system.
21	Minute. 26 Oct 67. From A/S/APD to DD/SP. Reporting channels for UFOs. Fresh policy needed “…to overcome contradictions existing at present.”
22	Teleprinter. 20 Oct 67. Identification of space vehicle fragments. Requires report to letter 4 Sep 67.
23-25	Minute. From APD to S/APD. Reporting channels UFOs. Two channels exist. (1) Sightings at the range. PO/Ranges to Supt/Trails to DD/Trails to Regional Security Officer Adelaide to Chief Security Officer to Dept of Air to ?  (2) All other sightings. Supt/APD to Supt/APD to Head Office to Dept of External Affairs to US Embassy. Trying to delete input to US Embassy.
26	Memo. Undated. From DD/Trials to Supt Woomera and WRE Salisbury. Subject: Re UFO club at Woomera & sighting process.
27	Minute. 18 Sep 67. To Director From Trials Wing HQ. Subject: UFO club at Woomera. Reporting process. Also “I have noted that the activities of the Woomera club have declined markedly in recent months…”
28	Memo. 4 Sep 67. To Director WRE Salisbury from WRE Woomera. Subject UFO club. Origin of forms used in UFO sightings.
29	Memo. 4 Sep 67. To A Sec (Projects) from American Projects Division. Subject: Identification of space vehicle fragments.  Are the 1962 processes still needed?
30	Teleprinter 28 Aug 67. From ROCRAN to Director Weapons. “Authority for rendition of reports is understood to have emanated from RSO Adelaide. Information in this regard is being sought.”
31	Minute. 15 Aug 67. From ? to S/APD. Discussion on report on page 32. May have been a “large home made rocket.”
32	Memo. 10 Aug 67. From RSO Adelaide to Director WRE Salisbury. Attached copy of a report received by SA Police.
33-34	Memo. 9 Aug 67. From Det Sen Const Purdon to OIC Special Branch. Subject: Report of Unidentified Flying Object falling from outer space. Report from Senior Constable Seebohm of Karoonda re object seen 20 July 1967. 1537hrs. Due East travelling South at 45 degree angle. “Silvery looking.” Blue/white trail. Travelling at high speed. Also seen by two men at Karoonda.
35	Memo. 10 Aug 67. To Captain F E Irvine (RAN) Supt/Woomera from WRE Salisbury. Subject: UFO club. “I am glad to hear that the “sighting report” to the STARS organisation have been discontinued. There are obviously security dangers in permitting unofficial reports of this kind.” Note that another system of reporting is in place, please investigate.
36+37	Memo. 7 Aug 67. Top Director WRE Salisbury and WRE Woomera. From Supt. Re: UFO club. STARS Scientific, Technical & Astronomical Research Society. Sets out conditions under which STARS is officially allowed to operate. STARS created its own report form but reports system is ordered to be discontinued. “I consider that there is no need to feel that any security risk exists at present.”
38	Memo. To Supt Woomera from DD/Trials. Subject: Identification of space vehicle fragments. Re sighting on Yorke Peninsula.
39-40	Memo. 16 Aug 1962. To Supt/Woomera from Controller WRE re ID of space vehicle fragments. Letter received from Dept of External Affairs-US Embassy informally seeking assistance in “…obtaining information which might be used in the identification of space vehicle fragments.” Asks fro details of sightings of “luminous objects” and “Observations of Impact(s) and/or recovery of fragment(s).” Requests observations from members of staff.
41	Teleprinter 26 July 67. From Woods Director Weapons to DS/R&E Supply Melbourne. “Further to my W8476 about alleged UFO sightings. The sentence in my message saying no films were exposed may be misleading. In fact the normal trial kinetheodelite films were exposed during the trial. These should have shown the UFO crossing the field of view close to Skylark but nothing was recorded.”
42	Teleprinter. 25 July 67. From Woods Weapons to DSR&E Supply Melbourne. Re alleged UFO sighting. “No, repeat, no films were exposed.” Reports came from kine operators and “…did not correlate with each other except in time.” “Sightings of wind carried webs are possible explanations.”
43-45	Memo. 21 July 67. To Supt Optical Instrumentation Division from WRE Woomera. Subject: Identification of space vehicle fragments. Report from Yorke Peninsula. Female. 1730hrs Object falling SW to NE. Surrounded in smoky haze. Fiery tail. Then went black, and saw what looked like a rocket. Lost behind trees. Women searched area next day and found “small heap of blackened material.” Was three years ago on a Saturday.
46	Teleprinter. Undated. From Woods Weapons Salisbury to DSR&E Supply Melbourne. Alleged UFO sighting at Woomera. Text same as 42.
47-48	Memo. 24 July 67. To Director. From Trials Wing HQ. Alleged UFO sighting at Woomera. Reports on two sightings 27 April and 30 June.
49	Memo. 21 Jul 67. To Supt Trials From PO Ranges Gp Subject Alleged UFO sightings 27 April 67. Enclosed original reports from various operators. “It is however, quite possible that multiple sightings of wind carried webs could provide reasonable explanation.”
50	STARS report form. 28 Apr 67 1402hrs About 0.5-1secs K Simmons. Optical tracker. “Object appeared round and white, as large as the Moon and passed to the right of the Skylark at approx +55s in sequence, no elevations angle noted-no further details.”
51-53	STARS report form. 27 Apr 67. 1402hrs 2 secs Position K8 L. Davis. Optical instrument –tracking telescope. Skylark in sky. “Between +55s and 60s a dull white object appeared high in the tracking telescope for approx 2 secs. Being high in the telescope the object was distorted but appeared to be long and wider in the centre than at the ends, the top piece being a slightly darker shade.”
54-56	STARS report form.28 Apr 67. 1402hrs +60s. 2/5 secs. I J Davis Site 4. Watch Skylark. Trial 23 A3. “85 degree el. The object appeared to be moving very fast, was white in colour and saucer shaped sighted in FOV for approx 2/5 secs. Flying in roughly the opposite direction to the vehicle-object appeared to be twice the size of the vehicle..”
57-59	STARS report form. Site K12 A2 operator. 27 Apr 67. ¾ sec at +55 and =60  1402hrs. Using optical instrument watching Skylark. Sky-fine, slight wispy cloud. White object passed below vehicle in camera FOV.
60-63	STARS report form. Site K9. 27 Apr 67 1402hrs 6mins. Through kinetheodelite. Az 220 degrees el 70 degrees. “Object acquired at +1m30s in sequence and lost at +8 to +9m in sequence. Bright object fell away from dull white object. Two objects kept coming back to larger object and flashing past. “ “Large object was fast moving in az when picked up then slowed down in az and gained speed in el. Small objects were fast in az.” Larger object dull white. 2 smaller were bright yellowish white.
64-66	STARS report form. L Fox at site 3. 28 Apr 67. +60s in sequence. 1402hrs. Kinetheodelite. Watching sky saw a silver white coloured object.
67-68	Site 3. 28 Apr 67. 1402hrs. 6 mins. Optical-kine.  “Object acquired at approx +1m30s in sequence at 90 degrees elevation. Lost at +8m10s to+8m30s at an az of 220.2 and el of 7-10. Moved from 90 degrees el to 7/10 degrees el. And at 15 degrees el was at 220.2 az. Watching Skylark. “The object flashed past the Skylark-was dull in colour. Dull round object with two (undecipherable) 2 small shot past and buzzing round elongated. Disappeared 8m10 to 8m30. Round just moved out and others with it and went away 220.2az 15 degrees el when lost 7-10 degrees.
69	Minute. 19 Jul 67. To DD/T From ? Alleged UFO sighting. First five paras of memo 17 Jul refer to 27 Apr sighting. Paras 6 & 7 refer to 30 Jun 67.
70	File note 19 Jul 67. From D/D Trails to S/TRD “I wouldn’t give the operators very high marks as observers.”
71	Memo. 17 July 67. To Supt Trials from PO/Ranges Alleged UFO sighting. 3-4 such sightings occur each year usually in late  autumn months. “The “objects” are almost certainly wind-borne spider webs…The fact that attempts  to photograph these “objects” have always been unsuccessful tend to support the theory that they are in fact extremely tenuous body at no great distance from the observer.”
72-73	“Report on Aerial Object Observed” form. R Hodge Photographer. 3 secs. 30 Jun 67. Overhead. One white round object. 60 to 90 degree very fast NNW to SSE straight line. Lost in mid-air. Blue sky. Target aircraft on dummy run.
74-75	Harvey. Asst Photog. Approx 1100 till 1200. 30 Jun 67. Tracked at K12. Operator V34 drew attention. White objects. “No definite formation but most appeared to be within 10 degrees az of each other at times.” White. “Most were spherical while others were appeared similar to meteorites.” Lost. “Mostly due size, distance and haze.”
76-77	L D East. Asst Photog. 1100hrs to 1140hrs intermittent. 165 degrees az 45 degrees el. Crossing path of missile in trail EC 23. Overhead. Silver white like aircraft without wings. 45 degrees el slightly arced path. “Did not track long as trial imminent.” Clear blue sky.
78-79	P Howard. Asst Photog. 1135hrs Fraction of a sec. Through 12x tracking scope of Congreves camera from site 6 K35. Travelling across path of a Jindivik aircraft. Ap 40-45 degree el very fast. Northerly direction gaining height. Went out of FOV. Clear blue sky. Object appeared to be closer to K35 than Jindivik.
80-81	M Randel. Asst Photog. 11 to 1140 Intermittent. 165az 45 degree el at 1100 cross path of missile in trial. Overhead. Intercom talk alerted. 45 degree slow to very fast. Went towards range head. Trial EC23.
82-83	M Wallbanks. Asst Photog. 30 June 67. 1100-1145hrs. Site 2. Congreaves K14 kinetheodelite. App in tracking telescope. 40 degrees el. Travelling to 145 degrees az. Path on curve, others circled and disappeared. Disappeared over horizon. Clear blue sky. Jindivick trial.
84-85	I Neill. Asst Photog. 30 Jun 67. 1100-1130hrs. Site 4. K16. Kinetheodelite. Overhead. Six objects white some appeared to have red others are rocket shaped. First sighted 80 degrees el. Lost over horizon. Jindivick trial,
86-87	Asst Photog. 1100-1115hrs. 10-15mins. K15. Overhead. Six to 12 objects white. All shaped. Travelled in all directions. Straight path. First sighted 80 degrees el. Faded into distance. Photographed at K15 for approx 5 seconds.
88-89	30 Jun 67. 1100-1130hrs. 10-15mins. K15. J Windner. Asst Photog. 6-12 objects in no apparent formation. White. First seen at 80 degrees el. Irregular cigar shapes-oblong. Appeared to fade in distance.
90-91	P Ratcliffe. Assist Photog. 30 Jun 67. 1105-1130hrs. V34 at site 3. Gooney Bird. Approx 55 degree el az 120 degrees. Several white objects through binoculars. Some circular some cylindrical .NW to SE. Went over horizon. Jindivick dummy trial. Tracked three objects to just on horizon. Az 155-165 degrees.
92	Teleprinter 18 Jul 67. From Dep Sec/R&E Melbourne to Woods WRE Salisbury. Subject: Sightings 27 Apr 67. “2. The posts concerned were K9,K12,K8, site 3 site 4 and X11. 3. Have you had the films examined as discussed…”
93	Memo. 30 Jun 67. To PO Ranges Gp from Trials Division. Subject: Alleged UFO sightings. Director has received report. Please investigate and report.
94	Memo. 23 Jun 67. To DD/Trials From WRE HQ Subject: Alleged UFO sightings. Please give me a report on 27 Apr.
95	Letter. 14 Apr 67. To J N Stephens Lecturer in Physics Wollongong Uni. Re letter 2 Mar 67 check report versus satellite negative.
96	Minute. To PRO from ? As 95
97&99	Letter 2 Mar 67 from J N Stephens. Report received from a Mr Woodhouse Wollongong sighting 2015hrs EST 11 Feb 67 very bright object in the sky.
98	Memo. 1 Apr 67. DOA to WRE-do not require satellite predictions.
100	Letter. 9 Jan 67. DOA to WRE. Satellite predictions-will be discussed at meeting shortly.
101	Letter. 15 Dec 67. To DOA from Dir WRE. Do you want predictions
102	Memo. 14 Dec 66. To PRO from APD. Subject. Info for RAAF. Should we provide DOA with satellite predictions?
103	Memo to Chief Scientist from WRE re UAS 20/7/66. Reports requested in your memo of 2 Dec copy attached.
104	Memo. 2 Dec 66 to Direct WRE. From research & Development. Reply would be appreciated.,
105	Memo. 25 Nov 66. To Chief Scientist from WRE re sighting 20 Mar 66. No correlation with report.
106	Memo. To PRO from Satellite Tracking Gp. 15 Nov 66. No correlation report with satellites.
107	File note. 4 Nov 66. UFO policy. “These queries are not so frequent that they worry us.”
108	Memo 28 Oct 66. To Director WRE. From Research & Development. Min from RAAF returned.
109	Memo. RAAF Richmond to  18 Oct 66. Sighting 20 Jul 66. 1835hrs Kurrajong NSW check for satellites
110	Letter 10 Aug 66. Director WRE to Mr Clark Victor Harbor SA. Re your letter re sighting.
111	Minute 1 Aug 66 to PO/STO Any satellites?
112	Letter from Mr Clark Victor Harbor SA. 2025hrs S to SE sky 30 degrees elevation. Star moved to E. 5mins. Then went up.
113	File cover.
114	Label-Ast. Archives.